Abstract: A method for facilitating and enhancing computer-based authoring of gesture definitions that are useful in controlling a walk-around character and other systems using gesture controls. The method includes, during performance of a gesture by a performer, collecting sets of raw sensor data each corresponding to differing parameters of the performance of the gesture. The method includes displaying a graphical user interface with a graphical plot of each of the sets of raw sensor data. The method includes receiving user input identifying which of the parameters to include in a gesture definition. The method includes, for the graphical plots associated with the chosen parameters receiving user input defining a starting position, an ending position, a maximum value, and a minimum value. The gesture may involve movement of a performer's arms, legs, hands, head, eyes, and so on in a particular manner.

Abstract: A symptom-treatment system includes a control unit configured to provide a treatment signal and a treatment unit coupled to the control unit to receive the treatment signal. The treatment unit is coupled to a patient to communicate the treatment unit to the patient.

Abstract: A method for facilitating and enhancing computer-based authoring of gesture definitions that are useful in controlling a walk-around character and other systems using gesture controls. The method includes, during performance of a gesture by a performer, collecting sets of raw sensor data each corresponding to differing parameters of the performance of the gesture. The method includes displaying a graphical user interface with a graphical plot of each of the sets of raw sensor data. The method includes receiving user input identifying which of the parameters to include in a gesture definition. The method includes, for the graphical plots associated with the chosen parameters receiving user input defining a starting position, an ending position, a maximum value, and a minimum value. The gesture may involve movement of a performer's arms, legs, hands, head, eyes, and so on in a particular manner.

Abstract: A musical game system and associated methods configured to allow for unguided, free-form group-based musical expressivity during generation of a collaborative digital music track (or “song”). The musical game system is designed to provide a hardware and software pipeline that functions to record, quantize, and loop multiple (e.g., 1 to 15 or more) users' inputs (e.g., via a piezoelectric MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controllers or triggered instruments or other user input devices) in a dynamic playback space. The musical game system further functions to provide volume attenuation and localization of playback to enable participants to express themselves with their user inputs with complete agency while simultaneously adding to an overarching, collaborative musical composition generated using their user inputs and other participants' user inputs.

Abstract: A robot that includes two or more skeletal or rigid links interconnected by a joint. The joint is pneumatically actuated and includes a pneumatic joint actuator that allows the robot's skeletal links to be moved in an expressive manner. The pneumatic actuator includes a pair of opposing air bladders encased within a housing or body of the joint. Each air bladder is positioned on an opposite side of an actuating lever arm, which is rigidly attached to one of the skeletal links and is pivotally mounted on the joint body or housing. Movement of the actuating lever arm causes the attached skeletal link to pivot. To obtain this selective movement, one of the two air bladders is filled with a gas, such as air, while the other is left un-inflated or less inflated, and this forces the lever arm and attached skeletal link to pivot about their mounting point.

Abstract: A robot that includes two or more skeletal or rigid links interconnected by a joint. The joint is pneumatically actuated and includes a pneumatic joint actuator that allows the robot's skeletal links to be moved in an expressive manner. The pneumatic actuator includes a pair of opposing air bladders encased within a housing or body of the joint. Each air bladder is positioned on an opposite side of an actuating lever arm, which is rigidly attached to one of the skeletal links and is pivotally mounted on the joint body or housing. Movement of the actuating lever arm causes the attached skeletal link to pivot. To obtain this selective movement, one of the two air bladders is filled with a gas, such as air, while the other is left un-inflated or less inflated, and this forces the lever arm and attached skeletal link to pivot about their mounting point.

Abstract: A symptom-treatment system includes a control unit configured to provide a treatment signal and a treatment unit coupled to the control unit to receive the treatment signal. The treatment unit is coupled to a patient to communicate the treatment unit to the patient.

Abstract: A bushing for use in a hollow tube housing of a rack and pinion steering system. The bushing is formed as a generally cylindrical body having a central aperture and a circular cantilevered flange that extends outward from the body of the bushing. The flange contains a leading surface for compression contact with a corresponding interfering surface on the hollow interior of the rack housing. The flange is disposed to continuously compress a portion of its leading surface against a portion of the interfering surface on the hollow interior of the housing over a predetermined range of temperatures when the bushing is installed in the housing, and thereby providing thermal compensation to maintain a seal.

Abstract: A bushing for use in a hollow tube housing of a rack and pinion steering system. The bushing is formed as a generally cylindrical body having a central aperture and a circular cantilevered flange that extends outward from the body of the bushing. The flange contains a leading surface for compression contact with a corresponding interfering surface on the hollow interior of the rack housing. The flange is disposed to continuously compress a portion of its leading surface against a portion of the interfering surface on the hollow interior of the housing over a predetermined range of temperatures when the bushing is installed in the housing, and thereby providing thermal compensation to maintain a seal.

Abstract: A reservoir apparatus for an electronically controlled electric pump includes a pump housing (22), constructed of thermally conductive material, the pump housing having a cup-shaped reservoir portion (160) adapted to surround a pump assembly (164) to maintain the pump assembly submerged in hydraulic fluid (162). The pump housing also includes a fluid inlet (166) and a fluid outlet (168) for communicating fluid from the pump assembly to a hydraulically actuated device, such as a steering gear. The pump housing (22) also includes a first module member portion (20) adapted to seal with a second module member (24) so as to form a control module. The first module member portion (20) being operative to transmit thermal energy from electronic components into the pump housing and the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A portable battery powered signal light includes a battery housing and batteries, a generally cylindrical lens having threads and a lamp in the lens, a flasher positioned between the lamp and the battery housing including electrical contacts, a day-night sensor connected to the flasher to permit operation of the flasher only when it senses darkness and a locking ring having threads mating with the threads on the lens and an internal flange overlapping flange on the battery housing so that when threads on the locking ring are tightened on the threads of the lens, the battery housing, flasher and lens are secured together and electrical connections are made across the flasher, the day-night sensor and the lamp.

Abstract: A radiotelephone (10) capable of operation within a CDMA radiotelephone system. The radiotelephone includes a receiver (30) for receiving a paging channel transmission; a system time pseudonoise (PN) generator (18); and despreading circuitry (20, 22, 24 26, 28), having an input coupled to the receiver, for despreading the paging channel transmission received during at least a portion of the assigned slot. The assigned slot is predetermined to have a duration that is three times the duration of a rollover period of the system time pseudonoise (PN) generator (26.667 msec) and four times the duration of one frame (20 msec), or 80 msec. The use of predetermined masks for initializing the PN generators, and in particular a Long Code PN generator (32), is also described.

Abstract: A radiotelephone (10) capable of operation within a CDMA radiotelephone system. The radiotelephone includes a receiver (30) for receiving a paging channel transmission; a system time pseudonoise (PN) generator (18); and despreading circuitry (20, 22, 24 26, 28), having an input coupled to the receiver, for despreading the paging channel transmission received during at least a portion of the assigned slot. The assigned slot is predetermined to have a duration that is three times the duration of a rollover period of the system time pseudonoise (PN) generator (26.667 msec) and four times the duration of one frame (20 msec), or 80 msec. The use of predetermined masks for initializing the PN generators, and in particular a Long Code PN generator (32), is also described.

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle capable of being automatously guided towards a predetermined destination by the geometrical computation of light signals received by at least two on-board detectors which relate the direction of each signal received to the axis of the vehicle. Useful in restricted areas such as automatic warehouses and loading bays.

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle capable of being automatically guided towards a predetermined destination by the geometrical computation of light signals received by at least three omnidirectional detectors on-board the vehicle. Useful in restricted areas such as automatic warehouses and loading bays.

Abstract: A method of placing an article onto a surface in close proximity to an adjacent previously-placed article, comprises gripping the article between a pair of jaws, tilting it away from the previously-placed article about an axis parallel to the surface and thereafter releasing it by opening the jaws, the tilt being sufficient to bring the lowered side of the gripped article close to the surface, with the elevated jaw remaining sufficiently high to clear the previously-placed article as it opens.

Abstract: A linear-rotary translator includes a pair of parallel, planar plates spaced apart and held by bolts having eccentric bodies. A drive shaft parallel to the bolts is journalled in the plates and is adapted to engage an operated device related to the plates. A pair of drive forks on the drive shaft straddle a drive rod between the plates and engage rollers extending from a block on the drive piston rod and disposed between the drive forks and reciprocable in rectilinear slots in the plates. The drive rod extends from a piston-cylinder arrangement pivoted to and located in part between the plates. If desired, a spring rod also engages the block, extends through a spacer pivoted between the plates and cooperates with spring discs arranged on the spring rod.

Abstract: A conveyor for heat treating furnaces including a plurality of heat insulating elements mounted on a conveyor roller-chain assembly and arranged side-by-side along the conveyor path through the furnace. Articles to be heat treated are supported on the insulating elements for movement by the conveyor through the furnace. The insulating elements are of ceramic fiber heat insulating material of relatively low density and low heat storage capacity. The material of the elements is flexible and has resiliency, and the elements initially are resiliently compressed against each other so as to remain in side-by-side contact even after subsequent heat shrinkage.