Abstract: The present invention provides a powerful new method for producing, uniform sized and uniformly aligned nanotubes through catalytic pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon within the dense, uniform and parallel pores of alumina nano-templates. The catalyst, Co, Fe, Ni or another suitable substance is deposited electrochemically into the bottom of the channel of the alumina template. The nanotubes with any desired diameter in the range 5-500 nm and lengths up to .about.100 .mu.m, are generated by the pyrolysis of a suitable hydrocarbon inside the pores of the alumina template with at least one end open at the alumina/air interface. The nanotubes may be filled by metals using for example electroless deposition.

Abstract: There is disclosed a foaming device for dispensing foam. The device includes a collapsible liquid container and a foam pump attached to the container outlet. The foam pump includes two enclosures, the first being bonded in the throat of the container and the second being telescopingly received in the first with a flexible seal mounted on the second enclosure to provide an air tight seal. When assembled, the two enclosures define an air chamber and a fluid chamber each having outlets which merge by the foamer outlet. The fluid chamber accepts liquid from the container and when the second member is moved with respect to the first member the fluid chamber is pressurized to open an outlet valve and air is simultaneously expelled through the outlet. The liquid and air commingle as they pass through a wire, plastic or fabric mesh thereby forming the foam. There is included a dispenser housing for releasibly receiving the collapsible liquid container and foam pump.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reconfigurable modular drive joint that can be used as the basis for building and configuring robotic and automated systems as an interconnected network of individual nodes, with each node representing a single modular joint. Each modular joint can be quickly set up in either a roll, pitch or yaw configuration. A large number of different robot structures can be built using a small number of the modular joints in any of these three configurations. The modules are equipped with quick-connect mechanisms so that a new robot structure can be assembled in a few minutes. A robot or other automated system assembled from such modular joints is a true reconfigurable and modular system. The control system is decentralized. Each modular joint is provided with its own built-in control system and electronics. The modular joints each include a motor and associated sensors.

Abstract: There is provided a method for treating the surface of metals such as nickel based or high alloy steels, austenitic and ferritic stainless steels, copper and aluminum alloys to increase their corrosion resistance by modification of the metal surfaces to inhibit cathodic corrosion processes. In a single step treatment process the metals are immersed into a heated aqueous composition containing a rare earth salt substantially free of any halide compound. Increased corrosion resistance is obtained using nitrates of yttrium, gadolinium, cerium, europium, terbium, samarium, neodymium, praseodymium, lanthanum, holmium, ytterbium, dysprosium, and erbium nitrates. The rare earth salt is present in the range from about 2% by weight to saturation of the solution. The composition includes a pH-modifying substance such as nitric acid to adjust the pH in the range 0.5 to about 6.5 to attack the surface to remove oxides facilitating deposition of the rare earth. For aluminum alloys the pH is maintained between 4.5 to 6.

Abstract: A protective head gear includes a generally open head portion and a collar portion. The protective head gear is for use in contact sports by an athlete wearing a helmet. The head portion is generally open and has a crown segment and a pair of opposed side segments. The crown segment has a crown base and each side segment has a side base. The head portion is spaced upwardly and outwardly from the helmet. The crown segment and each side segment are contoured to and spaced from the shape of the helmet. The collar portion is hingeably connected to the crown base. The collar portion having a generally rigid layer adapted to be positioned around the athlete's neck and to transmit the force from a hit on the head portion to the collar portion. In use, the collar portion is attached to the athlete.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for calibration of pose of a tool center point (TCP) of a robot controlled tool with respect to a tool sensor means in which the robot controlled tool is attached at an end-point of the robot. The method provides a reference fixture with at least four topographically defined features, the reference fixture having a preselected first pose with respect to a robot frame of reference. A TCP sensor is located in a preselected second pose with respect to the reference fixture for sensing position of the tool center point.

Abstract: There is disclosed an automated apparatus, reagents and process for immunocytochemical staining of biological materials using ligand pairing. The present invention provides a method for storing a ligand in a macroscopic solid support and releasing the ligand into contact with a biological sample mounted on a surface of a substrate. The process includes providing a macroscopic solid support formed of a solidified matrix material encapsulating a ligand therein with the macroscopic solid support being disintegratable to release the ligand therefrom. The solid support is placed in a first chamber which is in flow communication with a second chamber containing the substrate with the biological sample affixed thereto. The step of disintegrating the macroscopic solid support may include heating the macroscopic solid support to liquefy it when the matrix material is gelatin or a wax.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for the continuous production of a thermoplastic product having biaxially oriented components. Preferably the thermoplastic compound includes filler. The process may be used to manufacture hollow profiles or sheets. The product is made by a continuous extrusion process which biaxially orients the components by forcing a molten thermoplastic compound through a contoured die with a contoured mandrel therein and then cooling the compound to preserve the imparted orientation. With respect to the sheets a biaxially oriented hollow profile is formed, then cut along the axial direction and then flattened into a sheet.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a parallel or closed loop mechanism for moving and positioning a member in space. The mechanism includes three branches each provided with at least two link members being serially connected together by a spherical elbow joint whereby the first and second link members are rotatable with respect to each other about any axis passing through a center of the first joint. The mechanism is provided with actuators for moving each branch and the first links of each branch are rigidly connected at an end portion thereof to the actuator means. The mechanism includes three revolute joints each defining a longitudinal axis of rotation. Each revolute joint is connected to an associated second link member so that the longitudinal axes of all third joints intersect at a point and the revolute joints are interconnected so that the three branches form three parallel or closed loops.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bandwidth-efficient fading-resistant transmission scheme where a base station implements transmitter diversity using L antennas or L carrier frequencies or L time slots, regardless of the use of frame oriented power control. When the antennas or carriers are spaced sufficiently far apart, or when a different power is used for each power control frame, the transmission from each antenna or carrier or time frame undergoes independent fading. These transmissions are coordinated to mitigate the effects of Rayleigh fading and the mobile receiver can recover the entire L-dimensional transmitted vector as long as the signal energy of at least one coordinate is large enough. L-dimensional fading-resistant signal constellations are generated by maximizing a figure of merit for the Rayleigh fading channel. This scheme offers a significant performance improvement over a conventional single-antenna or single-carrier narrowband BPSK scheme when coding is ineffective due to slow fading.

Abstract: A method of growing single crystal diamonds in excess of 10 .mu.m in diameter from industrial diamond "seeds" having mean diameters of approximately 1.5 .mu.m is disclosed. The diamonds are grown by exposing the seed diamonds to C.sub.70 in the presence of elemental reducing agents such as phosphorus or selenium in evacuated cells at moderate temperatures and pressures. In another aspect the invention diamonds are grown by exposing diamond seed particles to vapour phase C.sub.70 in the presence of a gas phase metal carbonyl, such as F.sub.5 e(CO) in a temperature range of 400.degree. C. to 700.degree. C. to cause at least some of the diamond seed particles to grow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for in situ measuring thicknesses of ice buildup on airfoil. The method and device uses a probe including a high energy radioactive gamma ray source .sup.241 Am producing 60 keV photons which penetrate through the airfoil substrate and a photodetector mounted behind the source for detection of backscattered photons. The probe is mounted on the interior of the airfoil and secondary radiation is backscattered within the ice layer and back through the airfoil substrate to the photodetector. The shape and density of the source holder in addition to the geometrical arrangement of the source and detector with respect to the airfoil substrate are used to block photons backscattered in the airfoil substrate thereby favoring scattering in the ice layer over that in the aluminum.

Abstract: New phosphors based on doped alkaline earth gallates for electroluminescent (EL) display materials. Bright red EL has been obtained in amorphous and crystalline alkaline earth gallates doped with europium. Powder targets of nominal compositions Sr.sub.4 Ga.sub.2 O.sub.7, Sr.sub.7 Ga.sub.4 O.sub.13, Sr.sub.3 Ga.sub.2 O.sub.6, Sr.sub.3 Ga.sub.4 O.sub.9, SrGa.sub.4 O.sub.7, SrGa.sub.12 O.sub.19, Ba.sub.4 Ga.sub.2 O.sub.7, Ba.sub.3 Ga.sub.2 O.sub.6 and Ca.sub.3 Ga.sub.4 O.sub.9 doped with 1-2% Eu, were RF magnetron sputtered onto BaTiO.sub.3 substrates. Both annealed and as-deposited films yielded bright EL emission in the red part of the visible spectrum with peaks characteristic of the Eu.sup.3+ ion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of abatement of pain using somatosensory stimulation and devices for implementing the method. The method involves application of spatially modulated temperature differences to the skin in the vicinity of pain. The application of a spatial temperature difference produces a large sensory stimulus along neural pathways the same as or adjacent to those transmitting the signals giving rise to the sensation of pain. This acts to cause the brain to block sensation from the affected area thereby alleviating the pain and the brain has no built in method of adapting or habituating to this type of sensory input. The temperature differential applied is up to 40.degree.-45.degree. C. with the high temperature maintained at or below 45.degree. C. and the low temperature at or above 0.degree. C. to prevent tissue damage.

Abstract: A dispenser comprises a collapsible bottle and a valve assembly for placement in the throat of the bottle which includes a first hollow valve member sealed in the throat of the bottle and a hollow second valve member having apertures in the side wall. The second valve member telescopes in the first valve member between a closed position in which the apertures are located within the channel of the first valve member to close the bottle and an open position in which the apertures are in flow communication with the interior of the bottle. The first and second valve members are dimensioned to receive a probe forming part of a dispenser pump mechanism. The bottle is provided with crease lines located on the front, back and sides so that the bottle collapses as liquid is pumped out of the bottle to prevent exposure of the liquid contents to air.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for controlling, in real-time, processing variables in laser processing of materials using fuzzy logic control procedures by embedding expertise in the form of a rule base within a fuzzy logic controller. The method uses a visible light detector as part of the control loop to detect light from the laser-material interaction zone. The light is processed to extract spatial information on the size of the interaction zone and in one aspect determines the number of bright pixels above a pre-defined number which effectively gives the spatial extent or area of the visible light emitted from the interaction zone. From this elemental processing two system input variables are obtained, namely the current number of bright pixels, #BP, and the change in this count since the last calculation, .DELTA.BP.