Abstract: An immobilized chalcogen system or body includes an element of chalcogen, an electrically conductive material, and a hydrophilic membrane gate. The hydrophilic membrane gate may be used to isolate hydrophobic regions, one related to polychalcogenide ion(s) and another related to a hydrophobic electrolyte system. The hydrophilic membrane gate may prevent polychalcogenide from forming, and may provide control of undesirable parasitic mass transport and undesirable electron transport inside a chalcogen-based battery, and thereby allow the battery to cycle at a high specific capacity with a long cycling life. If desired, the immobilized chalcogen system or body may be employed in a cathode of a rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A handset for controlling a device having a plurality of movable elements, the handset having a housing, a display on a front face of the housing, the display being divided into a plurality of zones, each zone including at least one icon switch, each icon switch being aligned with a respective associated icon, wherein each icon identifies a respective element or group of elements of a device to be controlled by the respective icon switch, and a plurality of physical switches on the front face, each physical switch being associated with a respective zone, and wherein each physical switch is configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone, and a control mechanism within the housing which is connected to the plurality of icon switches and the plurality of physical switches, the control mechanism being arranged to generate an output control signal for transmission to the device in response to an input command at the plurality of icon switches and the plu

Abstract: An immobilized chalcogen system or body includes a mixture or combination of chalcogen and carbon. The carbon can be in the form of a carbon skeleton. The chalcogen can include oxygen, sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, or a combination of any two or more of oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium. The activation energy for chalcogen to escape the immobilized chalcogen system or body is ?96 kJ/mole.

Abstract: A handset for controlling a surgical operating table, the handset having a three-dimensional physical representation of a tabletop of a surgical operating table, the physical representation of the tabletop comprising a back section, a seat section and one or more leg sections, wherein at least one of the sections includes a respective sensor arranged to sense a force or movement applied to a surface of the respective section by a touch applied to the surface, and a control system within the handset which is connected to the sensor, the control system being arranged to generate an output control signal for transmission to the surgical operating table to be controlled in response to an input command of an applied force or applied movement sensed by the respective sensor. Methods of controlling a tabletop of a surgical operating table using the handset are also disclosed.

Abstract: An immobilized chalcogen system or body includes a mixture or combination of chalcogen and carbon. The carbon can be in the form of a carbon skeleton. The chalcogen can include oxygen, sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, or a combination of any two or more of oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium. The activation energy for chalcogen to escape the immobilized chalcogen system or body is ?96 kJ/mole.

Abstract: A handset for controlling a device having a plurality of movable parts defining a support, or a movable surface, the handset having a housing, a touchscreen display on a front face of the housing, the touchscreen display being adapted to display an image representative of a device or surface to be controlled, and a control system within the housing which is connected to the touchscreen display, wherein the control system has an input module which is adapted to receive an input command in the form of a gesture drawn on the touchscreen display, and an output module which is adapted to generate an output control signal, associated with the input command, for transmission to the device or surface.

Abstract: An immobilized chalcogen system or body includes an element of chalcogen, an electrically conductive material, and a hydrophilic membrane gate. The hydrophilic membrane gate may be used to isolate hydrophobic regions, one related to polychalcogenide ion(s) and another related to a hydrophobic electrolyte system. The hydrophilic membrane gate may prevent polychalcogenide from forming, and may provide control of undesirable parasitic mass transport and undesirable electron transport inside a chalcogen-based battery, and thereby allow the battery to cycle at a high specific capacity with a long cycling life. If desired, the immobilized chalcogen system or body may be employed in a cathode of a rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A handset for controlling a device having a plurality of movable elements, the handset having a housing, a display on a front face of the housing, the display being divided into a plurality of zones, each zone including at least one icon switch, each icon switch being aligned with a respective associated icon, wherein each icon identifies a respective element or group of elements of a device to be controlled by the respective icon switch, and a plurality of physical switches on the front face, each physical switch being associated with a respective zone, and wherein each physical switch is configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone, and a control mechanism within the housing which is connected to the plurality of icon switches and the plurality of physical switches, the control mechanism being arranged to generate an output control signal for transmission to the device in response to an input command at the plurality of icon switches and the plu

Abstract: A handset for controlling a surgical operating table, the handset having a three-dimensional physical representation of a tabletop of a surgical operating table, the physical representation of the tabletop comprising a back section, a seat section and one or more leg sections, wherein at least one of the sections includes a respective sensor arranged to sense a force or movement applied to a surface of the respective section by a touch applied to the surface, and a control system within the handset which is connected to the sensor, the control system being arranged to generate an output control signal for transmission to the surgical operating table to be controlled in response to an input command of an applied force or applied movement sensed by the respective sensor. Methods of controlling a tabletop of a surgical operating table using the handset are also disclosed.

Abstract: A handset for controlling a device having a plurality of movable parts defining a support, or a movable surface, the handset having a housing, a touchscreen display on a front face of the housing, the touchscreen display being adapted to display an image representative of a device or surface to be controlled, and a control system within the housing which is connected to the touchscreen display, wherein the control system has an input module which is adapted to receive an input command in the form of a gesture drawn on the touchscreen display, and an output module which is adapted to generate an output control signal, associated with the input command, for transmission to the device or surface.

Abstract: An immobilized chalcogen system or body includes a mixture or combination of chalcogen and carbon. The carbon can be in the form of a carbon skeleton. The chalcogen can include oxygen, sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, or a combination of any two or more of oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium. The activation energy for chalcogen to escape the immobilized chalcogen system or body is ?96 kJ/mole.

Abstract: A method of operation of a variable frequency metal detector having a driver circuit for establishing an alternating magnetic field in a coil system so as to generate an output signal at a given frequency, said driver circuit comprises a plurality of switches being arranged to cause the coil system to be driven at a frequency determined by the operation of the plurality switches, the method comprising the steps of generating an adjustable balance signal, combining the adjustable balance signal with the output signal of the detector, and varying the adjustable balance signal so as to provide a compensated signal whereby the output signal and/or the adjustable balance signal is filtered to remove one or more harmonics.

Abstract: A method of operation of a metal detector having a driver circuit for establishing an alternating magnetic field in a coil system so as to generate an output signal at a given frequency, the method comprising the steps of a. generating an adjustable balance signal; b. combining the adjustable balance signal with the output signal of the detector. c. varying the adjustable balance signal so as to provide a compensated signal.

Abstract: A method of widening a penis wherein a dermal fat graft comprising a block of fat and attached dermis is excised from the patient, the penis is degloved, the dermal fat graft is sutured to the exposed Bucks fascia and then reducing the penile skin; said method further including the step of following a post-operative treatment regime.

Abstract: A method of penis lengthening including dividing the suspensory ligament down to the inferior public arch, dividing the fundiform ligaments; or dividing the first and second corpus cavernosum circumferentially. A method of widening a penis where a dermal fat graft is sutured to the exposed Bucks fascia. Post operative drug and exercise to maintain the outcome of penis lengthening or widening.

Abstract: A non-contacting capacitive position transducer comprises a stator substrate carrying two electrically conducting inverted wedge regions 14,16 whose width varies inversely in a sensing direction. A moveable pick-off 20 is capacitively coupled to both wedges. The wedges 14,16 are driven with respective distinguishable time varying periodic waveforms, e.g. a sine wave and a cosine wave, and the pick-off voltage at 20 processed to determine the position of the pick-off in the sensing direction. Various configurations of transducer are described, including those of linear, cylindrical and disc form. The pick-off voltage is preferably transferred from the pick-off 20 back to the stator by capacitively coupling the pick-off to a suitably screened pick-off track 36 on the stator.

Abstract: A novel architecture is described for applying a sum and threshold function to a weightless input string and a weightless threshold string. The sum and threshold function is carried out by distributing the input bits in random manner (12) between a number of sum and threshold devices (14), whose outputs are supplied to a second layer of one or more sum and threshold devices (16).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting data over a power line (2) and having particular application for flight control networks. The method enables bi-directional transmission of data over either DC or AC power lines. Transformers (T.sub.3, T.sub.4) used for coupling data onto and from the power lines (2) comprise three windings (L.sub.1, L.sub.2 and L.sub.3) and a ferrite core. Saturation of the core is avoided by arranging for the load current to flow in opposite senses through two (L.sub.1 and L.sub.2) of the windings. By choosing the number of turns of the two windings to be equal, complete cancellation of DC flux inside the core is possible.

Abstract: An oxygen-fuel burner has a pipe 20 for fuel, for example pulverized coal carried in air, and two pipes 22 and 24 for oxygen. The burner is typically mounted horizontally above a burden to be heated. The oxygen pipes 22 and 24 have separate outlets disposed such that the flame is caused to curve towards the burden. The relative rates of supply of oxygen to the two passages are varied so that the flame is moved across at least part of the burden.

Abstract: A fuel burner 2 for burning a fuel such as pulverized coal carried by a fluid, particularly air, has an inner passage for the particulate fuel-carrier medium and an outer passage for a combustion-supporting gas (typically oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen). The inner passage typically terminates in a nozzle having an orifice therethrough. The inner passage 12 is surrounded by a jacket containing a pressurized fluid. A pressure sensor senses the pressure in the jacket. In the event that abrasive wear of the inner passage causes holes to be formed therein, fluid will pass from the jacket into the inner passage causing a pressure drop in the jacket which is sensed by the pressure sensor. The burner may then be shut down without any hazard having been caused by contact between the pulverized coal and pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. The burner may also be used for the autogenous oxidation or thermal cracking of chemicals.