Abstract: A novel adhesion layer of hafnium nitride useful in the fabrication of semiconductor devices is disclosed. In particular, semiconductor devices such as, for example, thin film transistors which include one or more elements formed of metals with high electron concentrations, such as molybdenum, tungsten, nickel, ruthenium, cobalt and alloys thereof, can employ the present invention to better adhere the metal elements to the dielectric material on which the semiconductor devices are formed and the adhesion layer can also serve as a diffusion barrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for forming substantially bio-based barrier coatings suitable for application on paper and board substrates, and paper and board substrates on which are applied one or more layers of such substantially bio-based barrier coatings. The inventive bio-based barrier coatings comprise a biowax emulsion comprising one or more biowaxes, such as castor oil wax, formed by hydrogenation of a bio-based oil, such as castor oil. The barrier coating composition is formed by dispersing a biowax emulsion into a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) dispersion, and may be applied as a coating e.g., on paper or board, e.g., those comprised of recycled fibers, using conventional industrial methods at ambient temperatures.

Abstract: An image processing system configured to obtain a mesh representation of a scene, wherein the mesh representation comprises a plurality of polygons defined by respective vertices associated with an in-plane position, the in-plane position being in a plane comprising a first dimension and a second dimension, and the vertices having an associated vertex depth value in a third dimension different from the first dimension and the second dimension. The image processing system comprises an in-plane position estimation network configured to process image data representative of an image of the scene to estimate the in-plane positions associated with respective vertices of the mesh representation. The image processing system further comprises a depth estimation engine configured to process the in-plane positions and the image data to estimate the associated vertex depth values for the respective vertices of the mesh representation.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods relating to adaptive virtual services. In an example, a user specifies a device configuration for a platform device. As a result, a service provider installs selected virtual-network functions and defines network connections as specified by the device configuration. Management software may also be installed, thereby enabling the service provider to communicate with and remotely manage the platform device. The installed virtual-network functions are activated on the platform device once it is delivered to the user. In some instances, the user changes the device configuration. For example, the user may install new virtual-network functions, reconfigure or remove existing virtual-network functions, or change defined network connections. As a result, the service provider reconfigures the platform device accordingly. Thus, the user need not purchase new specialized hardware in order to change the available functions of the computer network.

Abstract: Systems of chine-backed flame diverter for rocket systems are described. The chine-backed flame diverters can use a lower water supply pressure relative to the rocket exhaust plume impingement pressure. The chine-backed flame diverter systems can reduce operation costs and increase rigidity of the test stand structures.

Abstract: Implementations set forth herein relate to an automated assistant and/or other application that can adapt settings of a foldable display interface of a computing device according to user interactions occurring during a multilingual conversation. During the multilingual conversation between at least two users, translated content of the conversation can be rendered at a portion of the display interface according to which user is actively speaking. When a user is actively speaking, a brightness level of a portion of the display interface that is facing another user in the conversation can be modified to emphasize that the user is speaking and that the translated content is being rendered. When the user who is speaking is also the owner of the computing device, a portion of the display interface that is facing the other user can exhibit a limited responsiveness to touch inputs.

Abstract: A sensing system for a keyboard. Each key sensor comprises passive and active resonant circuits. The passive resonant circuit has a resonant frequency and the active resonant circuit excites the passive resonant circuit at the resonant frequency. A sensor driver drives the active resonant circuit with an RF drive signal, a multiplexing system multiplexes the drive signal such that simultaneously driven key sensors are separated by at least (k?1) keys, and a detector detects a level of RF signal from a driven key sensor for sensing a position and/or velocity of a key.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for predicting the time and geographic area of one or more weather events. More specifically, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing accurate temporal prediction of the volume and location of expected insurance claims resulting from one or more weather events. In some embodiments, these teachings may be employed to predict outcomes such as a number of insurance claims or a monetary value of claim losses associated with a weather event. By one approach, in response to such prediction, these teachings may assist with the generation of responses in preparation for or in response to predicted weather events and insurance claims. For example, in some embodiments, the systems, apparatuses, and methods provided herein may be employed to mobilize resources, send notifications, and generate responses in preparation for or in response to one or more predicted insurance claims.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for detecting polynucleotides in a sample and for quantifying polynucleotide load in a sample. The polynucleotides can be associated with a disease, disorder, or condition. In some applications, methylated DNA is quantified, e.g., in order to determine the load of polynucleotides in a sample. The present disclosure also provides methods and compositions for determining the load of fetal polynucleotides in a biological sample, e.g., the load of fetal polynucleotides (e.g., DNA, RNA) in maternal plasma. The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for detecting cellular processes such as cellular viability, growth rates, and infection rates. This disclosure also provides compositions and methods for detecting differences in copy number of a target polynucleotide. In some embodiments, the methods and compositions provided herein are useful for diagnosis of fetal genetic abnormalities, when the starting sample is maternal tissue (e.g.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for making DNA libraries for massive parallel next generation sequencing (NGS), comprises two parts. These methods may be referred to as Triseq sequencing. The first part includes ligating a UMI adapter, amplifying the DNA fragments in the presence of dUTP, enriching the target molecules through primer extension by using a panel of both forward and reverse primers, and removing the dU-containing template DNA. The DNA molecules are organized to primary clones and subclones, labeled by the UMI on 5? and 3? end of the DNA fragments, respectively. The second part includes sequencing the DNA library by NGS, deducing consensus sequence from each subclone, and from within each primary clone, and between the consensus sequences obtained from both forward and reverse primers.

Abstract: A kickstand assembly comprises a backplate including a backplate deploy magnet having a first magnetic pole orientation. An upper kickstand plate is slidably connected to the backplate, and a lower kickstand plate is rotatably coupled to the upper kickstand plate. The lower kickstand plate includes a closing magnet having a second magnetic pole orientation that attracts the backplate deploy magnet, and an opening magnet laterally spaced from the closing magnet and having the first magnetic pole orientation that repels the backplate deploy magnet to cause the lower kickstand plate to rotate about the upper kickstand plate when the upper kickstand plate is laterally translated relative to the backplate.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of bacterial species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest including plants, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The pesticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Dipteran, fungal, Hemipteran and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Abstract: A mounting plate for a medical device support system includes opposed major surfaces in a thickness direction. A group of plate mounting orifices is arranged in a hexagon pattern and extends through the opposed major surfaces and defines a perimeter of an area at the major surfaces. A primary orifice extends through the opposed major surfaces, and a group of primary spindle mounting orifices surround the primary orifice and extend through the opposed major surfaces, the primary orifice and the primary spindle mounting orifices located within the defined area. An auxiliary orifice extends through the opposed major surfaces and a group of auxiliary spindle mounting orifices surrounds the auxiliary orifice and extend through the opposed major surfaces, the group of auxiliary spindle mounting orifices defining a perimeter of an auxiliary spindle mounting area at the major surfaces, one of the plate mounting orifices located within the auxiliary spindle mounting area.

Abstract: A circuit for performing neural network computations for a neural network comprising a plurality of layers, the circuit comprising: activation circuitry configured to receive a vector of accumulated values and configured to apply a function to each accumulated value to generate a vector of activation values; and normalization circuitry coupled to the activation circuitry and configured to generate a respective normalized value from each activation value.

Abstract: A method comprising applying an object recognition pipeline to frames of video data. The object recognition pipeline provides a mask output of objects detected in the frames. The method includes fusing the mask output of the object recognition pipeline with depth data associated with the frames of video data to generate a map of object instances, including projecting the mask output to a model space for the map of object instances using a camera pose estimate and the depth data. An object instance in the map of object instances is defined using surface-distance metric values within a three-dimensional object volume, and has an object pose estimate indicating a transformation of the object instance to the model space. The object pose estimate and the camera pose estimate form nodes of a pose graph for the map of model instances.

Abstract: V2X trusted agents provide technical solutions for technical problems facing falsely reported locations of connected vehicles within V2X systems. These trusted agents (e.g., trusted members) may be used to detect an abrupt physical attenuation of a wireless signal and determine whether the attenuation was caused by signal occlusion caused by the presence of an untrusted vehicle or other untrusted object. When the untrusted vehicle is sending a message received by trusted agents, these temporary occlusions allow trusted members to collaboratively estimate the positions of untrusted vehicles in the shared network, and to detect misbehavior by associating the untrusted vehicle with reported positions. Trusted agents may also be used to pinpoint specific mobile targets. Information about one or more untrusted vehicles may be aggregated and distributed as a service.

Abstract: A lifting device is provided that includes side members, top support members, a front shield member, hoist assemblies, and a load member. The side members may be movable between a collapsed position and an extended position. Each top support member may be carried by one of the side members. The front shield member may be extended between and pivotally attached to each of the side members. The front shield member may be movable between a collapsed position and an extended position. Each hoist assembly may be carried by one of the side members. The hoist assemblies may be movable between a collapsed position and an extended position. The load member may be connected to each top support member. The load member may be moved between a retracted position and a released position when the hoist assemblies move between the collapsed position and the extended position.

Abstract: Fill-finish assemblies facilitating the manufacture of a drug delivery device are disclosed. The fill-finish assembly may include a container, an insertion mechanism, a fluid pathway connection assembly disposed between the container and the insertion mechanism, and a carrier. The insertion mechanism may include a delivery member and an insertion mechanism housing. The insertion mechanism may be configured to move the delivery member from a retracted position inside the insertion mechanism housing to a deployed position outside the insertion mechanism housing. The fluid pathway connection assembly may be selectively activatable to establish fluid communication between the container and the delivery member. The carrier may have a hollow interior containing at least a portion of each of the container, the insertion mechanism, and the fluid pathway connection assembly.