Abstract:
Robotic hands and finger modules include an underactuated finger with multiple joints including a distal joint, an intermediate joint, and a proximal joint. A brake subsystem in communication with each of the joints selectively locks and unlocks the joints individually. A robotic hand can selectively lock the joints of a finger individually such that one or more joints are locked while one or more joints are unlocked. In addition, the finger module can drive a tendon coupled to the joints to flex the underactuated finger in a manner determined by which of the joints is locked and which of the joints is unlocked. A robotic hand can move an underactuated finger with its distal and proximal joints unlocked until the finger makes contact with an object, and lock the proximal joint, in response to contact made with the object, while the distal joint remains unlocked.
Abstract:
Micro-fabricated charge-emission devices comprise an electrically conductive gate electrode with an aperture, an electrically conductive base electrode, a charge-emitting microstructure extending from a surface in electrical contact with the base electrode and terminating near the aperture of the gate electrode, and a dielectric layer stack disposed between the base electrode and the gate electrode. The dielectric layer stack comprises a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer is disposed between the second dielectric layer and the base electrode. The first dielectric layer is of a different selectively etchable dielectric material than the second dielectric layer. The dielectric layer stack has formed therein a cavity within which the charge-emitting microstructure is disposed. The cavity has a corrugated wall shaped by the first dielectric layer undercutting the second dielectric layer. The corrugated wall surrounds the charge-emitting microstructure disposed within the cavity.
Abstract:
A method for digital compensation of a nonlinear system comprises identifying a plurality of circuit parameters of a nonlinear system. Each circuit parameter determines a nonlinear response of the nonlinear system. A first circuit parameter is chosen from the plurality of circuit parameters. The first circuit parameter determines a first effect on the nonlinear response. The first effect is at least as large a second effect from a second circuit parameter from the plurality of circuit parameters. At least one stimulus is applied to the nonlinear system. The nonlinear response of the nonlinear system is measured in response to the at least one stimulus. A compensation architecture is synthesized to substantially linearize the nonlinear response. The compensation architecture receives the nonlinear response of the nonlinear system and provides a substantially linear response.
Abstract:
A method of determining communication resource availability within range of a user-centric mobile network is disclosed. In one embodiment the method comprises discovering communication resources within range of the user-centric mobile network, the communication resources including unique resource identifiers, and transmitting the unique resource identifiers and a user identifier to a server that is accessible from outside the user-centric mobile network. The communication resources may have associated therewith an available service and a current status and the method may further comprise transmitting available service information and current status information to the server. Also disclosed is a service discovery device for use in implementing the method.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses for headset wearing mode based operation are presented. A headset system includes a first earbud and a second earbud. One or both earbuds have a detector which indicates whether the earbud is donned or doffed. Operation of the headset is modified based on the donned or doffed status of the earbuds.
Abstract:
A switch device includes a packet forwarding table for providing load balancing across servers in a server group. Each table entry maps a hash value to a server in the server group. A hash value can be computed from the destination MAC address, destination IP address, and destination service port in the header of a received packet. The packet forwarding table is searched to find an entry with a hash value that matches the computed hash value and to identify the server to which the matching hash value maps. The switch device forwards the packet to the idenitifed server. Implementing load-balancing decisions in hardware enables packet switching at the line rate of the switch ports. In addition, the hardware-based load balancing performed by the switch device eliminates session tables and the memory to store them, enabling the switch device to handle an unlimited number of client connections.
Abstract:
Presence information is received and processed at a base station from one or more wireless headsets or wireless telephones. The base station is coupled to a PSTN network or cellular network. The base station outputs a plurality of caller selectable options associated with the plurality of presence information to a far end caller and receives a far end caller selected option.
Abstract:
Described are a network, network device, and method for a method of distributing routing information for a virtual private network (VPN) application through a packet-switched network (PSN) having fully meshed provider edge (PE) routers through Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) tunnels. Each PE router is configured to support at least one VPN and to run a BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) as an auto-discovery process for finding one or more other PE routers attached to the same VPN. A given VPN is associated with a PBB tunnel. A service instance identifier (I-SID), as defined in IEEE 802.1ah, is assigned to the VPN. Each PE router advertises membership in the VPN by including the I-SID assigned to the VPN in a BGP message issued during the auto-discovery process.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are provided for determining the donned or doffed state of a headset. In one example, a headset includes a processor, an acoustic transducer, and a detector operably coupled to the processor, the detector providing an output charge pattern corresponding to a state selected from the group consisting of the headset being donned and doffed. Advantageously, the present disclosure provides for reliably determining a donned or doffed state of a headset for efficiently routing calls, text messages, and/or otherwise being used for notifications and requests in a system.
Abstract:
An animal litter composition comprised of a liquid absorbent aggregate impregnated with an agent to indicate the presence of sugar in the urine of felines and other related species includes 88.1 percent +/- 5.0 percent by weight of an expanded aggregate, 00.9 percent +/- 0.7 percent by weight of an odor control/antistatic agent, 07.0 percent +/- 4.0 percent by weight of a clumping agent, 03.0 percent +/- 2.5 percent by weight of a surfactant; and 01.0 percent +/- 0.90 percent by weight of a glucosuria indicator. A method of detecting glucosuria in a feline includes providing the animal litter in a litter box or in an enclosure in which the feline is restrained until the feline urinates on the litter and then visually observing the litter for a color change.