Abstract: A binder, and a method of using it in conventional powder metallurgy processes and solid free form fabrication including metal powder, or combinations of metals and ceramics, in which the binder contains at least one carbohydrate as the active binding compound. The carbohydrate generally contains between 6 and about 900 carbon atoms and may be selected from various categories including but not limited to: 1) monosaccharides; 2) disaccharides; 3) trisaccharides; and 4) polysaccharides containing the base sugars identified in 1)-3) above; and 5) hydrolyzed starches in which the hydrolysate contains between about 6-900 carbon atoms, including dextrins such as limit dextrin, hydrolyzed amylose, and hydrolyzed amylopectin. The amount of carbohydrate in the binder solution is generally on the order of about 5-50 grams carbohydrate per 100 ml of carrier solution, more preferably 5-30 g/ml, and most preferably 15 g/ml (or comparable amounts on a dry basis).

Abstract: An improved digital parametric equalizer realized by software stored in a computer readable memory. The computer readable memory stores a first and a second set of instructions. The first set of instructions determines a value of a tuning coefficient based upon whether a parametric equalizer is to cut or to boost an input signal. The second set of instructions implements a filter to realize the parametric equalizer. The second set of instructions uses the value of the tuning coefficient and the input signal to produce an output signal having substantially symmetrical cut and boost spectrums.