Abstract: The present invention provides a device for safely and conveniently conveying an object on a slope. The safety feature includes a fail-safe one-way brake comprising a ratchet wheel, a pawl and a biasing means. In one embodiment, the device is foldable; in another embodiment, the device is integrated with a suitcase; in yet another embodiment, the device is motorized.

Abstract: A haemostatic valve according to an embodiment comprises a valve housing receiving an intravascular device, a first slider arranged on the valve housing moveable in a first direction, and a second slider received in the valve housing moveable in a second direction and elastically biased, the first slider being operatively connected to the second slider via a transmission mechanism so that movement of the first slider towards along the first direction causes the second slider to move away from an elastic valve member along the second direction, and the elastic valve member arranged between and compressible by the second slider, the elastic valve member receiving the intravascular device and compressing the intravascular device when being compressed by the second slider.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for generating and applying an electric field according to a user configured arbitrary waveform pulsing train. A control module allows the user to input operation parameters and configure the arbitrary waveform pulsing train for the electroporation process. A micro-controller unit coupled to the control module controls an arbitrary waveform generator unit and a customized power module. During the electroporation process, the arbitrary waveform generator unit produces the arbitrary waveform pulsing train that is amplified by the customized power module. The customized power module is coupled to at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes will produce an electric field across a target media.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for removing a needle from a syringe comprising a housing (20, 30); a sliding member (10) slidingly engaged within said housing (20,30), said sliding member (10) having a recess (5) for receiving the needle mounted to the syringe; at least two gripping members (40) in communication with the sliding member (10) such that on sliding the sliding member (10) within the housing (20,30), the gripping members (40) progressively converge, wherein the gripping members (40) are positioned such that a point of convergence of the gripping members (40) coincides with a portion on the needle to grip said needle.

Abstract: A system and method to detect and geographically locate rogue wireless access users to a computer network are described. The present invention maps an area covered by the wireless network into islands with substantially similar network performances based on information collected by a network management system. This information is collected throughout the day to form a spatial performance model which comprises historical records of each island, giving a dynamic picture of the area covered. The averages of these historical values of the performance parameters at each time interval of the day form the basis of comparison with the captured current values of the rogue user. Once a potential intruder has been identified from his Media Access Control and Internet Protocol addresses, the algorithm of the present invention is used to localize the suspect into the island which has the substantially similar performance characteristics as the rogue user's computer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a software copyright protection and licensing system (200) using RFID. A RFID tag (110) is supplied with a software package (100). During installation of the software package in a computer, a RFID reader (158) interrogates the RFID tag (110) for a product installation and licensing key (114). During installation of the software, an installation signature (TSig) is generated and stored in the RFID tag and computer, operation of the software is allowed if the installation signatures tally, otherwise permission is denied. Further, the system (200) allows reinstallation (process C) of the software and/or re-generation (process D) of a new installation signature under certain situations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modular lateral transfer assembly (MLTA) adaptable to a wheelchair for easily transferring a wheelchair bound person, and a modular wheel assembly (MWA) adaptable to a wheelchair for easily transferring a wheelchair bound person laterally. The present invention also provides a wheelchair integrating the MLTA and MWA either individually or in combination.

Abstract: The present invention provides lab-on-CD (LoCD) systems for conducting chemical and biological reactions. One of the LoCD systems comprises a microfluidic CD with at least one magnetically actuated micro check valve, said microfluidic CD having at least one sample reservoir, at least one reaction chamber, and at least one microfluidic channel connecting the at least one sample reservoir and the at least one reaction chamber; wherein the at least one magnetically actuated micro check valve is positioned to control the microfluidic flow in the at least one microfluidic channel; and a supporting CD with at least one magnetic element for providing a magnetic force; thereby when the microfluidic CD and the supporting CD are assembled into the LoCD system, the at least one magnetic element can move the at least magnetically actuated micro check valve so as to control the microfluidic flow in the at least one microfluidic channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a package for an apparatus for non-invasively monitoring of blood flow of an object, a magnetic field sensing device, and a magnetic source positioning device.

Abstract: A genetic algorithms rostering system (20) with a workload and shift setting optimizer (22), a GA rostering engine (24) and a storage medium (26) is described. The GA rostering engine (24) dynamically shifts one or more shift lists of an initial shift list matrix based upon a shifting factor associated with each of the shift lists. Thereafter, the GA rostering engine (24) obtains an intermediate shift list matrix that is then fine-tuned by swapping individual shifts for each of the shift lists in the intermediate shift list matrix. A swapping factor for fine-tuning is associated with each of the shift lists and indicates a gene group with two or more genes. Each of the genes in the gene group is associated with an individual shift. Output of the rostering system (20) are rosters (28) represented in a matrix form.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for remotely directing a mobile phone to divert a phone call or a short message directed to the mobile phone to a designated recipient. The method comprises the following step of: sending a commanding message to the mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone has a registered remote command program with an algorithm that enables the mobile phone to receive and process the commanding message; and wherein the commanding message has a command executable by the remote command program; thereby the mobile phone will divert any phone call or short message for the mobile phone to the designated recipient.

Abstract: The present invention provides a configurable multi-lingual advisory system (100). The advisory system include a database (110) a rule builder (120) and a rule analyzer (130). The rule builder (120) operationally receives and processes pre-defined inputs (160) for storing in the database (110). Upon receiving attribute value inputs (170), the rule analyzer (130) processes the attribute value inputs (170) based on the pre-defined input (160) and outputs an advisory report (150) according to an expert domain.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for non-invasively sensing pulse rate and blood flow anomalies using a localized, uni-directional, and constant magnetic field. The apparatus comprises a magnetic source for producing the magnetic field, a signal acquisition module with a magnetic sensor for detecting the modulations of the magnetic field caused by the blood flow; and a signal processing module for processing the acquired signals so as to produce data of pulse rate and blood flow anomalies. The method senses pulse rate and blood flow anomalies by providing a localized, uni-directional, and constant magnetic field in proximity to a blood vessel; detecting the variations of the magnetic field caused by the flow of pulsatile blood within the blood vessel; and processing the signals of the detected variations so as to monitor the blood flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique low cost vision inspection and classification system and methods for automatic inspection and classification of a microarray slide without manual intervention. The method first performs morphological dilation operation several times such that internal microarray spots are merged as a big connected component; then, the orientation of the merged spots, with respect to the X-axis and Y-axis is computed by computing the angle of the external boundaries of the connected component using Sobel XY operators for both edges and orientation determination, or using the moment-based algorithm for direct orientation determination; and the translational offset is determined by finding the X and Y centroids of the connected component. Moreover, the present invention provides threshold methods for classifying spots into normal spots, weak spots, missing spots, or overlapping spots.

Abstract: The present invention provides a timetabling system based on an improved ant colony optimization using pheromone and hybrid heuristics based cooperating agents. The timetabling system can provide an optimal timetable solution for a timetable problem that consists of a plurality of activities, each activity being scheduled to a start time within a planning period and being allocated all required resources from a plurality of sets of resources. In one aspect of the present invention, the timetabling system comprises an electronic device having a memory capacity that contains a storage medium, and a timetabling module being implemented in the electronic device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Chinese lunar calendar-based tidal prediction system and method that generate tidal predictions using empirical prediction models, wherein the empirical prediction models are generated using Genetic Algorithms-based regression analysis for a given set of observed tidal data collected at a water level station during a period of one year which is referred as reference year. In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tidal prediction system comprising an electronic device having a memory capacity as a storage medium for storing input, intermediate, and output information, and a processing capacity for executing embedded programs; a regression model creator program; and a tidal height predictor program; wherein both of programs are implemented in the electronic device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nano-integrated system assembly that offers both convenience and cost-efficiency, where multiple fluidic, electronic and mechanical components or chemical processes are optimally embraced effectively and efficiently in a systematic modularized manner. Furthermore, the nano-integrated system assembly has a generic configuration so as to enable and accommodate a wide spectrum of differently combined sequences of analyzing/processing operations to be performed on the identical nano-integrated system assembly.

Abstract: A genetic algorithms rostering system (20) with a workload and shift setting optimizer (22), a GA rostering engine (24) and a storage medium (26) is described. The GA rostering engine (24) dynamically shifts one or more shift lists of an initial shift list matrix based upon a shifting factor associated with each of the shift lists. Thereafter, the GA rostering engine (24) obtains an intermediate shift list matrix that is then fine-tuned by swapping individual shifts for each of the shift lists in the intermediate shift list matrix. A swapping factor for fine-tuning is associated with each of the shift lists and indicates a gene group with two or more genes. Each of the genes in the gene group is associated with an individual shift. Output of the rostering system (20) are rosters (28) represented in a matrix form.

Abstract: A method for restricting usage of a mobile communicator in a well defined area, the method comprising: monitoring protocol signals between the mobile communicator and a mobile communicator network, the mobile communicator in communication with the mobile communication network for MMS services; determining MMS capability of the mobile communicator, and contacting the mobile communicator network to disable access of the mobile communicator to an MMS server in communication with the mobile communicator network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus describing a device for tracking moving objects or persons are taught. The invention is an embedded system using a series of sensors such as light sensors along a passageway to determine some movement characteristics such as number, size, direction, speed and position of objects or people along the passageway. One embodiment of this invention is in fare gates for public transport systems. Another aspect of this invention is the algorithm that determines the movement characteristics using the overlaps or intersections of rising edge, on state, falling edge and off state of signals from the sensors to determine the movement characteristics of objects or humans. The simplicity and robustness of the algorithm allow implement of the invention with inexpensive programmable logical controllers without the need of control by expensive computers. This invention also avoids the attendant disadvantages of other systems using cameras, computer vision or mechanical sensors.