Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for wearing audio products are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus for delivering sound to an ear includes a flexible material shaped to fit within an outer ear. The apparatus includes a movable member in contact with an inner surface of the flexible material, the flexible material configured to expand or retract responsive to movement of the member.

Abstract: A composite sensor assembly for monitoring bio-processes which is suitable for use with a polymeric bioprocess vessel or with downstream equipment, and comprises: i) a port comprising a high surface tension thermoplastic having a hollow tubular portion and a base plate portion, the base plate portion being fusibly sealable to the bioreactor vessel at a hole in the wall thereof; ii) a generally opaque polymeric monitoring sensor assembly including electrical, and/or optical measurement components. The sensor assembly fits inside the bore of the hollow tubular portion of the port, and is adhesively retained therein.

Abstract: A composite sensor assembly for monitoring bio-processes which is suitable for use with a polymeric bioprocess vessel or with downstream equipment, and comprises: i) a port comprising a high surface tension thermoplastic having a hollow tubular portion and a base plate portion, the base plate being fusibly sealable to the bioreactor vessel at a hole in the wall thereof; ii) a generally opaque polymeric monitoring sensor assembly including electrical, and/or optical measurement components. The sensor assembly fits inside the bore of the hollow tubular portion of the port, and is adhesively retained therein.

Abstract: A microphone boom cap includes a porous plastic portion adapted to cover a microphone boom first aperture. The microphone boom cap includes a non-porous plastic portion affixed to the porous plastic portion. The non-porous plastic portion is adapted to cover a microphone boom second aperture in a second use position, where the porous plastic portion covers the second aperture in a first use position.

Abstract: A port for use with a bioreactor vessel comprising: i) a base member comprising a hollow tubular portion and a base plate configured to be sealingly affixed to a hole in the wall of a bioreactor vessel ii) a hollow, generally tubular bushing member for containing electrical, optical, microfluidic and/or chemical monitoring components which bushing member fits inside the bore of the tubular portion of the base member, both the base member and bushing member providing access to the contents of a bioreactor by; iii) a monitoring assembly inserted into the bushing member which assembly comprises means for providing incoming optical and/or electrical signals and means for collecting and transmitting measurement signals resulting from the interaction of incoming optical and/or electrical signals with the contents of a bioreactor; and iv) a cover which maintains the position and alignment of components ii) and iii) relative to the base member.

Abstract: A port assembly for use with a polymeric bioreactor bag includes the following components: i) a hollow port member made from a material which can be fusibly affixed to the wall surface of the bioreactor bag; ii) at least one fluorophore spot positioned on the port member; iii) a conduit for conveying excitation light from an optical source to the fluorophore, which conduit can be a lens, a curved parabolic collimator, a shaped reflector or a wave guide; and iv) a second conduit for conveying fluorescent emission light from the excited fluorophore to a photo-detector, which second conduit although different from the first, can likewise be a lens, a curved parabolic collimator, a shaped reflector or a wave guide.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the stimulation and collection of fluorescent signals from a target analyte. The apparatus comprises: i) a frequency modulated optical source which emits excitation light of a wavelength which will stimulate a target fluorophore to emit a fluorescent signal when illuminated by the excitation light, ii) a first optical filter interposed between the optical source and the target fluorophore, iii) a second optical filter interposed between the fluorophore and a photo-detector and positioned to receive the emitted fluorescent signal. The beam path of at least one, preferably both, of the excitation light and the fluorescent signal is transmitted substantially through free space. A data processor will normally be used to calculate and record the phase delay between the excitation light and the fluorescent signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the stimulation and collection of fluorescent signals, said apparatus comprising: i) a frequency modulated optical source which emits excitation light of a wavelength which will stimulate a target fluorophore to emit a fluorescent signal when illuminated by said excitation light: ii) a first optical filter interposed between said optical source and said target fluorophore, iii) a second optical filter interposed between said fluorophore and a photo-detector positioned to receive said emitted fluorescent signal, and iv) a data processor which calculates and records the phase delay between said excitation light and said fluorescent signal wherein the beam path of at least one of the excitation light and the fluorescent signal is transmitted substantially through free space.

Abstract: A port assembly for use with a polymeric bioreactor bag said assembly comprising: i) a hollow port member comprised at least in part of a material suitable to be fusibly affixed to the wall surface of said bioreactor bag; ii) at least one fluorophore spot positioned on said port member; iii) conduit means for conveying excitation light from an optical source to said fluorophore, said conduit means being an assembly comprising at least one of a lens, an optic fiber, a curved parabolic collimator, a shaped reflector or a wave guide; iv) conduit means for conveying fluorescent emission light from said fluorophore to a photo-detector, said conduit means being an assembly comprising at least one of a lens, an optic fiber, a curved parabolic collimator, a shaped reflector or a wave guide.

Abstract: A port for use with a bioreactor vessel comprising: i) a base member comprising a hollow tubular portion and a base plate configured to be sealingly affixed to a hole in the wall of a bioreactor vessel ii) a hollow, generally tubular bushing member for containing electrical, optical, microfluidic and/or chemical monitoring components which bushing member fits inside the bore of the tubular portion of the base member, both the base member and bushing member providing access to the contents of a bioreactor by; iii) a monitoring assembly inserted into the bushing member which assembly comprises means for providing incoming optical and/or electrical signals and means for collecting and transmitting measurement signals resulting from the interaction of incoming optical and/or electrical signals with the contents of a bioreactor; and iv) a cover which maintains the position and alignment of components ii) and iii) relative to the base member.

Abstract: Chemical, biological, and/or biochemical reaction systems, including chips or reactors, may be configured so as to restrain immiscible materials such as gas bubbles from interfering with the determination of environmental factors associated with the chip according to one aspect of the invention. In another aspect, a chip or other reaction system may be configured to maintain a gas headspace in the chip or other reaction system. In certain embodiments, impediments such as physical barriers may be used to contain gas bubbles within a gas containing region, or otherwise away from a detection region. In other embodiments, surface tension properties may be used to control the location of gas bubbles. The chip or other reaction systems may include reaction site containers that can be very small, for example, having a volume of less than about 2 ml.

Abstract: A system is described for automatically maintaining the group velocity dispersion (GVD) of a Gires-Tournois interferometer (GTI) as the wavelength of incident light is varied. In the system, the transmission through the GTI is monitored by a photodiode as the wavelength is varied. The transmission through the GTI provides a measure of its GVD. Thus, the output of the photodiode can be used as a control signal for adjusting the GTI in a manner to maintain its GVD at the desired level. The subject system is illustrated in conjunction with a pulsed, tunable, Ti:sapphire laser which is passively mode locked with the optical Kerr effect. The system allows the wavelength of the laser to be tuned over the bandwidth of the gain medium while maintaining a selected level of GVD from the GTI which in turn maintains the desired duration of the pulses. In addition, the GTI is used to compensate for the dispersion effects created by broad band optics in the resonator.

Abstract: A passively mode-locked laser (110) is disclosed that includes a resonant cavity (112, 114) having a gain medium (116) therein. A transmissive element (116), which may be the gain medium, is also located in the cavity and is formed from a material which varies the two-dimensional, lateral spatial profile of the beam with respect to intensity due to the Kerr effect. The resonator is arranged such that the round trip gain of the system increases with respect to the intensity of the beam so that mode-locking operation can be achieved. In one approach, the variation in the spatial profile is used to increase the extraction of energy from the gain medium. In another approach, the variation in spatial profile which occurs with an increase in intensity is used to decrease the loss in the system so that pulse operation is favored.