Abstract: A locking system for stopping a shopping cart includes a caster that can be selectively disabled when the cart encounters an electronic barrier. The caster includes a brake that is mounted on the frame of the caster. Also mounted on the frame are two receivers for separately receiving different signals from an electronic barrier. Respective decoders on the frame decipher lock commands in the signals, and a controller selectively activates the brake to prevent further movement of the cart in response to the lock commands. The electronic barrier can include an underground loop antenna and an above-ground RF beacon.

Abstract: A system for positioning the eye of a patient, relative to a stationary surgical laser unit, includes a chair for moving the patient. An eye stabilizing element is held against the eye, with a tapered receptacle extending outwardly therefrom. Also, an alignment device with a tapered tip is mounted on the surgical laser unit. In operation, the patient is moved to engage the receptacle of the eye stabilizing element with the tip of the alignment device, to thereby align the patient's eye with the surgical laser unit for laser surgery.

Abstract: A device for establishing a desired alignment between a patient's eye and a laser system to facilitate an engagement therebetween includes a light source to illuminate the eye. A moveable platform is provided to move the patient relative to the laser system. To establish alignment between the eye and the laser system, a reference marker is based on the laser system. An image of the marker, along with reflections from the illuminated eye, is then transmitted to the system controller. There, the image and reflections are processed to determine a measured alignment that is then compared to the desired alignment. An error signal that is indicative of an alignment difference is then generated and used to incrementally move the platform, or the patient, in an appropriate direction.

Abstract: A system for straightening teeth includes a casting of teeth that is made of a rigid material, and a gum casting made of a flexible material that is joined to the teeth casting. A respective articulating tool for each tooth is provided with a post that is embedded into the tooth. Tooth moving components, accessible through the gum casting, are mounted on each post to selectively provide for left-right, fore-aft, and rotational tooth movements. In its operation, the system involves selectively orienting individual teeth in the teeth casting, to prepare a series of sequentially useable appliances that will straighten teeth in accordance with a pre-planned procedure.

Abstract: A bi-directional system for actively deflecting the distal tip of a catheter includes a reconfigurable tube that is positioned proximal to the catheter's distal tip. The tube is formed with slits that are arranged to allow the tube to be transformed from a relaxed, cylindrical configuration to a plurality of deflected configurations. First and second pull wires are provided, with each wire having a respective distal end that is attached to the distal end of the tube. Each wire extends to a catheter handle where it is attached to a respective reel. The reels can be rotated, back and forth, to selectively deflect or relax the tube. To ensure a smooth recovery after a relatively large deflection, a mechanism is disclosed for delaying an application of tension on one of the pull wires until at least a portion of any tension on the other pull wire is released.

Abstract: A system for producing polychromatic light having selectively shaped wavefronts includes a source for generating light beams of at least two wavelengths (?1, ?2). The beams are made up of a plurality of contiguous sub-beams that establish ?1 and ?2 wavefronts. From the source, the light is directed toward an optical phase shifting device which can include one or more arrays, with each array having a plurality of elements. Functionally, within a particular array, each element is independently adjustable to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a corresponding sub-beam. For light having two wavelengths (?1, ?2), a first array configuration is used to reshape the ?1 wavelength light and a second array configuration is used to reshape the ?2 wavelength light. After wavefront reshaping, the ?1 and ?2 wavelength light is directed onto a common beam path where it can be viewed, imaged or further processed.

Abstract: A cryoablation device having a temperature control system includes an elongated catheter tube that has a central lumen and is formed with a closed distal tip. The distal end of a refrigerant supply line is positioned in the central lumen and distanced from the catheter tube's distal tip to establish an expansion chamber therebetween. A return line, which can be established between the supply line and the catheter tube, is provided to exhaust expanded refrigerant from the chamber. The temperature control system includes a valve that is positioned at a predetermined location along the return line. The valve is adjustable to vary a pressure within the return line to control the operational temperature at the distal tip of the catheter tube. Specifically, the valve can be used to reduce the pressure in the return line to thereby increase the tip temperature, and vice versa.

Abstract: A system for converting an analog signal into a digital data stream includes a recurrent network with a plurality of converter circuits that individually receive the same analog signal as input. The circuits then generate a plurality of spike outputs that exhibit characteristics of the analog signal. Interconnecting feedback loops from each circuit output to the input of neighboring circuits queues the plurality of spike outputs to thereby self-organize the network. A digital clock is then used to establish predetermined time intervals for counting the spike outputs to create the digital data stream.

Abstract: A MAGLEV guideway module which can be supported by vertical columns to create a section of an elevated MAGLEV guideway is disclosed. The module includes a deck and an elongated box beam that are form cast together in a unitary monolithic construction and made of lightweight, steel reinforced concrete. Functionally, a plurality of modules cooperate to form an elevated levitation track that supports the operational electromagnetic guideway components and is designed to support the weight of a MAGLEV vehicle. For the module, the beam can be an elongated, hollow beam, such as a box beam, which is made of a molded, pre-stressed concrete. A molded-concrete transverse deck is integrally formed on the hollow beam. The deck includes first and second cantilevers that each extend from the beam in opposite directions. Together, the cantilevers and beam establish a substantially flat deck surface over which a MAGLEV vehicle can travel.

Abstract: A hybrid radar receiver includes an antenna array for receiving an input signal having a radar signal from a signal emitter. Each array element outputs an analog signal on a respective data channel. For each data channel, an activatable A/D converter is provided. A dedicated hardware circuit, which typically includes a detector/log video amplifier that is coupled to a threshold/pulse digitizer, is included to determine when a radar pulse is being received. When the circuit determines that a pulse is being received, the circuit activates each A/D converter to generate a digital signal on each channel. When a pulse is not currently being received, the circuit deactivates each A/D converter and digital signals are not produced. Pulse parameter(s) generated by the hardware circuit and the digital signals on each channel are sent to a software equipped processor which implements a signal emitter identification algorithm.

Abstract: A block construction system includes interlocking, self-aligning blocks that can be used to construct structures with mortarless joints. A typical block has a top face that is formed with a raised, substantially flat horizontal portion that extends between a pair of longitudinally aligned rounded edges. Longitudinally aligned horizontal stop surfaces extend from each rounded edge. A bottom face of the block is formed with a pair of longitudinally aligned stop surfaces and a substantially flat portion that is positioned between and recessed from the stop surfaces. For two stacked blocks, the recessed portion of the top block receives and engages the raised portion of the bottom block preventing lateral movement of one block relative to the other. To interlock adjacent blocks on a common course, one end face of each block is formed with a vertically aligned tongue and the other end face is formed with a corresponding groove.

Abstract: A device for activating a signal emitter for use in a firefighter locator system operates in conjunction with the firefighter's self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The activation device includes a pressure sensor to monitor pressure on an air line that delivers air from the SCBA air tank to the SCBA air regulator. When the firefighter opens the SCBA air tank valve, pressure is sensed in the air line and the emitter is activated to transmit a signal. The signal is received by base stations that then use the signal to locate/track the signal emitter. Preferably, the activating system also includes a user operated reset button(s) and a shutoff circuit to allow the user to stop transmission of the signal by the signal emitter. The shutoff circuit is designed to stop transmission of the signal only after the air line has been depressurized and the reset button(s) is depressed.

Abstract: An active system for deflecting a distal portion of a catheter into a hoop configuration includes an elongated catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion that is formed with a lumen. A thin-walled tube, which is typically made of a metallic material, is positioned in the lumen. The tube includes a cylindrical wall and includes a plurality of lateral slits that are typically formed in the tube wall and arranged such that the tube can be transformed between a relaxed, cylindrical configuration and a deflected configuration wherein the tube is substantially hoop shaped. One end of a deflection wire is attached to the tube and the other wire end is attached to a reel that is rotationally mounted onto a catheter handle housing. In use, the reel is rotated to axially retract the wire and transform the tube into a hoop configuration.

Abstract: A system and method for docking an airship to a mooring mast includes a thruster that is mounted to the fore end of the airship. When activated, the thruster generates a thrust vector that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the airship and is selectively directional. In particular, the configuration of the thruster can be changed to vary the direction of the thrust vector around the longitudinal axis to maneuver a connector on the thruster into contact with the mooring mast. Engagement of the connector to the mooring mast then docks the airship to the mooring mast.

Abstract: A device for forming a mold for a dental prosthetic includes a dental tray that provides connection to a vacuum source. Additionally, the device includes a dam that may be used to selectively block suction from the vacuum source. The method for forming a mold for a dental prosthetic includes forming an impression with a dental tray including a dam and then forming a mold within the impression after portions of the dam are selectively removed to allow suction to draw in moldable material to the desired teeth.

Abstract: An inductor for high current applications includes a nonconductive, tubular form which defines a tube axis and has a cylindrical outer surface. The outer surface is formed with a groove that extends helically about the tube axis. The inductor further includes a coiled, conductive wire that is formed with a plurality of turns. The wire is wound around the outer surface of the form with at least a portion of the wire disposed in the groove. With this structure, the form maintains a predetermined separation between adjacent turns of the coil preventing deformation of the coiled wire by strong magnetic forces that are generated when relatively high electrical currents are passed through the wire.

Abstract: An unmanned, lighter-than-air airship includes three omnidirectional thrust generating units. One unit is mounted at the fore-end of the airship to generate thrust in a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the airship. This unit controls pitch and yaw movements of the airship. The other two units are mounted on the airship equidistant from the first unit, and are located in a same midships plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. These two units generate thrust vectors that control roll movements of the airship and provide propulsion for the airship.