Abstract: A satellite has thrusters that are integral parts of its frame. The frame defines cavities therein where thrusters are located. The thrusters may include an electrically-operated propellant and electrodes to activate combustion in the electrically-operated propellant. The frame may be additively manufactured, and the propellant and/or the electrodes may also be additively manufactured, with the frame and the propellant and/or the electrodes also being manufactured in a single process. In addition the thrusters may have nozzle portions through which combustion gases exit the thrusters. The thrusters may be located at corners and/or along edges of the frame, and may be used to accomplish any of a variety of maneuvers for the satellite. The satellite may be a small satellite, such as a CubeSat satellite, for instance having a volume of about 1 liter, and a mass of no more than about 1.33 kg.

Abstract: A circuit for a neuron of a multi-stage compute process is disclosed. The circuit comprises a weighted charge packet (WCP) generator. The circuit may also include a voltage divider controlled by a programmable resistance component (e.g., a memristor). The WCP generator may also include a current mirror controlled via the voltage divider and arrival of an input spike signal to the neuron. WCPs may be created to represent the multiply function of a multiply accumulate processor. The WCPs may be supplied to a capacitor to accumulate and represent the accumulate function. The value of the WCP may be controlled by the length of the spike in signal times the current supplied through the current mirror. Spikes may be asynchronous. Memristive components may be electrically isolated from input spike signals so their programmed conductance is not affected. Positive and negative spikes and WCPs for accumulation may be supported.

Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening including a roller, an end rail, and a panel rotatable onto the roller and spanning between the roller and the end rail. The panel includes a front sheet, a rear sheet, and a cell spanning between the front and rear sheet. When the front sheet is at a first position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is open. When the front sheet is at a second position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is closed.

Abstract: A motor controller for a draft inducer motor that operates an inducer blower in a furnace is provided. The motor controller includes a communication interface operable to receive a signal from a system controller. The signal represents a command to operate the draft inducer motor. The motor controller includes a processor operable to operate the draft inducer motor in accordance with a predefined motor speed profile during at least one of an ignition stage and a combustion stage of the furnace.

Abstract: An accelerator manager monitors and logs performance of multiple accelerators, analyzes the logged performance, determines from the logged performance of a selected accelerator a desired programmable device for the selected accelerator, and specifies the desired programmable device to one or more accelerator developers. The accelerator manager can further analyze the logged performance of the accelerators, and generate from the analyzed logged performance an ordered list of test cases, ordered from fastest to slowest. A test case is selected, and when the estimated simulation time for the selected test case is less than the estimated synthesis time for the test case, the test case is simulated and run. When the estimated simulation time for the selected test case is greater than the estimated synthesis time for the text case, the selected test case is synthesized and run.

Abstract: A tensioning system for a conveyor element of a conveyor is provided. The tensioning system includes an obstruction. A base is movable relative to the obstruction. The tensioning system further includes a plurality of spacers. At least one spacer of the plurality of spacers is movable from a resting position to an engagement position by only the influence of gravity. The at least one spacer rests on the obstruction in the resting position. The at least one spacer is disposed between the base and the obstruction in the engagement position.

Abstract: A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor of a smart contact lens. Executing the instructions causes the smart contact lens to measure dimensions of a user's eye to determine a focal length of the user, measure a magnetic field proximate to the user's eye to determine a direction of focus of the user, receive a control input from the user, determine a control signal corresponding to the focal length of the user, the direction of focus of the user, and the received control input, generate the determined control signal, and control a first electronic device by transmitting, by the smart contact lens, the generated control signal to the first electronic device.

Abstract: A stabilization assembly for a door frame secured to a fuselage skin of an aircraft and positioned about an opening defined in the fuselage skin including a strap, wherein a first end portion of the strap is secured to the fuselage skin with a first fastener which extends through the first end portion of the strap and through at least a portion of the fuselage skin. A second end portion of the strap is coupled to the door frame and a third portion of the strap extends between the first and second end portions of the strap and spaced apart from the fuselage skin.

Abstract: A firearm mounting plate assembly is provided. The firearm mounting plate assembly includes a firearm slide with a first side, a second side, and a top side. A recess defined by a first slide wall, a second slide wall, and a recess base surface is disposed on the firearm slide top side. The recess includes a rib, a slot, and a ejector projection. Adjacent to the recess is a catch. The firearm mounting plate assembly includes a mounting plate with a top surface, a bottom surface, a front side, and a rear side. An ejector notch and a channel is disposed along the bottom surface. The mounting plate includes a stud, one or more bosses, and an anchor. The mounting plate is configured to secure within the recess of the firearm slide.

Abstract: A moveable micromachined member of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an insulating layer disposed between first and second electrically conductive layers. First and second mechanical structures secure the moveable micromachined member to a substrate of the MEMS device and include respective first and second electrical interconnect layers coupled in series, with the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member and each other, between first and second electrical terminals to enable conduction of a first joule-heating current from the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal through the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member.

Abstract: A power supply for a gate driver circuit is provided. The power supply is configured to supply a logic voltage, a positive voltage and a negative voltage to the gate driver circuit such that a gated semiconductor driven by the gate driver circuit does not inadvertently turn on. The gate driver power supply is configured such that the logic voltage becomes a steady-state voltage prior to the positive voltage becoming a steady-state voltage and remains above a first voltage value until the positive voltage is less than a second voltage value.

Abstract: An augmented reality system obtains sensor data depicting a first object in a scene. The identity of the first object is determined. The system estimates a size of the first object based on the determined identity. Based on the estimated size, the system estimates a scale of other objects depicted in the obtained sensor data. An augmented reality display is generated based at least in part on the size of a second object determined using the estimated scale.

Abstract: A method of thermally processing a material with a thermal processing system includes providing a material for treating in an in-line thermal process to a heating system, providing a force to the material at a portion of the material configured to be heated by the heating system, adjusting the heating system to a specified temperature value, and heating the portion of the material to the specified temperature value while the portion of the material is under the force to change a magnetic property in the portion of the material. The heating system is moveable from a first position that is away from a path of the material through the in-line thermal process to a second position in which the heating system is configured to heat the portion of the material to the specified temperature value. The heating system can include induction-based heating.

Abstract: Lidar systems and methods are presented herein. In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a laser operable to propagate ultrashort laser pulses to a target during a plurality of scanning periods. The lidar system also includes a streak tube imaging system operable to collect returns of the ultrashort laser pulses from the target during each scanning period, and to generate a two-dimensional image of the returns during each scanning period. The lidar system also includes a processor operable to generate a representation of the target based on the 2D images from the streak tube imaging system.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a configuration of a plurality of tasks to meet the specified deadline of a linear workflow of a real-time heterogeneous network. Often times, while meeting expected application performance in the heterogeneous network, it may possible to have graceful degradation of quality for ensuring timing constraints at the same time. In a multi-layered architecture, where each layer is equipped with multiple computational resources, the time optimization for each of the plurality of tasks can be achieved through approximate computing and analyzing all possible configurations of each task in a workflow within a particular layer.

Abstract: A blast containment system for trash cans includes a liquid-impervious flexible bag having a sealed bottom positioned at a base of a trash can, and an unsealed top positioned and retained at a top periphery of the trash can. A ring-shaped boot is positioned at the sealed bottom of the flexible bag. A rigid container has a closed bottom press-fit into a central opening of the boot. The rigid container extends from its closed bottom to an open top adapted to be approximately aligned with the top periphery of the trash can. An annular volume is defined between the rigid container the flexible bag. The rigid container has side walls that include ballistic materials. A liquid fills the annular volume.

Abstract: A wall controller is provided. The wall controller includes a projection screen having an input device and a projector, wherein the projector has an optical axis that is non-orthogonal to the projection screen. The wall controller includes a housing having the projector at an end of the housing. The housing is dimensioned to fit the end of the housing through an aperture in a first wall, fit the end into a wall space between the first wall and a second wall, and fit a majority of another end of the housing into the aperture until the projection screen is parallel to a surface of the first wall and a front portion of the projection screen is flush with, recessed in or extends from the surface of the first wall.

Abstract: A system, including: a subsea separation system that separates sales and non-sales fluids, wherein the subsea separation system includes a fluid polishing system; a seal-less pump that boosts production fluid pressure; and a water quality monitoring system, including an oil-in-water sensor and a solids-in-water sensor, that monitors a fluid discharged from the subsea separation system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for creating test cases are provided. Aspects include obtaining, by a processor, customer usage data from a plurality of customers. The customer usage data is analyzed to identify one or more outlier customer system configurations. A set of customer system attributes are extracted from the one or more outlier customer system configurations and new test cases are created based at least in part on the set of customer system attributes.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for magnification compensation and/or beam steering in optical systems. An optical system may include a lens system to receive first radiation associated with an object and direct second radiation associated with an image of the object toward an image plane. The lens system may include a set of lenses, and an actuator system to selectively adjust the set of lenses to adjust a magnification associated with the image symmetrically along a first and a second direction. The lens system may also include a beam steering lens to direct the first radiation to provide the second radiation. In some examples, the lens system may also include a second set of lenses, where the actuator system may also selectively adjust the second set of lenses to adjust the magnification along the first or the second direction. Related methods are also disclosed.