Abstract: A first medium having an acousto-optic activity and a second medium are combined to form a net medium having a net acousto-optic activity greater than the acousto-optic activity of the first medium, where the improvement is substantiated via measurements made at specific viewing conditions, and where the second medium can be chosen because it effects at least one of three key properties of the net medium.

Abstract: A product and method uses acousto-optic reflection-active media having an optical reflectivity which changes with changes in acoustic energy intensity interacting with the media to form images of defects in samples when the defects reflect acoustic energy differently from known acoustically reflecting parts of the samples.

Abstract: The beam guide (11a) useful in radiation oncology is removably inserted within a body, and scans beams of charged particles into target volumes therein by varying a magnetic field, with magnetic fields serially guiding beams as the guide flexes.

Abstract: A belt attached tool holder has a base which in use is attached on a belt, has a collar which is attached to the base and which in use cradles a tool, and has a stop which is attached to the base and which in use holds the tool away from the base, wherein the stop can rotate upward when the collar rotates downward and can be energy absorbing.

Abstract: The bag expander comprises a bracket, and comprises a band, the band having a fixed end attached to the bracket, the band being flexed to form a perimeter, the band having a tail through the bracket and distal the perimeter, the band being held with the perimeter fixed by friction between the band and the bracket, and the tail being manually movable through the bracket to enlarge and reduce the perimeter; wherein the bracket is preferably connected to a wheeled cart.

Abstract: A computer-readable signal bearing medium (10) has components (11, 21, 31) which act via a data processor (86) in an imaging system having an acoustic energy source (81) and a birefringent detector (84, 70) to record first data (14) from a first portion (61) of an object (60), the first portion attenuating first acoustic energy (12) at least part way to a first attenuation maximum (13, 43) along a first acousto-optic response (41) of the birefringent detector; to record second data (24) from a second portion (62) of the object, the second portion attenuating second acoustic energy (22) at least part way to a second attenuation maximum (23, 53) along a second acousto-optic response (51) of the birefringent detector; combines the data (32), and outputs a result.

Abstract: The precision grapple—which is removably attachable to a vehicle which has implement fittings to which civil engineering implements are removably attachable—has a forwardly converging, low walled lifting bed so that oddly shaped objects—such as rocks and boulders—can be moved, held, and carried by the grapple, has a forwardly converging tongue which is removably attachable to the lifting bed to extend the lifting bed, and has a prong with two arms spaced to clear a tall object—such as a balled tree—held on the lifting bed by the prong.

Abstract: The puzzle holder comprises a frame, comprises a guide pair on the frame for receiving and supporting puzzles in a stack, comprises a stack pair on the frame for aiding stacking a second frame, interchangeable with the frame, on the frame, and comprises a handle connected to the frame for carrying the frame with puzzles edgewise.

Abstract: Expanding fluid thermometers are implanted in a body—for example in and adjacent to a cancerous tumor—and are read by x-ray imaging.

Abstract: A hand drill extender kit has components which are used with a length of electrical conduit to make an extender, a near end of which can be held in the chuck of a hand drill and a far end of which can hold a tool such as a hole saw, the components comprising a chuckable part, a tool holder part, a coupler for coupling two lengths of the electrical conduit, a jig to drill holes diametrically through the electrical conduit for fastening the electrical conduit to the other components, an auxiliary tool holder for tools with larger shafts, and a sample length of electrical conduit with the holes pre-drilled.

Abstract: The urine tube has a neck which in use holds itself open and in stowage is flat, has an attachment fixture at the neck, has a sheath which is attached around the neck and which has an output end distal the neck, and has a weighted ring which holds the output end open and secures the output end in a receptacle.

Abstract: A stabilizing system, which is especially useful in radiation therapy, has markers located in a body in a set of positions relative to external coordinates, the set of positions having a calibrated spatial relationship with a target volume in the body, the markers being imaged by an imager at subsequent times to produce subsequent imager output signals which are compared by a data processor which generates a control signal which drives an actuator sub-system to move the body to stabilize the target volume relative to the external coordinates, wherein confounding effects of high energy, high intensity radiations which may also be present in the body are overcome by various distinguishing arrangements.

Abstract: The guard positions plates at the palm side of the two middle fingers and at a portion of the palm adjacent to the middle fingers thus distributing the weight of an object being lifted over the area of the plates in order to reduce pressure which would otherwise be present on smaller areas of the fingers and palm, without interfering with the remaining fingers which provide control of the lifted object.

Abstract: The rod holder comprises an outer sleeve having an outer slot; and an inner sleeve having an inner slot, the inner sleeve rotating within the outer sleeve and moving along the outer sleeve to open the inner slot and the outer slot to insertion of an elongated object, such as a fishing rod, and the inner sleeve rotating within the outer sleeve and moving along the outer sleeve to close the inner slot and the outer slot to secure the elongated object.

Abstract: Light from a collimated light source which is incident on a birefringent detector at a predetermined optimum angle interacts with the birefringent detector and is viewed by an imaging transducer in order to produce an image which shows changes in the birefringence of the birefringent detector caused by acoustic energy which has interacted with an object, the image thus showing heterogeneities in the object.

Abstract: A cover diaphragm is removably attached over the outer edge of a stethoscope high frequency pickup in order to isolate the pickup from pathogens contacted when the stethoscope is used to examine a person. The cover diaphragm can be used as the diaphragm of a stethoscope high frequency pickup and can be used with a diaphragm supplied with the stethoscope. After the cover diaphragm has been used it can be discarded and destroyed by known safe procedures and alternatively can be cleaned by known safe procedures for reuse.

Abstract: A photon beam dose enhancement is controlled by configuring a topical magnetic field, the magnetic field configuration having a magnetic field component across the beam path and having a magnetic field gradient component along the beam path which cause the dose enhancement, the dose enhancement being changeable during beam use by changing the magnetic field configuration during beam use, wherein the topical magnetic field can be produced by an array of magnet coils.

Abstract: The holder has a base which can be rotatably attached to at least one chair leg, where the chair leg can be a leg of a star-based chair, a leg of a four-legged chair, an upright of a wheel chair, and analogous members of other chairs. An adjustable height arm is rotatably attached to the base, and a deck for holding a keyboard is rotatably attached to the arm. The holder can be adjusted easily in height, distance from the person using the holder, and angle of the deck, and the holder can easily swing away for easy access to the chair.

Abstract: An angle attachment is attached to a drill without removing the drill chuck by securing the shaft of a coupler in the drill chuck and seating the coupler on the nut of either shaft of the angle attachment, securing the angle attachment to the drill with a sleeve, and threading an attachment chuck onto the shaft of the angle attachment which is not coupled to the drill chuck

Abstract: The new fastener has a shank which is resiliently compressible along an axis perpendicular to the shank push-in axis and has teeth protruding from the shank along the axis of resilient compressibility. The teeth are inclined in the push-in direction and in the pull-out direction. When the shank is pushed into an existing screw hole, then inclines of teeth just past the far side of the screw hole are increased to resist motion in the pull-out direction so that the shank is secured in the screw hole and so that the fastener can be pulled out without damage. The shank is configured to increase the compressibility and to increase the elastic force opposing compression. The shank can be a monolithic part of a first structure fastened to a second structure.