Abstract: Compression garments may include mitts and tightening apparatus to don, or put on, such compression garments. The mitts may be configured to receive a user's hand such that the user can move one or more portions of the garments using the mitts. The tightening apparatus may allow a user to selectively tighten or loosen the garments about the user's body portions. Once donned, the compression garments may apply pressure to one or more regions of the user's body such as, e.g., arm regions, shoulder regions, torso regions, and neck regions.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus includes a piezoelectric sensor and an infrared array sensor. The piezoelectric sensor senses a respiration rate and a heart rate of an infant. The infrared array sensor senses a body temperature and an occupancy state of the infant in a non-contact manner. The abovementioned infant care apparatus can assist in determining an abnormality of the respiration rate and the heart rate of the infant based on the occupancy state of the infant output by the infrared array sensor, so as to reduce a false alarm rate.

Abstract: A space-saving suspension apparatus comprising a coarse suspension device, a mechanical assembly, and a fine suspension device coupling a supported frame to a base frame at a neutral height such that forces and/or displacements of either the base frame or the supported frame result in oppositely directed forces and/or displacements of the other of the base frame and the supported frame. In some embodiments, the neutral height is adjustable.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and method for performing state driven bi-directional synchronization in a reflection database architecture. A set of changes to a series of data fields can be received at a first database, the set of changes being part of a first process flow. The first database can be a reflection of a second database over a partition. State driven synchronization can be performed by a bi-directional synchronization engine for at least a portion of the series of data fields between the first database and the second database. The bi-directional synchronization engine can be configured to bi-directionally synchronize data between the first database and the second database based at least in part on detecting a boundary state at one or more of the first database and the second database.

Abstract: An infrared thermopile sensor includes a silicon cover having an infrared lens, an infrared sensing chip having duo-thermopile sensing elements, and a microcontroller chip calculating a temperature of an object. The components are in a stacked 3D package to decrease the size of the infrared thermopile sensor. The infrared sensing chip and the microcontroller chip have metal layers to shield the thermal radiation. The conversion from wrist temperature to body core temperature uses detected ambient temperature and fixed humidity or imported humidity level to calculate the body core temperature based on experimental data and curve fitting. The skin temperature compensation can be set differently for different sex gender, different standard deviation of wrist temperature and external relative humidity reading.

Abstract: A flow-through pressure-vacuum valve includes a valve body having a tank-side opening and a vent-side opening. A pressure relief valve (e.g., a ball held in a corresponding seat by gravity) is positioned within a first passageway through the body. The ball is moved from the first valve seat to open the first passageway when pressure at the tank-side opening exceeds pressure at the vent-side opening by a predetermined pressure differential. A vacuum relief valve is positioned within another passageway (e.g., a serpentine passageway). The vacuum relief valve (e.g., also a ball held in a corresponding seat by gravity) is positioned within the serpentine passageway. Analogously, the ball is moved from the valve seat to open the serpentine passageway when pressure at the tank-side opening is less than the pressure at the vent-side opening by a predetermined pressure differential.

Abstract: Compression garment systems and methods may deliver fluid to one or more fluid cells using a target pressure and an adjustable manifold pressure that may be adjusted to, for example, deliver an amount of fluid to the one or more fluid cells to achieve the desired target pressure. Further, the compression garment systems and methods may provide a graphical user interface depicting a human-shaped graphical element and a compression therapy graphical indication about the human-shaped graphical element. The compression therapy graphical indication may indicate, or show, where on the human-shaped graphical element the compression therapy may be delivered to. Still further, the compression garment systems and methods may include or use a communication interface to determine or identify a compression garment to be used therewith. The identity of the compression garment can be used to configure compression therapy for the compression garment.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for operating a gliding parachute/kite. The gliding parachute/kite has a wing with a flexible material, and a set of suspension lines adapted for coupling a load to the wing, such that the coupling is configurable in any one of a plurality of possible states based on relative lengths of the suspension lines. In some implementations, the possible states include a first state enabling gliding in a first direction, and a second state enabling gliding in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. Reversing direction is possible with the first and second states. Additionally, or alternatively, the possible states include a spinning state enabling spinning of the gliding parachute/kite. Adjusting a rate of decent is possible with the spinning. Reversing direction and/or spinning operations can be used to improve control of trajectory.

Abstract: A hair dryer comprises a fan, a heater, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The heater is disposed at the airflow output end of the fan and used to heat the airflow output by the fan. The temperature sensor is pointed to the hair, receiving the infrared light radiated by the hair to obtain the temperature of the hair, determining the dryness of the hair according to at least one of the temperature of the hair and the rate of temperature variation of the hair, and outputting a corresponding control signal. The controller is electrically connected with the fan, the heater and the temperature sensor, and controlling at least one of the rotation speed of the fan and the heating power of the heater according to the control signal. The above-mentioned hair dryer not only can prevent from hair overheating and hair damage but also can shorten the time for drying hair.

Abstract: An adaptive dispatch method for the delivery of transportable commodities to or from remote storage containers. at least one remote commodity storage container is associated with a container sensor apparatus capable of measuring the current stored volume of commodity within the container. A plurality of mobile delivery systems is each equipped with a delivery sensor apparatus capable of measuring the delivery volume availability within the system, along with the current geolocation of the system. A server, equipped with a database and a monitoring software component and in communication with the sensor apparatus, detects the existence of delivery conditions at remote containers within the system and then selects a mobile delivery system to dispatch commodity delivery to or from such a container based upon available volume and the closest geographic proximity and initiates a communication to use your device associated with the selected mobile delivery system dispatching the delivery.

Abstract: Pneumatic and therapeutic compression systems are disclosed including treatment protocols that may be used with such systems. A pneumatic compression system may include a source and sink of a pressurizing fluid. The pressurizing fluid may be sourced to a number of valves, each valve controllable by a control device including a computing device. The computing device may control each valve separately to allow any one or more of the valves to connect to the fluid source or the fluid sink. The computing device may include one or more therapeutic protocols that may direct one, two, or more valves to switch between fluid sourcing and fluid sinking, substantially simultaneously or in a sequence. A therapeutic compression system may include the pneumatic system in fluid communication with an inflation sleeve composed of multiple cells. Each cell may be inflated or deflated by a valve according to the therapeutic protocol.

Abstract: An infrared temperature sensor comprises a first communication port and a second communication port. A plurality of infrared temperature sensors can be cascaded to each other and connected to an external host controller through the second communication port. The external host controller can set up and administer the unique addresses of the plurality of the infrared temperature sensors through the second communication port, whereby to selectively perform multicasting communication or unicasting communication with the plurality of infrared temperature sensors through the first communication port. The infrared temperature sensor further comprises a second thermopile sensing element used to sense the thermal radiation of a package structure, whereby to compensate for the measurement error induced by temperature variation of the package structure. Thus, the measurement accuracy is increased.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring the size of body parts treated by a compression therapy device. Either the volume or circumference of the body part may be measure. The methods my include evacuating an inflatable compression sleeve to a known pressure, inserting the body part into the compression sleeve, inflating the sleeve to a pre-set condition, and then measuring one or more inflation related parameters. The pre-set conditions may include a predetermined pressure, volume, or size of the inflatable cells comprising the sleeve. The inflation related parameters may include the time to fill the cell to a pre-set pressure, the pressure attained after a pre-set time of inflation, or the measure volume of a cell after a pre-set amount of air is introduced into it. The methods may also include deflating the cells from the known inflation state to a second inflation state and measuring similar parameters.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for remotely detecting defects in a structure may proceed non-destructively. A mobile sensing platform may place sensors in a desired positioning relative to the structure. The desired position may include a non-contacting relation between the sensors and structure. The mobile sensing platform may project laser beams onto the structure and sense backscattered light via the sensors. Variations in the backscattered light may correspond to motion of the structure, such as vibrations. By calculating the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations, defects in the structure may be detected. By correcting for noise, such as that associated with acceleration of the mobile sensing platform, accuracy and precision of defect detection may be enhanced.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for operating a gliding parachute/kite. The gliding parachute/kite has a wing with a flexible material, and a set of suspension lines adapted for coupling a load to the wing, such that the coupling is configurable in any one of a plurality of possible states based on relative lengths of the suspension lines. In some implementations, the possible states include a first state enabling gliding in a first direction, and a second state enabling gliding in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. Reversing direction is possible with the first and second states. Additionally, or alternatively, the possible states include a spinning state enabling spinning of the gliding parachute/kite. Adjusting a rate of decent is possible with the spinning. Reversing direction and/or spinning operations can be used to improve control of trajectory.

Abstract: A thermal sensor package for earbuds includes two thermopile sensor elements on a single thermopile sensor chip, and the two thermopile sensor elements are separated by a block wall of a cap. One of the thermopile sensor elements senses external infrared thermal radiation through a window of the cap, and the other thermopile sensor element senses internal infrared thermal radiation from a package structure as a basis for correcting compensation. Therefore, the foregoing thermal sensor package for earbuds can quickly correct a measurement error caused by the package structure to improve the measurement accuracy. In addition, the forgoing thermal sensor package for earbuds has a simple packaging step and is easy to arrange a silicon based infrared lens to expand its application.

Abstract: A method of tracking remotely captured sensor readings in relation to mobile or stationary assets. Remote assets with local sensors are associated with sensor interface device capable of capturing local sensor readings along with geolocation and timestamps, and transmitting such information via a network interface to a server for storage in a sensor record database. A user in communication with the server can indicate a sample request, via which a subset of sensor records for a particular time window is extracted and the sensor readings and geolocations displayed to the user. The information could be presented in graphic map format. The sensor interface device has a self-contained power supply not requiring power input, allowing for long term remote field use. The server and sensor interface device for use in association with the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Compression systems and methods may include a garment configured to be donned on, for example, a head and a neck of a body. For example, the garment may include a static garment portion configurable to apply a static pressure to a portion of the head and a dynamic garment portion including one or more pressure applying regions controllable to apply pressure to the head and neck. Further, a controller may be configured to control pressure applied by the one or more pressure applying regions.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments there is provided manufacturing processes for fibre optic sensors. In an example, a portion of a fiber optic cable is coated with a thin film layer and placed in a channel of a fiber carrying flexible member for a fiber optic sensor. The portion is embedded in the channel using one of: a thermal curing process after filling the channel with a metallic liquid suspension or polymeric adhesive; and an electroplating or electroless plating process. Filling the channel may comprises performing a controlled dispensing using an automated process such as a drop-on-demand deposition process. In an example, a fiber optical cable is placed in a channel of a flexible member. Micro-laser welding or electron beam welding is used to locally melt the member areas adjacent to the cable resulting in the flow of liquid around the fiber creating a solid structure with embedded fiber after solidification.