Abstract: The operation of rotary equipment carried on elongate structure such as coiled tubing extending into a borehole from the Earth's surface is carried out by providing at least one optical fibre extending downhole to the rotary equipment from the surface, using optical time domain reflectometry to operating the optical fibre as a distributed vibration sensor while the rotary equipment is in operation, and thereby observing vibration created by the rotary equipment.

Abstract: A system and method for the use of the results from a structural analysis of a patient's bone from a clinical scan, to be used clinically to manage patients in a widespread and consistent fashion.

Abstract: An electro-optical system includes a voltage supply device, an active polarizing layer, a retarding layer, and a reflective layer. The active polarizing layer is electrically coupled to the voltage supply device. The active polarizing layer is configured to switch back and forth between a non-polarized state and a polarized state as the voltage supply device supplies varying levels of voltage. The retarding layer is configured to alter the polarization state of light traveling through it. The reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the retarding layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a method for monitoring health of a machining tool operable in a machining state to form a workpiece and a non-machining state. The method includes determining whether a machine health routine is to be performed based on a machine health record stored by the control system, and retrieving a non-machining cyclic schedule, in response to the machine health routine having to be performed, where the non-machining cyclic schedule defines a timetable for performing one or more maintenance routines. The method further includes identifying a primary maintenance routine from among the one or more maintenance routines based on the non-machining cyclic schedule, and scheduling the machine health routine with the primary maintenance routine.

Abstract: Monitoring one or more items of equipment associated with a borehole or other conduit. A sensor system includes a vibration sensor for sensing vibrations at one or more sensor locations associated with one or more items of the equipment and/or the borehole or other conduit. A processing system processes the sensor information to determine a characteristic of the operation of the one or more items of equipment and/or the borehole or other conduit.

Abstract: A method in an aircraft of using prognostic indicators for aircraft maintenance includes retrieving aircraft health data for a plurality of aircraft components wherein the aircraft health data includes at least one of mechanical systems condition indicator (CI) data, vibration spectrum data, resampled time-domain (RTD) data, and RTD spectrum data. The method includes estimating component health status information for the plurality of aircraft components using a plurality of prognostic modules wherein each prognostic module is configured to generate health status information for at least one of the aircraft components, the health status information includes at least one of a current health indicator and a prognostic indicator. The method also includes storing the component health status information for the aircraft components in a database onboard the aircraft, and causing the display of the health status information for the specific component on an aircraft display.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a tag that may include an encapsulant and a plurality of three-dimensional objects randomly oriented within the encapsulant. Each three-dimensional object may include a plurality of characteristics defining at least one statistically unique signature. At least one of the characteristics may be dependent on the orientation of the object. In some instances, the plurality of three-dimensional objects may also be randomly distributed within the encapsulant, and at least one of the characteristics defining at least one statistically unique signature may be dependent on the distribution of the objects.

Abstract: A snow thrower is disclosed including a rotor assembly having a first auger, a second auger, and a paddle disposed between the first and second augers The snow thrower also includes an intake housing having a first interior surface adjacent to the first auger and a second interior surface adjacent to the second auger, where an outer edge of the first auger has a clearance of less than 1 centimeter from the first interior surface across a sweep of at least 120 degrees, and an outer edge of the second auger has a clearance of less than 1 centimeter from the second interior surface across a sweep of at least 120 degrees.

Abstract: A system and technique for obtaining two or more distributed measurements from an optical sensing fiber deployed along a desired measuring path are disclosed. Interrogating probes from two or more different distributed measuring systems are combined and launched into the sensing fiber. Backscattered light generated in response to the combined interrogating probes is separated into portions and each portion is provided to a respective distributed measuring instrument. In this manner, distributed measurements corresponding to different parameters of interest, such as temperature and pressure, along the measuring path can be measured simultaneously using the same sensing fiber.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of an optimized data layout in an erasure coded storage system. The system may be realized as a deterministic layout of storage devices in an erasure coded storage system. The system implements a method for writing pieces of a data object across storage devices of a specified write set included an erasure coded storage subsystem. The system further implements a method for reading a subset of pieces of a data object from an active read subset of storage devices in a read set included in the erasure coded storage subsystem and restoring the data object from the subset of pieces. The system may further include operating an inactive read subset of storage devices in a read set in a low power mode.

Abstract: Automatic speech recognition (ASR) processing including a feedback configuration to allow for improved disambiguation between ASR hypotheses. After ASR processing of an incoming utterance where the ASR outputs an N-best list including multiple hypotheses, the multiple hypotheses are passed downstream for further processing. The downstream further processing may include natural language understanding (NLU) or other processing to determine a command result for each hypothesis. The command results are compared to determine if any hypotheses of the N-best list would yield similar command results. If so, the hypothesis(es) with similar results are removed from the N-best list so that only one hypothesis of the similar results remains in the N-best list. The remaining non-similar hypotheses are sent for disambiguation, or, if only one hypothesis remains, it is sent for execution.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for investigating the uniformity of concrete and/or grout. Embodiments can identify the existence of one or more anomalies in the uniformity of concrete and/or grout, and/or determine or estimate the size, shape, type, and/or location of one or more anomalies in the uniformity of concrete and/or grout. Embodiments can utilize a string of temperature measuring sensors placed within one or more access bore(s), such as tube(s), positioned at least partially within the concrete and/or positioned proximate the concrete. The measurements obtained from the temperature measuring sensors can then be used to assist in the identification of existence of, size of, type of, shape of, and/or location of anomalies in the concrete and/or grout.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a tag that may include an encapsulant and a plurality of three-dimensional objects randomly oriented within the encapsulant. Each three-dimensional object may include a plurality of characteristics defining at least one statistically unique signature. At least one of the characteristics may be dependent on the orientation of the object. In some instances, the plurality of three-dimensional objects may also be randomly distributed within the encapsulant, and at least one of the characteristics defining at least one statistically unique signature may be dependent on the distribution of the objects.

Abstract: A lighting system comprises a plurality of lights, a sensor for measuring a light level associated with each light, and at least one controller for generating a light output from at least one light of the plurality of lights. The controller is adapted for adjusting the light output from the at least one light by an incremental amount to bring the measured light level closer to a target light level, which may correspond to an overall brightness for the space including the lights. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneously addressing multiple parallel distributed fiber optic sensors using a single interrogation instrument is disclosed. One or more of the fiber optic sensors are provided with a non-reflective delay element to prevent an overlap in time between backscatter returns from the distributed fiber optic sensors, thereby allowing the backscatter returns from each sensor to be distinguished based on round-trip transit time.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for investigating the uniformity of concrete and/or grout. Embodiments can identify the existence of one or more anomalies in the uniformity of concrete and/or grout, and/or determine or estimate the size, shape, type, and/or location of one or more anomalies in the uniformity of concrete and/or grout. Embodiments can utilize a string of temperature measuring sensors placed within one or more access bore(s), such as tube(s), positioned at least partially within the concrete and/or positioned proximate the concrete. The measurements obtained from the temperature measuring sensors can then be used to assist in the identification of existence of, size of, type of, shape of, and/or location of anomalies in the concrete and/or grout.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a plasma using an external plasma system are described. The plasma system may include an energy coupling device (e.g., an electromagnetic coil or capacitor) that is submersed within a liquid coolant and powered by an RF source. In some embodiments, a C-shaped magnetic core may be submersed within the liquid coolant and one or more plasma tubes may be arranged within an opening of the C-shaped magnetic core between the ends of the C-shaped magnetic core. To generate a plasma in a first tube of the one or more plasma tubes, a gas may be inserted into the first tube while the RF source drives a coil surrounding a portion of the C-shaped magnetic core to couple electromagnetic energy into the gas within the first tube.

Abstract: A system and method for the use of the results from a structural analysis of a patient's bone from a clinical scan, to be used clinically to manage patients in a widespread and consistent fashion.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneously addressing multiple parallel distributed fiber optic sensors using a single interrogation instrument is disclosed. One or more of the fiber optic sensors are provided with a non-reflective delay element to prevent an overlap in time between backscatter returns from the distributed fiber optic sensors, thereby allowing the backscatter returns from each sensor to be distinguished based on round-trip transit time.