Abstract: A formula delivery appliance can be used for treatment of the hair and scalp, such as an appliance used to color hair. The appliance may include a consumable assembly incorporating various components of the hair and scalp treatment appliance, a portion of which may be consumed and then replaced by a user. In this regard, the consumable assembly may include one or more formulation delivery packets, nozzles, manifold chambers, distribution protrusions, and the like. The hair treatment appliance may also include a rotatable coupling having a driven gear and a drive gear, where the driven gear may selectively engage the drive gear. In another aspect, the hair treatment appliance may also include a fluid container to retain a volume of formulation for delivery to the appliance.

Abstract: A formula delivery system can be used in conjunction with hair and scalp treatment appliances to supply a hair treatment formulation to the appliance. In one aspect, the formula delivery system delivers hair coloring formulation to the appliance. Formula delivery systems of the present disclosure generally include at least one fluid container configured to retain a volume of formulation for delivery of the formulation to a hair coloring appliance. In this regard, the formula delivery system may be configured to removably couple to an inlet member of the appliance that allows the appliance to draw the formulation from the fluid container for use within the appliance.

Abstract: A drive shaft coupling is provided, such as a coupling used with a formula delivery appliance. The drive shaft coupling generally includes a drive gear and a driven gear, with one of the drive gear and driven gear having a biasing member to allow axial translation. The drive shaft coupling is generally configured to transfer rotation from the drive gear to the driven gear. In one aspect, the drive shaft coupling is capable of alignment and coupling of the drive gear and driven gear upon the radial sliding of the coupling from a non-engagement position to an engagement position.

Abstract: A method of identifying, with a camera, an object in an image of a scene, by determining the distinctiveness of each of a number of attributes of an object of interest, independent of the camera viewpoint, determining the detectability of each of the attributes based on the relative orientation of a candidate object in the image of the scene, determining a camera setting for viewing the candidate object based on the distinctiveness of an attribute, so as to increase the detectability of the attribute, and capturing an image of the candidate object with the camera setting to determine the confidence that the candidate object is the object of interest.

Abstract: A device for connecting a chain or line, such as a portion of a chain or line, to a structure, the device comprising a first portion comprising a first axis, the first portion being configured to connect or be connectable to a structure so as to be movable relative to the structure; a first guide element, the first guide element being arranged on or relative to the first portion to be movable around or about the first axis of the first portion; and a second guide element, the second guide element being configured to align at least a portion of a chain relative to the first guide element.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for optimizing caching performance for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and cloud controllers cache portions of the distributed filesystem on hard drives with rotating disk platters. The outside portions of these disk platters have higher I/O bandwidth than the inside portions of the disk platters. During operation, a cloud controller determines that a hot subset of cached data is likely to be accessed frequently by clients, and stores this hot subset to an outside portion of a disk platter. The cloud controller further determines that a cold subset of cache data is less likely to be accessed by clients, and stores the cold subset on an inside portion of a disk platter.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing opportunistic locks in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a client sending a request to access a file from a cloud controller also requests an opportunistic lock for the file. If there are no other outstanding client accesses on the other cloud controllers that preclude the requested opportunistic lock, the cloud controller grants the client file access and the opportunistic lock.

Abstract: A method of determining a pose for an object. A plurality of images capturing the object at different viewpoints are received. The viewpoints are related by an angular distance with respect to the object. A feature vector is extracted for the object from each of the received images. Each extracted feature vector is compared with feature vectors from a database to determine a plurality of candidate poses. A pose of the object is determined by comparing candidate poses associated with different ones of the viewpoints, using the angular distance between the viewpoints with respect to the object.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating or updating an access point model. The model may be generated based in part on access point model data, e.g., collected scan information from devices that travel through an indoor space. The wireless access point model may include an indoor map of a location or building. At some point, it may be determined that the access point model data may not meet a predetermined quality threshold. For example, the data may be outdated or inaccurate. A request is generated and transmitted to a client device within a predetermined distance of the access point associated with the access point model. In response to the request, the device travels to the indoor space associated with the access point to collect scan information. The scan information is used to update or otherwise modify the access point model.

Abstract: Approaches to enable a computing device, such as a phone or tablet computer, to determine when a user viewing the content is being distracted or is generally viewing the content with a sufficient level of irregularity, and present an audible representation of the content during the times when the user is deemed distracted. The determination of when the user is distracted or is otherwise viewing the content with irregularity can be performed using sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the computing device. For example, the computing device may analyze the image data captured by one or more cameras, such as by tracking the movement/location of eye pupils of the user and/or tracking the head movement of the user to detect when the user is distracted.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media are described for controlling a camera to perform a selected task from a set of tasks is provided. The method comprises determining a viewing condition of the camera to perform each task from the set of tasks, and determining a posterior probability of task success for each task from the set of tasks based on the determined viewing conditions and a prior probability of task success for each task. The method also includes determining a change in rate of information gain for task success for each task from the set of tasks based on the posterior probability, selecting the task to be performed based on the change in rate of information gain, and controlling the camera to perform the selected task.

Abstract: A system and process are disclosed for providing users with page previews during page loading events, such that the delay experienced before the display of page content is reduced. The previews may include screenshots of the pages or of portions thereof, and may be generated periodically and cached by the system for delivery to user devices. The process of generating and delivering the previews via the Internet or some other network may be implemented partly or wholly within an intermediary system that sits logically between the user devices and content servers. The process may be used with existing browsers without the need for any browser modifications, or may be used with a “preview-aware” browser that includes special program code for providing page previews.

Abstract: A telomerization process is used to prepare a reaction product containing a noncyclic hydrocarbonoxy-functional polyorganosiloxane. The process includes heating a composition including (A) a cyclic polyorganosiloxane, (B) a silane, and (C) a Lewis Acid telomerization catalyst. The cyclic polyorganosiloxane has formula [(R12SiO)2/2]n, where subscript n is an integer of 4 or more, and each R1 is independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, or a halogenated hydrocarbyl group. The silane has formula R2(4-m)Si(OR3)m, where subscript m is an integer from 1 to 4, each R2 is independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, or a halogenated hydrocarbyl group, and each R3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group.

Abstract: There is disclosed a subsea connector (100), e.g. a mooring connector, and a method of mooring a subsea structure to a line, e.g. a mooring chain, with the subsea connector. The subsea connector comprises a first portion (105) and a second portion (110), means for connecting (120) the first portion and the second portion, and means for rotationally aligning the first portion and the second portion. The first and second portions are connectable to a respective line, such as a respective mooring chain. The means for rotationally aligning comprise a first alignment member at least partly spanning across a bore, such as an internal bore, of the first or second portion. The means for rotationally aligning comprise a second alignment member provided by the other of the first or second portion. The first and second alignment members co-act when the first and second portions are brought together or mated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (60), such as a chain stopper, for connecting a chain 320 or at least one portion of a chain (320) to a structure (55), such as an offshore structure or vessel. The device comprising a first portion (70) pivotably or rotatably connected or connectable to a structure (55) so as to provide movement of the first portion (70) relative to a structure (55) about or around a first axis (310) of the first portion (70). The first portion comprises a chain or line guiding means (75) arranged for rotational movement about or around the first axis (310) of the first portion (70). In some examples, the device (70) may comprise a second portion (80) pivotably or rotatably connected or connectable to the first portion (70) so as to provide movement of the second portion (80) relative to the first portion (70) about or around a second axis (315) of the second portion.

Abstract: A system and process are disclosed for providing users with page previews during page loading events, such that the delay experienced before the display of page content is reduced. The previews may include screenshots of the pages or of portions thereof, and may be generated periodically and cached by the system for delivery to user devices. The process of generating and delivering the previews via the Internet or some other network may be implemented partly or wholly within an intermediary system that sits logically between the user devices and content servers. The process may be used with existing browsers without the need for any browser modifications, or may be used with a “preview-aware” browser that includes special program code for providing page previews.

Abstract: The invention relates to a connector, such as a subsea connector (100), for connecting a line or lines such as mooring lines (140), to a subsea structure (145), such as a submerged turret loading or a submerged turret production buoy. The invention also relates to associated apparatus, structures and methods. The subsea connector (100) comprises a first portion (105) and a second portion (110) and means (115) for connecting the first (105) and second portions (110). The means (115) for connecting comprise at least part of a through-passage (120) in the second portion (110). The first portion may comprise means (125) for connection to one or more lines (140), such as mooring lines, allowing rotational movement around or about a transverse axis of the first portion (105) with respect to the line (140).

Abstract: A system and method for determining an object in a distorted image. The method comprises detecting a location of a first part of the object on the distorted image; determining a corresponding location of the first part of the object on an undistorted image plane corresponding to the distorted image based on a plurality of calibration parameters; predicting a location of a second part of the object on the undistorted image plane based on the determined location of the first part on the undistorted image plane; determining a corresponding location of the second part of the object on the distorted image based on the predicted location of the second part of the object on the undistorted image plane and the calibration parameters; and determining the object based on the detected location of the first part of the object and the determined location of the second part in the distorted image.

Abstract: A method of matching a person in captured images comprises determining first feature vectors from a first image sequence of person(s), and determining second feature vectors from a second image sequence of person(s). The first and second feature vectors are determined based on properties of pixels located in the first and second image sequences respectively. The method further comprises, for a first feature vector corresponding to a first person in the first image sequence, determining a reference distance to one of the second feature vectors corresponding to a reference person in the second image sequence; determining a distance metric by constraining a distance between the first feature vector and a feature vector corresponding to the first person in the second image sequence, according to the determined reference distance; and matching a pair of images of the person in the captured images based on the distance metric.