Abstract: A vibration dose measurement apparatus 10 for an operator's hand 1 comprises a sensing assembly 20 connected to a control unit 25. The sensing assembly 20 comprises an accelerometer 21, gyroscope 22, and gripping force sensor 23 and may be packaged within a protective housing (not shown). By monitoring output of the sensor assembly 20, the vibration dose experienced by the hand 1 can be estimated. In the present invention, the provision of gripping force sensor 23 allows for vibration dose measurement to be adjusted based on the output of gripping force sensor 23. This can therefore take into account the force applied by an operator in gripping machinery, which can impact significantly on the effective vibration dose.

Abstract: A control system (1) for controlling a plant (2) comprises a feedback loop including an integrator (7); a signal generator (32); and a scaling unit (10). The feedback loop comprises an input suitable for connection to an output (18) of the plant. The integrator integrates a signal received from the input to generate a state signal x. The signal generator generates a periodic base perturbation signal (34) with an initial amplitude. The scaling unit generates a scaling factor (30) having a first value if the variance of the state signal var(x) is zero, or a second value if the variance of the state signal is non-zero, wherein the second value is proportional to (formulae 1) The scaling unit is arranged to multiply (16) the initial amplitude of the periodic base perturbation signal by the scaling factor to produce a state dependent perturbation signal (35, 36), which is applied to an input of the plant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the measurement of a pressure differential across a differential pressure flow meter ?P1 and the line pressure drop due to friction ?Pf along a length L of pipe. Subsequently, the quantity (formula) is calculated, enabling the inline calculation of multiple properties of the flow. Calculated flow properties include friction factor, Reynolds number, discharge coefficient, density, viscosity, and corrected flowrate. The present invention further relates to a method of calibration of a differential flow meter and a calibration apparatus for a differential flow meter utilising the same principles.

Abstract: A vehicle (100) comprising a plurality of wheels (106a, b) and an apparatus on a wheeled vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle, or apparatus, comprises a control system arranged to issue a signal in the event of determining that one or more wheels of the vehicle has lost, or is at risk of losing, frictional contact with a road surface (104). The vehicle, or apparatus, further comprises a gas source arranged to supply a burst of gas upon said signal being issued. At least one gas outlet (112) is connected to said gas source and is arranged to direct said burst of gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of at least one of the wheels.

Abstract: The present invention provides for depositing a desired pattern (31) of magnetic material (30) on a non-magnetic substrate (20). Control of the deposition pattern (31) is achieved by use of a magnetised template (10) shaped to correspond to the desired deposition pattern. In use, the template (10) is placed behind the substrate (20). Subsequently, the front surface of the substrate (20) is exposed to a solution containing the magnetic material (30) to be deposited. The magnetic material (30) is attracted to the magnetised template (10) and consequently is deposited in a pattern (31) covering areas corresponding to the shape of the template (10).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the measurement of a pressure differential across a differential pressure flow meter ?P1 and the line pressure drop due to friction ?Pf along a length L of pipe. Subsequently, the quantity (formula) is calculated, enabling the inline calculation of multiple properties of the flow. Calculated flow properties include friction factor, Reynolds number, discharge coefficient, density, viscosity, and corrected flowrate. The present invention further relates to a method of calibration of a differential flow meter and a calibration apparatus for a differential flow meter utilising the same principles.

Abstract: User devices (1-4) are each provided with a data connection (20) to a remote server (30) and a beacon transceiver. Device (2) is operable to actively transmit beacon signals including its unique beacon identification code for a limited period. During active transmissions by device (2), devices (1 & 3) are within range of the transmissions and are operable to extract the beacon identification code of the transmitting device (2) and thus directly infer that they are in proximity to the transmitting device (2). The receiving devices (1, 3) communicate with server (30) their own unique beacon identification code and the received beacon identification code of the transmitting device (2). In response, the server (30) communicates details of the transmitting device (2) to the receiving devices (1, 3) and the beacon identification codes of the receiving devices (1, 3) to the transmitting device (2).

Abstract: The invention provides a binder composition comprising: (a) ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), (b) basic oxygen slag (BOS), and (c) an alkaline inorganic waste material selected from by-pass dust (BPD), cement kiln dust (CKD), and mixtures thereof. The use of such a composition as a binder in a concrete mix, concrete mixes comprising such a composition, methods of manufacturing concrete articles, and concrete articles such as paving blocks are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing an antimicrobial fabric or yarn, said method comprising the steps of immersing a fabric or yarn in an aqueous solution of a metal salt whilst simultaneously subjecting said solution to ultrasonic radiation; and removing the fabric or yarn from said solution and subsequently converting the metal salt in situ in the fabric or yarn into metal oxide nanoparticles, preferably via chemical and heat treatment. Fabrics and yarns obtained or obtainable by such method are also provided. In a further aspect the invention provides an apparatus for performing such method.

Abstract: A method of managing collisions, the method comprising: identifying a first crash structure (22) and determining an initial stiffness of the crash structure; determining a level of aggressivity of the collision based on the predicted energy absorption for each vehicle; identifying a first crash structure whose stiffness can be adjusted, and determining a subsequent stiffness value for the crash structure based on the determined amount of energy to be absorbed by each of the vehicles such that the energy absorbed by the crash structure is changed and the level of aggressivity is reduced; and stiffening the first crash structure to the determined stiffness value.

Abstract: A solid overlay for laser shock peening is described herein. The solid overlay includes a transparent or translucent material, wherein the solid overlay is structured and adapted to a shape of a surface of a component to be treated by the laser shock peening. The solid overlay is configured to confine a plasma plume generated by laser light.

Abstract: A method of assessing the stability of a wheeled mobility assistance vehicle 1, by determining the position of the centre of gravity of the vehicle. There are arrays load sensors (8, 9, 10, 11) on which the wheels (3, 5) of the vehicle are placed, the sensor arrays providing data sufficient to permit determination of the position of a wheel. The sensor arrays supplying data to data processing means (13) which calculates from that data the load imposed by individual wheels of the vehicle, the positions of those individual wheels and thus distances between the wheels of the vehicle. The distances between wheels and the loads imposed by the heels of the vehicle are used to determine the position of the centre of gravity of the vehicle.

Abstract: Exercise apparatus (1) in which a person exercising exerts a force against a movable actuator (6) to which is applied an adjustable force by a load system which resists or assists the movement of the actuator and is connected to the actuator by cables (9). The load system comprises a fixed, longitudinally arranged coaxial series of coil units (15), each coil unit being independently connectible to a source of electric current. The series of coils provides an elongate passage (18), and a shuttle (19) of ferromagnetic material is mounted for relative longitudinal movement within the passage, in response to movement of the actuator. Passage of a current through a coil unit exerts a force on the shuttle when in that coil unit, and is controlled by a microprocessor (22).

Abstract: In the application, the change in the magnetic state of the haemoglobin caused by the malarial infection is exploited by detecting suitable properties of haemozoin which are dependent on the application of a magnetic field. FIG. 1 shows apparatus, shown generally at (10), for performing magneto-optical detection using photo-acoustic techniques. The apparatus (10) comprises a light source (12), producing a beam of optical radiation (14) which passes through a polarizer (16), a variable LC retarder (0 or 180° retardance) (18), and a (chopper 20), before impinging on a sample (22) held in a sample holder (24). The sample is in direct contact with an acoustic detector (26). The apparatus (10) further comprises an electromagnet (28), and a Gauss meter (30) can be utilized to measure the applied magnetic field strength.

Abstract: A container (1) for the storage and transport of waste electrical and/or electronic equipment has at least one tray (17) provided with an array (24) of upwardly projecting resilient locating portions. The tray receives relatively small waste equipment such as electric lamps, mobile telephones or the like in a number of different orientations in which the items will occupy spaces between the locating portions and will be gripped by the locating portions.

Abstract: A structural module (10) for use in water irrigation, water drainage, water retention and water filtering systems, comprises a load bearing base unit (10) and porous material (15), wherein the base unit has a top wall (11) and a bottom wall (12) spaced therefrom by one or more supporting elements (13, 20) so as to define a volume between the top and bottom walls. The base unit being provided with apertures (17, 18, 19) to permit the flow of liquid into and out of the volume. The porous material is a block (15) foamed polymeric material which occupies a substantial portion of the volume within the base unit and absorbs and retains water that passes through the apertures.

Abstract: A method of stabilizing an electrolysis cell with a boundary, a liquid metal layer and an electrolyte layer having specific operational and geometric parameters, and comprises the steps of determining amplitude and frequency values for a desired external, time-varying and/or alternating magnetic field through wave reflection analysis on a theoretical wall whose parameters are representative of the cell wall's parameters; and imposing on said cell an external, time-varying and/or alternating magnetic field having substantially the same amplitude and frequency values determined in the wave reflection analysis so that the resultant magnetic field imposed on the cell tends to parametrically and dynamically desynchronize the occurrence of resonance instability near the cell's walls.

Abstract: A method of stabilising an electrolysis cell with a boundary, a liquid metal layer and an electrolyte layer having specific operational and geometric parameters, and comprises the steps of determining amplitude and frequency values for a desired external, time-varying and/or alternating magnetic field through wave reflection analysis on a theoretical wall whose parameters are representative of the cell wall's parameters; and imposing on said cell an external, time-varying and/or alternating magnetic field having substantially the same amplitude and frequency values determined in the wave reflection analysis so that the resultant magnetic field imposed on the cell tends to parametrically and dynamically desynchronize the occurrence of resonance instability near the cell's walls.

Abstract: A paving system comprises an upper paving layer (1) permeable to liquid, and a substrate layer (7) of load bearing particulate material. Particles (10) of a non-load bearing, non-degradable porous foamed polymeric material are distributed in the interstitial spaces between particles (9) of the load bearing particulate material. The porous material may be an open celled phenolyic foam such as foamed phenol formaldehyde resin. The porous material absorbs water and also serves to retain microorganisms to break down pollutants. The system can be in fluid communication with the surrounding soil. Elements of the porous material may be used in lumps, which crumble under load into particles, which settle into the substrate layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides the use of a particulate polymer material as a support for an active agent, characterised in that said polymer material is a polymer produced by copolymerising an unsaturated heterocyclic monomer and squaric or croconic acid or a derivative thereof.