Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The end effector is located at a distal end portion of the shaft assembly. The end effector includes an active feature configured to operate on tissue. The body includes a drive feature operable to drive the active feature of the end effector. The body is removably coupled with the shaft assembly in a connected state and separated from the shaft assembly in a disconnected state. The body includes a drive feature configured to drive operation of the active feature of the effector. The drive feature includes at least one of an ultrasonic drive feature or a mechanical drive feature. A proximal end portion of the shaft assembly is configured to be removed from the body to separate the at least one activation feature from the drive feature.

Abstract: A self-checkout system including a cabinet supported by a floor, a tilt body coupled to a hinge and located inside the cabinet and a support body being slidably coupled to the tilt body. When the support body is located inside the cabinet, the tilt body is balanced about the hinge and the support body is spaced apart from the floor. When the support body is pulled outside the cabinet, a front of the tilt body is rotated about the hinge and the support body engages with the floor.

Abstract: Approaches useful to operation of scalable processors with ever larger numbers of logic devices (e.g., qubits) advantageously take advantage of QFPs, for example to implement shift registers, multiplexers (i.e., MUXs), de-multiplexers (i.e., DEMUXs), and permanent magnetic memories (i.e., PMMs), and the like, and/or employ XY or XYZ addressing schemes, and/or employ control lines that extend in a “braided” pattern across an array of devices. Many of these described approaches are particularly suited for implementing input to and/or output from such processors. Superconducting quantum processors comprising superconducting digital-analog converters (DACs) are provided. The DACs may use kinetic inductance to store energy via thin-film superconducting materials and/or series of Josephson junctions, and may use single-loop or multi-loop designs. Particular constructions of energy storage elements are disclosed, including meandering structures.

Abstract: A system for implementing a celebrity stock currency investment and payment server creates a plurality of user accounts based on user information of a plurality of users. Each of a first set of user accounts of the plurality of user accounts has at least one stock, and each user account of the first set of user accounts is associated with a popularity level. The server periodically receives specific user like data corresponding to the first set of user accounts from a plurality of remote data sources and adjusts the popularity level based on the specific user like data. Further, the server adjusts a celebrity stock currency value of the at least one celebrity stock currency based on the adjusted popularity level and outputs the adjusted celebrity stock currency value.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a shaft assembly and an articulation control assembly. The shaft assembly includes an articulation section that is configured to deflect a distal end portion from the longitudinal axis. The articulation control assembly includes an articulation control member and a transmission assembly. The articulation control member is rotatably mounted relative to the shaft assembly. The transmission assembly is operatively connected between the articulation control member and the articulation section of the shaft assembly. The transmission assembly is configured to transmit selective manipulation of the articulation control member to the articulation section and selectively actuate the articulation section.

Abstract: Filtering assemblies to be used with a flowable material container. The assembly includes a filtering screen. The assembly further includes filtering media. The filtering media includes activated carbon. The filtering media includes dissolvable material. The assembly further includes a filtering basket to contain the filtering media. The assembly further includes a valve assembly. The assembly further includes a spout with a filter. The spout further includes a removable filter. The removable filter is configured to extend beyond the end of the spout. The removable filter includes circulation holes. The removable filter is configured to be pushed into the spout by a closure cap. The removable filter is configured to contain filtering media.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide includes a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section includes a first member and a second member. The second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system for treating a patient is disclosed including a surgical tool movable relative to the patient and a user input device including a base and a space joint including a central portion movable relative to the base to effect a motion. The robotic surgical system further includes a control circuit configured to receive a user selection signal indicative of a selection between a first motion scaling profile of the motion of the surgical tool and a second motion scaling profile of the motion of the surgical tool, receive a motion control signal from the user input device indicative of a user input force, and cause the surgical tool to be moved in response to the motion control signal in accordance with the first motion scaling profile or the second motion scaling profile based on the user selection signal. The first motion scaling profile is different than the second motion scaling profile.

Abstract: A system and method for assigning an agent to execute and fulfill a task request that include receiving the task request that includes at least one request attribute. The system and method also include determining an agent pool to execute and fulfill the task request in accordance with the at least one request attribute and determining a plurality of candidate locations at which to execute and fulfill the task request in accordance with the at least one request attribute. The system and method additionally include assigning a task execution location and a task fulfillment location from the plurality of candidate locations at which to execute and fulfill the task request. The system and method further include assigning the agent from the agent pool to execute and fulfill the task request.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system for treating a patient is disclosed including a surgical tool movable relative to the patient and a user input device configured to remotely control the surgical tool. The surgical tool includes a shaft and an end effector. The user input device includes a base and a controller movable to effect a first control motion a second control motion. The controller includes a first accessibility mode and a second accessibility mode. The robotic surgical system further includes a control circuit configured to receive a motion control signal from the user input device, determine a controller accessibility mode, permit the first control motion in response to the motion control signal in the first accessibility mode and in the second accessibility mode and permit the second control motion in response to the motion control signal in the second accessibility mode but not the first accessibility mode.

Abstract: A system for ultraviolet irradiation of objects and a method of using this system is disclosed. The system includes: an illuminating device positioned in a center section of an octagon shaped a base area and including one or more elongated light sources, each emitting ultraviolet light given by shortwave ultraviolet light (UV-C light) and extending in parallel to a normal on the base area; a set of rotatable mesh grids arranged around the base area such that the mesh grids surround the illuminating device and configured to be equipped with the objects; and a set of reflectors including a set of movable side reflectors, wherein the reflectors are configured to be arranged such, that they form a resonator surrounding the mesh grids surrounding the illuminating device.

Abstract: A compartment for storing an energy source in a vehicle having a protective outer structure and an inner structure. The protective outer structure is maintained in position relative to the vehicle during normal operation of the vehicle. The inner structure, which holds the energy source, is positioned in the outer structure. The inner structure is maintained in position relative to the outer structure and relative to the vehicle during normal operation of the vehicle. During an impact to the vehicle, the inner structure is configured to move independent of the outer structure.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a task request to be executed and fulfilled that include receiving at least one data input. The system and method additionally include determining the task request based on the at least one data input and determining at least one request attribute associated with the task request. The system and method also include assigning an agent to execute and fulfill the task request based on the at least one request attribute. The system and method further include creating the task to execute and fulfill the task request.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide includes a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section includes a first member and a second member. The second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.

Abstract: A method for conducting an operation including a power tool battery pack. The battery pack can include a housing, a first cell supported by the housing and having a voltage, and a second cell supported by the housing and having a voltage. The battery pack also can be connectable to a power tool and be operable to supply power to operate the power tool. The method can include discharging one of the first cell and the second cell until the voltage of the one of the first cell and the second cell is substantially equal to the voltage of the other of the first cell and the second cell.

Abstract: A method for the decontamination of water containing one or more PFAS, having the steps of generating colloidal gas aphrons (CGAs) by mixing a gas, water, and one or more surfactants together with high shear forces, introducing the CGAs and a PFAS-containing water in an enclosed space where the CGAs move upwards through the water due to their inherent buoyancy, allowing the plurality of CGAs to extract PFAS from the water, and separating the PFAS-containing CGAs from the surface of the water in the enclosed space for further treatment or disposal, leaving the water with lower PFAS concentrations in the vessel. The aphrons may be anionic or cationic and created by mixing speeds or surfactant concentration, and treatment may be with gas bubbles to remove PFAS from water gas bubbles or destruction of PFAS by plasma reactor or deployed in situ through wells into geologic ground formations.

Abstract: A staple cartridge comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises an uncompressed height, a compressed height, an outer encasement, and tubular structures aligned along the longitudinal axis. The tubular structures are configured to collapse when pressure is applied to the tissue thickness compensator by tissue during the firing motion.

Abstract: An input control device is disclosed. The input control device includes a central portion coupled to a multi-axis force and torque sensor, which is configured to receive input control motions from a surgeon. The central portion is flexibly supported on a base. The input control device also includes a rotary joint coupled to a rotary sensor. The input control device is configured to provide control motions to a robotic arm and/or a robotic tool based on input controls detected by the multi-axis force and torque sensor and the rotary sensor.

Abstract: This application provides a temperature gradient control system for a double wall casing of a compressor. The double wall casing may include an inner casing and an outer casing such that a flow of air is pulled through the double wall casing. The temperature gradient control system may include upper discharge piping with an upper modulation valve and a lower discharge piping with a lower modulation valve. The upper modulation valve and/or the lower modulation valve modulate the flow air pulled through the double wall casing to reduce a temperature gradient across the outer casing.