Abstract: A tactile sensor, consisting of a flexible main body with embedded magnets, soft magnetized cilia on the main body, and magnetic sensing elements embedded on the substrate layer. The magnetic sensing elements produce signals in response to the changes in the magnetic field. Tactile interaction with the main body and cilia displaces the magnetic material and changes the magnetic field. Cilia are sensitive to sub-mN force magnitudes, the main body is sensitive to larger range of force magnitudes. Multiple sensing elements, magnets and cilia may be distributed over large and curved surfaces. Three-axial forces can be measured using the sensor.

Abstract: A query parsing system uses a multi-stage process to parse the text of incoming queries before attempting to answer the queries. The multi-stage configuration involves a first trained classifier to determine the query type, or intent, of the text and a plurality of second trained classifiers, where each of the second trained classifiers is configured particularly for one specific respective query type. During query processing, the first trained classifier is used on the text to identify the query type. A second trained classifier for that specific identified query type is then found and used on the text to identify what strings in the text correspond to specific entities needed to resolve the query. The identified text strings and query type are then placed into a form understandable by a knowledge base and sent to the knowledge base for resolution. The classifiers may be trained using queries and answers previously processed by the knowledge base using a rules/template resolution process.

Abstract: A system and method for managing fluid mature fine tailings (MFT) containment volume in a tailings pond to a minimum, fixed steady-state volume by balancing the accumulation of the MFT in the pond with consumption of the MFT from the pond by one or both of spiking the MFT into coarse sand tailings forming a coarse sand beach with trapped fines which is segregating for forming a trafficable deposit or centrifuging MFT from the tailings pond and depositing the resulting centrifuge cake on the coarse sand beach. During the life of the oil sand operation, when the volume of MFT approaches the fixed volume of the tailings pond, MFT is consumed from the pond using both sand-spiking and centrifugation as required. Production of MFT in the pond is also reduced by diverting an underflow from a secondary flotation cell in an extraction plant from the tailings pond to a thickener where the fines-rich thickened tailings from the thickener are beached for subsequent dewatering and reclamation.

Abstract: Stripping column and process for extracting a component from a liquid medium using a gas, the stripping column comprising a vertical column (10) comprising an essentially cylindrical wall (54), the vertical column (10) being divided by horizontal perforated plates (20) into a series of superposed chambers (11, 12, . . . , 16, 17), each chamber (11, 12, . . . , 16, 17) comprising several vertical partitions (34, 34I, 34II, 34III, 34IV, 34V) positioned so as to form chicanes. According to one important aspect of the invention, the vertical partitions (34, 34I, 34II, 34III, 34IV, 34V) are attached to the wall (54) of the vertical column (10) and are designed so as to hold the perforated plates (20).

Abstract: Stripping column and process for extracting a component from a liquid medium using a gas, the stripping column comprising a vertical column (10) comprising an essentially cylindrical wall (54), the vertical column (10) being divided by horizontal perforated plates (20) into a series of superposed chambers (11, 12, . . . , 16, 17), each chamber (11, 12, . . . , 16, 17) comprising several vertical partitions (34, 34I, 34II, 34III, 34IV, 34V) positioned so as to form chicanes, an upper chamber (17) comprising at least one liquid medium inlet port (28). According to one important aspect of the invention, the upper chamber (17) comprises a liquid medium receiving zone (90), the receiving zone (90) being configured so as to be able to carry out a degassing of the liquid medium in the receiving zone (90).