Abstract: A wavelength monitoring system for continuously monitoring the wavelengths of different optical channels transmitted through a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) fiberoptic system. In one construction, an optical diffraction grating is used to disperse the light being monitored onto a rotating polygon having mirrors on the facets thereof, such that the rotating polygon reflects the light onto a detector located behind a slit. In a second construction, the light is projected onto a rotating, hollow transparent cylinder having a thin film filter deposited on a surface thereof, wherein the thin film filter comprises a Fabry-Perot structure which has a gap which varies as a function of its position on the rim of the cylinder, such that the varying gap allows for a varying transmission wavelength which varies as a function of angular position. A detector is positioned in the interior of the cylinder to detect light passing through the rotating thin film filter.

Abstract: A system and method for stimulating human tissue using a master controller and a slave controller that communicate using high level commands. In one embodiment, a system of the invention includes a master controller, a slave controller in signal communication with and electrically isolated from the master controller, and a stimulation circuit in electrical communication with the slave controller and having a stimulation output capable of providing an electrical stimulation to the human tissue. The master controller communicates at least one command comprising at least one parameter to the slave controller, and the slave controller controls said stimulation circuit to stimulate human tissue in response to the command comprising at least one parameter.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing a ligament. In one form of the invention, there is disclosed a method for securing a graft ligament in a bone tunnel, the method comprising the steps of: (1) forming a first bone tunnel in a bone, and forming a second bone tunnel in the same bone, the second bone tunnel being transverse to, and intersecting, the first bone tunnel; (2) positioning a flexible member in the second transverse bone tunnel so that the flexible member extends across the first bone tunnel, and positioning the graft ligament in the first bone tunnel, independently of the flexible member, so that the graft ligament is looped over the flexible member; and (3) positioning a crosspin over the flexible member and in the second transverse bone tunnel so that the graft ligament is looped over, and may be supported by, the crosspin.

Abstract: In a fixture for ascertaining pressure losses in a pressure line (3) which can be blocked for a selectable unit of time by means of shut-off valves (11, 13), in which the consumers (4, 5) are connected to the pressure line (3) and the pressure line (3) is provided with a pressure watchdog (15), the blocked pressure line (3) can have an adjustable quantity of the enclosed pressurised medium supplied into it via a branch line (24) for a unit of time, and the pressure watchdog (15) is provided with a circuit (31) by means of which the pressure line (3) can be controlled depending on the operating status of the pressure watchdog (15). By means of this embodiment, it is possible with only a very minor scope of circuitry to test the pressure line (3) at any time or at selectable time intervals and, depending on the measurement result, to resume the supply to the consumers (4, 5) or to deactivate the pressure line (3).

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating microelectromechanically tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and microelectromechanically tunable Fabry-Perot filters with precise lateral and vertical dimensional control. Strained reflective dielectric film(s) are applied to a multiple quantum well structure to electronically band-gap-engineer the quantum wells. Appropriate strain in the reflective dielectric film layers is also used to create appropriate curvature in one of the reflective dielectric film stacks so as to form a confocal cavity between a planar reflective dielectric film layer and the curved reflective dielectric film layer in the vertical cavity surface emitting laser or filter. Laser and filter structures are also provided which include a suspended membrane structure made of a dielectric/metal membrane or metal film that supports a cavity-tuning reflective dielectric film stack while being anchored at the perimeter by metal support post(s).

Abstract: A vacuum system comprising a vacuum pump and a vacuum indicator. The vacuum pump comprises a cylinder, a piston disposed in the cylinder, a piston rod fixed to the piston and extending through an end of the cylinder, the rod being movable reciprocally, a sealing ring disposed on and around the piston and in engagement with an inside wall of the cylinder, and stops extending radially outwardly from the piston, the stops including a proximal stop and a distal stop, the sealing ring being axially movable between the proximal and distal stops, the piston having an axially-extending groove therein, the groove extending from proximal of the distal stop to proximal of the proximal stop, whereby upon movement of the piston in a first direction, the sealing ring engages the distal stop and seals an annular space between the piston and the inside wall of the cylinder, and upon movement of the piston in a second direction, the sealing ring engages the proximal stop and leaves unobstructed the axially-extending groove.