Abstract: A system for securely depositing or retrieving an item includes: a deposit box with a door configured to provide selective access to an interior space in the deposit box; a lock mechanism configured to attach to the deposit box to selectively block the door from opening; and a proximity sensor operatively connected to the lock mechanism to operate the lock mechanism to allow the door to open.

Abstract: A controller device in communication with service delivery devices of an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system receives objective information associated with an aircraft comprising the aircraft IFE system. The controller device also receives subjective passenger information associated with a passenger of the aircraft. A service is determined to deliver to the passenger during a flight on the aircraft based on the received objective and subjective passenger information. A service delivery device is identified among the service delivery devices of the aircraft that is associated with a seat assigned to the passenger or determined to be operated by the passenger. The controller controls delivery of the determined service to the identified service delivery device.

Abstract: Described herein is a calibration system (25) for a wavelength selective switch (1). The switch (1) is adapted for dynamically switching optical beams (5, 7) along respective trajectories between input and output ports disposed in an array (3) using a reconfigurable Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) spatial light modulator device (17). The calibration system (25) includes a monitor (27) for projecting an optical monitor beam (29) through at least a portion of the switch (1) onto the LCOS (17) and detecting the monitor beam (29) reflected from the LCOS (17). In response, system (25) provides a calibration signal (33) to an active correction unit (35) for applying a correction to one or more of the trajectories while maintaining a constant switching state in the LCOS (17).

Abstract: A mixed-reality system causes a magnetic transmission device to transmit a magnetic field signal. The mixed-reality system also causes a magnetic-field sensing device to determine a measurement of the magnetic field signal. The mixed-reality system then identifies, using one or more input devices, that a magnetically-interfering object is located within a same environment as both the magnetic transmission device and the magnetic-field sensing device. The mixed-reality system also determines one or more characteristics of magnetic field interference that the magnetically-interfering object is imparting on the magnetic transmission device or the magnetic-field sensing device. The mixed-reality system then computes an adjustment to a pose-estimation model based upon the one or more characteristics of magnetic field interference. The pose-estimation model is used to calculate a pose of at least one of the magnetic transmission device or the magnetic-field sensing device.

Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including a housing supporting a suction source including a motor with an axle that rotates a fan and a dirt collection container having an elongate axis (A). The elongate axis (A) of the dirt collection container is transverse to an axis of the axle of the motor, and the axis of the axle of the motor is offset from the elongate axis of the dirt collection container.

Abstract: A system for securely depositing an item includes: a deposit box with a door configured to provide selective access to an interior space in the deposit box; a lock mechanism configured to attach to the deposit box to selectively block the door from opening; a first proximity sensor operatively connected to the lock mechanism to operate the lock mechanism to block the door or allow the door to open; a second proximity sensor configured to be attached to at least one of: a delivery person and a piece of delivery equipment; a third proximity sensor; and a first transmitter operatively connected to the lock mechanism and configured to transmit a signal indicative of operating information regarding the lock mechanism, and wherein the deposit box is at least 18 inches wide and 24 inches long.

Abstract: A method comprises depositing a barrier layer on a dielectric layer to prevent oxidation of a metal layer to be deposited by electroplating due to an oxide present in the dielectric layer and depositing a doped liner layer on the barrier layer to bond with the metal layer to be deposited on the liner layer by the electroplating. The dopant forms a protective passivation layer on a surface of the liner layer and dissolves during the electroplating so that the metal layer deposited on the liner layer by the electroplating bonds with the liner layer. The dopant reacts with the dielectric layer and forms a layer of a compound between the barrier layer and the dielectric layer. The compound layer prevents oxidation of the barrier layer and the liner layer due to the oxide present in the dielectric layer and adheres the barrier layer to the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A fall detection/fall indicator device that automatically senses when a user of fall protection equipment, such as a fall harness, has experienced an arrested fall, the fall harness having an electrical circuit that is a closed circuit in a first state and an open circuit in a second state after an arrested fall, and an alert device that is automatically responsive to the open circuit to emit an alert/alarm to other personnel that an arrested fall has been experienced.

Abstract: A surgical robot comprising a surgical robot arm and a surgical instrument. The surgical robot arm terminates at its distal end in a drive assembly comprising a first drive interface element. The surgical instrument comprises a shaft, an articulation attached to the distal end of the shaft, and a driving mechanism at the proximal end of the shaft. The articulation is for articulating an end effector, the articulation driveable by at least a first driving element and a second driving element. The driving mechanism comprises a first instrument interface element to which the first driving element is connected and a second instrument interface element to which the second driving element is connected.

Abstract: An information transmission method and a related device are provided. The method includes: determining, by a base station, to send downlink information to P user equipments of at least one user equipment within a first time period; generating, by the base station, an indication field according to the determined P user equipments, where the indication field includes M bits, each of the at least one user equipment is corresponding to K bits of the M bits, the K bits are used to indicate whether the corresponding user equipment needs to receive and read the downlink information sent by the base station within the first time period, K is a positive integer greater than 1 and less than M, and P is an integer greater than or equal to 0; and sending, by the base station, the indication field to the at least one user equipment.

Abstract: A device for sensing the relative rotary position of first and second parts about a rotation axis, the device comprising a follower constrained to move on a first track fast with the first part and on a second track fast with the second part, the first track being linear and the second track comprising a plurality of circular arcs and at least one transition section connecting one of the circular arcs to another, the tracks being arranged so as to convert relative rotation of the parts into linear motion of the follower, wherein the second track is generally spiral, each circular arc is of constant radius about the rotation axis and the first track is perpendicular to the rotation axis.

Abstract: A system for performing industrial automation control may include an audio device that receives audio data from an element in an industrial automation system. The audio device may determine orientation data based on the audio data. In addition, the audio device may determine an automation command to control a machine in the industrial automation system based on the audio data and the orientation data. After determining the automation command, the audio device may implement a first control action for the machine based at least in part on the automation command, where the first control action causes the machine to adjust an operation.

Abstract: Provided are methods and products for obtaining cardiovascular lineage cells from hPSCs.

Abstract: An integrated seismic system and method for monitoring seismic parameters of a subsurface structure is provided. The integrated seismic system includes a base station; a plurality of mobile satellite nodes, each of the plurality of mobile satellite nodes having sensor stations for collecting seismic data from the subsurface structure; and a fiber optic cable extending from the base station to the plurality of mobile satellite nodes and operatively linking the plurality of mobile satellite nodes and the sensor stations; the base station comprising: a light source for sending a light through the fiber optic cable, the light being distributed to the sensor stations and, in the sensor stations, experiencing a change or phase shift related to a physical property being measured; and a seismic acquisition unit for receiving seismic signals from the plurality of mobile satellite nodes via the fiber optic cable and generating seismic parameters therefrom.

Abstract: A distributed optical detection system comprising: a broadband optical source; and a phase and amplitude receiver for measuring phases and amplitudes of distributed backscattered signals from a sensing medium. Methods of quantitatively sensing optical path length changes along a sensing medium in a distributed manner are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for reporting texture footprint information. A texture footprint identifies the portion of a texture that will be utilized in rendering a pixel in a scene. The disclosed methods and apparatuses advantageously improve system efficiency in decoupled shading systems by first identifying which texels in a given texture map are needed for subsequently rendering a scene. Therefore, the number of texels that are generated and stored may be reduced to include the identified texels. Texels that are not identified need not be rendered and/or stored.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to dynamically controlling light sources on an optically trackable peripheral device. One disclosed example provides a near-eye display device comprising an image sensor, a communications subsystem, a logic subsystem, and a storage subsystem. The storage subsystem stores instructions executable by the logic subsystem to control a peripheral device comprising a plurality of light sources by receiving image data from the image sensor, identifying in the image data a constellation of light sources formed by a subset of light sources of the peripheral device, and based upon the constellation of light sources identified, send to the peripheral device via the communications subsystem constellation information related to the constellation of light sources identified.

Abstract: There is provided a catalyst composition including a hydrogen oxidation catalyst and an oxygen reduction catalyst and a process for applying the catalyst composition to a substrate. Heat exchange reactors including the catalyst composition and methods for heating a heat exchange medium are also provided. Catalytic combustors including a catalytic surface including the catalyst composition are further provided. The catalyst is adapted for low temperature activation of a hydrogen combustion reaction.

Abstract: A chair includes a seat pan member, a movement support frame, and at least two movement support members operatively connected to the seat pan member and the movement support frame. The at least two movement support members are configured to support the seat pan member in a floating manner for dynamic movement with respect to the movement support frame in at least one degree of freedom in a horizontal seating plane.