Abstract: A process for the transesterification of methyl-2-ethylhexanoate with triethylene glycol to produce triethylene glycol di-2-ethylhexanoate is provided. In the process, methyl-2-ethylhexanoate is combined with triethylene glycol to form a first mixture. The first mixture is heated in the presence of a catalyst to form a second mixture comprising methanol and triethylene glycol di-2-ethylhexanoate. Methanol is separated from the second mixture to yield triethylene glycol di-2-ethylhexanoate. Na2CO3, Cs2CO3, K2CO3, Rb2CO3, sodium methoxide or titanium isopropoxide are suitable catalysts.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a housing and a pinion having a head and a shaft. The shaft extends through a pinion-support portion of the housing. A tail bearing supports the shaft and has an outer race fixed to the pinion-support portion and an inner race received on the shaft. The inner race is brazed to the shaft. The drive unit may be assembled by installing a tail-bearing cup and a head-bearing cup in the housing and inserting the pinion in the housing with the shaft extending through the cups. The method further includes installing a tail-bearing cone onto the shaft to be seated on the tail-bearing cup and urging the cups toward each other. The method also includes brazing the tail-bearing cone to the shaft while the cups are urged toward each other.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a shovel including a blade, at least one fastener, a connector, and a handle. The blade has a first major surface and an opposing second major surface, and each of the fastener(s) and the connector are attached to the second major surface. The handle is removably attached to the connector. In use, such as for use as a snow shovel, the handle is attached to the connector. Advantageously, when the shovel is not in use, the handle may be removed from the connector and attached to and held by the fastener(s), which decreases the overall dimensions of the shovel for ease of storage and/or transport.

Abstract: An extraction tool for the removal of fasteners with stripped heads. A method of extracting fasteners with stripped heads.

Abstract: A transaction terminal includes a plurality of disparate application services that process within a common/shared platform on the transaction terminal. Each disparate application service may include its own unique biometric provider for providing biometric registration and recognition services to customers at the transaction terminal. When a particular application service is launched for execution on the transaction terminal, a biometric integration manager identifies an appropriate biometric provider for that application service and interacts with that biometric provider and the launched application service to facilitate biometric registration or biometric recognition of a customer transacting at the transaction terminal.

Abstract: A facility for insuring information currentness is described. The facility receives from a party a request to submit an invoice. In response to receiving a request, the facility tests the currentness of information to be provided by the party. The facility permits the party to submit an invoice in connection with the request only if the testing determines that the information to be provided by the party is current.

Abstract: An expandable medical implant that includes a lower lifting plate, an upper lifting plat, a distal lifting block, a proximal lifting block, a rotational block, a lifting screw, and a locking nut, and related methods of use. Also, an expandable medical implant that includes a lower lifting plate having a proximal lower angled lifting portion, an upper lifting plate having a proximal upper angled lifting portion, a center fork block, a lifting lobe, a distal screw, and a proximal nut, and related methods of use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for impedance matching for an antenna aperture are described. In one embodiment, the antenna comprises an antenna aperture having at least one array of antenna elements operable to radiate radio frequency (RF) energy and an integrated composite stack structure coupled to the antenna aperture. The integrated composite stack structure includes a wide angle impedance matching network to provide impedance matching between the antenna aperture and free space and also puts dipole loading on antenna elements.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a proxy for a network obtains a traffic flow. The proxy determines whether a security policy in a whitelist for the traffic flow is active. If it is determined that the security policy for the traffic flow is active, the proxy selectively decrypts the traffic flow to produce one or more traffic flow attributes and, based on the one or more traffic flow attributes, determines whether the traffic flow is potentially malicious.

Abstract: A computer-implemented consolidation method is provided for identifying software vulnerability anomalies in a source code. This method includes providing a plurality of diagnostic tools; receiving the source code; selecting a subset plurality of tools; scanning the source code by the subset plurality for the anomalies to produce a diagnostic output; sorting the output by removing anomaly duplicates into a report; and saving the report into memory. Each tool among the plurality is able to detect the anomalies in software.

Abstract: Provided is a process for the preparation of certain 1,4-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives. The new synthetic procedure involves treating 1,4-dimethylene cyclohexane with an oxidizing agent in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to afford an oxo-substituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octane species. This intermediate structure can then be further derivatized. The processes of this disclosure thus affords a novel and simplified means for the commercial production of a wide variety of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed herein that relate to receiving virtual reality input. An example provides a head-mounted display device comprising a sensor system, a display, a logic machine, and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine. The instructions are executable to execute a 3D virtual reality experience on the head-mounted display device, track, via the sensor system, a touch-sensitive input device, render, on the display, in a 3D location in the 3D virtual reality experience based on the tracking of the touch-sensitive input device, a user interface, receive, via a touch sensor of the touch-sensitive input device, a user input, and, in response to receiving the user input, control the 3D virtual reality experience to thereby vary visual content being rendered on the display.

Abstract: An electrical multi-connector feedthrough panel comprising a frame configured to couple with a structure and to seal, at least in part, a penetration in the structure across a pressure differential, wherein a first pressurized environment is disposed on one side of the sealed penetration, and wherein a second pressurized environment, different than the first pressurized environment, is disposed on an opposite side of the sealed penetration a plurality of electrical connector insert shells monolithically formed with the frame, each of the plurality of electrical connector insert shells protruding from opposite sides of the frame to form a respective passage through the frame and being configured to sealingly couple with at least one electrical butt connector to thereby seal the respective passage; and an electrically conductive coating disposed on the frame and on each of the plurality of electrical connector insert shells to thereby form an electrical bonding surface.

Abstract: A system and method of completing an activity via an agent. The agent is embodied as agent software, which facilitates and/or performs activities on behalf of a user. The agent software may have a characteristic persona that it presents to the user in the form of an avatar on a display. The agent software may be part of a computer program stored in a memory and executed by a processor of a smartphone or other computer.

Abstract: A table including a record can be displayed within a graphical user interface display space. The record can include an attribute. Data characterizing a user input can be received. The user input can specify an input parameter of an entry associated with the attribute of the record. A predefined syntactical rule set can be used to parse the user input. The parsing can include determining one or more simulation attributes associated with executing a simulation. The one or more simulation attributes can be provided. The result of the executed simulation can be processed. The result of the executed simulation can be displayed within a graphical user interface display space. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a housing and a pinion having a head and a shaft. The shaft extends through a pinion-support portion of the housing. A tail bearing supports the shaft and has an outer race fixed to the pinion-support portion and an inner race received on the shaft. The inner race is brazed to the shaft. The drive unit may be assembled by installing a tail-bearing cup and a head-bearing cup in the housing and inserting the pinion in the housing with the shaft extending through the cups. The method further includes installing a tail-bearing cone onto the shaft to be seated on the tail-bearing cup and urging the cups toward each other. The method also includes brazing the tail-bearing cone to the shaft while the cups are urged toward each other.

Abstract: A portable cleaner apparatus including a housing member having a compartment configured to store a solvent, a handle portion coupled to a brush member via a flexible member having a guide member, and an absorbent material disposed within the housing member and configured to transfer the solvent to the brush member. The guide member may be configured to include a rounded leading edge to help guide the cleaning brush within narrow and curved pathways within medical devices, tubing, smoking pipes, or other devices, without causing damage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of cyclododecasulfur, a cyclic sulfur allotrope wherein the number of sulfur (S) atoms in the allotrope's homocyclic ring is 12. The method includes reacting a metallasulfur derivative with an oxidizing agent in a reaction zone to form a cyclododecasulfur-containing reaction mixture.

Abstract: The disclosure herein describes controlling focal parameters of a head mounted display based on an estimated user age to account for increasing likelihood of presbyopia as user age increases. The head mounted display uses eye tracking sensors to collect ocular metric data associated with ocular features of a user's eye and a user age estimate is calculated based on analysis of the ocular metric data using a machine learning algorithm and an ocular metric data set. Further, a confidence value of the user age estimate is calculated based on the analysis of the ocular metric data. Then, focal parameters of the visual display of the head mounted display are controlled based on the user age estimate and confidence value. The described focal control method provides a seamless, automated way for a head mounted display system to adjust settings to provide a sharp, in-focus user experience for users of all ages.

Abstract: Features are disclosed for performing functions in response to user requests based on contextual data regarding prior user requests. Users may engage in conversations with a computing device in order to initiate some function or obtain some information. A dialog manager may manage the conversations and store contextual data regarding one or more of the conversations. Processing and responding to subsequent conversations may benefit from the previously stored contextual data by, e.g., reducing the amount of information that a user must provide if the user has already provided the information in the context of a prior conversation. Additional information associated with performing functions responsive to user requests may be shared among applications, further improving efficiency and enhancing the user experience.