Abstract: A vacuum pump includes a liquid getter that is sprayed into a pump chamber. The sprayed liquid getter can chemically bind with gaseous substance in the pump chamber to create ultra-low pressure in the pump chamber and an attached vacuum chamber. The liquefied getter can be circulated and recycled in the vacuum pump.

Abstract: A protection circuit senses when one supply circuit in a group is activating to deliver current to a circuit component and issues firing signals to simultaneously activate other supply circuits in the group. The supply circuits may deliver large currents and high power. The protection circuit may prevent damage to a system that might otherwise occur if one supply circuit in the group activates in isolation.

Abstract: A magnetic field system is configured to generate intense, dynamically-varying magnetic fields to confine and control particles, objects, or plasmas. The magnetic fields may pulsate to impart and directly extract energy from a plasma.

Abstract: A walking aid having a body support member (43, 70, 100) and a pair of leg support members (42, 90, 110, 112) each of which is interconnected by a central or crotch pivot (41, 79, 113) so as to be independently movable with respect to each other. In one embodiment the body support member is a back support member (43). In another embodiment the body support member is a waist belt or body strap (70, 100) and having one or more inguinal straps or connections straps (74, 104, 105) interconnecting the waist belt or body strap to the crotch pivot. Each leg support member (42, 90, 110, 112) may be attached to leg callipers, knee-ankle foot orthoses (KAFO'S) or other specialized leg supports or attachments.