Abstract: An object-sensing bumper extension comprises a durable and flexible material. The bumper extension is connected to the bumper of a vehicle such as a lift truck to detect encroachment and/or impact between the vehicle and an operator or other object. A non-contact sensor detects encroachment of an object within an impact danger zone arranged immediately in front of and near the sides of the vehicle. An impact sensor detects impact between the vehicle and an object. A control system receives sensor signals and initiates a reaction operation of the vehicle in response to sensor activity. The reaction operation can include slowing the vehicle down, stopping the vehicle, and/or reversing the vehicle. The bumper extension can include a plurality of outwardly angled, substantially parallel ridges that deform outwardly and downwardly to push an impacted object away from danger and to fill a gap between the vehicle and the ground.

Abstract: A method for gaming interaction. The method including capturing a plurality of snapshots generated from a gaming application executed for a first user. The method including generating a user defined package according to parameter information provided by the first user through a first companion interface of a first computing device of the first user, wherein the parameter information is based on one or more snapshots of the plurality of snapshots. The method including generating a marker for the user defined package. The method including providing the marker for display on a second computing device of a second user, wherein the marker enables access to the user defined package.

Abstract: A method for gaming interaction. The method including capturing a plurality of snapshots generated from a gaming application executed for a first user. The method including generating a user defined package according to parameter information provided by the first user through a first companion interface of a first computing device of the first user, wherein the parameter information is based on one or more snapshots of the plurality of snapshots. The method including generating a marker for the user defined package. The method including providing the marker for display on a second computing device of a second user, wherein the marker enables access to the user defined package.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide for automation-assisted research into the workings of one or more studied systems include software modules that communicate with domain knowledge bases, research professionals, automated laboratories, research service objects, and data analysis processes. When implemented in conjunction with online business methods and systems, ordering processes can interface directly with research services, such as medical research services and biomedical research services. In some implementations, automatically selected research service objects can correspond to 3rd-party research services that can produce research results, and subsequent data-processing can update the knowledge bases and provide guidance to a next phase of research.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide for automation-assisted research into the workings of one or more studied systems include software modules that communicate with domain knowledge bases, research professionals, automated laboratories, research service objects, and data analysis processes. When implemented in conjunction with online business methods and systems, ordering processes can interface directly with research services, such as medical research services and biomedical research services. In some implementations, automatically selected research service objects can correspond to 3rd-party research services that can produce research results, and subsequent data-processing can update the knowledge bases and provide guidance to a next phase of research.

Abstract: A method for gaming interaction. The method including capturing a plurality of snapshots generated from a gaming application executed for a first user. The method including generating a user defined package according to parameter information provided by the first user through a first companion interface of a first computing device of the first user, wherein the parameter information is based on one or more snapshots of the plurality of snapshots. The method including generating a marker for the user defined package. The method including providing the marker for display on a second computing device of a second user, wherein the marker enables access to the user defined package.

Abstract: An online business method and system enables donors or parents or guardians of donors to order and purchase stem-cells extracted from biological tissue sampled from the donor, such as, for example, cord-blood stem cells of a newborn baby, wherein the ordering process interfaces directly with the attending medical services, and the service steps include collection, extraction, preservation, containment, packaging, delivery and storage of the stem cells in a storage medium that can be cost-effectively maintained in a storage facility or by the donor, parent or guardian at home. In one embodiment, preservation is by freeze-drying, containment is in a vacuum vial, and storage is at room temperature.

Abstract: A system for teaching reading to very young children and first-time English students provides and uses one or more sets of instructional alphabetic letters, double-consonant phonemes, a relatively larger group of three-letter words of only short-vowel sounds, a relatively smaller group of three- and four-letter words with long-vowel sounds, and specifically designed subsets and/or combinations thereof, where the separate letters and words in the set is fewer than 100. The words in the instructional set are particularly selected to avoid phonetic confusion, ease pronunciation, engage student interest, provide teaching leverage based on each subset, and accelerate learning. In one embodiment, a particular 48-word instructional word set is distributed onto eight, 3-D, instructional blocks in a manner that preserves the subset-based teaching method.

Abstract: An online business method and system enables donors or parents or guardians of donors to order and purchase stem-cells extracted from biological tissue sampled from the donor, such as, for example, cord-blood stem cells of a newborn baby, wherein the ordering process interfaces directly with the attending medical services, and the service steps include collection, extraction, preservation, containment, packaging, delivery and storage of the stem cells in a storage medium that can be cost-effectively maintained in a storage facility or by the donor, parent or guardian at home. In one embodiment, preservation is by freeze-drying, containment is in a vacuum vial, and storage is at room temperature.

Abstract: An online business method and system enables donors or parents or guardians of donors to order and purchase stem-cells from biological tissue sampled from the donor, such as, for example, cord-blood stem cells of a newborn baby, wherein the ordering process interfaces directly with the attending medical services, and the service steps include collection, extraction, preservation, containment, packaging, delivery and storage of the stem cells in a storage medium that can be cost-effectively maintained by the donor, parent or guardian at home or in a custodial location. In one embodiment, preservation is by freeze-drying, containment is in a vacuum vial, and storage is at room temperature.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide for automated research into the workings of one or more studied systems include automated research software modules that communicate with domain knowledge bases, research professionals, automated laboratories experiment objects, and data analysis processes, wherein automatically selected experiment objects can be run at an automated laboratory to produce experimental results, and the subsequent data-processing providing automated guidance to a next round of experiment choice and automated research. An Experiment Director rules engine chooses Experiment Objects based on user input through a Query Manager.

Abstract: An online business method and system enables donors or parents or guardians of donors to order and purchase stem-cells from biological tissue sampled from the donor, such as, for example, cord-blood stem cells of a newborn baby, wherein the ordering process interfaces directly with the attending medical services, and the service steps include collection, extraction, preservation, containment, packaging, delivery and storage of the stem cells in a storage medium that can be cost-effectively maintained by the donor, parent or guardian at home or in a custodial location. In one embodiment, preservation is by freeze-drying, containment is in a vacuum vial, and storage is at room temperature.

Abstract: A system for teaching reading to very young children and first-time English students provides and uses one or more sets of instructional alphabetic letters, double-consonant phonemes, a relatively larger group of three-letter words of only short-vowel sounds, a relatively smaller group of three- and four-letter words with long-vowel sounds, and specifically designed subsets and/or combinations thereof, where the separate letters and words in the set is fewer than 100. The words in the instructional set are particularly selected to avoid phonetic confusion, ease pronunciation, engage student interest, provide teaching leverage based on each subset, and accelerate learning. In one embodiment, a particular 48-word instructional word set is distributed onto eight, 3-D, instructional blocks in a manner that preserves the subset-based teaching method.

Abstract: A method and system 5 for generating a three-dimensional world model for simulated real terrain optimized for a personal computer. Terrain data and other environmental data are acquired from at least one of a plurality of digital data sources 9 through an acquisition step 20 and the acquired data are processed in a transformation and formatting step 25 to construct a predetermined intermediate database format 30, from which intermediate database, in response to a user query 40, introduced through a query interface program 45 that is visible on a personal computer monitor 11, the data are further extracted, processed and composited in a formatting step 32 to create a three-dimensional world model file 35. The 3-D world model format 35 is optimized for a particular imaging system, preferably a browser that renders standard Virtual Reality Modeling Language 2.0 specification files, that allows the 3-D model to be viewed and navigated on the computer monitor 11.

Abstract: A method and system 5 for generating a three-dimensional world model for simulated real terrain optimized for a personal computer. Terrain data and other environmental data are acquired from at least one of a plurality of digital data sources 9 through an acquisition step 20 and the acquired data are processed in a transformation and formatting step 25 to construct a predetermined intermediate database format 30, from which intermediate database, in response to a user query 40, introduced through a query interface program 45 that is visible on a personal computer monitor 11, the data are further extracted, processed and composited in a formatting step 32 to create a three-dimensional world model file 35. The 3-D world model format 35 is optimized for a particular imaging system, preferably a browser that renders standard Virtual Reality Modeling Language 2.0 specification files, that allows the 3-D model to be viewed and navigated on the computer monitor 11.