Abstract: A method may include filling a first compartment with at least about 40 pounds of sand. A method may include securing one or more valuables in a second compartment. A method may include closing the second compartment. A method may include positioning the second compartment within the first compartment and closing, using a closure mechanism, the first compartment. A method may include at least partially crossing the closure mechanism with a lock mechanism to reduce manipulation of the closure mechanism to reduce access to the second compartment within the first compartment.

Abstract: The utilization of the byproducts from the deacetylation of lignocellulosic biomass from the production of ethanol to create cement additives and/or alternatives to ordinary portland cement (OPC) is described. These byproducts may be used to create black liquor bioash (BLA), activated lignin carbon (ALC), and/or lignin aerogel admixtures. In some embodiments, the byproduct may be combined with at least one binder to form alkali-activated materials (AAMs).

Abstract: Described herein are catalysts and methods for converting waste biogas (e.g., a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane) into useful products. In some embodiments, the biogas is converted into a highly purified methane, that can be further processed to generate fuel products, including recycled natural gas (RNG) and liquid fuels. The described catalysts and methods may be advantageous over conventional methods, including by reducing catalyst costs, decreasing temperature requirements and/or providing higher purity products by reducing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in product streams.

Abstract: Users of personalized messaging systems can encounter message fatigue, thereby reducing the efficacy of a message on its intended recipient. Message fatigue can result in wasted computational resources and bandwidth as messages transmitted over a network to the user's client device are not acted upon at the client device. For applications involving desired user interactions and responses, personalized messaging can be a tool to achieve user engagement targets. The systems and methods presented herein may address several of the technical challenges with personalized messaging.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving, from a buyer device associated with a buyer at a first merchant location, a check-in message including a duration of time the buyer is available to accept a delivery order at the first merchant location, a maximum delivery distance from the first merchant location the buyer will travel to complete a delivery order; generating an availability notification including a remaining amount of the duration of time the buyer is available to accept a delivery order at the first merchant location; in response to receiving a search query for the first merchant location from a customer device within the duration of time, transmitting the availability notification to the customer device; and, in response to receiving a first delivery order from the first customer device within the duration of time, generating a prompt, at the buyer device, including the first delivery order at the first merchant location.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for improving one or more of jitter/timing, signal-to-noise ratio, signal integrity, stability, and repeatability of generation and measurement of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) signals generated by a sample upon illumination by a light beam. The method may use precision hardware to control the generation of SHG signal and synchronize it with the optical detection process to improve the reliability and accuracy of measured SHG signals. A precise measurement of the initial SHG signal (Io) involves accurate temporal alignment between optical excitation and detection of the resulting SHG signal. Various disclosed systems and methods use high-speed Pockels Cell (PC) for controlling incident light, and precision electronics for synchronization.

Abstract: Users of personalized messaging systems can encounter message fatigue, thereby reducing the efficacy of a message on its intended recipient. Message fatigue can result in wasted computational resources and bandwidth as messages transmitted over a network to the user's client device are not acted upon at the client device. For applications involving desired user interactions and responses, personalized messaging can be a tool to achieve user engagement targets. The systems and methods presented herein may address several of the technical challenges with personalized messaging.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a catalyst that includes a support that includes a metal oxide and a metal deposited on the support, where the metal oxide includes at least one of TiO2, Al2O3, SiO2, CeO2, and/or ZrO2, the metal includes at least one of Pt, Pd, Ru Rh, Ni, and/or Mo, the metal is in the form of a particle, and the metal is present on the support at a concentration between about 0.1 wt % and about 5.0 wt %.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for splat filling a three-dimensional (“3D”) model using semi-measured data. The splat filling includes generating measured data points for a 3D representation of a scene with positions that are measured from scanning the scene, and with color values defined from measured color values of used pixels from a two-dimensional (“2D”) of the scene. The splat filling includes generating a semi-measured data point based on an unused pixel of the 2D image. The position of the semi-measured data point is derived based on a separation between the unused pixel and one or more used pixels of the 2D image, and based on the positions of measured data points that are defined with the measured color values of the one or more pixels. The color values of the semi-measured data point are defined directly from the measured color values associated with the unused pixel.

Abstract: An adaptive modulation, coding and spreading (AMCS) transmitter is configured to map modulation symbols to a plurality of OFDM subcarriers to generate symbol-modulated subcarriers. For AMCS, some of the modulation symbols may be mapped to individual subcarriers (e.g., similar to conventional OFDM) and one or more of the modulation symbols may be mapped to (i.e., spread across) more than one of the subcarriers (i.e., unlike conventional OFDM) based on a spreading ratio. An IFFT may be performed on the symbol-modulated subcarriers prior to transmission. AMCS allows for adaptation to lower capacity and/or frequency-selective channels by optionally spreading existing modulations over multiple carriers and/or time slots. AMCS expands the catalog for possible modulations/codings by splitting a symbol across multiple carriers and/or time slots. AMCS is particularly useful when channel conditions are highly frequency-dependent or uniformly low capacity.

Abstract: Systems and methods include obtaining point cloud data representing a point cloud; selecting a subset of the point cloud data based at least in part on a contour metric; grouping sets of points of the subset of the point cloud into one or more clusters based at least in part on one or more distance metrics; for a cluster that satisfies one or more cluster size criteria based on dimensions of a calibration standard, determining whether a distribution of signal intensities of points of the cluster satisfies a distribution criterion; based on a determination that the distribution of signal intensities of points satisfies the distribution criterion, determining boundaries of a region that represents the calibration standard; and storing data identifying a set of points of the point cloud that correspond to the calibration standard.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes where R1 and R2 include at least one of a hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, and/or an alkyl group, R3 and R4 include at least one of hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group, and/or a ketone, and 1?n?2000.

Abstract: An adaptive modulation, coding and spreading (AMCS) transmitter is configured to map modulation symbols to a plurality of OFDM subcarriers to generate symbol-modulated subcarriers. For AMCS, some of the modulation symbols may be mapped to individual subcarriers (e.g., similar to conventional OFDM) and one or more of the modulation symbols may be mapped to (i.e., spread across) more than one of the subcarriers (i.e., unlike conventional OFDM) based on a spreading ratio. An IFFT may be performed on the symbol-modulated subcarriers prior to transmission. AMCS allows for adaptation to lower capacity and/or frequency-selective channels by optionally spreading existing modulations over multiple carriers and/or time slots. AMCS expands the catalog for possible modulations/codings by splitting a symbol across multiple carriers and/or time slots.

Abstract: Described herein are catalysts and methods for converting waste biogas (e.g., a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane) into useful products. In some embodiments, the biogas is converted into a highly purified methane, that can be further processed to generate fuel products, including recycled natural gas (RNG) and liquid fuels. The described catalysts and methods may be advantageous over conventional methods, including by reducing catalyst costs, decreasing temperature requirements and/or providing higher purity products by reducing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in product streams.

Abstract: A cavity is cut into a wooden structure (e.g., stringer, block, or deckboard) of a wood pallet such that an electronic tracking device can be embedded into the wooden structure for tracking the pallet. The cavity is shaped to allow for a sufficient thickness of remaining wood material surrounding the cavity to remain strong and also to allow for sufficient thinness so wireless signals can be reliably transmitted to/from electronics within the cavity. The remaining space within the cavity around the embedded tracking device is filled with a potting material to secure and protect the tracking device within the cavity. The tracking device monitors the location of the pallet and provides location data to a back-end system over a communication channel either directly or via a local hub. The back-end system performs analytics on the location data.

Abstract: Users of personalized messaging systems can encounter message fatigue, thereby reducing the efficacy of a message on its intended recipient. Message fatigue can result in wasted computational resources and bandwidth as messages transmitted over a network to the user's client device are not acted upon at the client device. For applications involving desired user interactions and responses, personalized messaging can be a tool to achieve user engagement targets. The systems and methods presented herein may address several of the technical challenges with personalized messaging.

Abstract: A method for navigation of a vehicle using point cloud decimation includes generating, by a processor circuit, a ground plane point cloud and an object point cloud. Generating the ground plane point cloud and the object point cloud includes performing point cloud decimation of a 3-D point cloud using ground plane segmentation. The further includes navigating, by the processor circuit, the vehicle using at least the object point cloud.

Abstract: Users of personalized messaging systems can encounter message fatigue, thereby reducing the efficacy of a message on its intended recipient. Message fatigue can result in wasted computational resources and bandwidth as messages transmitted over a network to the user's client device are not acted upon at the client device. For applications involving desired user interactions and responses, personalized messaging can be a tool to achieve user engagement targets. The systems and methods presented herein may address several of the technical challenges with personalized messaging.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a core in the shape of a particle having a characteristic length between about one micron and about one millimeter, an active material that includes a noble metal deposited on a surface of the core, and a coating that includes a first metal-oxide, where the active material is positioned between the core and the coating, the active material has a diameter between about one nanometer and about 20 nanometers, and the coating has a thickness between greater than zero nanometers and about 20 nanometers.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a catalyst that includes a support that includes a metal oxide and a metal deposited on the support, where the metal oxide includes at least one of TiO2, Al2O3, SiO2, CeO2, and/or ZrO2, the metal includes at least one of Pt, Pd, Ru Rh, Ni, and/or Mo, the metal is in the form of a particle, and the metal is present on the support at a concentration between about 0.1 wt % and about 5.0 wt %.