Abstract: Various implementations include in-ear wearable audio devices. In certain implementations, the in-ear audio devices include an eartip with a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends defining a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end, where the deformable outer wall is functionally graded from the first end to the second end to comply with an entrance of an ear canal of a user. In additional implementations, the eartip includes a retaining structure, and at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall of the body, or the retaining structure, has an integral electronic component and/or an electronic component signal trace.

Abstract: Various implementations include in-ear wearable audio devices. In certain implementations, the in-ear audio devices include an eartip with a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends defining a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end, where the deformable outer wall is functionally graded from the first end to the second end to comply with an entrance of an ear canal of a user. In additional implementations, the eartip includes a retaining structure, and at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall of the body, or the retaining structure, has an integral electronic component and/or an electronic component signal trace.

Abstract: Potable water is produced by removing contaminants such as toxic, fluorinated perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Abstract: Various implementations include in-ear wearable audio devices. In certain implementations, the in-ear audio devices include an eartip with a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends defining a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end, where the deformable outer wall is functionally graded from the first end to the second end to comply with an entrance of an ear canal of a user. In additional implementations, the eartip includes a retaining structure, and at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall of the body, or the retaining structure, has an integral electronic component and/or an electronic component signal trace.

Abstract: A surgical portal apparatus for use in a surgical procedure incorporating one or more sutures is provided. The surgical portal apparatus includes a portal member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal opening therethrough, and a suture management device operably connected to the portal member. The suture management device includes a first member and a second member mountable to the first member. The first member and the second member have cooperating surfaces adapted to selectively secure the at least one suture in a predetermined relation with respect to the portal member.

Abstract: A system and method for distance learning of systems knowledge and integrated procedures using a real-time, full-scope simulation. The system includes a server component with at least one simulation server, and a client computer with a run-time engine. The simulation runs on the server component and conditions of the simulation that affect the user interface are communicated to the client computer and displayed to the student, to reinforce and promote systems knowledge and procedure learning. Courseware can also be used to enhance the learning experience.

Abstract: Disclosed is a controlled pressure melt spinning method of rapidly solidifying alloys to obtain a solid alloy of controlled mean crystallite size, narrow crystallite distribution, and a fine grain microstructure.

Abstract: A portable terminal suitable for brief queries to a central database can be employed with any available telephone for communication over the public telephone network. Message characters are entered through the keyboard, stored in memory in digitally coded form, and displayed in a display window. A speaker is acoustically coupled to the telephone mouthpiece. After dial-up connection to a host, a stored message is recalled and transmitted; the stored digitally coded data is converted to a code employing unique sequential pairs of standard DTMF tones, provided by a tone generator to the speaker. The message can be compared off-line, stored, and edited using special function keys including insert and delete. Telephone numbers can be dialed through the terminal keyboard, and are transmitted in standard DTMF coding. Telephone numbers can be stored as messages, or can be embedded in text messages.

Abstract: Automatic telephone answering equipment is disclosed which is associated with a telephone set connected to a switching system along with other telephone sets, and the answering equipment functions with central message recording equipment which is also connected to the switching system. Unanswered incoming calls originating from within or without the switching system are answered by the automatic answering equipment which then transfers the call to either another of the telephone sets or to the message recording equipment, as selected by the user of the answering equipment. When the call is transferred to the central message recording equipment the identity of the telephone set to which the call was directed is forwarded to the recording equipment. Only upon the calling party recording a message in the central message recording equipment, the recording equipment uses the called telephone set identity to call the originally called telephone set.