Four concepts relating to holding and packaging food, determining the nutritional content of food packaging and selecting foodstuffs for consumption by a user. A food holder carries multiple foodstuffs to be stored at different environmental conditions in separate regions, the food holder being adapted to afford communication between each region and an external environment for controlling the environment of each region. Food packaging comprises a tag configured to transmit a signal indicative of the preparation of the food packaging for consumption of food contained in the food packaging. A system determines the nutritional content of food packaging by receiving an identifier associated with food packaging and accessing data associated with the identifier, the data comprising an indication of the type of food stored in the food packaging and a parameter relating to the food stored in the food packaging. Selecting foodstuffs for consumption by a user utilises a method comprising: receiving user data relating to the user, accessing food data relating to a group of food items, determining a predicted physiological effect on the user of each food item of the group of food items in dependence on the food data and the user data, and selecting, in dependence on the predicted physiological effect on the user, one or more food item of the group of food items for consumption by the user.

An apparatus, which allows a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader to recover quickly from transient input to its receiving subsystem when transitioning from writing to an RFID transponder to reading its response. In particular, this apparatus is comprised of muting circuits, which both attenuate transients in its receiving subsystem while writing to a transponder, and help the receiving subsystem settle quickly after experiencing such transients.

Improvements in an electronically operated lockbox mailbox assembly is disclosed. The assembly provides a customizable lockbox assembly with a smart lock. The enclosure can be configured with heating, cooling and humidity functions so the internal contents remains at an optimal temperature for storage until the unit is unlocked. The assembly can be linked with other home security devices. The smart lock operated with an application for tracking, opening and security of the assembly. The assembly may take the form of a box, locker, or similar shape that can be either free-standing or “hard installed” as part of a new commercial or residential build or retrofitted to an existing commercial or residential build that is powered via hardwire, plug or battery.

A rack assembly for use with an automatic retail device. The rack assembly includes a rack body comprising and a load bar configured to mount to the rack body. The rack body includes a fastening element configured to mount the rack body to a portion of the automatic retail device and a main shelf controller disposed within the rack body and in communication with a microcontroller of the automatic retail device. The load bar includes a weight sensor configured to sense a weight of products positioned on the load bar and a circuit board. The circuit board is disposed on the load bar and in electrical communication with the weight sensor and the main shelf controller. The circuit board transmits a signal corresponding to the weight sensed by the weight sensor to the microcontroller via the main shelf controller.

A near-field communication device operates to transmit data by near-field communications techniques to another device. The near-field communication device includes a memory that stores a message to be transmitted in an ASCII format. The message is retrieved from the memory and transmitted using the near-field communications techniques in an ASCII format.

A computer system and method for identifying and monitoring animals in a confined space. A tracking apparatus is provided having a plurality of antenna arrays in proximity to a confined space. One or more animals to be disposed in the confined space are associated with a detection component operable to identify and detect a core body temperature of an animal it is associated with when detected by the tracking apparatus. Data is received in a computer monitor system from a detection component when detected by the tracking apparatus in the confined space. The received data identifies an animal in correlation with its motion and temperature data. Real-time position and core body temperature of a detected animal is determined while the animal is disposed in the confined space by analysis of the received data in the computer monitor system.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes: transmitting, by a first near-field communication (NFC) device, a field emission burst; comparing a characteristic property of a signal of the field emission burst to a detection threshold; determining a presence of a detection error based on the comparing; and adjusting the detection threshold based on a number of determined detection errors.

An electronic device comprising: one or more processors; a radio transceiver; memory storing a unique serial number identifying the electronic device; pairing circuitry configured to communicatively couple, using the radio transceiver, the electronic device with an external device distinct from the electronic device; first electronic circuitry configured to perform a plurality of operations of the electronic device; and activation circuitry configured to activate and deactivate the first electronic circuitry; wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to (i) detect, using the pairing circuitry, a successful pairing of the electronic device with a first external device; and (ii) in accordance with the detection of the successful pairing, activate, using the activation circuitry, the first electronic circuitry.

A method and system for communicating estimated blood loss parameters of a patient to a user, the method comprising: receiving data representative of an image, of a fluid receiver; automatically detecting a region within the image associated with a volume of fluid received at the fluid receiver, the volume of fluid including a blood component; calculating an estimated amount of the blood component present in the volume of fluid based upon a color parameter represented in the region, and determining a bias error associated with the estimated amount of the blood component; updating an analysis of an aggregate amount of the blood component and an aggregate bias error associated with blood loss of the patient, based upon the estimated amount of the blood component and the bias error; and providing information from the analysis of the aggregate amount of the blood component and the aggregate bias error, to the user.

A delivery control system includes a communication device configured to receive an image of a product from a computing device of a customer, at least one processor, and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the delivery control system to perform an image recognition process on the image to identify at least one product based on the image, transmit the identified at least one product to the computing device via the communication device, receive from the computing device a product selected by the customer from among the identified at least one product, and instruct an robot vehicle to deliver the selected product to the customer.