Abstract: A drilling rig mobility system moves a drilling rig or similar structure in an oilfield or similar environment and includes independently controllable positioning shoes attaching to the drilling rig and controllable through separate and coordinated position control commands. Each positioning shoe may be individually addressed to reposition the drilling rig. Each positioning shoe includes a hydraulic actuator and wireless control circuitry. The hydraulic actuator provides vertical and horizontal force in response to wireless control signals for wireless position and control data and instructions with a remote wireless communications device. A cylinder stomper vertically elevates the hydraulic actuator and receives and transfers the vertical force. A foot assembly transfers the horizontal force from the hydraulic actuator. A positioning shoe cylinder stomper and positioning shoe traverse cylinder provide infinitely variable position control. Rotational positioning may be manually or automatically achieved.

Abstract: A kiosk management system may identify items with which to pre-stock a plurality of geographically distributed kiosks. The identified items may be delivered from a distribution center to one or more distribution agents, who then deliver the identified items to individual kiosks. When the kiosk management system receives a request for an item from a consumer who has been browsing items in, e.g., an electronic marketplace, the kiosk management system can determine whether the requested item is available at any kiosks in proximity of the consumer and provide a list of such kiosks to the consumer for selection. Following selection of a kiosk by the consumer, the kiosk management system can send the consumer a notification identifying the designated kiosk and including a generated code for use by the consumer in retrieving of the requested item from the designated kiosk.

Abstract: A drilling rig mobility system moves a drilling rig or similar structure in an oilfield or similar environment and includes independently controllable positioning shoes attaching to the drilling rig and controllable through separate and coordinated position control commands. Each positioning shoe may be individually addressed to reposition the drilling rig. Each positioning shoe includes a hydraulic actuator and wireless control circuitry. The hydraulic actuator provides vertical, horizontal and rotational force in response to wireless control signals for wireless position and control data and instructions with a remote wireless communications device. A cylinder stomper vertically elevates the hydraulic actuator and receives and transfers the vertical and rotational force. A foot assembly transfers the horizontal force from the hydraulic actuator. A positioning shoe cylinder stomper and positioning shoe traverse cylinder provide infinitely variable position control.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of assessing the potential color protecting effect in vivo of a test formulation such as rinse-off hair treatment formulation, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sample of the test formulation to be assessed; providing a model substrate in the form of a hair switch which has been artificially colored; applying the test formulation to the hair switch; subsequently rinsing the test formulation from the hair switch; collecting the rinse liquor and analysing it for the presence of eluted color; characterized in that the artificial color used to color the hair switch is a permanent hair colorant with a shade level 1 or 2 according to the International Color Chart (I.C.C.). The method provides improved sensitivity and differentiation, and enables the tester to compare different technologies in terms of effectiveness.

Abstract: A system for energy recovery from a rod pump includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a hydraulic cylinder having a barrel, a piston, and a pressure chamber; the piston connected to a rod string of the rod pump; a reversible hydraulic pump connected to the pressure chamber; and a motor-generator having a rotor shaft connected to a coupling shaft of the pump; wherein the motor-generator operates in a motor mode to rotate the rotor and coupling shafts in a forward direction so that the hydraulic pump pumps hydraulic fluid to the pressure chamber to raise the piston and rod string in an upstroke, and operates in a generator mode in which a weight of the rod string displaces the piston in a downstroke to pump hydraulic fluid from the pressure chamber to rotate the pump coupling shaft and the rotor shaft in a reverse direction such that the motor-generator generates electricity.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of assessing the potential color protecting effect in vivo of a test formulation such as rinse-off hair treatment formulation, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sample of the test formulation to be assessed; providing a model substrate in the form of a hair switch which has been artificially colored; applying the test formulation to the hair switch; subsequently rinsing the test formulation from the hair switch; collecting the rinse liquor and analysing it for the presence of eluted color; characterized in that the artificial color used to color the hair switch is a permanent hair colorant with a shade level 1 or 2 according to the International Color Chart (I.C.C.). The method provides improved sensitivity and differentiation, and enables the tester to compare different technologies in terms of effectiveness.

Abstract: The invention provides a personal cleansing composition comprising, in an aqueous continuous phase: (i) from 5 to 30% by weight of one or more anionic cleansing surfactants; (ii) microcapsules in which a core comprising benefit agent is encapsulated in a polymeric shell, and (iii) a combination of cationic polymers comprising: (a) at least one cationic polygalactomannan having a mean charge density at pH7 of less than 1.2 meq per gram, preferably from 0.5 to 1.1; and (b) at least one cationic polygalactomannan having a mean charge density at pH7 at least 1.2 meq per gram, preferably from 1.2 to 3, more preferably from 1.2 to 2.

Abstract: The invention provides a personal cleansing composition comprising, in an aqueous continuous phase: (i) from 5 to 30% by weight of one or more anionic cleansing surfactants; (ii) from 0.1 to 10% by weight of discrete, dispersed droplets of emulsified silicone with a mean diameter (D3,2) of 4 micrometres or less; (iii) from 0.1 to 5% by weight of microcapsules in which a core comprising benefit agent is encapsulated in a polymeric shell, and (iv) from 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of a combination of cationic polymers comprising: (a) at least one cationic polygalactomannan derivative having a mean charge density at pH 7 from 0.2 to 2 meq per gram; and (b) at least one acrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride/acrylamide copolymer having a mean charge density at pH 7 from 1 to 3 meq per gram.

Abstract: A mixing assembly includes a drum including a side wall, a top portion, and a bottom portion, in which the top portion includes a first opening for filling a substance into the drum, a second opening for mixing the substance in the drum, and a third opening for extracting the substance from the drum; and a mixer releasably disposed in the drum, including a head releasably attached to the second opening for mixing, in which the head includes a housing including an internal hollow region extending along the central axis of the head, and external threads configured to be attached to the second opening for mixing by thread engagement, a shaft disposed in the hollow region, and an impeller assembly disposed at a bottom end of the shaft for stirring the substance in the drum.

Abstract: A kiosk apparatus, method and system of providing and distributing a plurality of items to one or more consumers is provided. Each kiosk in a plurality of kiosks may be configured to communicate with a kiosk management system to provide inventory data, which is provided to consumers such that one or more requested items may be reserved in a transaction. The kiosk may be further configured to interact with the consumer to retrieve the reserved items, where the consumer may use a portable device to interact with the kiosk, or the consumer may be prompted by the kiosk to enter account information and/or a generated code associated with the transaction provided by the kiosk management system. Then, a payment process is initiated with the kiosk management system or other entity, and when the payment process is verified, release the requested items to the consumer.

Abstract: A method and system of conducting a mobile transaction with a kiosk management system operating a plurality of kiosks for requested items is provided. A consumer may possess a portable device configured to communicate with the kiosk management system such that the kiosk management system may provide requested items to a selected kiosk from the plurality of kiosks. The portable device may operate a mobile application to display a list of available kiosks providing the requested items for the consumer to select a kiosk to reserve the requested items at. The consumer may then use the portable device to interact with the selected kiosk to retrieve the requested items reserved at the selected kiosk.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing local item fulfillment. For example, a fulfillment management computer can provide a local item to a user when the local item is stored in a local fulfillment center, when the local fulfillment center can fulfill the order requested by the user quickly, when the price of a local item is within a certain threshold of the best item in a top level market, or when the local item is provided by a preferred item provider. The local item may be a perishable item (e.g., apples) and could benefit from being stored close to a user that orders the local item or be non-perishable (e.g., electronics). It may be preferable to provide an item that is stored locally to the user instead of an item that would need to be shipped to the user from afar.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for performing a consolidated pick and package process in a materials handling center. A computing environment may be employed to generate a batch of a plurality of items to be picked and packaged in fulfillment of a plurality of orders in the materials handling center. Shipping labels corresponding to items in the orders may be generated, wherein the shipping labels comprise pick information that aids a person in locating a corresponding one of the items in the materials handling center and packaging the corresponding one of the items in suitable packaging. A fulfillment cart may be employed by an operator in performing the consolidated pick and package process.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use in power generation, including a fluid-flow-driven power generator for use in a fluid-containing pipe such as a drill pipe as used in oil and gas exploration and extraction. Parts of the generator are removable from the pipe—for example while a drill pipe is downhole within a drilling well—to leave a clear through bore for survey and fishing operations and to enable replacement of the removed parts. The flow-driven generator comprises an impeller connected to a magnet assembly to rotate the magnet assembly when fluid flows past the impeller. This causes relative movement between the magnet assembly and an adjacent electrical coil assembly, the relative movement and magnetic coupling generating an electrical current in the coil assembly. This generated electrical current is used to power electrical devices within the pipe.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of assessing the potential colour protecting effect in vivo of a test formulation such as rinse-off hair treatment formulation, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sample of the test formulation to be assessed; providing a model substrate in the form of a hair switch which has been artificially coloured; applying the test formulation to the hair switch; subsequently rinsing the test formulation from the hair switch; collecting the rinse liquor and analysing it for the presence of eluted colour; characterised in that the artificial colour used to colour the hair switch is a permanent hair colorant with a shade level 1 or 2 according to the International Colour Chart (I.C.C.). The method provides improved sensitivity and differentiation, and enables the tester to compare different technologies in terms of effectiveness.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for performing a consolidated pick and package process in a materials handling center. A computing environment may be employed to generate a batch of a plurality of items to be picked and packaged in fulfillment of a plurality of orders in the materials handling center. Shipping labels corresponding to items in the orders may be generated, wherein the shipping labels comprise pick information that aids a person in locating a corresponding one of the items in the materials handling center and packaging the corresponding one of the items in suitable packaging. A fulfillment cart may be employed by an operator in performing the consolidated pick and package process.

Abstract: A system and method are directed towards enabling centralized registration for managing a selective display of visitor information to distributed social networking websites. A visitor may enter selective personal information, and determine what information is made available on a social networking webpage. The visitor may then return to the social networking website to view selective visitor information, such as within a reader roll. A visitor to a social networking website may select to not have their information displayed at selective a social networking website, while still being displayed at another social networking website. In one embodiment, selecting to not display their information may be performed by ‘mousing’ over their information and selecting a display option. Social networking websites may look to a centralized registration system to determine whether to display the visitor information, while still being able to obtain information about the visitor, and/or provide benefits to the visitor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to identifying network resources or other topics that are of interest to members of multiple online communities to which a user belongs. Online communities include blogs, websites, games, e-commerce systems, messaging systems, wikis, etc. For each online community, click activity or other client behaviors are tracked and analyzed to determine statistical metrics about community activity, such as which articles, links, services, or other network resources are popular in the online community. At least some of the tracking or analysis can be performed by clients that access the online communities, by a server of each online community, and/or by a central tracking system. The results for each community may be further analyzed relative to each other. The results are provided for all communities with which a given user is associated. For example, a list of the most popular links in the user's selected online communities.

Abstract: An inventory distribution system and method of providing a plurality of items to a plurality of kiosks is provided. The inventory distribution system may maintain and update a plurality of inventory records associated with the plurality of items provided by the plurality of kiosks, which can be used to determine and update quantities of the plurality of items at specific kiosks. To provide the plurality of items to the plurality of kiosks, the inventory distribution system can provide deliveries to a plurality of distribution agents, where the distribution agents are assigned to a subset of kiosks to maintain and distribute one or more select items to the subset of kiosks.