Abstract: The present invention relates to task chairs that support the body of the user in healthy positions while the user performs various tasks over extended sitting periods and that provide independent and independently adjustable support to the lower and the upper back.

Abstract: Computer software for and a method of determining location of a target image within a two-dimensional input image by employing a three-dimensional reference image comprising determining object edge points in the input image; given estimated seeker line-of-sight orientation and range data, computing a two-dimensional reference image from the three-dimensional reference image; applying a weighted-direction-cross-product Hough Transform to the object edge points and points of the two-dimensional reference image; classifying the input image as containing a target image or not; if the image contains a target image, identifying a location of the target image within the two-dimensional input image; computing confidence measure as to the selected location of the target image; and in the case of sequential decision, also performing confidence accumulation through multi-frames or multi-looks.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for differential spectral interferometry comprising providing an interferometer comprising a light source; employing an element to provide a dithered relative phase shift between target and reference arms of the interferometer, detecting output from the interferometer, demodulating signals received from the detector at different multiples of the dither frequencies, generating more than one real-valued interferograms from demodulated signals, and using the real-valued interferograms to obtain the complex spectral interferogram.

Abstract: Glasses for everyday use, comprising a frame into which is fitted a lens system for the correction of defective vision, which comprises at least one pair of lenses formed by a first lens and a second lens, which first and second lens, viewed in the path of vision, are disposed one behind the other and are mutually adjustable for realizing a desired degree of correction of vision, wherein the first lens is coupled with a first adjusting element and the second lens is coupled with a second adjusting element, and the first and the second adjusting elements in the assembled state form an integral component of an adjusting organ, and are designed for moving one along the other for the purpose of an adjustment of the lenses.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for switching high power at high repetition rates. The apparatus is preferably a switch utilizing a pressurized flowing dielectric. The pressurized dielectric suppresses growth of dielectric breakdown byproducts, such as large bubbles and breakdown contamination, enabling lower dielectric flow rates to remove the byproducts. In addition to the advantage of lower flow rates, and thus smaller and lighter pumping means, the switch can switch high energies (up to megajoules) at fast repetition rates, up to thousands of pulses per second. The switch is preferably triggered to reduce jitter. The switch can also be used to remove water from oil.

Abstract: A handicap placard holder and method of use comprising a display surface for the placard, triangular side panels on sides of the display surface and bent at an angle from the display surface, means for holding the placard in place on the display surface, and means for attaching the holder to a dash of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: Presented is a method of prognosing a patient's response to a cancer therapy wherein prior to the therapy contacting a sample of cells from the patient's tissue or organ being treated for the cancer with a solution of TCPP to permit binding of the TCPP to components of the abnormal dysplastic or carcinomic cells, if any are present; removing unbound TCPP from the sample; c detecting TCPP fluorescence in the sample, the presence of TCPP fluorescence being indicative that the sample contains dysplastic or carcinomic cells; at intervals during the therapy and subsequent to the therapy performing steps a-c on another sample of cells from the patient's tissue or organ being treated for the cancer; and determining if the percentage of abnormal pre-cancerous cells in the samples tested during and subsequent to the therapy are reduced as compared with the sample tested prior to the therapy, the reduction being prognostic of the patients's response to the cancer therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for breaking mineral particles comprising suspending the particles in a liquid flowing in a column, the liquid comprising a dielectric constant higher than the particles and wherein an electric voltage pulse is sent to electrodes to pass an electric field in the mineral particles with sufficient stress to fracture the mineral particles.

Abstract: A transport container for cut flowers includes at least one substantially watertight first container part (10) for receiving stems of cut flowers and a second container part (30), which at least during transport at least largely surrounds the cut flowers. The second container part includes a hollow base portion (20) which substantially receives the first container part on an upper surface thereof. The manually removable base portion (20) connects with a bottom of the second container part (30) and surrounds the cut flowers at least over a part of their length. Optionally, a collar element (40) is placed on the sleeve element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving network connection security. An adapter having a cross-wiring section which alters the pin out of the network from a standard wiring pattern to a non-standard wiring pattern is preferably connected to two or more connection points for the network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a collapsible, portable, tripod chair.

Abstract: The corneal implant of the current invention takes the general form of a thin, transparent, flexible, porous, biocompatible film of suitable polymer material. The implant is sufficiently porous, the porosity being imparted by the film being irradiated to produce tracks and the material in those tracks being subsequently removed through an etching process, to allow the adequate flow of gaseous and tissue fluid components through the film. Specific embodiments of the invention are achieved by the addition of features to the general form. The embodiment applicable to corneal reshaping features a surface relief pattern in the implant. The artificial iris embodiment features an imprinted partly to fully opaque or partially reflective annular iris pattern of selected inner and outer diameters.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the identification of arcing phenomena in a faulted electrical network. By continually updating a model for the load on an electrical branch, an estimate of the behavior of that load may be calculated. Since electrical arcing faults result in a chaotic behavior that is difficult to describe, when arcing occurs, the model will be unable to adequately describe the arcing behavior and this inability indicates a fault condition, in response to which, power may be removed in full or in part from the faulted electrical network. In some embodiments, a current shunt is used to distinguish between source side and load side arcing. Some embodiments utilize a solid state switch as both current shunt and interruption means.

Abstract: Enhanced band bending materials for use in rectifying contacts comprising metal nanoparticles and a semiconducting polymer that is soluble in common organic solvents including, for example, a gold-polymeric nanocomposite comprising gold nanoparticles in poly(m-phenylenevinylene-co-2,5-dioctoxy-p-phenlenevinylene((“PmPV”). The nanocomposite material provides for enhanced Schottky barriers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wheeled ambulation, exercise, and lifting apparatus for lifting patients with compromised strength in the legs and for allowing such patients to be mobile with access to a variety of facilities.

Abstract: Devices for electrosurgery by means of oxy-hydro combustion. Deleterious effects to tissue are minimized by means of control of acid-base shift reactions, which reactions can further be employed to control oxy-hydro combustion reactions. In one embodiment, radiofrequency energy in electrical connection with electrodes is employed to induce electrolysis in an aqueous salt environment, thereby producing oxygen and hydrogen, with the same energy source employed to initiate a combustion reaction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring oxygen concentrations in fuel tank ullage comprising providing a sensor head comprising an optical cavity, exposing the optical cavity to an ambient gaseous environment of a fuel tank or air separation module, via a laser light source emitting wavelength modulated light through the cavity, and receiving the wavelength modulated light with a detector.

Abstract: A method and Electro-Optical (EO) system for processing imagery comprising selecting a first frame of data as a template frame; capturing a second frame of data using the EO system, for a plurality of pixels of the second frame, correlating the plurality of pixels of the second frame with pixels of the template frame to generate a plurality of shift vectors, one for each pixel of the plurality of pixels of the second frame, registering the second frame with the template frame by interpolating the second frame using the plurality of shift vectors and re-sampling at least a portion of the second frame to produce a registered frame, re-sampling the template frame, and combining the re-sampled template frame and the registered frame to generate an averaged frame.

Abstract: A device and method for collecting subject responses, particularly during magnetic imaging experiments and testing using a method such as functional MRI. The device comprises a non-metallic input device which is coupled via fiber optic cables to a computer or other data collection device. One or more optical switches transmit the subject's responses. The input device keeps the subject's fingers comfortably aligned with the switches by partially immobilizing the forearm, wrist, and/or hand of the subject. Also a robust nonmetallic switch, particularly for use with the input device and methods for optical switching.

Abstract: A buried-contact solar cell, in-process buried-contact solar cell components and methods for making buried contact solar cells wherein a self-doping contact material is placed in a plurality of buried-contact surface grooves. By combining groove doping and metallization steps, the resulting solar cell is simpler and more economical to manufacture.