Abstract: A Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) with a circular cutting profile includes secondary cutterhead components that produce a semicircular-arched tunnel profile for use in underground mining and/or civil construction operations, e.g., for boring in material containing rocks with Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of up to 200 MPA or stronger. The machine is particularly suited to excavate long access tunnels, mine development drifts, road tunnels, and other types of tunnels that require flat bottom, semicircular-arched profiles. The substantially flat tunnel floor allows immediate and effective use of standard vehicles for material and crew transport as well as other construction and mining activities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contact cleaning apparatus (100) including an elastomeric roller (120), rotatably mounted within a contact cleaning apparatus such that an outer surface (123) of said elastomeric roller contactingly engages a substrate surface (112) during use. There is also provided an apparatus for evaluating said outer surface of said elastomeric roller, including an electromagnetic radiation source (140), configured to selectively emit electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined electromagnetic spectrum onto at least one predetermined region (125) of said outer surface, a detector (160), configured to receive at least a first reflection of said electromagnetic radiation from said at least one predetermined region, and a controller (270) operably coupled to said detector and adapted to determine at least one characteristic parameter of at least said first reflection.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a strap system for securing a payload. The strap system includes a first fastener having a connecting crosspiece, a reversing crosspiece, and a hanger capable of attaching to the payload. The strap system also includes a strap attached to the connecting crosspiece of the first fastener and capable of passing around the payload, passing between the connecting crosspiece and the reversing crosspiece, and tightening the strap around the payload.

Abstract: A lathe system for producing an optical fiber preform, the lathe system including a rotating bait rod, a burner box configured to deposit silica-containing soot on the rotating bait rod, a hood configured to direct airflow within the lathe system through an exhaust, and a perforated floor configured to expel air within the lathe system as a plurality of air jets from a bottom portion of the lathe system to a top portion of the lathe system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contact cleaning apparatus (100) including an elastomeric roller (120), rotatably mounted within a contact cleaning apparatus such that an outer surface (123) of said elastomeric roller contactingly engages a substrate surface (112) during use. There is also provided an apparatus for evaluating said outer surface of said elastomeric roller, including an electromagnetic radiation source (140), configured to selectively emit electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined electromagnetic spectrum onto at least one predetermined region (125) of said outer surface, a detector (160), configured to receive at least a first reflection of said electromagnetic radiation from said at least one predetermined region, and a controller (270) operably coupled to said detector and adapted to determine at least one characteristic parameter of at least said first reflection.

Abstract: A mobile game controller and full feature game controller combination device may include a first unit comprised of a first body that has a controller interface that is operatively connected to one or more processors disposed in the first body and configured to operatively connect to a gaming device The first body may include one or more rumble motors to provide haptic feedback to a user in response to the gaming device. A first communication port may be operatively mounted to the first body and operatively connected to the one or more processors. The combination device may further include a second unit that has a second body separate from the first body, one or more second rumble motors operatively installed to the second body, and a second communication port configured to communicatively connect to the first communication port such that the one or more processors effectively controls the one or more second rumble motors.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a strap system for securing a payload. The strap system includes a first fastener having a connecting crosspiece, a reversing crosspiece, and a hanger capable of attaching to the payload. The strap system also includes a strap attached to the connecting crosspiece of the first fastener and capable of passing around the reversing crosspiece and tightening the strap around the payload.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for cleaning the surface of an object. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method that removes inorganic contaminants from the surface of the object and then activates the surface and removes organic contaminants therefrom. The system for cleaning an object includes a first cleaner (120), including at least one elastomeric roll (122), rotatably mounted to said first cleaner and having a generally cylindrical outer surface configured to contact a first surface of the object for removing inorganic contaminants. The system also includes at least one adhesive roll (424,434), rotatably mounted to said first cleaner and having a generally cylindrical outer surface in contact with a portion of said outer surface of said at least one elastomeric roll.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and a computer program product for semantic matching is provided. The present invention may include pre-processing and normalizing a job title. The present invention may include deconstructing the job title based on at least one semantic element. The present invention may include training a machine learning model. The present invention may include creating a contextual word representation of the job title using the at least one semantic element of the job title. The present invention may include computing a similarity score for each of the at least one semantic element of the job title. The present invention may lastly include applying a weight to the computed similarity score before making a final match assessment.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a strap system for securing a payload. The strap system includes a first fastener having a connecting crosspiece, a reversing crosspiece, and a hanger capable of attaching to the payload. The strap system also includes a strap attached to the connecting crosspiece of the first fastener and capable of passing around the reversing crosspiece and tightening the strap around the payload.

Abstract: Vaporizers and systems for vaporizing liquid precursor for forming glass optical fiber preforms are provided. The vaporizer includes an expansion chamber at least partially enclosed by a side wall, the expansion chamber comprising an upper end and a lower end with the side wall disposed between the upper end and the lower end. The vaporizer further includes a closed-loop liquid delivery conduit positioned in the expansion chamber proximate to the upper end of the expansion chamber, wherein the closed-loop liquid delivery conduit comprises a plurality of nozzles oriented to direct a spray of liquid precursor onto an inner surface of the side wall. Further, the vaporizer includes at least one supply conduit positioned proximate the upper end of the expansion chamber and coupled to the closed-loop liquid delivery conduit, and a vapor delivery outlet coupled to the expansion chamber and configured to direct vaporized liquid precursor from the expansion chamber.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods of issuing an electronic payment card. The method includes receiving, from a terminal device, a request for a new electronic payment card configured to facilitate an electronic payment in an electronic payment system, obtaining a new primary account number (PAN) for the electronic payment card, creating the new electronic payment card and associating the new electronic payment card with the PAN, obtaining a security code corresponding to the PAN for the new electronic payment card, transmitting, to the terminal device, a virtual card corresponding to the new electronic payment card, the virtual card having the PAN and the security code of the new electronic payment card.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a strap system for securing a payload. The strap system includes a first fastener having a connecting crosspiece, a reversing crosspiece, and a hanger capable of attaching to the payload, and all connected together on each side by lateral members. The strap system also includes a strap attached to the connecting crosspiece of the first fastener and capable of passing around the reversing crosspiece and tightening the strap around the payload.

Abstract: A robotic arm system comprising a deployment system or a base, a first joint, and a manipulator coupled to the deployment system or base at the first joint and movable relative to the deployment link or base about the first joint. The manipulator includes a manipulator link, a second joint coupled to the manipulator link distal from the first joint, an elevation linkage coupled to the manipulator link at the second joint, a wrist coupled to the elevation linkage distal from the second joint, and an end effector coupled to the wrist. The end effector can change elevation via the elevation link without changing orientation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, a computer program product, and a computer system for determining skill adjacencies using a machine learning model. A computer calculates first similarity scores between first skill vectors obtained from one or more training datasets and second similarity scores between the first skill vectors and skill category vectors pre-calculated from job requisitions, using both a reference corpus word embedding model and a target corpus word embedding model. The computer generates features extracted from the first similarity scores and the second similarity scores. Based on the features, the computer trains a machine learning model for classifying combinations of skills as adjacent and non-adjacent. The machine learning model is used to determine skill adjacencies between skills extracted from the job requisitions and skills extracted from resumes.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a strap system for securing a payload. The strap system includes a first fastener having a connecting crosspiece, a reversing crosspiece, and a hanger capable of attaching to the payload, and all connected together on each side by lateral members. The strap system also includes a strap attached to the connecting crosspiece of the first fastener and capable of passing around the reversing crosspiece and tightening the strap around the payload.

Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a strap system for securing a payload. The strap system includes a first fastener having a connecting crosspiece, a reversing crosspiece, and a hanger capable of attaching to the payload, and all connected together on each side by lateral members. The strap system also includes a strap attached to the connecting crosspiece of the first fastener and capable of passing around the reversing crosspiece and tightening the strap around the payload.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and a computer program product for semantic matching is provided. The present invention may include pre-processing and normalizing a job title. The present invention may include deconstructing the job title based on at least one semantic element. The present invention may include training a machine learning model. The present invention may include creating a contextual word representation of the job title using the at least one semantic element of the job title. The present invention may include computing a similarity score for each of the at least one semantic element of the job title. The present invention may lastly include applying a weight to the computed similarity score before making a final match assessment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, a computer program product, and a computer system for determining skill adjacencies using a machine learning model. A computer calculates first similarity scores between first skill vectors obtained from one or more training datasets and second similarity scores between the first skill vectors and skill category vectors pre-calculated from job requisitions, using both a reference corpus word embedding model and a target corpus word embedding model. The computer generates features extracted from the first similarity scores and the second similarity scores. Based on the features, the computer trains a machine learning model for classifying combinations of skills as adjacent and non-adjacent. The machine learning model is used to determine skill adjacencies between skills extracted from the job requisitions and skills extracted from resumes.