Abstract: An aural iris includes a lumen and an actuator coupled on or in or to the lumen for at least partially attenuating sound traversing through the lumen by selectively actuating the actuator on and off. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A personal audio assistant includes a first microphone for capturing audio, a logic circuit coupled to the first microphone, a communication module coupled to the logic circuit, a memory storage unit communicatively coupled to the logic circuit, and a user interaction element. The interaction element is configured to perform at least one among accessing selection of audio content via an audio input received at the first microphone or determining a user preference of audio content by tracking genre of content selected, artist of content selected, and at least one among the day of the week or time of day. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques include generating a first set of sequence snippets from a set of nucleic acid sequences having a first trait; generating a second set of second sequence snippets from a set of nucleic acid sequences having a second trait; identifying a third set of sequence snippets categorized as being of a particular type; and filtering the first set of sequence snippets and the second set of sequence snippets to remove at least one sequence snippet in the third set of sequence snippets.

Abstract: A control device configurable to couple to one or more devices having different control functions and a method of facilitating remote control of at least one device having different control functions includes a processor that receives an instruction for at least one of the control functions and additional information from the at least one device, the processor including a plurality of processing algorithms, the additional information received from the at least one device including at least a locally transmitted data signal. The processor selectably processes the additional information using at least one of the processing algorithms and controls a touch sensitive display reconfigurable for the different control functions, such that the at least one control function and the selectably processed additional information are presented on the touch sensitive display. The processor also generates at least one control signal responsive to receiving the locally transmitted data signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A wearable multifunction device or earpiece or a pair of earpieces includes one or more processors, at least one microphone coupled to the one or more processors, a biometric sensor coupled to the one or more processors, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory having computer instructions causing the one or more processors to perform the operations of sensing a remaining battery life and based on the sensing, prioritizing one or more of the functions of always on recording, biometric measuring, biometric recording, sound pressure level measuring, voice activity detection, key word detection, key word analysis, personal audio assistant functions, transmission of data to a tethered phone, transmission of data to a server, transmission of data to a cloud device.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and system for an exterior display of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, configured to issue feedback prompts. An example method includes issuing a prompt via a human-machine interface on an exterior of a vehicle permitting an input indicative of an undesired condition of the vehicle.

Abstract: A wearable accessory for delivery of personalized audio service includes a first microphone for capturing sound, a first speaker for playing media, a logic circuit for creating a personalized Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) to enhance listening experience of the media, a communication module for accessing the Internet and to provide access to the media in response to capturing the sound, and a memory storage unit for storing information related to the captured sound. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of preparing a robotic surgery apparatus for a medical procedure can include covering a manipulator unit of the robotic surgery apparatus with a first sterile barrier by coupling a drape coupler of the first sterile barrier to a bottom surface of the manipulator unit and wrapping a drape of the first sterile barrier around side and top surfaces of the manipulator unit. The drape can be coupled to the drape coupler. The drape can be made of material that is more flexible than material of the drape coupler. The method can include covering an arm of the robotic surgery apparatus supporting the manipulator unit with a second sterile barrier that is distinct from the first sterile barrier by coupling the second sterile barrier to the arm and wrapping the second sterile barrier around the arm.

Abstract: A sterile barrier system for a robotic surgery apparatus can include a drape coupler. The drape coupler can include an external surface configured to face a first surface of a first portion of the robotic surgery apparatus. The drape coupler can include at least one drape coupler fastener positioned at least partially on the external surface and configured to removably attach the drape coupler to the first surface. The drape coupler can be configured to at least partially cover the first surface. The system can include a drape made of a flexible material and coupled to the drape coupler, the drape configured to wrap around a second surface of the first portion of the robotic surgery apparatus, the second surface different from the first surface. The drape coupler and the drape can be sterile.

Abstract: A personal audio assistant includes a first microphone for capturing audio, a logic circuit coupled to the first microphone, a communication module coupled to the logic circuit, a memory storage unit communicatively coupled to the logic circuit, and a user interaction element. The interaction element is configured to perform at least one among accessing selection of audio content via an audio input received at the first microphone or determining a user preference of audio content by tracking genre of content selected, artist of content selected, and at least one among the day of the week or time of day. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A sterile barrier system for a robotic surgery apparatus can include a drape coupler. The drape coupler can include an external surface configured to face a first surface of a first portion of the robotic surgery apparatus. The drape coupler can include at least one drape coupler fastener positioned at least partially on the external surface and configured to removably attach the drape coupler to the first surface. The drape coupler can be configured to at least partially cover the first surface. The system can include a drape made of a flexible material and coupled to the drape coupler, the drape configured to wrap around a second surface of the first portion of the robotic surgery apparatus, the second surface different from the first surface. The drape coupler and the drape can be sterile.

Abstract: An instrument adapter for a robotic surgery apparatus can include an adapter housing configured to receive and support an actuator housing of a surgical instrument. The actuator housing can include a plurality of surgical instrument actuators. The adapter can include a plurality of interface actuators configured to engage with the plurality of instrument actuators of the actuator housing and cause movement of the instrument actuators. Movement of the instrument actuators can cause movement of an end effector of the surgical instrument. The instrument adapter can be configured to facilitate the actuator housing of the surgical instrument to transition from a first orientation in which the interface actuators are not engaged with the instrument actuators of the surgical instrument to a second orientation in which the interface actuators are engaged with the instrument actuators.

Abstract: A sterile barrier for a robotic surgery apparatus can include a drape made of a flexible material. The drape can include a first surface configured to face a component of the robotic surgery apparatus and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface can be sterile and configured to provide a sterile barrier for the component. The sterile barrier can include a first pair of pockets positioned along a first edge of the second surface and configured to receive hands of a user. The first pair of pockets can be configured to facilitate positioning of the sterile barrier on the component.

Abstract: A robotic surgery apparatus can include a component including a housing with an external surface. The apparatus can include a plurality of component fasteners positioned on the external surface of the housing. The plurality of component fasteners can be configured to couple with a plurality of drape fasteners of a sterile drape. The sterile drape can be configured to cover a portion of the surface of the housing and to provide a sterile barrier for the portion of the surface. A number of component fasteners in the plurality of component fasteners can exceed a number of drape fasteners in the plurality of drape fasteners, permitting the drape to be positioned on the housing of the component in a plurality of orientations and to cover a plurality of different portions of the surface of the housing. When the drape is positioned on the housing, at least one component fastener of the plurality of component fasteners may not be coupled to any of the drape fasteners of the plurality of drape fasteners.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processing operations configured to generate and present a chat bot diagnostic visualization that provides real-time visual insights into operation of a chat bot for debugging assistance. A chat bot diagnostic tool is programmed to launch a graphical user interface that displays a visual representation of diagnostic data for debugging a chat bot in real-time. To enable conversational specific data to be reviewed, the present disclosure is configured to implement a middleware adapter within in a run-time stack of a chat bot that is configured to trace data traffic between a chat bot and a channel of an application/service. This enables the chat bot diagnostic tool to observe data traffic and filter the data traffic to identify relevant data for debugging a chat bot. A debugging data visualization of a chat bot interaction is emulated through a graphical user interface of the chat bot diagnostic tool.

Abstract: A method of preparing a robotic surgery apparatus for a medical procedure can include covering a manipulator unit of the robotic surgery apparatus with a first sterile barrier by coupling a drape coupler of the first sterile barrier to a bottom surface of the manipulator unit and wrapping a drape of the first sterile barrier around side and top surfaces of the manipulator unit. The drape can be coupled to the drape coupler. The drape can be made of material that is more flexible than material of the drape coupler. The method can include covering an arm of the robotic surgery apparatus supporting the manipulator unit with a second sterile barrier that is distinct from the first sterile barrier by coupling the second sterile barrier to the arm and wrapping the second sterile barrier around the arm.

Abstract: Conversational event modeling for determining how to process an input in a dialog stack of a computer-executed conversational system. Receipt of an input at an active dialog in a dialog stack may result in generation of an event corresponding to the input. The event may be propagated through the dialog stack. Dialogs in the dialog stack may generate a confidence value in relation to processing the input, and selection of the dialog in the dialog stack for use in processing the input may be based at least in part on the confidence values. In turn, the conversational system may facilitate improved handling of ambiguous or unrelated inputs at dialogs by propagating the event associated with such an input through the dialog stack. The event creation and processing functions may be provided as parameters for dialogs in a modular dialog creation system.

Abstract: A method for utilizing shared memory spaces for data lifecycle management in a conversational AI system includes receiving one or more storage requests directing conversational data to multiple nodes of a conversational data object and storing the conversational data that is directed to each different one of the multiple nodes within a different one of multiple discrete memory spaces. Each of the multiple discrete memory spaces is governed by a scope policy defining a lifetime for data stored within the memory space. The method further provides for erasing data of each node of the multiple different nodes of the conversational data object according to the lifetime defined by the scope policy governing the memory space storing the node.

Abstract: A computer-executed conversational system utilizing adaptive dialogs to provide dynamic modification of a conversation structure. The adaptive dialogs facilitate an adaptive and dynamic way to model conversations. A conversational rule may be associated with a trigger received at an adaptive dialog. The conversational rule may populate a plan with steps to provide the conversational structure of the conversational system. Modifying triggers may be received that allow conversational rules to amend the plan including adding steps, removing steps, or modifying steps from the plan. The adaptive dialogs and/or components thereof may be provided as constructible elements in a platform for building a bot such as a developer Software Development Kit (SDK) or the like. In turn, sophisticated conversational modeling may be conveniently facilitated to provide features such as a dialog dispatcher, the ability to handle interruptions, and to build a pluggable, extensible conversational system.

Abstract: A communication device and method can include one or more processors operatively coupled to memory, a sensor and an output device, where the one or more processors to perform operations of discovering neighboring short range communication enabled devices such as Bluetooth LE devices, creating presence lists from the discovered devices, and transferring biometric and personal data at least to or from the communication device or at least to or from one of the discovered devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.