Abstract: Disclosed herein are rotary electric surgical hammer impact tools and methods of use thereof. The rotary electric surgical hammer impact tools can include a too body, a motor located within the tool body, a shaft operatively couple to the motor, a disk hammer element, and a tool holder element. The disk hammer element can be connected to the shaft and include a radial impact projection. The tool holder element can include a shaft configured to support an implement at one end and a C-shaped structure straddling the disk hammer element. Axial movement within the tool body can cause the radial impact projection to impart impacts to the tool holder element.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are linear electric surgical hammer impact tools and methods of use thereof. The linear electric surgical hammer impact tools can include a shuttle located inside a cavity of a housing. A wall of the shuttle defines a plurality of grooves extend from a first end of the shuttle to a second end of the shuttle. A piston can be located at least partially within the shuttle and arranged along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The piston includes protrusions and each of the protrusions can be arranged to travel within a respective one of the grooves of the shuttle. Motion of the piston in a first direction causes the piston to contact the first end of the shuttle and motion of the piston in a second direction causes the piston to contact the second end of the shuttle.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a reactor for generating lifting gas may include a first port, a second port, a coupling releasably securable in fluid communication with an aerostat, and a tank including a base and a crown defining at least a portion of a chamber therebetween, the first port and the coupling each supported on the crown, the second port supported on the tank away from the crown, the chamber in fluid communication with each one of the first port, the second port, and the coupling, the chamber expandable between the crown and the base from an uninflated state to an inflated state and, with the tank in the inflated state, a maximum height of the chamber less than a maximum dimension of the base.

Abstract: A method for high resolution projection micro stereolithography for 3-D printing comprising: generating a 3D digital model of the sample to be printed in a computer, slicing the digital model into a sequence of images, wherein each of the images of the sequence represents a layer of the 3D digital model, positioning a transparent printing head relative to a resin vat containing a photo-sensitive resin, moving the transparent printing head into position for selectively exposing the photosensitive resin, sending an image from the sequence of images to a LCD or DLP chip, and together with a light source projecting the image through a lens onto the flat tip of the transparent printing head to initiate cure of the photosensitive resin in areas where the projected image allows light from the light source to reach the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: A module for retrofitting a boat for collection of floating biomass has a telescoping beam that spans the width of the boat and connects to aft-ends of levers that rest on the gunwales. The telescoping beam extends beyond both gunwales such that outboard net holders can be disposed thereon. Nets are attached to and held open by the net holders. The nets are at least partially submerged and fill with sargassum as the boat moves forward. Longitudinal drag forces are resisted by chains that connect the levers to the bow. Torsion around the telescoping beam is resisted by pretensioned straps that pass under the boat and over the aft-ends of the levers, which extend towards the bow to minimize strap tension and reaction force against gunwales. Horizontal moments in the outboard portions of the telescoping beam are absorbed by the inboard portion of the telescoping beam.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are rotary electric surgical hammer impact tools and methods of use thereof. The rotary electric surgical hammer impact tools can include a too body, a motor located within the tool body, a shaft operatively couple to the motor, a disk hammer element, and a tool holder element. The disk hammer element can be connected to the shaft and include a radial impact projection. The tool holder element can include a shaft configured to support an implement at one end and a C-shaped structure straddling the disk hammer element. Axial movement within the tool body can cause the radial impact projection to impart impacts to the tool holder element.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are surgical impact tools and methods of use thereof. The surgical impact tools can include a roller assembly, an impact structure, and a tool holder. The roller assembly can be connected to a motor and include a plurality of rollers supported by a respective roller arm. The impact structure can define a spring and an impact cavity including forward and reverse impact surfaces. The impact structure can include a wall comprising a plurality of thread elements connected to the wall and engageable with the roller assembly. Each of the thread elements can include a pair of helical end surfaces and a pair of axially extending surfaces that are engaged by the plurality of rollers. During use rotation of the roller assembly against the helical ends of the thread elements can cause axial movement of the impact structure to apply a load on the spring and generate impact forces.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are linear electric surgical hammer impact tools and methods of use thereof. The linear electric surgical hammer impact tools can include a housing, a slider, a shuttle, and a motor. The housing can define a cavity extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The slider can be located inside the cavity and arranged along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The shuttle can be located inside the cavity and arranged along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The shuttle can include a first set of collars and a second set of collars. The motor can be configured to drive the slider along the longitudinal axis in a first direction and a second direction. Motion of the slider in the first and second directions can cause the slider to contact the first and second sets of collars.

Abstract: Robotic assembly systems and methods of assembling products using planar robots. Planar movers cooperate magnetically with stators to pick products provided on an infeed and place them in a pattern on an outfeed system, wherein the movers having a clamp having at least two opposing clamping surfaces whose relative positions are continuously adjustable by a force from an object external to the mover and the stator. Sensors and controllers cooperate to precisely move the movers on the stator, particularly as a group, for the movers to pick respective products at respective picking locations. Some systems permit packaging of multiple products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are bi-spring surgical impact tools and methods of use thereof. The bi-spring surgical impact tools can include a housing, a shuttle, a pinion, and first and second springs. The housing can define a cavity having a first end and a second end. The shuttle can be located within the cavity and define a plurality of indentations. The pinion can be located proximate the shuttle and have a plurality of protrusions sized to mesh with the plurality of indentations during rotation of the pinion. The first and second springs can be mechanically coupled to the housing and the shuttle. Rotation of the pinion in a first direction can translate the shuttle in a first direction towards the first end of the housing and rotation of the pinion in a second direction can translate the shuttle in a second direction towards the second end of the housing.

Abstract: Buoyant matter, and particularly biomass such as seaweed, is sequestered deep in a body of water, fey causing the matter to lose it buoyancy and sink and remain sunk for an extended period. In some examples, the matter is pumped to below a depth at which is loses its natural buoyancy as a result of the ambient water pressure resulting in it naturally sinking to the bottom.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a box or bag that is made of a substrate strip which includes a winder having a mandrel and posts that extend from the mandrel in a direction parallel to a winding and translation axis that rotate together as a unit around the translation axis. The apparatus also has a feeder that includes precursors and a gathering head used for forming the precursors into the strip and feeding the strip to the winder. A motor adjusts the feeder's angle relative to the winder in response to instructions from the controller based on the dimensions of the box or bag. This causes controlled overlap between adjacent windings of the strip on the posts. As the mandrel rotates, the posts draw the strip and wind the strip along a spiral having a length in excess of the depth. Zero waste of precursors is made possible by cutting the substrate perpendicular to its length and folding over the box or bag ends to form an angled seam with respect to the sides of the box.

Abstract: A method for high resolution projection micro stereolithography for 3-D printing comprising: generating a 3D digital model of the sample to be printed in a computer, slicing the digital model into a sequence of images, wherein each of the images of the sequence represents a layer of the 3D digital model, positioning a transparent printing head relative to a resin vat containing a photo-sensitive resin, moving the transparent printing head into position for selectively exposing the photosensitive resin, sending an image from the sequence of images to a LCD or DLP chip, and together with a light source projecting the image through a lens onto the flat tip of the transparent printing head to initiate cure of the photosensitive resin in areas where the projected image allows light from the light source to reach the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: An instrument port for introducing instruments into a surgical site, including a port body having a channel running therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end, an instrument sleeve in slidable contact with the channel, creating a gap therebetween, and fluid flow for removing emboli efficiently from the instrument port, wherein the fluid flow includes the gap is provided. A fluid flow system for use in an instrument port is provided. A method of removably securing an instrument sleeve to a port body by anchoring the instrument port to heart tissue, making at least one flood line in a channel, flushing out emboli, and performing surgery with the instrument port.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a box or bag that is made of a substrate strip which includes a winder having a mandrel and posts that extend from the mandrel in a direction parallel to a winding and translation axis that rotate together as a unit around the translation axis. The apparatus also has a feeder that includes precursors and a gathering head used for forming the precursors into the strip and feeding the strip to the winder. A motor adjusts the feeder's angle relative to the winder in response to instructions from the controller based on the dimensions of the box or bag. This causes controlled overlap between adjacent windings of the strip on the posts. As the mandrel rotates, the posts draw the strip and wind the strip along a spiral having a length in excess of the depth. Zero waste of precursors is made possible by cutting the substrate perpendicular to its length and folding over the box or bag ends to form an angled seam with respect to the sides of the box.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a box or bag that is made of a substrate strip which includes a winder having a mandrel and posts that extend from the mandrel in a direction parallel to a winding and translation axis that rotate together as a unit around the translation axis. The apparatus also has a feeder that includes precursors and a gathering head used for forming the precursors into the strip and feeding the strip to the winder. A motor adjusts the feeder's angle relative to the winder in response to instructions from the controller based on the dimensions of the box or bag. This causes controlled overlap between adjacent windings of the strip on the posts. As the mandrel rotates, the posts draw the strip and wind the strip along a spiral having a length in excess of the depth. Zero waste of precursors is made possible by cutting the substrate perpendicular to its length and folding over the box or bag ends to form an angled seam with respect to the sides of the box.

Abstract: Electrically conductive columns of intertwined carbon nanotubes embedded in a mass of material flexible, resilient electrically insulating material can be used as electrically conductive contact probes. The columns can extend between opposing sides of the mass of material. Terminals of a wiring substrate can extend into the columns and be electrically connected to an electrical interface to a tester that controls testing of a device under test. A pair of physically interlocked structures can coupling the mass of material to the wiring substrate. The pair can include a receptacle and a protrusion.

Abstract: A method of making and loading a chromatography column includes selecting a column tube having an appropriate elasticity, and inner diameter and length, selecting appropriately sized flow distributors, a second flow distributor having a diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the tube, permanently securing a first flow distributor to a first end of the tube, loading packing medium into the tube, inserting the second flow distributor into a second end of the tube to drive the second flow distributor into the tube to form a sealed chamber within the tube, adjusting the longitudinal position of the second flow distributor within the tube by applying a force to the second flow distributor until it reaches a desired location within the tube, and/or forcing liquid into the chamber to move the second flow distributor and permanently securing the properly positioned second flow distributor within the tube.

Abstract: The instrument ports for introducing instruments into a surgical site that are disclosed herein include a port body having a channel running therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end, an instrument sleeve in slidable contact with the channel, creating a gap therebetween, and a fluid flow element for removing emboli efficiently from the instrument port, wherein the fluid flow element includes the gap. Disclosed fluid flow systems are for use in the disclosed instrument ports. Methods are also disclosed for removably securing an instrument sleeve to a port body by anchoring the instrument port to heart tissue, making at least one flood line in a channel, flushing out emboli, and performing surgery with the instrument port.

Abstract: An instrument port for introducing instruments into a surgical site, including a port body having a channel running therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end, an instrument sleeve in slidable contact with the channel, creating a gap therebetween, and fluid flow for removing emboli efficiently from the instrument port, wherein the fluid flow includes the gap is provided. A fluid flow system for use in an instrument port is provided. A method of removably securing an instrument sleeve to a port body by anchoring the instrument port to heart tissue, making at least one flood line in a channel, flushing out emboli, and performing surgery with the instrument port.