Abstract: Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.

Abstract: Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.

Abstract: Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.

Abstract: Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.

Abstract: Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for characterizing radio propagation channels. One method includes receiving, at a first modem, a first unit of communication over a radio frequency (RF) communication path from a second modem, wherein the first modem and the second modem process information for RF communications. The first modem identifies fields in the first unit of communication, the fields used to analyze the RF communication path. The first modem extracts data from the fields. The first modem accesses a channel model for approximating a channel representative of the RF communication path from the first modem to the second modem, wherein the channel model includes machine learning models. The first modem trains the channel model using the extracted data. The first modem applies the trained channel model to simulate a set of channel effects associated with the communication path.

Abstract: Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for adversarially generated communication. In some implementations, first information is used as input for a generator machine-learning network. Information is taken from both the generator machine-learning network and target information that includes sample signals or other data. The information is sent to a discriminator machine-learning network which produces decision information including whether the information originated from the generator machine-learning network or the target information. An optimizer takes the decision information and performs one or more iterative optimization techniques which help determine updates to the generator machine-learning network or the discriminator machine-learning network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for positioning a radio signal receiver at a first location within a three dimensional space; positioning a transmitter at a second location within the three dimensional space; transmitting a transmission signal from the transmitter to the radio signal receiver; processing, using a machine-learning network, one or more parameters of the transmission signal received at the radio signal receiver; in response to the processing, obtaining, from the machine-learning network, a prediction corresponding to a direction of arrival of the transmission signal transmitted by the transmitter; computing an error term by comparing the prediction to a set of ground truths; and updating the machine-learning network based on the error term.

Abstract: An automated method for preparing a sample suspension. The sample suspension can be used for both MALDI and antimicrobial susceptibility (AST). A suspension is prepared, and a portion of that suspension is removed for a first analysis (e.g. MALDI), leaving a remaining volume. The turbidity of the remaining volume is measured. If the turbidity is below a first threshold, the suspension is not used for a second analysis (e.g. AST) and is subjected to a concentration protocol to raise the turbidity of the suspension. If the turbidity is within a predetermined range, a volume of the suspension is calculated that will deliver a predetermined amount of sample to a vessel for the second analysis. If the turbidity of the suspension is above the predetermined range, and the suspension has not been diluted a predetermined number of times, the suspension is diluted according to a dilution protocol.

Abstract: A volatile composition dispenser includes a top portion and a base portion. The top portion includes one or more slots for receiving one or more volatile composition cartridges. The base portion includes a rupture member. When the top portion is engaged with the base portion and rotated at least 45 degrees, the rupture member engages and ruptures a rupturable substrate of one or more of the one or more volatile composition cartridges, thereby allowing a volatile composition to be dispensed.

Abstract: An automated method for preparing a sample suspension. The sample suspension can be used for both MALDI and antimicrobial susceptibility (AST). A suspension is prepared, and a portion of that suspension is removed for a first analysis (e.g. MALDI), leaving a remaining volume. The turbidity of the remaining volume is measured. If the turbidity is below a first threshold, the suspension is not used for a second analysis (e.g. AST) and is subjected to a concentration protocol to raise the turbidity of the suspension. If the turbidity is within a predetermined range, a volume of the suspension is calculated that will deliver a predetermined amount of sample to a vessel for the second analysis. If the turbidity of the suspension is above the predetermined range, and the suspension has not been diluted a predetermined number of times, the suspension is diluted according to a dilution protocol.

Abstract: An improved system and method for the selection and dispensing of reagents onto a target testing medium in an automated laboratory environment. The system utilizes multiple carousels rotatably-mounted upon a central turntable. The position of the central turntable, as well as the rotation of each carousel is controlled by a microprocessor-based control system. Multiple dispensers, each capable of storing and dispensing a particular reagent, are mounted about the circumference of each carousel. This configuration provides much higher reagent density than previously available. The testing medium is positioned at one or more loading stations. The control system directs the central turntable to a position from which a selected one of the carousels can be rotated so as to position a selected dispenser above the testing medium. The selected dispenser is then actuated to release a predetermined reagent onto the testing medium.

Abstract: A system that may automatically and rapidly process blood culture bottles. Such processing includes obtaining an image of a label placed on the cylindrical surface of the blood culture bottle. The system may also determine an amount of blood sample that has been added to the blood culture bottle by comparing a sample level to pre-placed fiducial. The distance between the liquid meniscus in the blood culture bottle and fiducial may be used to determine blood volume. The imaging apparatus may also detect internal conditions of the blood culture bottle such as the presence of foam or the presence of culture media in a neck portion of the blood culture bottle. The image of the label is obtained from one or more images captured by a camera or scanner. The information on the label may be read automatically and therefore the blood culture bottles do not have to be processed manually, increasing throughput of the apparatus.

Abstract: A biodegradable delivery particle having a benefit agent containing core and a shell.

Abstract: A system and methods for generating dynamic market pricing that is fair for both publishers and advertisers and the use of the pricing in real-time auctions. When a user views content over the internet, an online publisher provides content to the user with executable instructions, which notify an advertisement source that there is an impression for filling by an advertiser. The impression is submitted to a real-time bidding market for competing advertisers to bid to fill the impression with an advertisement. The system and methods generate dynamic pricing for the individual competing advertisers and use the dynamic pricing to compare advertiser bids to determine a highest or winning bid and a clearing price associated with the highest or winning bid.

Abstract: Systems and methods for positive dispense verification. In one aspect, a system has a plurality of light emitters. The light from the emitters is directed toward a plurality of light detectors across a proximately horizontal plane. The liquid dispense device is positioned above the horizontal plane of light emission from the plurality of light emitters to the plurality of light detectors such that the dispensed liquid will travel through the horizontal plane defined by the emitted light and onto the container being inoculated. Each of the plurality of detectors is coupled to an amplifier. The amplifier generates a signal in response to an interrupt in the transmission of light from the light emitters to the light detectors when the light path is disrupted by the dispense of liquid confirming the liquid was dispensed onto the container.

Abstract: A method of recovering lead, antimony tin from lead acid batteries, lead bearing scrap and other lead bearing materials which includes smelting lead bearing materials in a reverb furnace to recover metallic lead; leaching the resultant slag produced in the reverb furnace with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) to produce a slurry; precipitating antimony from the slurry with ferric chloride (FeCl3); performing a solid-liquid separation of the slag away from the resulting pregnant leach solution; precipitating lead carbonate (PbCO3) from the pregnant leach solution with carbon dioxide (CO2); recovering the precipitated lead carbonate (PbCO3) through solid-liquid separation; and processing the precipitated lead carbonate (PbCO3) in a reverb furnace to recover metallic lead.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to gait assist. In one example, a gait assist assembly includes a foot strap that can be positioned on a foot of a lower extremity; an inferior knee strap that can be positioned below a knee of the lower extremity; a superior knee strap that can be positioned above the knee; belt straps or vest; and at least one resistance band or tube for connection to or through a combination of connectors of the foot strap, the inferior knee strap, the superior knee strap, and/or belt straps or vest. In another example, a gait assist assembly includes a foot strap; a knee brace including inferior and superior knee connections; a vest or belt straps; and at least one resistance band or tube for connection to or through a combination of connectors of the foot strap, the knee brace, and/or vest or belt straps.