Abstract: A sensor has a die (with a working portion), a cap coupled with the die to at least partially cover the working portion, and a conductive pathway extending through the cap to the working portion. The pathway provides an electrical interface to the working portion.

Abstract: A device for transporting a human subject over a surface. The device is a dynamically balancing vehicle having a control loop for providing balance. The device includes a platform defining a fore-aft plane. The platform supports a payload including the human subject. A ground contacting module is included which may include one or more wheels. A ground-contacting member is movably coupled to the platform. The platform and the ground-contacting module form an assembly having a center of gravity that is defined with respect to the ground-contacting member and which includes any loads on the device. The device further includes a support. The support may be a seat for supporting the subject and the support is coupled to the platform in such a manner as to permit variation of the position of the center of gravity in the fore-aft plane by translation and rotation of at least a portion of the support. In one embodiment, translation and rotation of the seat of the device are mechanically coupled together.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing the loop impedance in residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) protected circuits is provided. An alternating test current is applied across the phase earth connections of a supply and a plurality of voltage samples are then taken across the connections. The voltage samples are subsequently transformed from time space to frequency space to allow the component due to the test current to be isolated. The loop impedance is then calculated.

Abstract: A method for producing substantially pure ammonium gluconate or metal gluconate that includes separating reagents for reuse from the enzymatically converted gluconate by ultrafiltration.

Abstract: A method and device for calibrating the energy response of detectors of photons in the range from about 0.5 keV to at least 100 keV. The device makes use of the inherent property of a polarizable crystal such as a pyroelectric crystal to produce monoenergetic x-rays when the crystal is heated or cooled in a partial vacuum. Specific calibration energies of x-ray emission, may be selected for the application of the user by selection of a coating to the pyroelectric crystal and an external foil. The calibration device may be disposed within the same housing as a penetrating radiation detector.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically adjusting color parameters during a film-to-digital transfer. An operator uses standard telecine equipment to preview scenes in order to determine a natural clustering of fields or scenes. Each cluster is processed separately. All the fields in a cluster are treated as one unit in the sense that color adjustments for the cluster are based on the cluster color histogram, which is computed by aggregating the colors from all pixels in the cluster. Constraints are specified for the cluster. Variables of a constraint may be automatically specified or determined by an operator based on observing sample frames from the cluster. In addition, the operator can nullify a constraint if desired. Within each cluster, the system adjusts red, green and blue intensities of the digitizing device, gains for each of these color channels, and other parameters. The system first determines which settings respect the constraints and then optimizes the solution.

Abstract: A radiotherapeutic apparatus employs a collimator (52) set below a radiation source (50) and is adapted to move along an arc (54) substantially centered on the radiation source (50). As it sweeps the arc, the collimator (52) is adjusted so as to define the appropriate shape of radiation beam. A continuous sweep over the patient avoids edge artefacts and localized accumulation of leakage.

Abstract: A method for driving an actuator. The method includes applying an electrical potential across an electrostrictive material relative to a counterelectrode disposed within an electrolyte, thereby creating a double layer potential across a region of enhanced ionic concentration. A current flowing between the electorostrictive material and the counterelectrode is measured. A portion of the applied potential appearing across the electrolyte and counterelectrode is calculated and subtracted from the applied potential to obtain an estimated double layer potential. The applied electrical potential is adjusted to obtain a specified double layer potential.

Abstract: The invention features tumor antigens; tumor antigen-encoding nucleic acids; antibodies specific for tumor antigens and methods of using the antibodies; methods of identifying tumor antigens and the nucleic acids that encode them; methods of monitoring or diagnosing tumors in patients; methods of testing patients for the increased likelihood of developing a tumor; and methods and compositions for treatment of a tumor or prophylaxis against developing a tumor.

Abstract: Modular internet telephony feature servers allow individual users to manage internet telephone calls. Modular internet telephony feature servers may be used in a hierarchical internet telephony system in which a higher tier internet telephony feature server forwards telephone calls to one or more lower tier internet telephony feature servers, and each lower tier internet telephony feature server is configurable separately from the higher tier internet telephony feature server and from other lower tier internet telephony feature servers to direct telephone calls received from the higher tier internet telephony feature server.

Abstract: The present invention relates to network enabled analysis of x-ray images. Also described are devices comprising calibration phantoms; methods of using these devices; methods of formulating databases containing information regarding x-ray images; the databases themselves; and methods of manipulating the information and databases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the speed of a DC electric motor receives a periodic commutation signal having a fixed duration on cycle and an off cycle. The commutation signal then is modified to form a periodic modified commutation signal having substantially the same period duration as the commutation signal. The modified commutation signal has a single on cycle per period. The method and apparatus then determine a desired speed of the motor, and vary the duration of the on cycle of the commutation signal to form the on cycle of the modified commutation signal. The on cycle of the modified commutation signal has a duration that is less than the fixed duration. By varying in this manner, the rotor rotates at substantially the desired speed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for transporter shaft coupling and decoupling to assure alignment of a user interface with a control shaft through matching asymmetric cylindrical surfaces and alignment of an upper shaft segment and a lower shaft segment with ribs meshing with grooves on rings attached to the upper shaft. A tone confirms proper connection. Alignment apparatus is protected from damage associated with torques applied to the control shaft by tab features designed to first give way before other damage is incurred and from moisture by apparatus that seals the connection between upper and lower shaft segments. The user is protected from sudden loss of control by requiring the user interface to execute a sequence of linear and rotational manipulations during assembly of the shaft.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for assessing the condition of a cartilage in a joint, particularly a human knee. The methods include converting an image such as an MRI to a three dimensional map of the cartilage. The cartilage map can be correlated to a movement pattern of the joint to assess the affect of movement on cartilage wear. Changes in the thickness of cartilage over time can be determined so that therapies can be provided. Information on thickness of cartilage and curvature of cartilage or subchondral bone can be used to plan therapy. Information on movement pattern can be used to plan therapy.

Abstract: A network-attached system, device, and method supports storage devices having a plurality of storage device types, such as Fibre Channel storage devices, ATA storage devices, serial attached SCSI storage devices, serial ATA storage devices, and solid stage storage devices. Each storage device having a different storage device type is associated with a set of management rules. The management rules may includes rules for such things as identifying the dedicated storage device, configuring the dedicated storage device, sending disk protocol messages to the dedicated storage device, handling disk protocol message received from the dedicated storage device, and handling error and exception conditions.

Abstract: A circuit for a high speed digital buffer has an active load circuit connected to an output of the digital buffer. The active load circuit loads the buffer output with an active inductance to reduce the RC time constant at the buffer output. The active load circuit may be based on two active devices connected to the buffer output so as to form a differential cascode circuit.

Abstract: Detecting the presence of an electric fan is described. A current sink circuit is coupled to a pulse width drive output of a fan control circuit. A logic state in a logic input buffer is defined based on current flow through the current sink. The logic state indicates if a fan is coupled to the pulse width drive output.

Abstract: A method and system for repairing a redundant array of disk drives. A failed drive in a redundant array is reconstructed by reconstructing the failed drive to a mirrored subsystem formed by a temporary disk drive and the disk drive slot associated with the failed drive. The failed drive is replaced by a replacement drive and the mirrored subsystem copies data from the temporary disk drive to the replacement disk drive.