Abstract: A mattress for a patient support apparatus has a cover having bottom and top surfaces, and an inflatable section disposed between the bottom and top surfaces. The inflatable section has a plurality of upper bladders in fluid communication with each other and a plurality of lower bladders in fluid communication with each other. The upper and lower bladders are selectively inflated independently from each other. The upper and lower bladders are formed by three sheets including an upper sheet, a lower sheet disposed below the upper sheet, and an intermediate sheet disposed between the upper and lower sheets. The upper sheet is fixed to the intermediate sheet to define the upper bladders between the upper sheet and the intermediate sheet. The lower sheet is fixed to the intermediate sheet to define the lower bladders between the lower sheet and the intermediate sheet. Other aspects of the mattress are also disclosed.

Abstract: A helmet has: a helmet shell; a battery connected to the helmet shell; an electric connector connected to the helmet shell; and at least one electric device electrically connected to the battery and to the electric connector. In response to the electric connector being electrically connected to an external power source and receiving electric power for the external power source, electric power is supplied to the at least one electric device from the electric connector. In response to the electric connector not receiving electric power from the external power source, electric power is supplied to the at least one electric device from the battery.

Abstract: A vehicle including a frame; a front left suspension assembly with a front left wheel; a front right suspension assembly with a front right wheel; a front gear train; a motor; shafts connected between the front wheels and the front gear train. Each front suspension assembly including a knuckle including: a first portion connected to a wheel hub and including a first ball joint, and a second portion extending upward from the first portion and including a second ball joint; a lower A-arm connected to the first ball joint; an upper A-arm connected to the second ball joint; the second ball joint being distanced from the wheel axis by a distance greater than the inner rim radius; and a shock assembly connected to the lower A-arm and the frame, the shafts passing below the ball joint of the shock absorber assembly which is vertically higher than the shaft.

Abstract: A method for processing speech, comprising semantically parsing a received natural language speech input with respect to a plurality of predetermined command grammars in an automated speech processing system; determining if the parsed speech input unambiguously corresponds to a command and is sufficiently complete for reliable processing, then processing the command; if the speech input ambiguously corresponds to a single command or is not sufficiently complete for reliable processing, then prompting a user for further speech input to reduce ambiguity or increase completeness, in dependence on a relationship of previously received speech input and at least one command grammar of the plurality of predetermined command grammars, reparsing the further speech input in conjunction with previously parsed speech input, and iterating as necessary. The system also monitors abort, fail or cancel conditions in the speech input.

Abstract: A rack and pinion assembly for a steering assembly is disclosed. The rack and pinion assembly has: a housing; a rack disposed in the housing, the rack being translatable in the housing; a pinion engaging the rack for causing translation of the rack; and at least one rolling element connected to the rack. The at least one rolling element is translatable with the rack. The at least one rolling element rolls along an inner surface of the housing as the rack translates. A steering assembly having the rack and pinion assembly and a vehicle having the steering assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of producing a motion track for displacing a motion platform substantially synchronously with a predetermined media content may include: obtaining the media content; in response to receipt of the media content, generating a timeline for the media content based at least in part on a duration of the media content; receiving user input indicative of a plurality of motion samples to be added to the timeline, each associated with a respective point on the timeline; placing each of the motion samples on the timeline at the respective associated point on the timeline; and storing the plurality of motion samples, each in association with a respective time code representative of the respective associated point on the timeline of each of the motion samples, as part of the motion track.

Abstract: A feeding assembly and a method of feeding components comprising a track along which components can be moved, said track comprising a sloped surface and a ledge, wherein said sloped surface slopes in a direction perpendicular to the direction which the components move along the track so that the components maintain a tilted orientation as they move along the track, a pickup platform comprising a pocket which can receive components from said track, and a pivot on which the pickup platform can be selectively rotated between a first position and second position. In the first position, the pocket is aligned with the track and the pocket is parallel with the sloped surface of the track, so that a component can move from the track into the pocket of the pickup platform. In the second position the pocket is in a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A multi-platform vibro-kinetic system comprises a plurality of motion platforms each having actuators to be displaceable to produce vibro-kinetic effects. The system may obtain movements of one or more operator(s), interpret the movements of the operator and identifying from the movements an operator instruction for effect generation, and output a motion signal containing instructions for producing a vibro-kinetic effect on at least one of the motion platforms as a response to the operator instruction.

Abstract: A multi-platform vibro-kinetic system comprises a plurality of motion platforms each having actuators to be displaceable to produce vibro-kinetic effects. The system may obtain movements of one or more operator(s), interpret the movements of the operator and identifying from the movements an operator instruction for effect generation, and output a motion signal containing instructions for producing a vibro-kinetic effect on at least one of the motion platforms as a response to the operator instruction.

Abstract: A method for selling seats in a movie theater, comprising the steps of: providing a first screening room in a movie theater with actuated seats providing movement in synchronization with a motion picture having a feature-length presentation being projected; selling access to non-actuated seats in the movie theater at a base price per seat; selling access to said actuated seats in said first screening room at a second price per seat, the second price being equal to the base price per seat added to an actuated-seat premium; controlling the access to said actuated seats in said first screening room as opposed to the non-actuated seats; and projecting said motion picture in the first screening room with the actuated seats being actuated to provide movement in synchronization with the motion picture.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a feeding assembly comprising, a track along which components can be moved, said track comprising a sloped surface and a ledge, wherein said sloped surface slopes in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction which the components move along the track so that the components are maintained in a tilted orientation as they move along the track; a pickup platform which comprises a pocket which can receive components from said track; wherein the feeding assembly further comprise a pivot on which the pickup platform can be selectively rotated between a first position and second position, wherein in its first position the pocket is aligned with the track and the pocket is parallel with the sloped surface of the track, so that a component can move from the track into the pocket of the pickup platform, and in its second position the pocket is in a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A method for processing speech, comprising semantically parsing a received natural language speech input with respect to a plurality of predetermined command grammars in an automated speech processing system; determining if the parsed speech input unambiguously corresponds to a command and is sufficiently complete for reliable processing, then processing the command; if the speech input ambiguously corresponds to a single command or is not sufficiently complete for reliable processing, then prompting a user for further speech input to reduce ambiguity or increase completeness, in dependence on a relationship of previously received speech input and at least one command grammar of the plurality of predetermined command grammars, reparsing the further speech input in conjunction with previously parsed speech input, and iterating as necessary. The system also monitors abort, fail or cancel conditions in the speech input.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ordnance-launching tube, including a rear door and an expulsion circuit between a source of pressurized fluid and the tube, and provided with a unit for closing this circuit having an actuator that can be maneuvered by an operator in order to permit the expulsion, the actuator being associated with a detector for the presence of the rear door in the tube-closing position and with a lock for this rear door in the tube-closing position, which can be actuated via a bolt that the operator can move between a first position preventing expulsion and a second position permitting expulsion when the door is in the closing position and locked. The bolt includes an abutment movable between a position blocking the actuator in position to prevent expulsion, and a position releasing the actuator so that they may be actuated by the operator, and thus permit expulsion.

Abstract: System and methods for automatically identifying anatomical regions in medical images are disclosed. A signature is computed from one or more images of a patient. The signature comprises a water equivalent diameter distribution generated from one or more images of the patient. A best matching atlas element is identified from an atlas. The atlas includes a group of atlas elements, each atlas element includes landmarks associated with a set of image data, and a signature associated with the set of image data. The signature of the best matching atlas element matches the signature of the patient the best among the atlas. Landmarks of the best matching atlas element are projected onto an image of the patient. The method can be used on its own for anatomy localization or used in conjunction with another anatomy localization method to correct the result of another method.

Abstract: A monomode optical fiber, and a process for manufacturing such a fiber, that comprises a monomode core and at least one cladding encircling the core. The monomode core comprises at least two zones, a first zone with at least one first refractive index and a second zone with at least one second refractive index different from the first refractive index. The difference between the first refractive index and the second refractive index is of the same order of magnitude as the variation in the refractive index of the second zone between the inactive state and the active state of the fiber.

Abstract: System and methods for automatically identifying anatomical regions in medical images are disclosed. A signature is computed from one or more images of a patient. The signature comprises a water equivalent diameter distribution generated from one or more images of the patient. A best matching atlas element is identified from an atlas. The atlas includes a group of atlas elements, each atlas element includes landmarks associated with a set of image data, and a signature associated with the set of image data. The signature of the best matching atlas element matches the signature of the patient the best among the atlas. Landmarks of the best matching atlas element are projected onto an image of the patient. The method can be used on its own for anatomy localization or used in conjunction with another anatomy localization method to correct the result of another method.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ordinance-launching tube, including a rear door and an expulsion circuit between a source of pressurized fluid and the tube, and provided with a unit for closing this circuit having an actuator that can be maneuvered by an operator in order to permit the expulsion, the actuator being associated with a detector for the presence of the rear door in the tube-closing position and with a lock for this rear door in the tube-closing position, which can be actuated via a bolt that the operator can move between a first position preventing expulsion and a second position permitting expulsion when the door is in the closing position and locked. The bolt includes an abutment movable between a position blocking the actuator in position to prevent expulsion, and a position releasing the actuator so that they may be actuated by the operator, and thus permit expulsion.

Abstract: Described are arrangements of seats, which include at least one column having rows of pairs of seats (12A,12B), each seat having a chair position and a bed position. A pair of foot wells (34A,34B) are positioned within an aft side of each row and configured to vertically align with the pair of seats in a next-aft row when the pair of seats are positioned in the bed position. The bed position of a first seat (12A) of the pair of seats is vertically offset from the bed position of a second seat (12B) of the pair of seats so that the first seat has a high bed position and the second seat has a low bed position.

Abstract: Arrangements of at least one column of seats for passengers of a vehicle, the column including a next-front seat unit positioned in front of a next-back seat unit. Each seat unit includes a seat having a chair position and a bed position, and a bed extension coupled to the next-front seat unit. The bed extension has a stowed position within the next-front seat unit and a deployed position that is located within a space between the next-front seat unit and the next-back seat unit that is not occupied by the seat in the next-back seat unit when the seat in the next-back seat unit is positioned in the bed position.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to passenger aircraft seats. The disclosure focuses on a seat unit arrangement (10) for a cabin and seat units that provide different comfort positions. In some embodiments, a side cushion (14) forms part of a bed surface when the seats are converted to a bed position. In some embodiments, a bed extension (30) is deployed from a stowed position to form a part of the bed surface. In some embodiments, a seat backrest (22) does not form part of the bed surface when the seat unit is in the bed position. In some embodiments, a lounge position is provided when the seat backrest rotates toward a side cushion. In such an embodiment, the passenger may be positioned toward the side cushion such that the passenger may comfortably rest their legs on the side cushion without converting the seat to a bed position.