Abstract: A vibration isolator, system, and method for minimizing propagation of vibrations between structures are configured to decouple axial and lateral structural modes. The vibration isolator includes an axial flexural support that provides axial compliance relative to a central axis and a lateral elastomeric support that provides lateral compliance relative to the central axis. The axial flexural support and the lateral elastomeric support provide stiffness about the central axis. The vibration isolator includes a first mount coupled to a first external structure and a second mount coupled to a second external structure. The axial flexural support is coupled to the first mount and the lateral elastomeric support is coupled to the second mount and the axial flexural support. Using an axial flexural support and a lateral elastomeric support enables tuning of the structural modes in one axis while minimizing the effects to the structural modes in the orthogonal axes.

Abstract: A vibration isolator, system, and method for minimizing propagation of vibrations between structures are configured to decouple axial and lateral structural modes. The vibration isolator includes an axial flexural support that provides axial compliance relative to a central axis and a lateral elastomeric support that provides lateral compliance relative to the central axis. The axial flexural support and the lateral elastomeric support provide stiffness about the central axis. The vibration isolator includes a first mount coupled to a first external structure and a second mount coupled to a second external structure. The axial flexural support is coupled to the first mount and the lateral elastomeric support is coupled to the second mount and the axial flexural support. Using an axial flexural support and a lateral elastomeric support enables tuning of the structural modes in one axis while minimizing the effects to the structural modes in the orthogonal axes.

Abstract: A shock isolator assembly comprises a base a platform and a plurality of self-resetting buckling isolators providing a three-stage response to a dynamic load acting between the base and the platform. The three-stage response of the self-resetting buckling isolators comprises a tension stage when the dynamic load exceeds a threshold tension load, a compression stage when the dynamic load exceeds a threshold compression load, and a rigid stage when the dynamic load is below the threshold tension load and the threshold compression load.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a user profile of a user, present the user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, detect one or more responses of the user during a communication exchange between the user and the avatar, identify from the one or more responses a need to determine a medical status of the user, establish communications with a medical diagnostic system, receive physiological information associated with the user, submit the physiological information to the medical diagnostic system, receive from the medical diagnostic system a diagnostic analysis of the physiological information, and present the diagnostic analysis to at least one of the user and a medical agent of the user, wherein the user is presented the diagnostic analysis by way of the avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a user profile of a user, present the user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, detect one or more responses of the user during a communication exchange between the user and the avatar, identify from the one or more responses a need to determine a medical status of the user, establish communications with a medical diagnostic system, receive physiological information associated with the user, submit the physiological information to the medical diagnostic system, receive from the medical diagnostic system a diagnostic analysis of the physiological information, and present the diagnostic analysis to at least one of the user and a medical agent of the user, wherein the user is presented the diagnostic analysis by way of the avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first computing device having a controller to present an avatar having characteristics that correlate to a user profile and that conform to operating characteristics of the first computing device, and transmit to a second computing device operational information associated with the avatar for reproducing at least in part the avatar at said second computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A shock isolator assembly comprises a base a platform and a plurality of self-resetting buckling isolators providing a three-stage response to a dynamic load acting between the base and the platform. The three-stage response of the self-resetting buckling isolators comprises a tension stage when the dynamic load exceeds a threshold tension load, a compression stage when the dynamic load exceeds a threshold compression load, and a rigid stage when the dynamic load is below the threshold tension load and the threshold compression load.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system that generates an avatar having a first behavior determined by a user profile of a user. An avatar profile is received from a content source for modifying the avatar according to a second behavior. The avatar is modified to generate an adaptive avatar based on the avatar profile. The adaptive avatar has, at least in part, the second behavior determined by the avatar profile, while retaining, at least in part, the first behavior determined by the user profile of the user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A vibration isolation device includes flexures and a multi-part mounting interface for coupling a frame that supports equipment to a structure. The flexures may include three pairs of flexures that allow movement in three orthogonal directions, to allow compliance and/or damp vibrations in the three directions. The flexures may surround the multi-part mounting interface, the parts of which are configured to move relative to one another. One of the parts of the mounting interfaces passes through another part of the mounting interface, such as in one or more holes in one of the interfaces. The device allows equipment mounted on the frame to be isolated from some or all of vibrations produced at the structure. In an example embodiment the vibration isolation system is used in mounting an optical sensor or device to an aircraft.

Abstract: Systems and processes that incorporate teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, identifying an action initiated by equipment of a first user of a number of users, during a presentation of a media program, and generating, responsive to the identifying of the action, an overlay comprising a symbol indicative of the action and situated in relation to the presentation of the media program. The overlay is presented, together with the media program, at a display of a second user of the plurality of users, wherein the symbol is selectable by the equipment of the second user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to present an overlay to be combined with media content during presentation at each of a plurality of computing devices to illustrate a collection of user-generated comments temporally associated with portions of the media content, wherein the portions of the media content comprise portions of a media on demand presentation in an interactive television network, collect the user-generated comments from the plurality of computing devices, identify target portions of the media content that each satisfy a threshold number of comments and non-target portions of the media content that do not satisfy the threshold number of comments, generate comment groups of the user-generated comments, and provide the comment groups to the plurality of computing devices for presentation in the overlay.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a user profile, cause a presentation device to present a user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, detect one or more responses of the user, identify from the one or more responses a need to communicate with a merchant system, establish a communication session with the merchant system, receive a notification from the merchant system of a merchant avatar engine, establish communication with the merchant avatar engine, adapt the characteristics of the avatar at least in part according to instructions supplied by the merchant avatar engine, and cause the presentation device to present the user the adapted avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a user profile, cause a presentation device to present a user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, detect one or more responses of the user, identify from the one or more responses a need to communicate with a merchant system, establish a communication session with the merchant system, receive a notification from the merchant system of a merchant avatar engine, establish communication with the merchant avatar engine, adapt the characteristics of the avatar at least in part according to instructions supplied by the merchant avatar engine, and cause the presentation device to present the user the adapted avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to offer for sale an avatar engine that generates a visual representation of an interactive avatar capable of engaging in a verbal communication exchange by way of an audio system of a computing device from which the avatar engine is adapted to operate, receive a purchase request from a communication device, transmit to the communication device a usage policy and a copy of the avatar engine responsive to determining that the purchase request involves a request for a reproduction of at least a portion of the avatar engine, and enable the communication device to access services of the avatar engine responsive to determining that the purchase request involves the request for services of the avatar engine. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to collect one or more user-generated remarks from each of a plurality of computing devices where the one or more user-generated remarks are temporally associated with media content in the form of a gaming session presented at the plurality of computing devices and present the one or more user-generated remarks as an overlay combined with the gaming session as a presentation to at least a set among the plurality of computing devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, transmitting media content to a group of set top boxes for presentation with an overlay superimposed onto the media content, where the overlay can include a timeline corresponding to the presentation of the media content and receiving a first comment from a first set top box of the group of set top boxes, where the first comment is presentable with the overlay and the media content by the group of set top boxes. Additional steps can include receiving a tag generated at a first set top box during presentation of the media content, presenting the tag while the media content is presented, correlating the tag to a portion of the media content timeline and analyzing metadata associated with the portion of the timeline that is tagged to determine a first marketing parameter. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device, including a controller to: transmit a client program having a graphical user interface to a media device operating in an interactive television network, wherein the client program presents a symbolic overlay that superimposes onto media content received by the media device and enables the media device to associate commentary with the media content received at the media device; and conduct searches for one of consumer products or consumer services associated with the media content based on the commentary regarding the media content. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a user profile of a user, present the user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, detect one or more responses of the user during a communication exchange between the user and the avatar, identify from the one or more responses a need to determine a medical status of the user, establish communications with a medical diagnostic system, receive physiological information associated with the user, submit the physiological information to the medical diagnostic system, receive from the medical diagnostic system a diagnostic analysis of the physiological information, and present the diagnostic analysis to at least one of the user and a medical agent of the user, wherein the user is presented the diagnostic analysis by way of the avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to present an overlay combined with a presentation of media content at each of a plurality of computing devices on an electronic communications network to illustrate a collection of one or more commentaries temporally associated with portions of the presented media content where the portions of the presented media content comprises portions of a teleconference workflow meeting, to collect one or more commentaries from each of the plurality of computing devices, and to present the commentaries from the plurality of computing devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A vibration isolation device includes flexures and a multi-part mounting interface for coupling a frame that supports equipment to a structure. The flexures may include three pairs of flexures that allow movement in three orthogonal directions, to allow compliance and/or damp vibrations in the three directions. The flexures may surround the multi-part mounting interface, the parts of which are configured to move relative to one another. One of the parts of the mounting interfaces passes through another part of the mounting interface, such as in one or more holes in one of the interfaces. The device allows equipment mounted on the frame to be isolated from some or all of vibrations produced at the structure. In an example embodiment the vibration isolation system is used in mounting an optical sensor or device to an aircraft.