Abstract: Liquid ring systems are known for compressing gasses. However, known systems include moving surfaces that require high precision manufacturing. The invention provides a valve arrangement for a liquid ring system comprising: a plurality of plates; a vane set; and a chamber set that comprises at least one chamber, wherein a first chamber of the chamber set comprises: a first valve, disposed on a first plate of the plurality of plates, which is configured to be closer to the first face of a first vane of the vane set than the second face of the second vane of the vane set; and a second valve, disposed on a second plate, which is configured to be closer to the second face of the second vane than the first face of the first vane.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and techniques for assessing driver safety based on noise levels or sounds associated with the interior of a vehicle are provided. Noise levels or sounds associated with the interior of a vehicle over a first interval of time may be compared to indications of vehicle motion over the first interval of time to identify noise levels or sounds at times when the indications of vehicle motion indicate unsafe driving. The identified noise levels or sounds may be analyzed to determine noise levels, sources, and/or characteristics of sounds associated with unsafe driving. Noise levels or sounds associated with the interior of the vehicle over a second interval of time may be analyzed to determine instances in which the noise levels, sources, and/or characteristics of sounds associated with unsafe driving occur over the second interval of time. Alerts may be generated for vehicle operators based on the determined instances.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating (in one alternative correcting) the cervical curvature of a user, the apparatus having a top, a bottom, a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, wherein: proximate the top, a thoracic section for receiving the upper back region of a user, preferably for receiving the thoracic region of the user; proximate the top, a cervical section for receiving the cervical curve region of the user; the cervical section is movable with a traction path in at least one of the following planes vertical, horizontal and combinations thereof; in one alternative, the cervical section is movable in an arc-like motion along the vertical plane.

Abstract: A dispenser head for in-line mixing and dispensing of beverages, which may be carbonated or nitrogenated. The dispenser head comprising a pump, a dilution mechanism, an additive mechanism, and outlet nozzle and optionally a regulation system. In use, the pump can pump concentrate liquid for the liquid product from a concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; the dilution mechanism can receive diluent liquid suitable for the liquid product from a diluent source, operable to mix the diluent liquid and the concentrate liquid and provide diluted concentrate liquid; and the additive mechanism can receive additive fluid for the liquid product from an additive source, to combine the diluted concentrate liquid and the additive fluid.

Abstract: The use of volatilization reagents is disclosed for improved detection of inorganic oxidizers such as, but not limited to, chlorates and perchlorates. Detection methods are disclosed whereby a reagent can transfer a proton to the anion (i.e., chlorate, perchlorate, etc.) of an inorganic salt analyte, forming an acid (i.e., chloric acid, perchloric acid) that is easier to detect by a mechanism whereby the acidified reagent is more easily vaporized, and hence, more easily detected. Concurrently, the anion of the acid forms a new salt with the cation released from the salt that was acidified. The reagents can also include acidic salts or cation-donators, more generally. In some embodiments, hydrated reagents or co-reagents that can release water can be employed.

Abstract: Provided, in one aspect, is a ball seat release apparatus. The ball seat release apparatus, according to this embodiment, includes a shear sleeve, and a ball seat body located at least partially within the shear sleeve, a shear feature releasably coupling the ball seat body to the shear sleeve. The ball seat release apparatus according to this aspect further includes a ball seat slidingly engaged within the ball seat body, the ball seat configured to move from a first linear position to a second linear position, and further wherein a locking dog releasably couples the ball seat with the ball seat body.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and techniques for assessing driver safety based on noise levels or sounds associated with the interior of a vehicle are provided. Noise levels or sounds associated with the interior of a vehicle over a first interval of time may be compared to indications of vehicle motion over the first interval of time to identify noise levels or sounds at times when the indications of vehicle motion indicate unsafe driving. The identified noise levels or sounds may be analyzed to determine noise levels, sources, and/or characteristics of sounds associated with unsafe driving. Noise levels or sounds associated with the interior of the vehicle over a second interval of time may be analyzed to determine instances in which the noise levels, sources, and/or characteristics of sounds associated with unsafe driving occur over the second interval of time. Alerts may be generated for vehicle operators based on the determined instances.

Abstract: An enterprise security system is improved by taking remedial actions responsive to detecting attempts at tampering with computing resources. When a tamper detection instrument detects an attempt at tampering, information about the attempt at tampering may be used to identify one or more candidate types of threats and/or candidate threats. One or more remedial actions associated with the threat or type of threat can be identified and applied in ten enterprise network environment.

Abstract: A rendering mode may be determined for received audio data, including audio signals and associated spatial data. The audio data may be rendered for reproduction via a set of loudspeakers of an environment according to the rendering mode, to produce rendered audio signals. Rendering the audio data may involve determining relative activation of a set of loudspeakers in an environment. The rendering mode may be variable between a reference spatial mode and one or more distributed spatial modes. The reference spatial mode may have an assumed listening position and orientation. In the distributed spatial mode(s), one or more elements of the audio data may each be rendered in a more spatially distributed manner than in the reference spatial mode and spatial locations of remaining elements of the audio data may be warped such that they span a rendering space of the environment more completely than in the reference spatial mode.

Abstract: The present specification relates generally to unmanned aerial vehicles, and specifically to a vertical take-off and lift unmanned aerial vehicle configured for high speed, long-distance flight, and vertical take-off and lift, while carrying a significant payload. The aerial vehicle includes a first propeller and a second propeller, each comprising at least two blades and each disposed on opposite lateral edges of the aerial vehicle; a tail segment forming a trailing edge of the aerial vehicle, wherein the tail segment comprises: an elevator; and a first wing and a second wing, each comprising an aileron. The aerial vehicle further includes four fins, wherein the four fins are affixed to lateral edges behind the first propeller or the second propeller and configured as endplates; a motor; and a power supply.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a material moving machine comprises a pilot hydraulic switching system. The pilot hydraulic switching system comprises a control unit, a first directional valve, and a second directional valve. The control unit is configured to operate the first and second directional valves to shift a variable position actuator valve between a static state, a retract state, and an extend state. The actuator valve comprises a first and second control element. In the retract and extend states, the first and second directional valves control fluid flow to the variable position actuator valve with a positive net pressure on either the first or second control elements and a negative net pressure on the other control element to move the material moving implement. In the static state, the first and second directional valves control fluid flow equally on the first and second control elements.

Abstract: A system and method of creating customized characters and selectively displaying them in an electronic display, such as an augmented reality or virtual reality display is provided. A digital character may be provided by a character provider for customization by others using the system. Such customizations may be instantiated in user devices that provide electronic displays. Instantiation of the custom digital character may be conditioned on one or more trigger conditions, which may be specified by the character customizer. For example, a digital character customized using the system may be conditioned on triggering events in the real-world or in a virtual world. When a relevant triggering condition is satisfied at a user device, the custom character (i.e., information for instantiating the custom character) may be transmitted to that user device. In this manner, the system may push custom characters to user devices that satisfy the triggering condition.

Abstract: A faucet-mounted filter system includes a body forming a fluid chamber having a water inlet, a quick connect device positioned adjacent the water inlet for mounting the filter system to a water faucet, a filtered water flow path disposed within the body and in fluid communication with the water inlet, an unfiltered water flow path disposed within the body and in fluid communication with the water inlet, a diverter valve disposed within the fluid chamber and operable to open and close the filtered and unfiltered water flow paths, a seal, an actuator engaging the diverter valve to open and close the filtered and unfiltered water flow paths, a flow meter connected to the body and in fluid communication with the filter flow path, a filter housing connected to the body and having a reservoir, and a filter cartridge disposed within the reservoir.

Abstract: Described herein are avian follistatin products, and methods for producing such products, in which such products are effective for a variety of conditions, including increasing muscle mass. Avian follistatin products described herein are packaged as dietary supplements or nutritional supplements are useful in muscle regeneration.

Abstract: Techniques for providing decision rationales for machine-learning guided processes are described herein. In some embodiments, the techniques described herein include processing queries for an explanation of an outcome of a set of one or more decisions guided by one or more machine-learning processes with supervision by at least one human operator. Responsive to receiving the query, a system determines, based on a set of one or more rationale data structures, whether the outcome was caused by human operator error or the one or more machine-learning processes. The system then generates a query response indicating whether the outcome was caused by the human operator error or the one or more machine-learning processes.

Abstract: A method comprises generating a claim wall comprising a website page and associated with the insurance claim, providing access to the claim wall for an insured party, an insuring party, and a third party service provider, generating a claim entry associated with the insurance claim including one or more tasks for processing of the insurance claim, and posting the claim entry including the one or more tasks on the claim wall.

Abstract: Transportable storage devices are communicatively coupled behind one or more dedicated “edge” data servers to take advantage of the benefits of the data servers and transportable storage devices while limiting their disadvantages. Each edge data server ingests data from one or more client devices and copies the data to one or more of the transportable storage devices for eventual transport to a cloud data center for upload to a cloud storage system. Multiple versions of a segment of data (e.g., of a file or a blob) are maintained at various points in the disclosed system and the disclosed technology ensures that the most recent version is the version ultimately stored on the cloud storage system.

Abstract: A medicine compounding system has a plurality of containers for containing medical compounds to be used to make up a medicine. A dosing chamber is connected to each of the plurality of containers and a drawing mechanism is used to draw compounds from the plurality of containers to the dosing chamber. A controller receives a script via a communications module which includes details of a patient and a medicine to be dispensed. The controller determines from the script which medical compounds and what quantities of each compound are to be used to form the medicine. The controller controls the drawing mechanism to draw the determined quantity of the medical compound from the container holding the compound into the dosing chamber, and once all of the required medical compounds have been drawn into the chamber to form the medicine, to eject the medicine formed in the dosing chamber via an outlet.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for sensor-based objective determination.

Abstract: Provided, in one aspect, is a ball seat release apparatus. The ball seat release apparatus, according to this embodiment, includes a shear sleeve having a recess pocket and a ball seat body slidingly engaged within the shear sleeve, the ball seat body configured to move from a first linear position to a second linear position. The ball seat body further includes a longitudinal fluid passageway, a ball seat located in the longitudinal fluid passageway, one or more first fluid bypass ports coupling the longitudinal fluid passageway and an exterior of the ball seat body, the one or more first fluid bypass ports located on a first side of the ball seat, and one or more second fluid bypass ports coupling the longitudinal fluid passageway and the exterior of the ball seat body, the one or more second fluid bypass ports located on a second opposing side of the ball seat.