Abstract: A portable vein viewer apparatus may be battery powered and hand-held to reveal patient vasculature information to aid in venipuncture processes. The apparatus comprises a first laser diode emitting infrared light, and a second laser diode emitting only visible wavelengths, wherein vasculature absorbs a portion of the infrared light causing reflection of a contrasted infrared image. A pair of silicon PIN photodiodes, responsive to the contrasted infrared image, causes transmission of a corresponding signal. The signal is processed through circuitry to amplify, sum, and filter the outputted signals, and with the use of an image processing algorithm, the contrasted image is projected onto the patient's skin surface using the second laser diode. Revealed information may comprise vein location, depth, diameter, and degree of certainty of vein locations. Projection of vein images may be a positive or a negative image. Venipuncture needles may be coated to provide visibility in projected images.

Abstract: A portable vein viewer apparatus may be battery powered and hand-held to reveal patient vasculature information to aid in venipuncture processes. The apparatus comprises a first laser diode emitting infrared light, and a second laser diode emitting only visible wavelengths, wherein vasculature absorbs a portion of the infrared light causing reflection of a contrasted infrared image. A pair of silicon PIN photodiodes, responsive to the contrasted infrared image, causes transmission of a corresponding signal. The signal is processed through circuitry to amplify, sum, and filter the outputted signals, and with the use of an image processing algorithm, the contrasted image is projected onto the patient's skin surface using the second laser diode. Revealed information may comprise vein location, depth, diameter, and degree of certainty of vein locations. Projection of vein images may be a positive or a negative image. Venipuncture needles may be coated to provide visibility in projected images.

Abstract: Described is automatic, configurable manufacturing workflow (ACMW) technology for additive manufacturing (AM) systems. Apparatus, methods and systems employing ACMW technology provide AM systems with increased flexibility. ACMW technology is particularly suitable for lights-out AM and for continuous AM. In various embodiments of ACMW technology, efficiency and/or reliability of an AM system are increased and/or need for maintenance and/or human intervention is decreased. Broadly, ACMW technology can enable practical scale up of production AM, including automatic configuration of 3D printing clusters as may be desired, such automatic configuration including automatic reconfiguration as desired. This increases manufacturing flexibility and can lead to lower total cost per part (TCPP). ACMW technology addresses several cost and efficiency drivers involved in calculation of TCPP.

Abstract: Method and system for determining personal characteristics of an individual or group and using same to provide personalized advice or services. The system dynamically incorporates several personality dimensions, life style, quality of life, cultural context, demographics, and psychographics, as requested by the test administrator or individual user, and controls and standardizes the testing protocol, and retains test data in such a way that individuals and non-professional users can reliably self administer the tests, save their test results in a system database, and use the results to obtain personality-based advice, content, and people-matching services from a system proprietor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding variable length encoded signals is described. A decoder receives an encoded bitstream. The decoder retrieves N bits from the bitstream. The decoder retrieves a first value from a first table using the N bits. The decoder retrieves a second value from a second table using the first value, and determines whether the second value is a valid code. If the second value is a valid code, the decoder parses the second value to retrieve a run value, an amp value and a code length value.

Abstract: An automobile door hinge which can be taken apart during vehicle production without removal of its hinge pin has a cam on one of its parts with a continuous surface to supply smooth detent action at closed, partially open and fully open positions. A cam follower for coaction with the cam is located adjacent a free end of a torsion spring attached to another of the hinge parts.

Abstract: A dual acting, high strength hinge includes an L-shaped, monolithic, formed metal support member. The support member includes a first and a second leg which are joined at a vertex. A first bore passes through the first leg near its free end, and a second bore passes through the support member near the vertex. A first hinge pin passes through the first bore and pivotally attaches a first hinge plate to the first leg. A second hinge pin passes through the second bore and pivotally attaches a second hinge pin to the support member near the vertex.

Abstract: An improved roof panel latch mechanisms of the type in which a latch bolt is selectively retractable and extendible from a roof closure panel to respectively engage and disengage an end portion of the latch bolt in the bolt receiving aperture of a keeper mounted on a vehicle body. A sleeve, preferably of plastic material, is slidably mounted on the end portion of the latch bolt and has a tapered end. A spring acts between the latch bolt and the sleeve to bias the sleeve in the direction toward engagement with the keeper. The keeper has a tapered surface engageable by the spring biased sleeve so that the tapered end of the sleeve engages with the tapered surface of the keeper to establish a rattle-free relationship between the latch bolt and the keeper. The latch bolt extends further beyond the sleeve and into the keeper.