Abstract: A method of detecting and responding to a visitor to a smart home environment via an electronic greeting system of the smart home environment, including determining that a visitor is approaching an entryway of the smart home environment; initiating a facial recognition operation while the visitor is approaching the entryway; initiating an observation window in response to the determination that a visitor is approaching the entryway; obtaining context information from one or more sensors of the smart home environment during the observation window; and at the end of the time window, initiating a response to the detected approach of the visitor based on the context information and/or an outcome of the facial recognition operation.

Abstract: The invention encompasses methods for reducing the proportion of sperm cells with abnormal morphology, and unviable sperm cells, in a sperm cell population.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for intelligently optimizing supply chain is provided. In particular, the systems and methods provide the capability to configure supply chain systems so as to: balance between cost and service is optimized and profitability maximized; configure system parameters to respond to both current and future risks; ensure that variability is built into plans enabling maximized efficiency; and human error and bias are eliminated from the planning process such that pro-active rather than reactive behavior becomes the norm.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for additively manufacturing a part. The method may involve using a reservoir to hold a granular material feedstock, and using a nozzle in communication with the reservoir to release the granular material feedstock in a controlled fashion from the reservoir to form at least one layer of a part. The method may further involve using an excitation source for applying a signal to the nozzle which induces a controlled release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle as needed to pattern the granular material feedstock as necessary to form a layer of the part.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a network forwarding IC with packet processing pipelines, at least one of which includes a parser, a set of match-action stages, and a deparser. The parser is configured to receive a packet and generate a PHV including a first number of data containers storing data for the packet. A first match-action stage is configured to receive the PHV from the parser and expand the PHV to a second, larger number of data containers storing data for the packet. Each of a set of intermediate match-action stage is configured to receive the expanded PHV from a previous stage and provide the expanded PHV to a subsequent stage. A final match-action stage is configured to receive the expanded PHV and reduce the PHV to the first number of data containers. The deparser is configured to receive the reduced PHV from the final match-action stage and reconstruct the packet.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antimicrobial composition comprising at least one garlic extract and one or more of a bioflavonoid and/or an organic acid as well as the use of the same for treating or preventing bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections.

Abstract: This invention provides methods for coating food and beverage containers using polymers which are preferably polyether polymers. The invention further provides liquid and powder coating compositions including such polymers and which have utility in a variety of other coating end uses, including, for example, valve and pipe coatings.

Abstract: A system for additive manufacturing machine energy beam alignment error compensation includes, a calibration table having x-y planar offsets to correct laser alignment errors representing energy beam positional offsets between beam-steering commanded energy beam locations and fiducial marks generated on a burn-paper, a recoater mechanism that distributes successive layers of powder, one or more sensors monitoring the powderbed surface proximal to the beam scan unit, and a processor unit configured to perform a method. The method including collecting sensor data representing height variations across at least a portion of the powderbed surface, deriving dimensional data from the collected data, analyzing the dimensional data to determine a distribution of differences between the powderbed surface and a calibration plane used for a first spatial calibration, and calculating z-axis calibration offset points for inclusion in the calibration table x-y planar offsets.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to the aligning of a melting beam source in an additive manufacturing (AM) system. Methods of the disclosure may include forming a first test article and a second test article of different shapes on a build plate. The method further includes measuring a vertical scale, vertical alignment, horizontal scale, and an alignment of the melting beam source using the first and second test articles. The method includes determining whether one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment of the melting beam source is not within a corresponding tolerance of a target specification. If at least one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment is within the corresponding tolerance, the method includes adjusting the melting beam source of the AM system to align the melting beam source to yield the target specification.

Abstract: A prosthetic arm apparatus comprising a plurality of segments that provide a user of the prosthetic arm apparatus with substantially the same movement capability and function as a human arm. The segments are connectable to one another and connectable to a harness mount that may be adorned by the user. Each segment of the plurality of segments provides a portion of the movement capability, enabling the plurality of connected segments connected to the harness mount to provide substantially the same movement capability as that lacking in the user.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds of formula (I): compositions comprising such compounds; the use of such compounds in therapy (for example in the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition in which plasma kallikrein activity is implicated); and methods of treating patients with such compounds; wherein R5, R6, R7, A, B, W, X, Y and Z are as defined herein.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a method and a system to perform a cryptographic operation that involves a number theoretic transformation of a first vector to a second vector by obtaining components of the first vector, performing a plurality of iterations that each include determining a plurality of output values, wherein each of the plurality of output values is a linear combination of two or more input values, the input values into a first iteration being the components of the first vector and the output values of the last iteration being representative of components of the second vector, and wherein one or more of the output values of at least one iteration are randomized by multiplying at least one input value by a random number, and determining, based on the output values of the last of the plurality of iterations, the components of the second vector.

Abstract: A composition for improving softness of tissue and/or towel products includes lignocellulosic fibers; water; and a hydrophobic softener that includes the reaction product of: (1) at least one di- and/or poly-amine, (2) at least one chain extender having at least two carboxyl groups; and (3) at least one hydrophobic end-capper. The reaction product comprises a hydrophobic substitution of at least about 25 mole percent of the hydrophobic end-capper based on a total number of moles of active amine sites of the reaction product. In addition, a method of improving softness of tissue and/or towel products includes combining the lignocellulosic fibers, the water, and the hydrophobic softener; and creating the tissue and/or towel products.

Abstract: Provided herein are immunomodulatory proteins comprising ICOSL variants and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: An underwater directional light is provided. The directional light includes a lamp assembly, a tube assembly, and a printed circuit board assembly. The lamp assembly includes a housing and a lamp having a plurality of lighting elements. The tube assembly is coupled to the lamp and has a hollow interior. The printed circuit board assembly is mechanically coupled to the tube assembly and electrically coupled to the lamp.

Abstract: An underwater directional light is provided. The directional light includes a lamp assembly, a tube assembly, and a printed circuit board assembly. The lamp assembly includes a housing and a lamp having a plurality of lighting elements. The tube assembly is coupled to the lamp and has a hollow interior. The printed circuit board assembly is mechanically coupled to the tube assembly and electrically coupled to the lamp.

Abstract: An underwater directional light is provided. The directional light includes a lamp assembly, a tube assembly, and a printed circuit board assembly. The lamp assembly includes a housing and a lamp having a plurality of lighting elements. The tube assembly is coupled to the lamp and has a hollow interior. The printed circuit board assembly is mechanically coupled to the tube assembly and electrically coupled to the lamp.

Abstract: A damper seal for a gas turbine engine includes a damper body extending in a first direction between a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, extending in a second direction between first and second sidewalls, and extending in a third direction between a convex outer damper face and a concave inner damper face. The inner damper face establishes a damper pocket. The leading and trailing edge portions slope inwardly from opposite ends of the damper body to bound the damper pocket in the first direction. The first and second sidewalls extend from the leading edge portion to the trailing edge portion and slope inwardly from opposite sides of the damper body to bound the damper pocket in the second direction. The outer damper face is pre-formed according to a first predetermined geometry that substantially corresponds to a second predetermined geometry of a platform undersurface bounding a neck pocket of an airfoil. A method of damping for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

Abstract: An underwater directional light is provided. The directional light includes a lamp assembly, a tube assembly, and a printed circuit board assembly. The lamp assembly includes a housing and a lamp having a plurality of lighting elements. The tube assembly is coupled to the lamp and has a hollow interior. The printed circuit board assembly is mechanically coupled to the tube assembly and electrically coupled to the lamp.

Abstract: A discrimination system that forms a fluid column and interrogates objects within the fluid column with an excitation source. An optical arrangement collects output electromagnetic radiation emanating from the excited objects disposed within the fluid column and directs the output electromagnetic radiation to a detector. An analyzer reduces the positional dependency of the detected intensity by normalizing the value based on the position of each object.