Abstract: A semi-automatic washing machine includes a first tub, a second tub, and a retractable water supply conduit. The first tub is configured to receive clothing articles for treatment therein. The second tub has a spin drum disposed therein. The spin drum defines an internal space configured to receive clothing articles subsequent to receiving treatment in the first tub. The spin drum is configured to rotate during a spin cycle to remove liquid from the clothing articles via centrifugal force.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a water dispersible, semi-solid emulsion which can be applied as dollops or sprayed on plant foliage, its surfaces, any support systems in agricultural field to treat, and prevent insect population either by mass trapping, mating disruption or attract & kill technique and method of preparing the composition. The semi-solid composition comprises either semiochemical(s) alone or adsorbed on mesoporous materials or encapsulated with polymer matrix and combination thereof which displays sustained release for a longer period of time. It shows prolonged release and protects crop effectively, independent of environmental temperature and shows high stability even under humid conditions. The composition is water dispersible, eco-friendly in nature, cost-effective, exhibits stable physiochemical properties with good adhesion properties to plant surface after application and necessary rain fastness.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods to verify information received from a merging unit. In one embodiment, a system may include a merging unit interface comprising a port configured to communicate with the merging unit. The system may include a commissioning subsystem to receive a unique identifier (“UID”) associated with the merging unit using the port during a commissioning process, to store the UID associated with the merging unit, and to associate the UID with the port. In operation, a verification subsystem may receive a plurality of transmissions from the merging unit and verify that the plurality of transmissions originated from the merging unit based on matching the UID stored in the commissioning process with the UID in the plurality of transmissions, and confirming that the plurality of transmissions is received through the port associated with the UID.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and chemical compositions of phenolic epoxy systems. In one embodiment, a composition comprising a phenolic epoxy resin system includes an epoxy resin component and an alkoxylated phenol-aldehyde novolac resin.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating, via a first device, an electronic financial transaction with a second device having limited network connectivity. The method includes the first device detecting initiation of a financial transaction with the second device. The financial transaction is remotely processed by a transaction service. The method further includes facilitating an establishment of a data pipe that directly connects the first device and the second device to enable the second device to exchange transaction data with the transaction service, via the first device operating as an intermediary device. In response to the data pipe being established, the first device routes, via the primary connection to the transaction service, all transaction data received from the second device over the data pipe.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of electronically authenticating an identity of a user of a mobile device is described. The method includes providing a mobile device application that a user can load onto a mobile device having a display screen and an input device, the mobile application permitting the user to electronically authenticate an identity of the user. A server receives authentication credentials from the mobile device. The server compares the authentication credentials as received with account credentials stored in a database accessible to the server. The server, based on the comparing, generates an authentication code in response to the authentication credentials as received matching with account credentials stored in the database. The server causes the application to display on the display screen of the mobile device an option to electronically authenticate using a biometric credential. The server receives a selection indicating acceptance of use of authenticating using the biometric credential.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and chemical compositions of phenolic epoxy systems. In one embodiment, a composition comprising a phenolic epoxy resin system includes an epoxy resin component and an alkoxylated phenol-aldehyde novolac resin.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for characterizing particles, comprising: a microscope objective with an optical axis and a depth of field; a holder cell (22) configured to position the particles in a generally planar volume below the microscope objective, the planar volume being substantially normal to the optical axis and having a depth that is less than or equal to the depth of field, wherein a portion of the cell holder (22) for positioning in the optical axis of the microscope objective is substantially free of significant spectral features in a Raman spectral range; an x-y stage (20) to move the microscope objective relative to the holder cell (22) in x and y directions to align particles with the optical axis of the microscope objective while the particles are held by the holder cell (22), a detector (18) for acquiring an image of a particle through the microscope objective, a laser operable to illuminate a particle held by the holder cell (22), a Raman spectrometer (16) arranged to obtain a spectrum including the R

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of electronically authenticating an identity of a user of a mobile device is described. The method includes providing a mobile device application that a user can load onto a mobile device having a display screen and an input device, the mobile application permitting the user to electronically authenticate an identity of the user. A server receives authentication credentials from the mobile device. The server compares the authentication credentials as received with account credentials stored in a database accessible to the server. The server, based on the comparing, generates an authentication code in response to the authentication credentials as received matching with account credentials stored in the database. The server causes the application to display on the display screen of the mobile device an option to electronically authenticate using a biometric credential. The server receives a selection indicating acceptance of use of authenticating using the biometric credential.

Abstract: A method includes generating an alert message in a device. The device is one of a plurality of connected devices. The alert message is suppressed in the device responsive to a state of a microphone of any of the plurality of connected devices indicating an active state. A device includes a microphone, a speaker, and a processor coupled to the microphone and the speaker. The processor is to generate an alert message and suppress the alert message responsive to a state of a microphone of any of a plurality of connected devices including the device indicating an active state.

Abstract: A method of determining thermal properties of a sample using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the method comprises injecting a first separation fluid, a sample plug, and a second separation fluid into a sample cell. The first separation fluid and the sample plug have a first separation interface, and the sample plug and the second fluid have a second separation interface. The method further comprises injecting a reference fluid into a reference cell, heating the sample cell and reference cell, and determining thermal properties of the sample using DSC analysis.

Abstract: A method includes generating an alert message in a device. The device is one of a plurality of connected devices. The alert message is suppressed in the device responsive to a state of a microphone of any of the plurality of connected devices indicating an active state. A device includes a microphone, a speaker, and a processor coupled to the microphone and the speaker. The processor is to generate an alert message and suppress the alert message responsive to a state of a microphone of any of a plurality of connected devices including the device indicating an active state.

Abstract: Viscometers and viscometry methods are disclosed. In one general aspect, a fluid is driven through capillary tubes with different inside volumes, and successive images of the fluid are acquired as it advances through the inside volume of the capillary tubes. A range of different viscosity values of the fluid are derived from the successive acquired images, and results of this step are reported in a manner that provides insight into non-Newtonian effects in the fluid. In another general aspect, a viscosity value is selected based on detected pressure levels.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for detecting properties of heterogeneous samples, including detecting properties of particles or fluid droplets in industrial processes. Embodiments disclosed include a particle characterization method, comprising: providing a fluid containing suspended particles; causing at least a first subset of the suspended particles to flow past a first two-dimensional array detector (24); illuminating the first subset of suspended particles as they flow past the first two-dimensional array detector (24) in the fluid; acquiring a plurality of images of the first subset of particles as they flow past the first two-dimensional array detector (24) in the fluid; and automatically counting the particles in the images.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating, via a first device, an electronic financial transaction with a second device having limited network connectivity. The method includes the first device detecting initiation of a financial transaction with the second device. The financial transaction is remotely processed by a transaction service. The method further includes facilitating an establishment of a data pipe that directly connects the first device and the second device to enable the second device to exchange transaction data with the transaction service, via the first device operating as an intermediary device. In response to the data pipe being established, the first device routes, via the primary connection to the transaction service, all transaction data received from the second device over the data pipe.

Abstract: A method of determining thermal properties of a sample using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the method comprises injecting a first separation fluid, a sample plug, and a second separation fluid into a sample cell. The first separation fluid and the sample plug have a first separation interface, and the sample plug and the second fluid have a second separation interface. The method further comprises injecting a reference fluid into a reference cell, heating the sample cell and reference cell, and determining thermal properties of the sample using DSC analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for characterizing particles, comprising: a microscope objective with an optical axis and a depth of field; a holder cell (22) configured to position the particles in a generally planar volume below the microscope objective, the planar volume being substantially normal to the optical axis and having a depth that is less than or equal to the depth of field, wherein a portion of the cell holder (22) for positioning in the optical axis of the microscope objective is substantially free of significant spectral features in a Raman spectral range; an x-y stage (20) to move the microscope objective relative to the holder cell (22) in x and y directions to align particles with the optical axis of the microscope objective while the particles are held by the holder cell (22), a detector (18) for acquiring an image of a particle through the microscope objective, a laser operable to illuminate a particle held by the holder cell (22), a Raman spectrometer (16) arranged to obtain a spectrum including the R

Abstract: A particle characterization apparatus and corresponding method is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a sample cell (14). The sample cell includes: an input opening (26) for receiving a fluid that carries particles flowing along a flow axis, a central acquisition channel (32) hydraulically responsive to the input opening (26) for receiving a first subset of the fluid, a pair of lateral bypass channels (32, 34) hydraulically responsive to the input opening (26) and disposed on either side of the central acquisition channel (32) for receiving second and third subsets of the fluid, a window (36) in the central acquisition channel (32) for illuminating the first subset of the fluid in the central acquisition channel (32),an illumination source (18) positioned to illuminate the fluid in the central acquisition channel (32) through the window (36), and a detector (20) positioned to receive light from the fluid in the central acquisition channel (32) after it has interacted with the fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for detecting properties of heterogeneous samples, including detecting properties of particles or fluid droplets in industrial processes. Embodiments disclosed include a particle characterization method, comprising: providing a fluid containing suspended particles; causing at least a first subset of the suspended particles to flow past a first two-dimensional array detector (24); illuminating the first subset of suspended particles as they flow past the first two-dimensional array detector (24) in the fluid; acquiring a plurality of images of the first subset of particles as they flow past the first two-dimensional array detector (24) in the fluid; and automatically counting the particles in the images.

Abstract: This disclosure uses both an administrative thread and multiple worker threads (N) to process the LUN on-lining work in parallel at both the volume level and the LUN level. When the administrative thread receives the message to start the initialization, the administrative thread assigns the work for reading the VTOC information for the LUNs in a volume to one or more worker threads and moves on to perform additional initialization tasks. N worker threads work on N volumes in parallel. These worker threads then independently send messages (e.g., asynchronous messages) to the file system layer, and once the file system layer is done loading the required buffers, the file system layer sends replies back to the administrative thread. The administrative thread then again assigns work to the worker threads to finally bring the LUNs on-line.