Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part, such as a pickup and placement of the shoe part with a pickup tool.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region, insulators, gate stacks, and first and second S/Ds. The first and second regions respectively includes at least one first semiconductor fin and at least one second semiconductor fin. A width of a middle portion of the first semiconductor fin is equal to widths of end portions of the first semiconductor fin. A width of a middle portion of the second semiconductor fin is smaller than widths of end portions of the second semiconductor fin. The insulators are disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The first and second semiconductor fins are sandwiched by the insulators. The gate stacks are over a portion of the first semiconductor fin and a portion of the second semiconductor fin. The first and second S/Ds respectively covers another portion of the first semiconductor fin and another portion of the second semiconductor fin.

Abstract: A device for encouraging and guiding a spirometer user includes a housing, a main valve, a visual assembly, and a sound making assembly. The housing has a guiding channel, a first outlet channel, a second outlet channel, and an inlet channel. The main valve is disposed in a housing communicating with the guiding channel, the first outlet channel, the second outlet channel or the inlet channel and configured to regulate or control fluid flowing paths. The visual assembly includes a check valve in the second outlet channel, and at least one movable member. The sound making assembly includes a check valve and a sound maker. So, it can generate the visual and sound encouraging effects for learning how to use a spirometer correctly.

Abstract: A pepper mill includes a receiving unit, a grinding unit, and an adjusting mechanism. The receiving unit includes a stationary seat and a rotatable seat. The grinding unit includes inner and outer grinding seats. The adjusting mechanism includes an operating base mounted in the rotatable seat and operable to rotate about a rotary axis, and a movable seat disposed between the operating base and the inner grinding seat. The operating base includes a threaded rod extending upwardly into and threadedly engaging the movable seat. The movable seat is connected co-rotatably to the rotatable seat, is movable with the inner grinding seat along the rotary axis, and is not rotatable relative to the rotatable seat. Rotation of the operating base drives the movable seat to move along the rotary axis under guidance of the rotatable seat, thereby driving the inner grinding seat to move along the rotary axis.

Abstract: A laser grooving operation is performed to form a plurality of grooves in a semiconductor die prior to attaching the semiconductor die to a semiconductor device package substrate. In addition to forming a first groove through which blade sawing is to be performed to separate the semiconductor die from other semiconductor dies, a second groove may be formed between the first groove and a seal ring of the semiconductor die. The second groove is configured to contain any potential delamination that might otherwise propagate to an active region of the semiconductor die. Accordingly, the second groove and the associated laser grooving operation described herein may reduce the likelihood of delamination that might otherwise be caused by swelling and/or expansion in a molding compound formed around the semiconductor die after the semiconductor die is attached to the semiconductor device package substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a structure that joins semiconductor packages and a method for forming the structure. The structure includes an adhesion layer in contact with a first semiconductor package and a first joint pad in contact with the adhesion layer. The structure further includes a film layer disposed on the first semiconductor package and the first joint pad, where the film layer includes a slanted sidewall, the slanted sidewall covers an end portion of the adhesion layer and a first portion of the first joint pad, and the slanted sidewall exposes a second portion of the first joint pad. The structure further includes a solder ball attached to the second portion of the first joint pad and a second joint pad of a second semiconductor package.

Abstract: A reacting device of dual path synchronous immunochromatographic platform includes a seat, an upper housing, and a fluid dividing funnel. The seat contains two immunochromatographic carriers. The hollow pipe portion has two sloped structures. A force bearing portion of the fluid dividing funnel can be pressed down, so two fluid exits of the fluid dividing funnel move towards these two sloped structures. The specimen drops and is guided into these two immunochromatographic carriers respectively. A reaction result can be observable. The fluid dividing funnel can divide the specimen into two immunochromatographic carriers evenly. The sloped structure can increase the accuracy of specimen supply. Excess specimen can be scraped off for enhancing the solving accuracy. In addition, it can decrease the possibility of false positive problem.

Abstract: A device for encouraging and guiding a spirometer user includes a housing, a main valve, a visual assembly, and a sound making assembly. The housing has a channel, a first outlet channel, a second outlet channel, and an inlet channel. The main valve is disposed in a housing communicating with the channel, the first outlet channel, the second outlet channel or the inlet channel and configured to regulate or control fluid flowing paths. The visual assembly includes a check valve in the second outlet channel, and at least one movable member. The sound making assembly includes a check valve and a sound making member. So, it can generate the visual and sound encouraging effects for learning how to use a spirometer correctly.

Abstract: A barcode detection method includes obtaining a gradient of each pixel in an image, generating a gradient phase and a gradient magnitude of each pixel according to the gradient, and binarizing the gradient magnitude of each pixel to generate a binary image, generating a sliding window on the image, sampling the binary image vertically and horizontally within the sliding window to generate the numbers of grayscale value variations in the vertical and horizontal directions, locating the most intensive flip region according to the grayscale variations in the vertical and horizontal directions, locating a core barcode region according to the most intensive flip region, capturing the gradient phase of the pixels in the core barcode region to generate a gradient phase distribution, generating a barcode format detection result according to the gradient phase distribution, and locating the barcode region according to the barcode format detection result.

Abstract: A barcode detection method includes obtaining a gradient of each pixel in an image, generating a gradient phase and a gradient magnitude of each pixel according to the gradient, and binarizing the gradient magnitude of each pixel to generate a binary image, generating a sliding window on the image, sampling the binary image vertically and horizontally within the sliding window to generate the numbers of grayscale value variations in the vertical and horizontal directions, locating the most intensive flip region according to the grayscale variations in the vertical and horizontal directions, locating a core barcode region according to the most intensive flip region, capturing the gradient phase of the pixels in the core barcode region to generate a gradient phase distribution, generating a barcode format detection result according to the gradient phase distribution, and locating the barcode region according to the barcode format detection result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medical torque hand tool, which comprises a holding part, a torque adjusting device, a torque damping device, and a surgery tool. The holding part is disposed in a hollow member. The torque damping device is disposed in said holding part. The torque adjusting device passes through said holding part. The torque adjusting device and the torque damping device control the elastic deformation of an elastic member for controlling the torque of screwing an object.

Abstract: A seasoning mill includes a receiving unit, a grinding unit disposed in the receiving unit, and a closure unit. The closure unit includes a stationary seat having at least one grinding opening, a rotation control seat having a cover wall formed with at least one control opening, and a coupling member for providing a resistive force between a coupling shaft and the rotation control seat such that the rotation control seat is co-rotatable with the coupling shaft relative to the stationary seat from a closed position to an opened position, and that the rotation control seat is capable of being maintained at the opened position when a rotational force exerted thereon is released.

Abstract: A seasoning mill includes a receiving unit, a grinding unit disposed in the receiving unit, and a closure unit. The closure unit includes a stationary seat having at least one grinding opening, a rotation control seat having a cover wall formed with at least one control opening, and a coupling member for providing a resistive force between a coupling shaft and the rotation control seat such that the rotation control seat is co-rotatable with the coupling shaft relative to the stationary seat from a closed position to an opened position, and that the rotation control seat is capable of being maintained at the opened position when a rotational force exerted thereon is released.

Abstract: In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and a remote radical source is incorporated with the process chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides intermediates for preparing abiraterone, and processes for preparing abiraterone and intermediates thereof. The intermediates include a compound of formula (IV): wherein R represents a hydroxy-protecting group.

Abstract: Electron beam-confining electromagnets of an electron beam generator are aligned with an electron beam axis, each of the electromagnets being folded to define a main section and a pair of angled wing sections disposed at respective angles relative to said main section, and a conductor wound around the edge.

Abstract: Transistors and their methods of formation are described. Low dielectric constant material (e.g. a void) is placed between an elongated gate and a contact to increase the attainable switching speed of the gate of the device. An elongated structural slab of silicon nitride is temporarily positioned on both sides of the gate. Silicon oxide is formed over the silicon nitride slabs and the gate. Contacts are formed through the silicon oxide. The silicon oxide is selectively etched back to expose the silicon nitride slab. A portion or all the silicon nitride slab is removed and replaced with low-K dielectric or any dielectric with an air-gap to enable higher switching speed of the transistor. The highly-selective silicon nitride etch uses remotely excited fluorine and a very low electron temperature in the substrate processing region.

Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) structure comprises a first dopant region, a dielectric layer on top of the first dopant region, a bond pad layer on top of a first portion the dielectric layer, and an LED layer having a first LED region and a second LED region. The bond pad layer is electrically connected to the first dopant region. The first LED region is electrically connected to the bond pad layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides intermediates for preparing abiraterone, and processes for preparing abiraterone and intermediates thereof. The intermediates include a compound of formula (IV): wherein R represents a hydroxy-protecting group.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an apparatus and methods for etching photomasks using charged beam plasma. In one embodiment, an apparatus for performing a charged beam plasma process on a photomask includes a processing chamber having a chamber bottom, a chamber ceiling and chamber sidewalls defining an interior volume, a substrate support pedestal disposed in the interior volume, a charged beam generation system disposed adjacent to the chamber sidewall, and a RF bias electrode disposed in the substrate support.