Abstract: Vacuum cleaning devices include foldable wands to provide a storage configuration and/or facilitate use. A vacuum cleaning device includes a wand having a first end coupled to a vacuum unit and a second end coupled to a vacuum head or surface cleaning head. The wand defines an air passage allowing air to pass from the surface cleaning head to the vacuum unit and includes a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand. The wand also includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head, thereby providing a storage configuration.

Abstract: Secure circuitry detects a latency between when an interrupt occurred and when the interrupt was released in correspondence with handling of the interrupt. The secure circuitry detects an interval between consecutive occurrences of the interrupt. In response to either or both of the latency exceeding a latency limit and the interval exceeding an interval limit, the secure circuitry performs an action.

Abstract: A method and system which numerically quantifies a person's loss of quality of life (QOL), i.e., the value of remaining life, due to the occurrence of an injury. The system includes a processor in communication with a health-related QOL measures (e.g., health state utility value) database. Raw data are inputted into the processor. The raw data provide information regarding the person's life expectancy and health state before and after the occurrence of the injury. The processor calculates a reference value of the person's QOL as if the injury did not occur. The processor then calculates the person's actual loss of value of QOL due to the occurrence of the injury. Finally, the processor calculates a QOL disability index by dividing the person's actual loss of value of QOL by the reference value. The QOL disability index is used to determine an amount of monetary damages to be awarded in a tort case.