Abstract: Needleless connectors are described herein. A needleless connector includes a housing and a flexible valve element. The housing includes a cavity, a proximal fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity, and a distal fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity. The flexible valve element is disposed within the cavity. The flexible valve element can selectively permit flow between the proximal fluid port and the distal fluid port.

Abstract: System and methods for collaborative workspaces for content browsers are provided. In one embodiment, a method for a collaborative content browser comprises: obtaining a network address for a workspace management document; opening, at a browser, the workspace management document from a shared network resource based on the network address, the workspace management document recording a browser state for rendering a collaborative browser workspace in the browser; executing a browser process to generate a workspace shell for the workspace by rendering structural features of the workspace shell based on the browser state, the structural features including an user interface with a browser tab; synchronizing project resource data from the browser state to render network content from a project resource in the browser tab; and communicating an update to the browser state based on a change applied at the browser to the structural features or the project resources.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for performing ray-based acoustic modeling that models scattering of acoustic waves by a surface of a device. The acoustic modeling uses two parameters, a room response representing acoustics and geometry of a room and a device response representing acoustics and geometry of the device. The room response is determined using ray-based acoustic modeling, such as ray tracing. The device response can be measured in an actual environment or simulated and represents an acoustic response of the device to individual acoustic plane waves. The device applies a superposition of the room response and the plane wave scattering from the device response to determine acoustic pressure values and generate microphone audio data. The device can estimate room impulse response (RIR) data using data from the microphones, and can use the RIR data to perform audio processing such as sound equalization, acoustic echo cancellation, audio beamforming, and/or the like.

Abstract: Techniques for improving adaptive interference cancellation (AIC) using cascaded AIC algorithms are described. To improve an accuracy of detecting speech, a device may perform a first stage of AIC to generate isolated audio data and may generate speech mask data indicating time windows when speech is detected in the isolated audio data. Based on the speech mask data, the device may perform second AIC to generate output audio data, with adaptation of the adaptive filter enabled when the speech is not detected and disabled when the speech is detected. Thus, the first AIC improves the accuracy with which the device detects that speech is present and the second AIC reduces distortion in the output audio data by not updating filter coefficient values when the speech is present. The first AIC may use playback audio data, microphone audio data or beamformed audio data as reference signals.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for an improved method for performing Acoustic Wave Decomposition (AWD) processing that reduces a complexity and processing consumption. The improved method enables a device to perform AWD processing to decompose an observed sound field into directional components, enabling the device to perform additional processing such as sound source separation, dereverberation, sound source localization, sound field reconstruction, and/or the like. The improved method splits the solution to two phases: a search phase that selects a subset of a device dictionary to reduce a complexity, and a decomposition phase that solves an optimization problem using the subset of the device dictionary.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein provide a collaborative browsing experience in which real-time browsing activity and saved browsing activity of session collaborators in a collaborative browsing session are shared with the collaborators. A collaborative session may be initiated, which may create a tab group associated with the session and linked to a collaborator. Other collaborators may be invited to join the session, and additional tab groups for each collaborator may be created. The tab groups of the collaborators may be included in a collective tab group, which may be updated in real-time with changes made by any of the collaborators. For example, client changes may be handled locally and communicated to a service to which each client is connected. The service may sequence and broadcast the ordered changes to the clients, which may each implement the changes according to the sequence to synchronize a shared state amongst clients.

Abstract: A device has a microphone array that acquires sound data and a camera that acquires image data. A portion of the device may be moveable by one or more actuators. Responsive to the user, the portion of the device is moved toward an estimated direction of the user. The estimated direction is based on sensor data including the sound data and the image data. First variance values for individual sound direction values are calculated. Data derived from the image data or data from other sensors may be used to modify the first variance values and determine second data comprising second variances. The second data may be processed to determine the estimated direction of the user. For example, the second data may be processed by both a forward and a backward Kalman filter, and the output combined to determine an estimated direction toward the user.

Abstract: A network service maintains a recently used resource list for a user that includes a list of references (e.g., hyperlinks) to resources (e.g., files) recently accessed by the user. An application, such as a web browser application or a web browser extension, periodically retrieves the recently used resource list for the user from the network service. When the application is utilized to display a text entry field, a user interface (“UI”) can be provided for inserting references to recently used resources identified in the recently used resource list into the text entry field. Through the UI, the user can select a resource identified in the recently used resource list using appropriate user input (e.g., selection of a resource using a mouse cursor, touch, or keyboard input). In response thereto, a reference (e.g., a hyperlink) to a selected resource can be inserted into the text entry field.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein provide a collaborative browsing experience in which real-time browsing activity and saved browsing activity of session collaborators in a collaborative browsing session are shared with the collaborators. A collaborative session may be initiated, which may create a tab group associated with the session and linked to a collaborator. Other collaborators may be invited to join the session, and additional tab groups for each collaborator may be created. The tab groups of the collaborators may be included in a collective tab group, which may be updated in real-time with changes made by any of the collaborators. For example, client changes may be handled locally and communicated to a service to which each client is connected. The service may sequence and broadcast the ordered changes to the clients, which may each implement the changes according to the sequence to synchronize a shared state amongst clients.

Abstract: A network service maintains a recently used resource list for a user that includes a list of references (e.g., hyperlinks) to resources (e.g., files) recently accessed by the user. An application, such as a web browser application or a web browser extension, periodically retrieves the recently used resource list for the user from the network service. When the application is utilized to display a text entry field, a user interface (“UP”) can be provided for inserting references to recently used resources identified in the recently used resource list into the text entry field. Through the UI, the user can select a resource identified in the recently used resource list using appropriate user input (e.g., selection of a resource using a mouse cursor, touch, or keyboard input). In response thereto, a reference (e.g., a hyperlink) to a selected resource can be inserted into the text entry field.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein provide a collaborative browsing experience in which real-time browsing activity and saved browsing activity of session collaborators in a collaborative browsing session are shared with the collaborators. A collaborative session may be initiated, which may create a tab group associated with the session and linked to a collaborator. Other collaborators may be invited to join the session, and additional tab groups for each collaborator may be created. The tab groups of the collaborators may be included in a collective tab group, which may be updated in real-time with changes made by any of the collaborators. For example, client changes may be handled locally and communicated to a service to which each client is connected. The service may sequence and broadcast the ordered changes to the clients, which may each implement the changes according to the sequence to synchronize a shared state amongst clients.

Abstract: A system that performs early reflections filtering to suppress early reflections and improve sound source localization (SSL). During music playback and/or when a device is placed in a corner, acoustic reflections from nearby surfaces get boosted due to constructive interference, negatively impacting SSL and other processing of the device. To suppress these early reflections, the device uses an Early Reflections Filter (ERF) that makes use of Linear Prediction Coding (LPC), which is already being performed during speech processing. For example, the device generates raw audio signals using multi-channel LPC coefficients and then uses single-channel LPC coefficients for each raw audio signal in order to generate a filter that estimates the reflections. The device then uses this filter to suppress the early reflections and generate filtered audio signals, thus resulting in better audio processing and better overall device performance.

Abstract: A system that performs sound source localization (SSL) using acoustic wave decomposition (AWD) or an approximation. When a device detects a wakeword represented in audio data, the device performs SSL processing in order to determine a position of the user relative to the device (e.g., estimate angle of the user). The device calculates noise statistics based on first audio data representing the wakeword and second audio data preceding the wakeword. Thus, upon detecting the wakeword, the device calculates the noise statistics and a signal quality metric corresponding to the wakeword. In addition, the device uses Multi-Channel Linear Prediction Coding (MCLPC) coefficients to average out the room impulse response. Using the noise statistics, the MCLPC coefficients, and the audio data, the device performs AWD processing to decompose the sound field to disjoint acoustic plane waves, enabling the device to identify the most likely direction for the line-of-sight component of speech.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein provide a collaborative browsing experience in which real-time browsing activity and saved browsing activity of session collaborators in a collaborative browsing session are shared with the collaborators. A collaborative session may be initiated, which may create a tab group associated with the session and linked to a collaborator. Other collaborators may be invited to join the session, and additional tab groups for each collaborator may be created. The tab groups of the collaborators may be included in a collective tab group, which may be updated in real-time with changes made by any of the collaborators. For example, client changes may be handled locally and communicated to a service to which each client is connected. The service may sequence and broadcast the ordered changes to the clients, which may each implement the changes according to the sequence to synchronize a shared state amongst clients.

Abstract: Techniques for improving microphone noise suppression are provided. A system for noise-suppression may include a beam selector component that applies logic to select a beam most likely corresponding to a direction of a noise source and keeps the beam selection steady rather than switching the beam too often to avoid processing complications. The selected beam may be used as a reference in an adaptive filter which outputs a noise estimate. The noise estimate and raw microphone data may be used to adapt the adaptive filter. A parallel filter which adapts after a time delay may be applied to the reference in order to prevent interference. An attenuation factor may be used to scale the noise estimate based on noise diffuseness, signal quality, and/or a gain limit. The scaled noise estimate may be subtracted from microphone input data to produce output audio data with improved signal quality and maintained signal coherence.

Abstract: A system configured to improve wakeword detection. The system may selectively rectify (e.g., attenuate) a portion of an audio signal based on energy statistics corresponding to a keyword (e.g., wakeword). For example, a device may perform echo cancellation to generate isolated audio data, may use the energy statistics to calculate signal quality metric values for a plurality of frequency bands of the isolated audio data, and may select a fixed number of frequency bands (e.g., 5-10%) associated with lowest signal quality metric values. To detect a specific keyword, the system determines a threshold ?(f) corresponding to an expected energy value at each frequency band. During runtime, the device determines signal quality metric values by subtracting residual music from the expected energy values. Thus, the device attenuates only a portion of the total number of frequency bands that include more energy than expected based on the energy statistics of the wakeword.

Abstract: A device has a microphone array that acquires sound data and a camera that acquires image data. A portion of the device may be moveable by one or more actuators. Responsive to the user, the portion of the device is moved toward an estimated direction of the user. The estimated direction is based on sensor data including the sound data and the image data. First variance values for individual sound direction values are calculated. Data derived from the image data or data from other sensors may be used to modify the first variance values and determine second data comprising second variances. The second data may be processed to determine the estimated direction of the user. For example, the second data may be processed by both a forward and a backward Kalman filter, and the output combined to determine an estimated direction toward the user.

Abstract: Techniques for improving adaptive interference cancellation (AIC) using cascaded AIC algorithms are described. To improve an accuracy of detecting speech, a device may perform a first stage of AIC to generate isolated audio data and may generate speech mask data indicating time windows when speech is detected in the isolated audio data. Based on the speech mask data, the device may perform second AIC to generate output audio data, with adaptation of the adaptive filter enabled when the speech is not detected and disabled when the speech is detected. Thus, the first AIC improves the accuracy with which the device detects that speech is present and the second AIC reduces distortion in the output audio data by not updating filter coefficient values when the speech is present. The first AIC may use playback audio data, microphone audio data or beamformed audio data as reference signals.

Abstract: Techniques for improving adaptive interference cancellation (AIC) using cascaded AIC algorithms are described. To improve an accuracy of detecting speech, a device may perform a first stage of AIC to generate isolated audio data and may generate speech mask data indicating time windows when speech is detected in the isolated audio data. Based on the speech mask data, the device may perform second AIC to generate output audio data, with adaptation of the adaptive filter enabled when the speech is not detected and disabled when the speech is detected. Thus, the first AIC improves the accuracy with which the device detects that speech is present and the second AIC reduces distortion in the output audio data by not updating filter coefficient values when the speech is present. The first AIC may use playback audio data, microphone audio data or beamformed audio data as reference signals.

Abstract: A system configured to perform cascade echo cancellation processing to improve a performance when reference signals are asymmetric (e.g., dominant reference signal(s) overshadow weak reference signal(s)). The system may perform cascade echo cancellation processing to separately adapt filter coefficients between the dominant reference signal(s) and the weak reference signal(s). For example, the system may use a dominant reference signal to process a microphone audio signal and generate a residual audio signal, using the residual audio signal to adapt first filter coefficient values corresponding to the dominant reference signal. Separately, the system may use a weak reference signal to process the residual audio signal and generate an output audio signal, using the output audio signal to adapt second filter coefficient values corresponding to the weak reference signal.