Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions and methods for treating or reducing the likelihood of the development of epilepsy in an individual. The method comprises administering to the central nervous system of an individual in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of increasing the expression and/or activity of miR-128.

Abstract: The present teachings provide a medical system for delivering and deploying a medical implant, and the method of using thereof. Specifically, one aspect of the present teachings provides a medical system having an implant with an engagement loop, and a delivery system having an engagement wire and an engagement mechanism. During implant delivery, the engagement wire engages the engagement loop of the implant. The engagement wire further interacts with the engagement mechanism in order to prevent unintended disengagement of the engagement loop from the engagement wire. The present teaching also provide an implant release mechanism that is configured to break away from the implant pusher shaft. Specially, one aspect of the present teaching provides that the implant release mechanism being of one unit with the implant pusher shaft. To release the implant, a clinician simply breaks away the implant release mechanism from the rest of the implant delivery system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a lens assembly that includes at least one lens that defines an optical axis. The apparatus also includes a substrate, an image sensor disposed on the substrate, and an actuator coupled to the substrate and configured to adjust a position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly to move the image sensor along the optical axis. The apparatus additionally includes a capacitive position sensor that includes a first capacitive plate coupled to the substrate and a second capacitive plate coupled to the lens assembly. The capacitive position sensor may be configured to generate a capacitance measurement indicative of the position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to control the actuator based on (i) the capacitance measurement and (ii) a target position of the image sensor relative to the lens assembly.

Abstract: Reflective surfaces and display devices adversely affect a videoconferencing camera. For example, reflections from bright lights may cause the camera to change exposure settings, resulting in participants appearing dimly lit. In another example, reflections of people or displayed images may be incorrectly used by automated image framing and tracking. Reflections from a surface are often polarized, as is light from many types of display devices. A polarizer in front of the camera is moved to provide different polarization angles relative to the camera, with images acquired at these different angles. The images are processed to determine a count of features, such as heads or faces, that are detected in the images. The angle that produces the minimum number of features may be subsequently used during acquisition of images by the camera for various purposes, such as videoconferencing.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a lens assembly that includes at least one lens that defines an optical axis. The apparatus also includes a substrate, an image sensor disposed on the substrate, and an actuator coupled to the substrate and configured to adjust a position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly to move the image sensor along the optical axis. The apparatus additionally includes a capacitive position sensor that includes a first capacitive plate coupled to the substrate and a second capacitive plate coupled to the lens assembly. The capacitive position sensor may be configured to generate a capacitance measurement indicative of the position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to control the actuator based on (i) the capacitance measurement and (ii) a target position of the image sensor relative to the lens assembly.

Abstract: Scene changes should be done pleasingly and without user input or control. Based on the number of speakers and changes in speakers, either to a different individual or movement by the same speaker, based on the locations of the speakers, and based on the overlap of the current and intended scenes, a decision is made whether to perform a smooth transition or do a cut. It has been determined that the decision on cut versus smooth transition is preferably based on the location of the center of the intended new scene versus the boundaries of the current scene, a cut used if the center is outside the boundaries and a smooth transition if inside. If a smooth transition, an easing function, such as ease in ease out, is performed to change the scene. A preferred value for the smooth transition is to perform the transition over 80 frames.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a lens assembly that includes at least one lens that defines an optical axis. The apparatus also includes a substrate, an image sensor disposed on the substrate, and an actuator coupled to the substrate and configured to adjust a position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly to move the image sensor along the optical axis. The apparatus additionally includes a capacitive position sensor that includes a first capacitive plate coupled to the substrate and a second capacitive plate coupled to the lens assembly. The capacitive position sensor may be configured to generate a capacitance measurement indicative of the position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to control the actuator based on (i) the capacitance measurement and (ii) a target position of the image sensor relative to the lens assembly.

Abstract: A method for determining camera framing in a teleconferencing system comprises a process loop which includes acquiring an audio-visual frame from a captured a video data frame; detecting objects and extracting image features of the objects within the video data frame, ingesting the audio-visual frame into a context-based audio-visual map in an intelligent manner, and selecting targets from within the map for inclusion in an audio-video stream for transmission to a remote endpoint.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a lens assembly that includes at least one lens that defines an optical axis. The apparatus also includes a substrate, an image sensor disposed on the substrate, and an actuator coupled to the substrate and configured to adjust a position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly to move the image sensor along the optical axis. The apparatus additionally includes a capacitive position sensor that includes a first capacitive plate coupled to the substrate and a second capacitive plate coupled to the lens assembly. The capacitive position sensor may be configured to generate a capacitance measurement indicative of the position of the substrate relative to the lens assembly. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to control the actuator based on (i) the capacitance measurement and (ii) a target position of the image sensor relative to the lens assembly.

Abstract: The size of a rule of thirds frame covering a presenter and the zooming and panning of a videoconference camera are based on the motion of a presenter. The size of the frame, and thus provided walking space in the frame, varies with the speed of the presenter. The slower the presenter, the smaller and tighter the frame. The faster the presenter, the larger and the looser the frame. If the presenter is pacing, a pacing frame is developed that is centered on the limits of the pacing and is large enough to cover both ends of the pacing. The movement frame and the pacing frame provide a pleasant experience for a viewer, one where the presenter does not appear cramped or walking out of the frame.

Abstract: The frame or image of a video stream of a videoconference is divided into a series of segments for analysis. There is a primary grid, which covers the entire frame, and an alternate grid, which is shifted from the primary grid. Each segment is small enough to allow a neural network to efficiently operate on the segment without requiring downsampling. By operating on full resolution images, a participant can be identified at a greater distance from the camera. The entire frame is analyzed at a lower frequency, such as once per five seconds, but each segment containing a participant in the conference is scanned at a higher frequency, such as once per second, to maintain responsiveness to participant movement but also allow the full resolution operation.

Abstract: A videoconferencing system includes different cameras with different fields-of-view (FOVs). Frames of images acquired by these cameras may be processed to determine states, such as number of users present, talking, and so forth. Based on these states, frames from one camera may be selected to send to a far site. If the two states indicate no change in camera source from a first time to a second time, the current frame from the first camera that is sent to the far site is followed by another frame from the same camera. If the two states indicate a change in camera source from the first time to the second time, the current frame from the first camera that is sent to the far site is followed by a frame from the different camera. Depending on the two states and the cameras used, different transition effects may be applied to improve presentation.

Abstract: A method of view selection in a teleconferencing environment includes receiving a frame of image data from an optical sensor such as a camera, detecting one or more conference participants within the frame of image data, and identifying an interest region for each of the conference participants. Identifying the interest region comprises estimating head poses of participants to determine where a majority of the participants are looking and determining if there is an object in that area. If a suitable object is in the area at which the participants are looking, such as a whiteboard or another person, the image data corresponding to the object will be displayed on a display device or sent to a remote teleconference endpoint.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint determines if there is a whiteboard and if a presenter is near the whiteboard. If there is no whiteboard in view or the presenter is not near the whiteboard, any content from a camera focused on the whiteboard is continued and any presenter framing is done normally. If the presenter is in front of the whiteboard, any whiteboard content is ended, and appropriate portions of the whiteboard are included in the main video stream framed with the presenter. If the whiteboard is empty, framing is done without reference to the whiteboard. If the whiteboard is full or has writing away from the presenter, the entire whiteboard and the presenter are framed together. If the whiteboard only has writing near the presenter, only the relevant portion of the whiteboard is framed with the presenter.

Abstract: Scene changes that are done pleasingly and without user input or control. Based on the number of speakers and changes in speakers, either to a different individual or movement by the same speaker, based on the locations of the speakers and based on the overlap of the current and intended scenes, a decision is made whether to perform a smooth transition or do a cut. It has been determined that the decision on cut versus smooth transition is preferably based on the location of the center of the intended new scene versus the boundaries of the current scene, a cut used if the center is outside the boundaries and a smooth transition if inside. If a smooth transition, an easing function, such as ease in ease out, is performed to change the scene. A preferred value for the smooth transition is to perform the transition over 80 frames.

Abstract: An electrical cord includes a housing with a cavity and a connector rotatably connected to the housing. The electrical cord also includes a strain reliever connected to the housing and a cable connected to the connector. The cable extends through the cavity and connects to the strain reliever.

Abstract: The frame or image of a video stream of a videoconference is divided into a series of segments for analysis. There is a primary grid, which covers the entire frame, and an alternate grid, which is shifted from the primary grid. Each segment is small enough to allow a neural network to efficiently operate on the segment without requiring downsampling. By operating on full resolution images, a participant can be identified at a greater distance from the camera. The entire frame is analyzed at a lower frequency, such as once per five seconds, but each segment containing a participant in the conference is scanned at a higher frequency, such as once per second, to maintain responsiveness to participant movement but also allow the full resolution operation.

Abstract: Scene changes that are done pleasingly and without user input or control. Based on the number of speakers and changes in speakers, either to a different individual or movement by the same speaker, based on the locations of the speakers and based on the overlap of the current and intended scenes, a decision is made whether to perform a smooth transition or do a cut. It has been determined that the decision on cut versus smooth transition is preferably based on the location of the center of the intended new scene versus the boundaries of the current scene, a cut used if the center is outside the boundaries and a smooth transition if inside. If a smooth transition, an easing function, such as ease in ease out, is performed to change the scene. A preferred value for the smooth transition is to perform the transition over 80 frames.

Abstract: A method of view selection in a teleconferencing environment includes receiving a frame of image data from an optical sensor such as a camera, detecting one or more conference participants within the frame of image data, and identifying an interest region for each of the conference participants. Identifying the interest region comprises estimating head poses of participants to determine where a majority of the participants are looking and determining if there is an object in that area. If a suitable object is in the area at which the participants are looking, such as a whiteboard or another person, the image data corresponding to the object will be displayed on a display device or sent to a remote teleconference endpoint.

Abstract: A method for determining camera framing in a teleconferencing system comprises a process loop which includes acquiring an audio-visual frame from a captured a video data frame; detecting objects and extracting image features of the objects within the video data frame, ingesting the audio-visual frame into a context-based audio-visual map in an intelligent manner, and selecting targets from within the map for inclusion in an audio-video stream for transmission to a remote endpoint.