Abstract: Apparatus including a first spinal prosthetic member attachable to a first spinal structure, a second spinal prosthetic member attachable to a second spinal structure and articulating with the first spinal prosthetic member to form an articulating assembly, and pedicle screw mounting members extending outwards from the first and second spinal prosthetic members, at least one of the pedicle screw mounting members being movably attached to the first and second spinal prosthetic members such that the at least one pedicle screw mounting member has at least two different attachment orientations with respect to reference axes defined on one of the spinal prosthetic members.

Abstract: An expandable bone device including first and second bone support elements, a manipulator positioned between the first and second bone support elements and connected to them by link members, the manipulator adapted to move the first and second bone support elements between a collapsed orientation and an expanded orientation, wherein in the collapsed orientation the first and second bone support elements are drawn towards the manipulator and in the expanded orientation the first and second bone support elements are moved outwards away from a longitudinal axis of the manipulator, and deformable support struts connected between the manipulator and the first and second bone support elements that deform when moved by the manipulator from the collapsed orientation to the expanded orientation and vice versa, wherein in the expanded orientation the deformable support struts form a structure that maintains the first and second bone support elements in the expanded orientation.

Abstract: Cycling apparatus (10) including at least one front wheel (12) and at least one rear wheel (14) rotatably mounted on axles on a frame (18), a riding sea (20) attached to the frame (18), a drive mechanism (24) coupled to at least one of the wheels for driving the cycling apparatus, at least one handlebar post (26) attached to a portion of the frame (18), and a carrier member (28) attachable to the frame (18) for carrying at least one of a child and an object therein and movable between first and second attachment orientations, wherein in the first attachment orientation the cycling apparatus is in a rider orientation drivable by a rider sitting on the seat, and wherein in the second attachment orientation the cycling apparatus is in a stroller orientation wherein the at least one handlebar post (26) is arranged with respect to the carrier member (28) to form a pushable stroller, wherein in the stroller orientation there are two rear wheels (14).

Abstract: A method for detecting nitrogenous materials within an object by means of Gamma-Resonance Absorption (GRA), including placing on one side of an object a target containing 13C for bombardment with a proton beam of approximately 1.75 MeV energy, to produce a source of 9.172 MeV gamma-rays for scanning the object, reading from the gamma-ray detector the total and the non-resonant attenuations of the incident photon flux, and deriving from the attenuations the net resonant attenuation and the spatial distribution thereof; wherein scanning the object includes: I. performing a rapid pre-scan to classify the overall gamma-ray-attenuation regime and locate regions of high physical density, in which longer scanning times might be required; II. performing a full scan to identify and locate regions that contain nitrogenous materials; and III. performing a plurality of scans in same or different segments to establish presence of explosives.

Abstract: A shot counter includes a firearm with a loaded chamber indicator and a striker status indicator. A first switch operates with the loaded chamber indicator and a second switch operates with the striker status indicator. When the loaded chamber indicator moves it activates the first switch and when the striker status indicator moves it activates the second switch. If one of the first and second switches is activated, an electrical signal is sent to a processor and the processor interprets the electrical signal as an indication that a shot has been fired. If the electrical signal is from the first switch, the processor actually counts a number of cartridges going in and out of a chamber of the firearm, and if the electrical signal is from the second switch, the processor actually counts a number of times the firearm was cocked.

Abstract: An ocular implant including a hydrophobic pseudo-endothelial implant and a binding agent applied thereto, the binding agent capable of bonding the implant to a posterior portion of a cornea such that the implant serves as a water barrier enabling dehydration of the cornea.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for pet waste disposal including a portable waste collection receptacle (12) disposed on a handle (13), characterized by a heat source (14) mounted together with the waste collection receptacle (12), capable of incinerating waste (15) disposed in the waste collection receptacle (12).

Abstract: A hyper-osmotic contact lens designed to compensate for an unhealthy edematous state for treating corneal edema.

Abstract: A tacker for applying a rotary tack, including a drive shaft coupled to a trigger, wherein operating the trigger causes rotation of the drive shaft, a magazine that holds a rotary tack rotatingly connected to the drive shaft, and an articulated applicator arm including a rotatable output shaft rotatingly connected to the magazine, wherein the magazine is proximal to the articulated applicator arm, the articulated applicator arm including one or more pivoting links, each pivoting link including a link shaft, wherein operation of the trigger causes the driver shaft and the one or more link shafts to rotate so as to distally advance the rotary tack from the magazine past the one or more pivoting links.

Abstract: A syringe pump including a syringe including a plunger that slides in a body which has a discharge port, a driving mechanism coupled to the syringe, including a cylinder in which a piston slides, and a plurality of biasing devices arranged about the piston operative to apply urging forces on the piston to drive the piston distally in the cylinder and thereby cause the plunger to slide in the body and discharge a substance found in the body through the discharge port, wherein if one of the biasing devices fails another of the biasing devices continues to apply a force on the piston to drive the piston distally in the cylinder, and a safety catch that initially prevents the biasing device from moving the piston, the safety catch being removable to permit the biasing device to move the piston.

Abstract: The invention relates to the external sealing and joining of piping. More particularly, the invention provides an improved seal profile which is suitable for use inside pipe couplings. The invention provides a twin-lip seal profile particularly useful in combination with a pipe coupling, the seal comprising: a substantially flat base element, having a first (inner) face and a second (outer) face and two outer edges. Two spaced-apart support blocks projecting upwardly from the first face of the base element, each support block having an outer and an inner face. Two lip members projecting from the outer edges of the base element, the lip members overlapping and resting on the closest support block and leaving a hollow space between the base element, the lip member and the outer face of the support block.

Abstract: A method wherein a location or position sensor cooperates with a controller or other operating system such that a predefined motion pattern (circular motion, double click, translatory motion, reciprocal motion, and the like, and any combination thereof) of the sensor performs one or more specific tasks, which are not necessary related to the spatial locations per se of the sensor. Also a method for identifying sensors and landmarks is described including sensing the present location of the sensor plus an additional point and comparing with locations in the recent past.

Abstract: A firearm including a trigger-actuated firing mechanism, a safety device that selectively prevents and permits the firing mechanism to be actuated, and an authentication device that cooperates with the safety device and which recognizes a feature of an authorized shooter, wherein the safety device is nominally in a position that permits the firing mechanism to be actuated and is moved to a position that prevents the firing mechanism from being actuated only if the authentication device does not recognize a would-be shooter as an authorized shooter.

Abstract: An optical system including a vision device wearable by a user for seeing objects in a field of view (FOV), the vision device comprising a front section with a normal distortion of rays passing therethrough, and an anamorphic optical element extending from the front section that distorts rays passing therethrough with an extended distortion greater than that of the front section and which enlarges the FOV.

Abstract: A blind rivet assembly for securing workpieces having aligned bores with the workpieces having an open surface at an open side and a blind surface at a blind side, the blind rivet assembly including a tubular shell having an enlarged shell head adapted to be in engagement with the open surface of the workpieces, a stem having an elongated shank with a stem head at the far end of the shank and having gripping means at the opposite end adapted to be gripped by an installation tool for application of an axial pulling force, and a placement ring having an near end and a far end, and having a pre-installation orientation and a post-installation orientation, wherein in the pre-installation orientation the placement ring is disposed around a ring receiving portion of the elongated shank, and the post-installation orientation is created by axially pulling the stem towards the open side of the workpieces with an axial pulling force that forces the placement ring into a through bore which causes the shell to deform out

Abstract: A bone treatment device comprises a shaft having a tubular wall, a lumen extending within the tubular wall, openings through the tubular wall, and anchoring elements adjacent the openings that can be deployed out of the openings in the presence of an actuating force within the shaft lumen. The bone treatment device may further comprise an actuator configured to be received within the shaft lumen to deploy the anchoring elements out of the openings.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor including a rotor, a stator including a piezoelectric material having axial polarization, the stator including at least three pairs of electrodes spaced from one another on a top end face thereof and a common electrode on a base end face thereof, and slabs affixed to the stator at spacings between the electrodes, wherein the rotor is pressed towards the slabs by a pre-load force, wherein when a positive charge is applied to a first of the electrodes and a negative charge is applied to a second of the electrodes and an electric common port is applied to the common electrode, D33 piezoelectric phenomenon is created, thereby causing the spacings between the electrodes to bend and the slabs to tilt, thus applying a frictional pushing side force against the rotor to cause the rotor to rotate.

Abstract: An eye model including a front positive lens, a rear positive lens, an aperture stop located between the front and rear positive lenses, and a focal plane located rearward of the rear positive lens, wherein the front positive lens has a meniscus shape having an outer surface radius equal to a radius of a human eye, and wherein the rear positive lens has a rear surface having a radius equal to a distance from the aperture stop to the rear surface.