Audatex North America's patent filing shows drawings that illustrate its predictive estimate for a damaged vehicle. Part of the Westlake-based Solera portfolio of companies, Audatex is a provider of automotive claims, underwriting, and information solutions. The company serves insurance carriers, repair shops, government agencies, and others. [Background: Studio_3321/istockphoto, Patent Illustration: Fig. 3 & 4, Patent No. 10438293/USPTO]
Smart necklace for social awareness: People with impaired vision or on the autism spectrum may not be able to interpret the facial expression of others. An image from a new patent granted to Toyota shows the front view of a “smart necklace” device that could help. It's designed to capture an image and provide feedback based on identified characteristics and facial expressions. [Background: Studio_3321/istockphoto, Illustration: Fig. 1B, Patent No. 10431107/USPTO]