Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating generation of voxel representations and assignment of trust metrics according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes detecting, by a computing device, a plurality of data sources hosting image capturing devices capable of capturing images of objects in a space, where the images are capable of being received by the computing device. The method may further include tagging trust metrics to the images based on credibility of the plurality of data sources, where a trust metrics to indicate veracity of a corresponding image. The method may further include aggregating the images into an aggregated image representation, and generating a voxel representation of the aggregated image representation such that the images are presented as voxel images, where veracities of the voxel images are secured based on tagging of the trust metrics to their corresponding images.

Abstract: An apparatus for activating a chemistry disposed upon a target structure includes a handle having an axis of orientation; a structure contacting element attached to the handle a radiant energy source having an emissive outlet adjacent to the structure contacting element wherein a vector associated with the application of the apparatus to a structure intersects and is normal to the axis of orientation and passes through the structure contacting surface.

Abstract: A fire control group is capable of operating in multiple, user-selectable modes. The fire control group includes two disconnectors, a selector switch, and a trigger with a tang. The selector switch has a series of cams which interact with the tang of the trigger and surfaces of the two disconnectors to provide different hammer break points (i.e., distances from neutral), reset distances, overtravel distances, and pull weights, depending on a rotational position of the selector switch. In one embodiment, the fire control group is capable of a safe mode, a 2-stage trigger pull, and a 1-stage trigger pull.

Abstract: A terahertz source implementing a {hacek over (C)}erenkov difference-frequency generation scheme in a quantum cascade laser. The laser includes an undoped or semi-insulating InP substrate with an exit facet that is polished at an angle between 10° to 40°. The laser further includes a first waveguide cladding layer(s) in contact with an active layer (arranged as a multiple quantum well structure) and a current extraction layer on top of the substrate. Furthermore, the laser includes a second waveguide cladding layer(s) on top of the active layer, where the first and second waveguide cladding layers are disposed to form a waveguide structure by which terahertz radiation generated in the active layer is guided inside the laser. The terahertz radiation is emitted into the substrate at a {hacek over (C)}erenkov angle relative to a direction of the nonlinear polarization wave in the active layer, and once in the substrate, propagates towards the exit facet.

Abstract: Smooth animation effects during zooming are provided by retaining content displayed at a previous zoom level. If the zoom operation is a zoom out operation, new content is stretched to a current zoom level, aligned with the retained content, and placed underneath it. If the zoom operation is a zoom in operation, new content is scaled down to the current zoom level, aligned with the retained content, and displayed on top of the retained content. The new content is then zoomed with the retained content. The retained content is then deleted. When zooming out, the retained content fades out. When zooming in, the new content fades in. Smooth scrolling animation is also provided by pre-rendering a portion of content and teleporting to a final viewport position and thereby skipping over blank content.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and software for mediating SMS messages, and especially type 0 SMS messages, in a wireless mobile communications device configured to send and receive data using a GSM protocol and including a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) including electronic hardware and computer software executed by the hardware such that the SIM is configured to send, receive, and process messages using a Short Message System (“SMS”) between the wireless mobile communications device and a communications network. One aspect includes a method for mediating SMS messages comprising: configuring electronic hardware on the wireless mobile communications device to implement a firewall on the wireless mobile communications device, the firewall configured to identify and optionally mediate infrastructure SMS messages.

Abstract: An apparatus for activating a chemistry disposed upon a target structure includes a handle; a structure contacting element rotatably attached to the handle and adapted to roll without slipping upon a target structure; and a radiant energy source having an emissive outlet at least partially within the structure contacting element wherein said contacting element is at least partly transparent or translucent to said radiant energy.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices may include a housing and a cartridge including an atomizer and a reservoir configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition. The cartridge may be configured to move relative to at least a portion of the housing between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. Related assembly methods are also provided.

Abstract: Many devices present a cursor on a display. In order to facilitate the user's visual identification and tracking of the location of the cursor, the device may present the cursor with many visual variations, such as blinking the cursor, or selecting colors for the cursor that contrast with the background. However, these techniques may only marginally increase the visibility of the cursor in some circumstances, and/or may appear visually unappealing to the user. Presented herein are techniques for presenting a cursor on the display as a first cursor layer in a first cursor color that blends with the background color, and, under the first layer, a second cursor layer in a contrasting cursor color with respect to the first cursor color and the background. The device may also periodically remove the first layer to display the contrasting second layer and to indicate the location of the cursor to the user.

Abstract: Many processes for audio signal processing can benefit from voice activity detection, which aims to detect the presence of speech as opposed to silence or noise. The present disclosure describes, among other things, leveraging energy-based features of voice and insights on first and second formant frequencies of vowels to provide a low-complexity and low-power voice activity detector. A pair of two channels is provided whereby each channel is configured to detect voice activity in respective frequency bands of interest. Simultaneous activity detected in both channels can be a sufficient condition for determining that voice is present. More channels or pairs of channels can be used to detect different types of voices to improve detection and/or to detect voices present in different audio streams.

Abstract: An optical coupling device includes a multi-core fiber alignment station, a single-mode fiber alignment station, and a furcation lens assembly. The multi-core fiber alignment station and single-mode fiber alignment station include alignment hardware configured to position optical fibers at fixed positions relative to an optical axis of the furcation lens assembly. The furcation lens assembly includes a furcating and projecting axicon surfaces that are rotationally invariant and are configured such that optical modes of an optical fiber aligned in one of the fiber alignment stations are spatially separated and substantially telecentrically mapped to corresponding optical modes of optical fibers aligned in the other fiber alignment station.

Abstract: Smooth animation effects during zooming are provided by retaining content displayed at a previous zoom level. If the zoom operation is a zoom out operation, new content is stretched to a current zoom level, aligned with the retained content, and placed underneath it. If the zoom operation is a zoom in operation, new content is scaled down to the current zoom level, aligned with the retained content, and displayed on top of the retained content. The new content is then zoomed with the retained content. The retained content is then deleted. When zooming out, the retained content fades out. When zooming in, the new content fades in. Smooth scrolling animation is also provided by pre-rendering a portion of content and teleporting to a final viewport position and thereby skipping over blank content.

Abstract: A multicore optical fiber that includes seventeen cores arranged in a hexagonally close-packed configuration, each core having a core center and comprising silica and an up-dopant; and a cladding region surrounding the seventeen cores, the cladding region having a cladding edge, an outer diameter, and a cladding composition comprising silica. The outer diameter of the cladding region is between about 100 microns and 150 microns. Further, the hexagonally close-packed configuration has bi-lateral symmetry to accommodate bi-directional data flow within the fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus for light diffraction and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) incorporating the light diffraction apparatus is disclosed. An apparatus for light diffraction may comprise an optional planarization layer, a transparent substrate, a waveguide layer. The planarization layer may have a refractive index of ns. The transparent substrate may have a refractive index of ng. The waveguide layer may have a refractive index nw distributed over of the transparent substrate. The waveguide layer may comprise a binding matrix, at least one nanoparticle. The waveguide layer may be interposed between the transparent substrate and the optional planarization layer.

Abstract: Solutions for facilitating enhanced video calling functionality. Embodiments include functionality for handling video calling through a communications hub. According to some embodiments, the communications hub is a user supersystem having multiple clients, each with an integrated camera and display, capable of seamlessly handing off video call functionality among the clients. Other embodiments integrate other functionality of the communications hub (e.g., web browsing, multimedia, etc.) into the video call environment.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices each having associated therewith a respective device capability, device configuration, and device state. The HA system may also include a cloud message queue controller and a cloud message queue memory coupled thereto in the cloud for storing the device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices. The HA system may also include a home device message queue controller and a home device message queue memory coupled thereto for storing the device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices. The cloud message queue controller and the home device message queue controller may synchronize device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices.

Abstract: A feedback cancellation assembly for an electroacoustic communication apparatus may include a signal transmission path for generation and emission of an outgoing sound signal to an external environment through an electrodynamic loudspeaker and a signal reception path comprising a microphone for generation of a microphone input signal corresponding to sound received from the external environment. The signal reception path may generate a digital microphone signal. The outgoing sound signal may be acoustically coupled to the microphone. An electronic feedback cancellation path may be coupled between a tapping node and a summing node to produce a feedback cancellation signal to the summing node.

Abstract: A beam-shaping optical system suitable for use with optical coherence tomography including a sheath defining a central cavity, a beam-shaping insert defining a beam-shaping element positioned within the central cavity, and an optical fiber having a core and a cladding. The optical fiber defines an angularly prepared fiber end configured to emit an electromagnetic beam toward the beam-shaping element with the core of the optical fiber locally expanded at the fiber end.

Abstract: An electrolyzing system is provided for producing higher quantities of electrolyzed waters within prescribed pH ranges for optimum usage and which can be operated for producing greater quantities of alkaline electrolyzed water than acidic electrolyzed water consistent with a users requirements. The system includes an electrolytic cartridge having cathode and anode cells each comprising a pair of electrodes disposed in laterally spaced coplanar relation to each other, with a respective ion permeable membrane in spaced relation to the pairs of electrodes. The cells are separated with a common separator plate that maintains the ion permeable membranes in parallel relation with the respective electrodes and which facilitates the communication of brine solution from a brine bath to both cells. The cells further can be operate with staggered input currents and the redirection of electrolyzed water between the cells for optimum control of pH levels of the resulting products.

Abstract: Heart rate monitors are plagued by noisy photoplethysmography (PPG) data, which makes it difficult for the monitors to output a consistently accurate heart rate reading. Noise is often caused by motion. Using known methods for processing accelerometer readings that measure movement to filter out some of this noise may help, but not always. The present disclosure describes an improved filtering approach, referred to herein as an iterative frequency-domain mask estimation technique, based on using frequency-domain representation (e.g. STFT) of PPG data and accelerometer data for each accelerometer channel to generate filters for filtering the PPG signal from motion-related artifacts prior to tracking frequency of the heartbeat (heart rate). Implementing this technique leads to more accurate heart rate measurements.