Abstract: There is provided a field emitter array on a substrate. The field emitter array includes field emitter devices. At least one of the field emitter devices includes a conducting gate layer having a top surface and at least one side surface, disposed over the substrate. The at least one of the field emitter devices also includes a field emitter tip disposed on the substrate adjacent the at least one side surface, and an insulating layer disposed at least on at least one side surface adjacent the field emitter tip to prevent arcing between the field emitter tip and the conducting gate layer.

Abstract: Configurations for stationary imaging systems are provided. The configurations may include combinations of various types of distributed sources of X-ray radiation, which generally include addressable emitter elements which may be triggered for emission in desired sequences and combinations. The sources may be ring-like, partial ring-like, or line-like (typically along a Z-axis), and so forth. Combinations of these are envisaged. Corresponding detectors may also be full ring detectors or partial ring detectors associated with the sources to provide sufficient coverage of imaging volumes and to provide the desired mathematical completeness of the collected data.

Abstract: Hardware acceleration of the rending and animation of characters that treat each pixel sub-component as a distinct luminance intensity source. A bit-map representation of the sub-component-oriented character is generated by using a single image sample to generate each pixel sub-component. This may be accomplished by, for example overscaling a representation of the character, placing the overscaled representation of the character on grid, and then assigning a luminance and possibly a transparency value to each grid position based on the property of the overscaled character at the grid position. The, the character is rendered by interfacing with a hardware graphic unit that perform the final rendering and animation of the character.

Abstract: A surface vessel capable of lowering a sealed passenger hull into the water and moving the passenger hull through the water for the purpose of conducting an underwater tour. The vessel is equipped with the means to lower and raise the passenger hull vertically such that the center of buoyancy of the vessel and the center of gravity of the vessel remain aligned relative to the force of gravity. The passenger hull is supplied with fresh air from the surface and expels spent air back to the surface thereby maintaining normal atmospheric pressure within the passenger hull. The vessel contains ballast tanks capable of taking on seawater, when the passenger hull is in a raised position. The water ballast being used to offset the buoyancy of the passenger hull as well as increasing the stability of the vessel, when the passenger hull is in its lowered position.

Abstract: A system and method for ascertaining the identity of an object within an enclosed article. The system includes an acquisition subsystem utilizing a stationary radiation source and detector, a reconstruction subsystem, a computer-aided detection (CAD) subsystem, and a 2D/3D visualization subsystem. The detector may be an energy discriminating detector. The acquisition subsystem communicates view data to the reconstruction subsystem, which reconstructs it into image data and communicates it to the CAD subsystem. The CAD subsystem analyzes the image data to ascertain whether it contains any area of interest. Any such area of interest data is sent to the reconstruction subsystem for further reconstruction, using more rigorous algorithms and further analyzed by the CAD subsystem. Other information, such as risk variables or trace chemical detection information may be communicated to the CAD subsystem to be included in its analysis.

Abstract: A flat panel x-ray tube assembly is provided comprising a cathode assembly including a plurality of emitter elements. An anode substrate is included having a substrate upper surface facing the plurality of emitter elements and a substrate lower surface. The substrate upper surface is positioned parallel to the plurality of emitter elements. A plurality of target wells are formed in the substrate upper surface. Each of the plurality of target wells comprises a first angled side surface positioned at an acute angle relative to the substrate upper surface. A plurality of first target elements is applied to each to one of the first angled side surfaces. The first target elements generate x-rays in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of emitter elements in response to electrons received from one of the plurality of emitter elements.

Abstract: A raising and lowering device, particularly suitable for incapacitated human or animal patients. The device includes a load carrying support having at least one elongated arm including a proximal end section and distal end section. The arm is pivotable on the device at the proximal end section and movable by pivoting between an operating position in which the support is positioned for carrying said load, and a stored position in which the arm forms a graspable handle allowing an operator to carry the device. The invention also relates to components suitable for use with the device.

Abstract: An x-ray source with an x-ray source target are provided. The x-ray source includes an electron source. The x-ray source also includes an x-ray transmission window. The x-ray source also includes an x-ray source target located between the electron source and the window, wherein the target is arranged to receive electrons from the electron source to generate x-rays in the x-ray source target, and a rotational mechanism adapted to rotate the x-ray source target. A method of producing x-rays and an x-ray target are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided a field emitter device formed on a substrate. The field emitter device includes a voltage supply line, and a plurality of sections of field emitters. Each section includes a conducting gate electrode layer, at least one field emitter tip, and a fuse. The fuse electrically connects the conducting gate electrode layer to the voltage source, and the fuse electrically disconnects the conducting gate electrode layer from the voltage supply line when the voltage and current of the conducting gate electrode layer exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: There is provided a field emitter device formed over a semiconductor substrate. The field emitter device includes at least one field emitter tip disposed over the substrate, and a conducting gate electrode layer disposed over the substrate. The field emitter device also includes a protective electronic component disposed over and integral to the substrate and electrically connecting the conducting gate electrode layer to the substrate such that if the conducting gate electrode layer experiences a voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of the field emitter device, the protective electronic component conducts current between the conducting gate electrode layer and the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a field emitter device formed over a semiconductor substrate. The field emitter device includes at least one field emitter tip disposed over the substrate, and a conducting gate electrode layer disposed over the substrate. The field emitter device also includes a protective electronic component disposed over and integral to the substrate and electrically connecting the conducting gate electrode layer to the substrate such that if the conducting gate electrode layer experiences a voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of the field emitter device, the protective electronic component conducts current between the conducting gate electrode layer and the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a field emitter array on a substrate. The field emitter array includes field emitter devices. At least one of the field emitter devices includes a conducting gate layer having a top surface and at least one side surface, disposed over the substrate. The at least one of the field emitter devices also includes a field emitter tip disposed on the substrate adjacent the at least one side surface, and an insulating layer disposed at least on at least one side surface adjacent the field emitter tip to prevent arcing between the field emitter tip and the conducting gate layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for positioning seismic arrays. The method comprises determining a first position of an array, deploying the array, collecting inertial data at a plurality of points on the array once the array is at least partially deployed, and determining a second position of the array by augmenting the first position with the inertial data. The apparatus comprises a seismic array, an inertial sensor mounted on the seismic array and capable of gathering inertial data, and a computing device adapted to receive and analyze the inertial data to determine a position for the seismic array from the inertial data.

Abstract: There is provided a field emitter array on a substrate. The field emitter array includes field emitter devices. At least one of the field emitter devices includes a conducting gate layer having a top surface and at least one side surface, disposed over the substrate. The at least one of the field emitter devices also includes a field emitter tip disposed on the substrate adjacent the at least one side surface, and an insulating layer disposed at least on at least one side surface adjacent the field emitter tip to prevent arcing between the field emitter tip and the conducting gate layer.

Abstract: Hardware acceleration of the rendering and animation of characters that treat each pixel sub-component as a distinct luminance intensity source. A bit-map representation of the sub-component-oriented character is generated by using a single image sample to generate each pixel sub-component. This may be accomplished by, for example, overscaling a representation of the character, placing the overscaled representation of the character on a grid, and then assigning a luminance and possibly a transparency value to each grid position based on the properties of the overscaled character at that grid position. Then, the character is rendered by interfacing with a hardware graphics unit that performs the final rendering and animation of the character.

Abstract: Metal organic compounds comprising three or four atoms of cobalt or nickel, each linked through oxygen atoms to aluminum, silicon or titanium and comprising a combination of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acid residues are useful as adhesion promoters to promote the adhesion of brass coated steel to vulcanized rubber.