Abstract: A mooring device including two telescoping tubes, a pair of ropes for securing a boat to a dock or piling, and a spring biasing the ropes and/or tubes with respect to one another to adjust to changes in waves and/or tides, while maintaining the boat at a safe distance from the dock or piling.

Abstract: A multi-function robotic device may have utility in various applications. In accordance with one aspect, a multi-function robotic device may be selectively configurable to perform a desired function in accordance with the capabilities of a selectively removable functional cartridge operably coupled with a robot body. Localization and mapping techniques may employ partial maps associated with portions of an operating environment, data compression, or both.

Abstract: A multi-function robotic device may have utility in various applications. In accordance with one aspect, a multi-function robotic device may be selectively configurable to perform a desired function in accordance with the capabilities of a selectively removable functional cartridge operably coupled with a robot body. Localization and mapping techniques may employ partial maps associated with portions of an operating environment, data compression, or both.

Abstract: A mooring device including two telescoping tubes, a pair of ropes for securing a boat to a dock or piling, and a spring biasing the ropes and/or tubes with respect to one another to adjust to changes in waves and/or tides, while maintaining the boat at a safe distance from the dock or piling.

Abstract: A multi-function robotic device may have utility in various applications. In accordance with one aspect, a multi-function robotic device may be selectively configurable to perform a desired function in accordance with the capabilities of a selectively removable functional cartridge operably coupled with a robot body. Localization and mapping techniques may employ partial maps associated with portions of an operating environment, data compression, or both.

Abstract: An image forming system including a reservoir for supplying a deposition medium to a spray head. The deposition medium may include one or more of a wide variety of substances, such as ink or abrasive particles, to be deposited on a surface. In one embodiment, a controlled amount of the deposition medium is supplied from within the spray head out through an orifice in the wall of the spray head by a pneumatically driven deposition medium supply means. In another embodiment, a controlled amount of the deposition medium is drawn out of the orifice by a siphon feed means. Preferably, the system includes not only a siphon means capable of controlling the pressure in a low pressure region near the orifice and the duration in which the low pressure region is maintained, but also an independently controllable means for regulating the amount of deposition medium supplied to the orifice.

Abstract: A robot arm preferably has at least shoulder, elbow and wrist joints with a lever arm extending between each of the joints. Individually powered modules are buit into each of the lever arms adjacent each joint to control the mutual attitude between the lever arm end and its associated joint. Thus, each of the lever arms between the shoulder and elbow and between the elbow and the wrist, respectively, has two of the modules. Each individual module is operated to adjust the attitude of the lever arm relative to the adjacent joint. Or stated another way, two of the module means are operated to adjust the attitude between two adjacent lever arms.