Abstract: An optical position monitor for determining the position of a latch needle (104) in a knitting machine is provided that comprises: at least one fiducial (102) at a known fixed cation on the body of the latch needle; a fiducial imager that produces at least one optical image (262) of the at least one fiducial on at least one light sensitive surface (260) wherein the at least one optical image changes with changes in position of said at least one fiducial; and a controller that receives at least one signal responsive to the changes in the at least one image and uses the at least one signal to determine the position of the at least one fiducial (102) and thereby of the latch needle (104).

Abstract: A method for determining the relative motion of a surface with respect to a measurement device comprising: illuminating the surface with incident illumination such that illumination is reflected from portions of the surface; placing a partially reflecting object, which is part of the measuring device, adjacent to the surface, wherein part of the incident illumination is reflected or diffracted by the object, as a reference illumination; coherently detecting the illumination reflected from the surface, utilizing the illumination reflected from or diffracted by the object as a local oscillator, to form a signal; determining the relative motion of the surface from the signal; varying the phase of the illumination reflected from or diffracted by the object with respect to that reflected from the surface; and determining the direction of relative motion parallel to the surface based on a characteristic of the signal caused by said varied relative phase.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing multiple image slice data responsive to incident radiation passing through an object. The apparatus includes a detector array having a plurality (p) of parallel rows of detector elements which receive such incident radiation and generate signals therefrom, each of which rows is characterized by a width measured prior to collimation in the direction perpendicular to a long dimension thereof; and signal processing circuitry which receives signals from the detector elements and which combines the signals in a first combination mode and in at least m additional combination modes. In the first combination mode, the circuitry forms a set of n groups of rows, each such group of rows having an effective group width substantially equal to the effective group width of each of the other groups in the set. In each of the m additional combination modes, the circuitry forms different sets of n groups of rows, each such set having a different effective group width common to all groups in the set.

Abstract: A reinforcement structure to protect an integrated circuit module located within a card-type data carrier or smart card. The reinforcement structure is rigid, having a modulus of elasticity higher than modulus of elasticity of the smart card, and has a thickness dimension that is co-extensive with the thickness dimension of the smart card. The reinforcement structure is provided with a cavity for housing the integrated circuit module. In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcement structure is constructed of thermally and electrically conductive material that is castable or formable to facilitate integration of additional electronic circuit elements therein. In another embodiment, the reinforcement structure is configured in the shape of a SIMM card and is used in place of the normally flexible plastic SIMM card body.

Abstract: A method of processing a photoconductor comprising: providing a photoconductor having a base layer and a photoconductive layer; bending the photoconductor with the photoconductive layer facing outward without subjecting the photoconductor to substantial external stress other than by virtue of said bending; heat treating the bent; and allowing the bent photoconductor to cool.

Abstract: A scanner for scanning a beam across a surface, such as a photosensitive surface or a document, the scanner comprising: a plurality of multi-faceted polygon disks, mounted for common rotation on an axis; a plurality of data modulated beams, wherein one of said beams is configured to impinge on the facets of one of the disks and be reflected therefrom toward the surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selective photothermolysis of a target tissue within surrounding tissue. The target and the surrounding tissue are heated to a predetermined temperature of about 60° C. by a pulsed heat source such as a flash lamp which creates a temperature gradient in the air included in a cavity formed between the housing of the apparatus and the surrounding tissue. The surface temperature of the tissue is monitored by a sensor unit. When the tissue surface reaches the predetermined temperature the target tissue is heated to the point of coagulation, preferably by narrow band electromagnetic radiation. The temperature difference between the coagulating target and the surrounding tissue is sufficiently mild that heat diffusing out of the target does not damage the surrounding tissue, even in the case of a relatively large target such as varicose veins.

Abstract: An imaging device comprising an imaging surface on which images are formed; an image transfer surface which receives the images onto an image transfer portion thereof at a first transfer region and from which images are transferred at a second transfer region; and a cleaning arrangement including a cleaning surface which engages the image transfer portion at a cleaning region of the transfer surface. The image transfer portion receives a non-image pattern from the imaging surface at the first transfer region and the cleaning surface collects the non-image pattern at the cleaning region.

Abstract: A method for adjusting radiation flux in a CT scanner, including acquiring radiation attenuation data with respect to a body being imaged by the scanner from a CT scan, in a vicinity of a first axial position along the body and determining a modulation function, depending on radial view angle, based on the data. The body is translated relative to the scanner to a second axial position along the body, and a CT scan is performed in a vicinity of the second axial position, while controlling the radiation flux impinging on the body using the modulation function.

Abstract: A pattern recognition method of dynamic time warping of two sequences of feature sets onto each other is provided. The method includes the steps of creating a rectangular graph having the two sequences on its two axes, defining a swath of width r, where r is an odd number, centered about a diagonal line connecting the beginning point at the bottom left of the rectangle to the endpoint at the top right of the rectangle and also defining r−1 lines within the swath. The lines defining the swath are parallel to the diagonal line. Each array element k of an r-sized array is associated with a separate array of the r lines within the swath and for each row of the rectangle, the dynamic time warping method recursively generates new path values for each array element k as a function of the previous value of the array element k and of at least one of the current values of the two neighboring array elements k−1 and k+1 of the array element k.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing hairs from a region of skin, the apparatus including: a housing having an opening therein, the housing forming a cavity enclosing a volume of air when the opening is placed in contact with the region of skin; a switchable heat source disposed within the housing that rapidly heats the volume of air to a temperature sufficient to destroy the hair by conduction of heat along the length of the hair to a follicle thereof; and a power source that controllably energizes the heat source.

Abstract: A method for viewing transparencies comprising backlighting a transparency with polarized light and viewing the transparency through a polarizer. Preferably, the polarization axis of the backlighting and the polarization axis of the polarizer are oriented at about 90 degrees to each other. The transparency is oriented so that a substantial amount of polarized backlighting passes through the transparency and the polarizer. Also disclosed are apparatus for viewing a transparency using polarized backlighting.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing one or more non-axial image slices in a CT scanner, comprising: acquiring X-ray attenuation data over an axial range; and processing the attenuation data to determine CT values at a plurality of points along one or more surface corresponding respectively to each one or more non-axial image slices, wherein processing the attenuation data comprises back-projecting the data directly to the plurality of points along each of the one or more surfaces.

Abstract: A phonopneumograph system for analyzing breath sounds includes a plurality of breath related sensors placed around the respiratory system of a patient for measuring breath related activity and a breath analyzer. The breath analyzer matches the breath sound data produced by the breath related sensors to a plurality of breath sound templates each of which parametrize one type of breath sound and determines the presence of regular and/or adventitious breath sounds only when the breath sound data matches, within predetermined goodness of fit criteria, one or more of the breath sound templates.

Abstract: A method for producing valves for blood flow control having an outer sleeve and a plurality of flexible leaflets fixed to an inner surface of the sleeve, including: molding the valve to a first shape, in which the valve leaflets are in a closed position; holding the valve in a second desired shape, in which the valves are in an open position; and immersing the valve in a hot liquid while holding it in the second shape.

Abstract: A gamma camera arrangement and method for imaging a patient without moving the patient from the regular hospital bed to a patient carrier bed.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a PET (Positron Emission Tomograph) scanner includes:acquisition of data from a plurality of coincidence radiation events, using at least one detector; anddetermination of values for a set with at least one calibration factor, which factor affects an analytically defined calibration criterion. Preferably, the detector has at least one rotating planar detector and the acquisition of data includes acquiring data from a plurality of rotational positions of the detector.

Abstract: A one-way valve for use in a heart-assist device, said valve comprising:an outer sheath, defining an enclosing a lumen therein, and comprising a first radial opening;an inner sleeve, rotatably held inside the outer sheath, and comprising a second radial opening, which is alignable with the first radial opening by rotation of the sleeve, such that when the first and second radial openings are mutually aligned, the valve is open; anda torque coupling device, coupled to the inner sleeve,wherein in response to flow of a fluid in the lumen in a first flow direction, the torque coupling device causes the sleeve to rotate in a first rotational direction, thereby altering the alignment of the first and second radial openings.

Abstract: A transparency viewing device comprising:at least one interior reflective surface;a light transmitting viewing surface adapted to accommodate a transparency to be viewed;a light source which provides backlight illumination to the viewing surface, thereby creating a viewing field having a transparency-bearing region;at least one masking element mounted and configured for movement with respect to the viewing surface, which masks an adjustable area of the viewing field leaving a field of view including at least part of the transparency bearing region unmasked; andat least one reflective element, additional to the interior reflective surface, attached to the masking element such that when the masking element moves the reflective element moves together with the masking element and which reflective element directs at least part of the light from the masked area to the field of view in an amount and in a direction such that the backlighting of the unmasked region is substantially changed as a function of the movemen

Abstract: A method of pre-conditioning an organic photoreceptor, comprising: a) providing an organic photoreceptor having a residue of organic material thereon; and b) applying a solubilizing agent for the soluble organic material to the photoreceptor surface.