Abstract: A piezoresistive force sensor which is designed in particular as a pressure sensor and can generate a sensor signal which is dependent on an amount of a force which acts on the force sensor in a force measuring direction. The force sensor has a first electrode, a second electrode and an elastically deformable resistance layer which electrically connects the two electrodes. A resistance value of a total resistance of an electrically conductive path between the first electrode to the second electrode via the resistance layer changes according to the amount of the acting force. By measuring a voltage between the electrodes or a current which flows along the electrically conductive path, for example, a sensor signal can be detected which describes the amount of the acting force. The resistance layer contains electrically conductive first staple fibers and electrically non-conductive second staple fibers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor (15) which is produced by stitching it onto a carrier (16) using threads (17, 19, 33). The stitching forms a first electrode (18), a second electrode (20) and a covering layer (32). The covering layer (32) can be used to produce an electrically conductive connection between the first electrode (18) and the second electrode (20), at least if a force (F) acts on the covering layer (32) and presses at least one part of the covering layer (32) against a part of the first electrode (18) and of the second electrode (20). This force (F) can be caused by a pressure locally exerted on the covering layer (32) and/or by bending of the covering layer (32) or of the carrier (16). The entire sensor (15) and, in particular, the first electrode (18), the second electrode (20) and the covering layer (32) are produced solely by being stitched onto a common carrier (16). The sensor can be produced in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner and is robust.

Abstract: A system receives sensor data from sensing parameters of a piece of factory equipment. The system includes a first model to generate predicted degradation states of the piece of factory equipment by being trained to generate a stochastic degradation model for classification of the predicted degradation states of a particular asset. The system includes a second model to which the predicted degradation states are provided. The second model trained to generate a covariate indicative of a failure condition of the piece of factory equipment. The system may supply the covariate to the first model to generate predicted degradation states compensated with the covariate. From the predicted degradation states compensated with the covariate a policy of a maintenance action may be generated with the system to optimize life expectancy of the piece of factory equipment. The system may adjust operation of the piece of factory equipment based on the maintenance action.

Abstract: A woven fabric includes first and second woven fabric layers with an intermediate layer in between, which form a sensor with an electrical characteristic that changes while a force is acting on the woven fabric. The first layer includes electrically conductive strips and electrically non-conductive strips arranged adjacent to one another in an alternating manner. The second layer includes alternating conductive strips and non-conductive strips that extend transverse to the strips of the first layer. At least some of the threads in each of the conductive strips of the first layer are conductive weft threads. At least some of the threads in each of the conductive strips of the second layer are conductive weft threads. The non-conductive strips of the first and second layers are weft threads.

Abstract: A woven fabric having at least three layers disposed on top of one another. One layer forms a lowermost woven fabric layer and another layer forms an uppermost woven fabric layer. A first and a second woven layer have electrically conductive warp threads and/or electrically conductive weft threads. An intermediate layer is disposed between the first woven fabric layer and the second woven fabric layer. The first woven fabric layer, the second woven fabric layer, and the intermediate layer form a sensor arrangement which has an electrical property that varies while a force acts on the layers. Each of the uppermost and lowermost woven fabric layer in terms of weaving technology is connected to one of the other woven fabric layers present.

Abstract: A system receives sensor data from sensing parameters of a piece of factory equipment. The system includes a first model to generate predicted degradation states of the piece of factory equipment by being trained to generate a stochastic degradation model for classification of the predicted degradation states of a particular asset. The system includes a second model to which the predicted degradation states are provided. The second model trained to generate a covariate indicative of a failure condition of the piece of factory equipment. The system may supply the covariate to the first model to generate predicted degradation states compensated with the covariate. From the predicted degradation states compensated with the covariate a policy of a maintenance action may be generated with the system to optimize life expectancy of the piece of factory equipment. The system may adjust operation of the piece of factory equipment based on the maintenance action.

Abstract: Provided are methods, systems, and computer program products that generate a plurality of query queues that correspond to a plurality of row-based identifiers corresponding to a plurality of physical memory locations in at least one of a plurality of associative memory networks in response to a semantic-space based query that includes at least one query search element, determine count information responsive to the plurality of query queues and compute information distances between the at least one query search element and ones of associative memory query result elements to determine closeness values corresponding to the information distances.

Abstract: Associative memory systems, methods and computer program products are provided. An associative memory system includes a distributed associative memory base including a network of networks of associative memory networks. A respective associative memory network includes associations among a respective observer memories and a plurality of observed memories that are observed by the respective observer memory. Ones of the associative memory networks are physically and/or logically independent from other ones of the associative memory networks. A processing system is configured to observe associations into and imagine associations from, the distributed associative memory base using multiple streaming queues that correspond to respective ones of multiple rows in the associative memory networks. The processing system is further configured to determine a cognitive distance between a term and a class of terms, the cognitive distance being returned responsive to a query of the distributed associative memory base.

Abstract: A woven fabric having at least three layers disposed on top of one another. One layer forms a lowermost woven fabric layer and another layer forms an uppermost woven fabric layer. A first and a second woven layer have electrically conductive warp threads and/or electrically conductive weft threads. An intermediate layer is disposed between the first woven fabric layer and the second woven fabric layer. The first woven fabric layer, the second woven fabric layer, and the intermediate layer form a sensor arrangement which has an electrical property that varies while a force acts on the layers. Each of the uppermost and lowermost woven fabric layer in terms of weaving technology is connected to one of the other woven fabric layers present.

Abstract: A woven fabric having at least three layers that are arranged one above the other. Two of the layers form a first and a second woven fabric layer that each comprises electrically conductive warp threads and/or weft threads. Another one of the layers forms an intermediate layer that is arranged between the first and second woven fabric layers. The first and the second woven fabric layers, together with the intermediate layer, form a sensor arrangement that comprises an electrical characteristic that changes when a force is acting upon the layers. The first and second woven fabric layers each comprises electrically conductive strips and electrically non-conductive strips that extend in a warp direction (K) or in a weft direction (S), with the strips being arranged adjacent to one another in an alternating manner. The strips of the second woven fabric layer extend in a transverse manner with respect to the strips of the first woven fabric layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting means arrangement (28) and to a method for producing same. The lighting means arrangement (28) comprises at least one lighting means (20), for example a light-emitting diode chip (21) comprising at least one light emission surface (22). A cover body (24) is associated with one or more lighting means, covering at least one light emission surface (22) and being connected to the lighting means (20) in a bonded manner. A scattering element arrangement (37) is associated with each of the cover bodies (24). The scattering element arrangement (37) is connected to the cover body (24) in a bonded manner, for example, using adhesion or moulding. The scattering element arrangement (37) comprises at least one coherent textile material part (38), for example a woven and/or a knitted and/or a interlaced and/or a non-woven material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surface area light (10), in particular for use in a piece of clothing (30). The surface area light (10) according to the invention has a cover layer (11) having a light emission area (12). A reflection layer (13) having a reflection area (14) is arranged on the side opposite the cover layer (11). A first scattering layer (15) made of a textile material, preferably a textile fabric, directly adjoins the cover layer (11). The textile fabric can be connected to the cover layer in a laminar manner or can be in contact thereto. Light sources (16) are arranged at a distance from each other in a longitudinal direction L in one or more rows. The light sources (16) have a light emission side (17) which faces the reflection layer (13). A spacer means (19) secures a minimum distance between the light sources (16) and the reflection layer (13). The light emitted from the light sources (16) is reflected on the reflection layer (13) to the cover layer (11).

Abstract: Associative memory systems, methods and computer program products are provided. An associative memory system includes a distributed associative memory base including a network of networks of associative memory networks. A respective associative memory network includes associations among a respective observer memories and a plurality of observed memories that are observed by the respective observer memory. Ones of the associative memory networks are physically and/or logically independent from other ones of the associative memory networks. A processing system is configured to observe associations into and imagine associations from, the distributed associative memory base using multiple streaming queues that correspond to respective ones of multiple rows in the associative memory networks. The processing system is further configured to determine a cognitive distance between a term and a class of terms, the cognitive distance being returned responsive to a query of the distributed associative memory base.

Abstract: In a new and improved process for preparing high-purity nitric acid by distillation or rectification of nitric acid, crude nitric acid or mixtures thereof in a column, 85-95% strength by weight nitric acid, crude nitric acid or a mixture thereof is distilled at from 70 to 110° C. and a pressure of from 0.1 to 2 bar.

Abstract: A method of boring a tunnel with a tunnel boring machine comprising injecting into the formation to be bored just before the cutting tools of the boring machine and optionally into the internal discharge chamber of the boring machine, an aqueous foam containing at least one clay, at least one surfactant and at least one gas in proportion to produce a good quality, stable foam with the formation material and discharging the material from the tunnel via the discharge of the boring machine.