Abstract: A small sensor surface designed to control a smart phone or Mobile Internet Device (MID). The sensor surface may be mounted on the side of the proposed device in a position where a user's thumb or finger naturally falls when holding the device in his/her hand. The sensor surface is simultaneously convex and concave, providing both visual and physical cues for the use of the sensor surface. The sensor may include capacitive sensing, optical sensing and pressure sensing capabilities to interpret thumb gestures into device control.

Abstract: A small sensor surface designed to control a smart phone or Mobile Internet Device (MID). The sensor surface may be mounted on the side of the proposed device in a position where a user's thumb or finger naturally falls when holding the device in his/her hand. The sensor surface is simultaneously convex and concave, providing both visual and physical cues for the use of the sensor surface. The sensor may include capacitive sensing, optical sensing and pressure sensing capabilities to interpret thumb gestures into device control.

Abstract: A visible band filter with bandstops that restrict the spectrum of a projected or directly-viewed electronic display. The filter is placed between an observer's eye and the display, increasing the effective gamut of the electronic display without requiring any modification of the display hardware. The filter's bandstops are designed to shift the primary colors of the display closer to the spectrum locus, thereby increasing the color fidelity of the display.

Abstract: In a particle detecting instrument, a sapphire detecting cell is provided with a square flow path. The sapphire cell is assembled from four sapphire pieces which extend throughout the length of the cell. The cell has a central section containing the square flow path with planar exterior walls and cylindrical end sections. The pieces are separated by black gaskets which are sandwiched between the opposed faces of the pieces. The pieces are clamped together by shape memory alloy rings which engage the cell in the cylindrical end sections. Each sapphire piece has a polished planar interior surface defining one of the walls of the square flow path.

Abstract: A beam steering mechanism for deflecting a light beam along any selected azimuth and elevational direction. The beam is movable without limitation about a pan axis and through a range of 180 degrees about a tilt axis, by drive motors that are rigidly mounted to a housing and are not bodily moved with the light beam. Movement about the pan axis is effected by rotation of a first mirror mounted in a first rotatable cylinder. Movement about the tilt axis is effected by rotation of a second mirror mounted in a second cylinder that is panned with the first cylinder and is itself mounted for rotation about the tilt axis.

Abstract: In an air contamination level detector for detecting the degree of contamination of the intake air to an internal combustion engine, a laser beam is directed through the intake air stream and light scattered from particles in the intake air stream are detected by a photodetector to generate a pulse for each particle. Pulses over a given size are used to enable an AND gate to pass high frequency pulses to a counter, which is periodically recycled. The count accumulated in the counter represents the duty cycle of the pulses and the dirtiness of the intake air. When the count in the counter reaches a preselected level, it causes a warning light to be energized to indicate that the intake air has a exceeded a tolerance level.

Abstract: A beam steering mechanism for deflecting a light beam along any selected azimuth and elevational direction. The beam is movable without limitation about a pan axis and about a tilt axis, by drive motors that are rigidly mounted to a housing and are not bodily moved with the light beam. Movement about the pan axis is effected by rotation of a first mirror mounted in a first rotatable cylinder. Movement about the tilt axis is effected by rotation of a second mirror mounted in a second cylinder that is panned with the first cylinder and is itself mounted for rotation about the tilt axis.

Abstract: A gas valve for providing a short duration, high volume gas pulse includes an outer chamber having an exhaust gas outlet at its front and an inner chamber which extends along the outer chamber, and terminates, at its forward end, in an opening aligned with the gas outlet of the outer chamber and spaced rearwardly therefrom. Within the inner chamber, a piston is mounted for front-to-rear reciprocal movement, and the length of the piston is selected to be greater than the distance between the valve outlet and inner chamber opening. The piston is provided with an intermediate forwardly-directed, peripheral seat, and the piston's front is dimensioned to close the exhaust gas outlet when the inner chamber is filled with gas at a moderate pressure, which forces the piston forward. The outer chamber can then be filled with a charge of gas at a high pressure.