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: A method for increasing the molecular diversity of polyketides and non-ribosomal peptides by using recombination to efficiently increase or decrease the number of modules in the polyketide synthase or non-ribosomal peptide synthetase encoding the polyketide or peptide.

Abstract: A tracheostomy tube assembly includes an outer tube (1) and an inner cannula (2) removably inserted in the outer tube. The connector (15) on the machine end of the outer tube is rotatable through about a quarter turn and has a screw thread (30) on its inner surface. The hub (33) on the machine end of the inner cannula (2) is also formed with a screw thread (35) arranged to engage with the screw thread (30) in the connector. The inner cannula (2) is pulled into the outer tube (1), or is pushed outwardly of the tube, by rotating the connector.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for providing miniaturized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. The techniques and systems can include significant off-board processing support for the UAVs to enable the UAVs to be smaller, lighter, and less expensive than conventional UAVs. The techniques and systems can include routines to provide enhanced support for police during routine traffic stops. The techniques and systems can also include routines to locate objects or people including, for example, locating a lost child in a crowd or a lost vehicle in a parking lot. The miniaturized UAVs can provide enhances perception for the user to enable the user to over and around objects for improved visibility and safety, among other things.

Abstract: A deflection member that includes a reinforcing member and a plurality of tiles fastened to the reinforcing member.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating an interior surface of a workpiece comprising at least three nozzles ejecting treating material, with a first one and a second one ejecting the treating material substantially along first and second collinear lines. A third one of the nozzles ejects the treating material substantially along a third line substantially perpendicular to the first and second lines. The treating material ejected from the first one intersects with the treating material ejected from the second one at a first intersection area to radially deflect to form a first radial spray. The treating material ejected from the third one intersects with the first radial spray at a second intersection area to form a second radial spray of treating material. The interior surface of the workpiece adjacent the second intersection area is treated with the treating material of the second radial spray.

Abstract: A body support structure includes a base and a cushion moveable between a seating configuration and a sleeping configuration. The cushion may include foldable first and second sections. In one embodiment, a spacer includes first and second support surfaces, and is pivotal between an upright position, wherein the first support surface engages and supports the cushion in the seating configuration, and a down position, wherein the second support surface engages and supports the cushion in the sleeping configuration. Methods of reconfiguring a body support structure are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for obtaining high-resolution 3-D images of a sample over a range of wavelengths, optionally with polarization-sensitive detection. In preferred embodiments a spectral domain OCT apparatus is used to sample the complex field of light reflected or scattered from a sample, providing full range imaging. In certain embodiments structured illumination is utilized to provide enhanced lateral resolution. In certain embodiments the resolution or depth of field of images is enhanced by digital refocusing or digital correction of aberrations in the sample. Individual sample volumes are imaged using single shot techniques, and larger volumes can be imaged by stitching together images of adjacent volumes.

Abstract: Vapors in the fuel tank of a vehicle are collected in a carbon canister. An ejector or aspirator is used to purge the carbon canister in a pressure-charged engine in which a positive pressure exists in the intake. A compact ejector includes a substantially planar flange and a venturi tube coupled to the flange with a central axis of the venturi tube substantially parallel to the flange. By manufacturing the ejector in two pieces, dimensions within the ejector: throat, converging section, and diverging section, is more accurate than prior art manufacturing techniques thereby providing better flow characteristics throughout the boost range. By forming one of the two pieces of the ejector integrally with the air intake component in which it is coupled, decreases part count and the number of manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A submerged combustion melting system (90) includes a submerged combustion melter (100) having a housing with one or more side walls (104), a floor (106), and a ceiling (108) which at least partially define a melt chamber (110). The melter has one or more main burners (128) positioned along the floor of the housing and an oxygen/gas burner in a preheat burner system (300) removably attached to one of the sidewalls or the ceiling, the oxygen/gas burner arranged such that a flame from the oxygen/gas burner is directed downward into the melt chamber.

Abstract: A method for managing a parallel cache hierarchy in a processing unit. The method including receiving an instruction that includes a cache operations modifier that identifies a level of the parallel cache hierarchy in which to cache data associated with the instruction; and implementing a cache replacement policy based on the cache operations modifier.

Abstract: Approaches for assessing hemodynamic characteristics for an organ of interest are related. In one implementation, a fluid dynamics model may be provided with data derived from an anatomic imaging modality and blood flow information derived by ultrasound to derive the desired hemodynamic characteristics. In one such implementation, a fractional flow reserve is estimated.

Abstract: A tracheostomy tube assembly comprises an outer tracheostomy tube (1) and an inner cannula (20) fitted in the tube. The machine end of the inner cannula has a collapsible region (22) formed by a plurality of curved or bent struts (26) extending parallel with one another between a machine end collar (28) and a patient end collar (27). The struts (26) carry outwardly-projecting catches (23) arranged to engage a rib (24) extending around the inside of a hub (16) at the machine end of the tube and thereby resist removal of the cannula from the tube. The inner cannula (20) is removed by twisting the machine end collar (28) so that the struts (26) collapse inwardly and thereby disengage the catches (23) from the rib (24).

Abstract: A hack-proof computer interface between a public-side operating system and a private-side operating system utilizing a “King's food taster” approach. A public-side operating system is exposed to the outside world, while a private-side operating system is isolated from the outside world except through the hack-proof interface. This effectively prevents infection of the private-side operating system with viruses or other computer malware from the outside world. The hack-proof interface includes a bitmap-coupled interface, such as a camera capturing a video image of the visible computer screen public-side operating system. A security device, such as a video scrambler or security lens, distorts or decimates the video image sufficiently to prevent active virus code from passing through the bitmap-coupled interface.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for coalescing memory access requests. A plurality of memory access requests is received in a thread execution order and a portion of the memory access requests are coalesced into memory order, where memory access requests included in the portion are generated by threads in a thread block. A memory operation is generated that is transmitted to a memory system, where the memory operation represents the coalesced portion of memory access requests.

Abstract: A surgical robot comprising an articulated arm, the arm having a terminal portion comprising: a distal segment having an attachment for a surgical instrument; an intermediate segment; and a basal segment whereby the terminal portion is attached to the remainder of the arm; a first articulation between the distal segment and the intermediate segment, the first articulation permitting relative rotation of the distal segment and the intermediate segment about a first axis; and a second articulation between the intermediate segment and the basal segment, the second articulation permitting relative rotation of the intermediate segment and the basal segment about a second axis; wherein: the intermediate segment comprises a third articulation permitting relative rotation of the distal segment and the basal segment about third and fourth axes; and the first, second and third articulations are arranged such that in at least one configuration of the third articulation the first and second axes are parallel and the thir

Abstract: Online video can now be supplied with hyperlinks that are associated with and move with objects in the video. However, online video players tend not to report an accurate frame number, and this results in poor synchronisation of the movement of the hyperlink and the object. We propose that a subset of the pixels in the frame be used to encode a numeric frame identifier.

Abstract: A connector for connecting control conductors provided in conduits also containing power conductors, the connector including a first guide for receiving a first at least one control conductor provided in a first conduit also containing at least one power conductor, a second guide for receiving a second at least one control conductor provided in a second conduit also containing at least one power conductor, at least one jumper for electrically connecting the first at least one control conductor and the second at least one control conductor and a housing for containing the first guide, second guide and the at least one jumper.