Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for inserting a surgical port to minimize trauma. The system includes an access port and a guiding mechanism on the distal end of the access port, wherein the guiding mechanism has an adaptive atraumatic tip. The system also includes an introducer probe with a handle on the proximal end of the introducer probe, an atraumatic tip on the distal end of the introducer probe and a flexible body for insertion through the access port, the flexible body comprising one or more bendable elbows along the length of the introducer probe, wherein the introducer slidably engages the interior of the surgical access port to define an access path. The method includes inserting an access port down a sulcal path, inserting an introducer probe through the access port, and navigating the sulcal path with the introducer to the target.

Abstract: A method for contactlessly establishing a temperature of a surface includes determining the temperature measurement values of the plurality of blind pixels and determining temperature measurement values of the plurality of measurement pixels. The method further includes determining a temperature measurement value and a temperature measurement values by subtracting the temperature measurement value of the first blind pixel of the plurality of blind pixels from a temperature measurement value of a second blind pixel of the plurality of blind. The method further includes correcting the temperature measurement values by pixel-associated temperature drift components in each case, wherein the temperature drift components are determined using the temperature measurement value and/or the temperature measurement value.

Abstract: A method and an infrared measuring system for determining a temperature distribution of a surface without contact includes an infrared detector array with a detector array substrate and respective pluralities of measuring pixels and reference pixels. The measuring pixels are each connected to the detector array substrate with a first thermal conductivity, are sensitive to infrared radiation, and each provide a measurement signal for determining a temperature measurement value that depends on the intensity of the incident infrared radiation. The reference pixels are each connected to the detector array substrate with a second thermal conductivity and each provide a measurement signal for determining a temperature measurement value. The reference pixels are implemented as blind pixels that are substantially insensitive to infrared radiation.

Abstract: A method for contactlessly establishing a temperature of a surface includes determining the temperature measurement values of the plurality of measurement pixels. The method further includes correcting the temperature measurement values by using in each case a pixel-associated temperature drift component. The method further includes at least temporarily suppressing an incidence of infrared radiation onto the infrared detector array using the closure mechanism of the infrared measurement system while temperature measurement values are being determined. The method further includes determining the temperature drift components using the temperature measurement values.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a system having an electric machine with a superconductive component cooled using a cryogenic liquid, and in particular to the full utilization of the refrigeration power available from vaporization of the cryogenic coolant. The system also has a fuel cell, in which an operating medium may be reacted to provide electrical energy. The coolant is fed in liquid form to the superconductive component to cool the component, utilizing the vaporization enthalpy of the coolant. The coolant is then fed in gaseous form to a further component of the machine to cool the component, utilizing the heating enthalpy of the coolant. The now heated coolant is fed to the fuel cell, which uses the coolant supplied to the fuel cell as an operating medium and reacts it.

Abstract: Various embodiments may include a drive system for an aircraft comprising: an electrical generator; and an internal combustion engine with a gas expansion turbine. The generator includes a rotor rotating on a rotor shaft. The gas expansion turbine rotates on a turbine shaft. The rotor shaft and the turbine shaft are couplable to transmit torque such that the internal combustion engine can deliver mechanical energy to the generator. A supply air stream impinges at least one component of the generator.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying a suitable surgical location and/or trajectory for proceeding with a surgical procedure based on local polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging (PS-OCT). PS-OCT images are obtained of a tissue region and are processed to provide a spatial map of anisotropic structure within the tissue region. The anisotropic structure is processed to determine one or more suitable surgical locations and/or trajectories for avoiding or reducing damage to local anisotropic tissue structure identified within the tissue region. The spatial map of the anisotropic structure is registered with pre-operative volumetric image data identifying anisotropic tissue structure within a second tissue region that is larger than the tissue region imaged by PS-OCT.

Abstract: A control circuit for controlling memory prefetch requests to system level cache (SLC). The control circuit includes a circuit identifying memory access requests received at the system level cache (SLC), where each of the memory access requests includes an address (ANEXT) of memory to be accessed. Another circuit associates a tracker with each of the memory access streams. A further circuit performs tracking for the memory access streams by: when the status is tracking and the address (ANEXT) points to an interval between the current address (ACURR) and the last prefetched address (ALAST), issuing a prefetch request to the SLC; and when the status is tracking, and distance (ADIST) between the current address (ACURR) and the last prefetched address (ALAST) is greater than a specified maximum prefetch for the associated tracker, waiting for further requests to control a prefetch process.

Abstract: A temperature measurement appliance for contactless temperature measurement, in particular a handheld temperature measurement appliance, includes a housing and at least one sensor that is disposed on the housing. The at least one sensor is configured to measure one or more of a relative air humidity and an ambient temperature. The temperature measurement appliance further includes at least one protective cap that is configured to be reversibly arranged on the temperature measurement appliance so as to mechanically protect the at least one sensor. The temperature measurement appliance further includes one or more features arranged on the temperature measurement appliance that are configured to detect an arranged state of the at least one protective cap. A method for operating the temperature measurement appliance includes detecting the arranged state of the protective cap on the temperature measurement appliance.

Abstract: The present invention relates Control circuitry that includes a circuit configured to receive a system level cache (SLC) dirty-set request comprising a dirty set flag, a memory address, and an address of a cache line (LA) in a SLC data array. The circuitry converts the memory address to a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) page address (PA) which identifies a DRAM bank and a DRAM page and identifies either a hit, or no hit, is present according to whether the DRAM PA matches with PA address in any valid entry in a dirty line links cache (DLL$).

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a system facilitates the generation of a customized fundraising campaign on behalf of a third party organization by providing mechanisms via which an organizer of the third party organization can set terms of the fundraising campaign and allow participants of the campaign to create customized avatars for use in promoting the campaign.

Abstract: Described are various embodiments of a mobile surgical imaging sensor and display unit, and surgical navigation system associated therewith, in which the mobile unit may be disposed to provide line-of-sight or near line-of-sight imaging and display capabilities to an operator thereof during a surgical procedure, while a position and/or orientation of the mobile unit is tracked relative to a surgical site to associate a surgical site location with images captured and rendered by the mobile unit.

Abstract: A measuring device includes an integrated sensor unit. The integrated sensor unit is configured to record at least one moisture characteristic value of at least one building material. The measuring device further includes a communication unit. The communication unit is configured to receive at least one signal from at least one external sensor unit.

Abstract: An electrical contact pad for electrically contacting a connector includes a first region having a first length in a longitudinal direction, and a second region having a second length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than the first length. The first region is arranged to contact a first arm of the connector and the second region is arranged to contact a second arm of the connector. The first length being smaller than the second length results in a beneficial increases the impedance of the electrical contact pad. A chamfered edge of the contact pad results in an additional beneficial increase in the impedance of the electrical contact pad.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a surgical microscope. Moveable optics of the surgical microscope are controlled using two sets of control parameters, to reduce jitter and image instability. Shifts in the image due to changes in temperature or due to the use of optical filter can also be compensated. Misalignment between the mechanical axis and the optical axis of the surgical microscope can also be corrected.

Abstract: Systems and methods for gamified engineering education are disclosed. Embodiments are directed to an interactive learning exercise designed to allow participants to interact with a complex system, make observations, apply various performance engineering tactics and tools, and optimize the complex system based upon findings. At a high level, the system is a simulated casino floor with multiple pre-defined components, stations, roles, and tasks. The objective of the game is to settle as many player wagers as possible in a set amount of time by “tuning” various aspects of the casino operations. Aspects of the system—the components, stations, roles, tasks, etc.—have analogs in engineering problems. The knowledge gained, including the understanding of how different elements and aspects work with each other, may be applied by the participants to solve future engineering problems.

Abstract: Optical probes for port-based corridor surgery are provided, including a device comprising: a surgical tool mounting adaptor configured for mounting to a surgical tool; an optical probe attached to the surgical tool mounting adaptor, the optical probe comprising: an optical interface end; an optical output end, distal the optical interface end, the optical output end comprising illumination optics and collection optics, the illumination optics configured to illuminate tissue proximal the optical output end, the collection optics configured to collect an optical signal from the tissue; one or more illumination optical fibers configured to convey illumination light from the optical interface end to the illumination optics; and, one or more collection optical fibers configured to convey the optical signal collected by the collection optics to the optical interface end.

Abstract: A lightweight always-on monitoring, collecting, diagnosing, and correcting utility operates in an enhanced storage manager that manages a data storage managements system. The always-on utility provides a comprehensive and pro-active approach, which is intended to reduce, if not altogether eliminate, the need for after-the-fact diagnostics. The always-on utility also enforces so-called best practices and other heuristics, which include pro-actively activating certain database settings that are not enabled by default; manipulating certain aspects of the database to improve performance; and reporting aspects that are outside best-practice parameters to the trouble report system so that system administrators and/or developers may intervene before a catastrophic failure occurs. In some cases, the best-practice parameters represent heuristics designed by the present inventors to improve the performance and general health of the management database.

Abstract: A system for illumination during a corridor based procedure is provided, comprising: a light source; and, an optical probe comprising: a tube having a distal end, a proximal end and one or more sidewalls there between, the optical probe and the light source arranged so that light from the light source is received by the one or more sidewalls, the one or more sidewalls configured to convey the light to the distal end, the distal end configured to receive the light and illuminate a sample adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A cognitive optical system for dynamically refining imaging during a medical procedure, involving a processor operable by a set of executable instructions storable in relation to a non-transitory memory device. The processor is configured to automatically adjust an image by automatically compensating for at least one external factor affecting an anatomical area being viewed, automatically adjusting at least one imaging parameter, and automatically adjusting at least one internal control of an optical chain, whereby a quality of the image is improvable in real time.