Abstract: A sensor system preferably for use in a vehicle airbag deployment system employs spatial shading techniques and centroiding analysis to calculate an equivalent point load in two dimensional space. The location of the equivalent point load, as well as the weight of the passenger as determined from the sensors, are used to construct a set of fuzzy set logic boundaries defining different modes of deploying the airbag. The filmy set logic boundaries may include a full deployment, soft deployment, no deployment and other intermediate deployment zones. In the event of a vehicle airbag incident, the airbag is deployed in accordance with the fuzzy set logic boundary in which the weight and equivalent point load of the vehicle occupant are located.

Abstract: An adjustable length pole has an attachment with at least two fingers which are moveable to provide gripping force. In one embodiment, the fingers are opposed digits which are moveable toward each other to a closed position. The fingers are hinged, and at least one of the fingers is attached to a cord which is operable to move an end of the finger toward an end of the other finger. In a further embodiment, a spring is provided to bias the fingers in an open position. The cord is threaded through the middle of the telescoping pole to help prevent it from becoming tangled in tree branches. Further, a portion of the cord comprises a spring mechanism such as an elastic material to enable a user to set a desired tension for the fingers. Hooks are provided on the telescoping pole to secure the cord and allow two handed manipulation of the pole while the fingers retain desired tension on an object to be moved.

Abstract: A sensor system preferably for use in a vehicle airbag deployment system employs spatial shading techniques and centroiding analysis to calculate an equivalent point load in two dimensional space. The location of the equivalent point load, as well as the weight of the passenger as determined from the sensors, are used to construct a set of fuzzy set logic boundaries defining different modes of deploying the airbag. The fuzz set logic boundaries may include a full deployment, soft deployment, no deployment and other intermediate deployment zones. In the event of a vehicle airbag incident, the airbag is deployed in accordance with the fuzzy set logic boundary in which the weight and equivalent point load of the vehicle occupant are located.

Abstract: An electrochemical biosensor test strip that has a minimum volume blood sample requirement of about 9 microliters. The test strip has working and counter electrodes that are substantially the same size and made of the same electrically conducting material placed on a first insulating substrate. Overlaying the electrodes is a second insulating substrate, which includes a cutout portion that forms a reagent well. The cutout portion exposes a smaller area of the counter electrode than the working electrode. A reagent for analysis of an analyte substantially covers the exposed areas of working and counter electrodes in the reagent well. Overlaying the reagent well and affixed to the second insulating substrate is a spreading mesh that is impregnated with a surfactant. The small cutout portion of 4 millimeters by 4.2 millimeters, small mesh of 6 millimeters by 5.8 millimeters, and small amount of reagent, 4 microliters before drying, allow the test strip to analyze a whole blood sample of about 9 microliters.

Abstract: A protective packaging system that will house a fragile object during transport or mailing without using bulky packaging materials. The package is essentially flat and conforms in overall dimensions to a standard mailing envelope while providing heightened protection for the object contained therein. The protective packaging system includes an envelope and a receptacle received within the envelope for the transport of generally thin, flat, flexible, yet fragile goods. In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, the protective packaging system is designed to safely transport medical test specimens such as dried blood spots (DBSs) or other dried bodily fluids borne by a test card constructed as a flexible substrate. The envelope and receptacle combination are flexible enough to pass through the automated equipment of the United States Postal Service (or other carrier service) yet rigid enough to withstand the handling encountered in the mails so as to avoid damage to the package's contents.

Abstract: A switch mechanism with a safety member for operating a tool or a weapon which reduces the probability of inadvertent operation. The switch mechanism comprises a trigger and a safety member disposed adjacent to the trigger for preventing the trigger from contacting an actuation switch. The safety member is shaped such that when it is positioned in a first position, it prevents the trigger from contacting the switch. In addition, the safety member is shaped such that when the safety member is positioned in a second position, it allows the trigger to contact the actuation switch.

Abstract: An electrode array microchip, fabricated preferrably using CMOS technology, comprising electrodes made with overglass cuts over metal2 regions is disclosed. Overglass cuts of dimensions approximately an order of magnitude smaller than dimensions quoted in current design rules for CMOS technology are successfully employed to make exposed electrodes of dimensions on the order of microns. Thus, the electrode array chip can be produced cheaply on commercial fabrication lines. The invention finds many uses in biology and medicine, particularly when applied to the measurement of neural electrical activity.

Abstract: A wideband, derivative-matched, continuous aperture acoustic transducer includes a first sensor area having a predetermined spatial shading and a second sensor area having a spatial shading which is the spatial derivative of the spatial shading of the first area; the first and second spatial shaded areas are superimposed and co-extensive along the sensing axis.

Abstract: A solid state pH sensor having an indicator electrode of metal/metal oxide and a reference electrode of metal/metal salt applied to inert, electrical conductors imbedded in an electrically non-conductive substrate, such as a ceramic substrate. The sensing portion of the sensor preferably has a coating of an annealed perfluorocarbon copolymer. Alternatively, the indicator or reference electrodes may be formed on separate electrically non-conductive substrates with each having an inert electrical conductor imbedded therein. These indicator or reference electrodes may be utilized with each other or with prior art electrodes.

Abstract: A wideband, derivative-matched, continuous aperture acoustic transducer includes a first sensor area having a predetermined spatial shading and a second sensor area having a spatial shading which is the spatial derivative of the spatial shading of the first area; the first and second spatial shaded areas are superimposed and co-extensive along the sensing axis.

Abstract: An integrated circuit inductor is disclosed which can be fabricated by adding simple follow-on steps to standard fabrication line processes. In a preferred embodiment, standard CMOS technology is used to fabricate a multi-turn coil having its axis normal to the layers of oxide, polysilicon, and metal which form the coil. For a coil 100 microns on a side, an inductance on the order of 10 nH can be achieved. By including a magnetic core in the design using the disclosed procedure, this value can be increased to as high as 0.1 mH. Thus, inductor values ranging from 0.001 mH-0.1 mH can be physically implemented as integrated, highly-miniaturized CMOS designs for analog operation in the range of approximately 1-100 MHz.

Abstract: A method for improved thinning or skeletonizing handwritten characters or other variable-line-width images. The method scans a template set over the image to be thinned. Each template has a specific arrangement of dark and light pixels. At least one of those templates includes either more than three pixels per row or more than three rows of pixels. An odd number is good choice. Moreover, the templates are chosen so that each template can unconditionally delete image pixels without consideration of the effect of such deletions on the behavior of the other templates. Thus the templates are independent of each other.

Abstract: A mirror and system for wavefront control includes a piezoelectrically active pellicle with a conductive front mirror surface, and an electron gun for depositing charge on the rear surface of the pellicle. The pellicle is formed of facing plies of polyvinylidene fluoride having opposite poling, so that efficient bimorph actuation is achieved while maintaining substantially constant pellicle thickness and stable x-y planar position coordinates. A phase corrector plate provides a fixed flatness correction for irregularities of the mirror surface, and an initial charge distribution is applied to achieve a reference mirror contour. Potentials above and below a front surface reference potential, and different frame rates, are achieved by controlling the electron energy to selectively charge by primary or secondary charging processes. A feedback system may establish the initial reference contour, and thereafter effect real time wavefront adjustment of a beam reflected from the front mirror surface.

Abstract: An emergency vessel or vehicle location system (EVLS) is provided with a protected mayday switch for controlling the transceiver or module to which it is attached, so as to permit activation of the emergency vessel location system by use of a switch, in one embodiment, on the same microphone used for two-way communication. The protection of the mayday switch is provided by a specialized transparent latch in which the latch is spring loaded over the mayday switch such that accidental depression of the mayday switch is prevented, while permitting viewing of the switch legend through the transparent latch. The protected switch may be used on the microphone, on an auxiliary unit, or on the transceiver itself.

Abstract: The present invention is a device for characterizing pressure distributions on a rigid surface with respect to at least one reference (x) axis. The device includes a substrate electrode disposed on the rigid surface for which the pressure distribution is to be characterized. An electrically conductive material may form the substrate electrode, or where the rigid surface itself is electrically conductive, that rigid surface may form the substrate electrode. A piezo film is disposed on and overlying the rigid surface. A sensor electrode is disposed on and overlying at least part of the piezo film. In one form of the invention the sensor electrode of a measurement cell is a composite electrode including at least two electrically isolated portions.

Abstract: An enclosure (10) for a device (86) for recording information onto a strip of printing medium (14) is disclosed, and includes a base (11), forming a cavity (84), and first and second covers (12, 13) pivotally secured to the base. The first and second covers move opposedly to each other between open and closed positions to allow replacement of the printing meduim, which is wound onto a spool. The base and a printhead (16) are pivotally coupled to the first cover by cover and printhead links (30, 58), enabling the printhead to move with and remain covered by the first cover when the enclosure is opened. A drive roller (17) is rotatably secured to the second cover and is biased against the printhead for advancement of the printing medium when the enclosure is closed. When the second cover pivots to its open position, the roller is withdrawn from the base, but remains continuously engaged to a drive motor (18) by a series of gears.

Abstract: A closed loop system sends one portion of a coherent laser beam along a first path and another portion of the beam along a second path which is directed at a mirror formed on piezoelectric membrane. After reflection, both return beams are mixed on a photodetector array and the array output is analyzed to determine the values of a charge distribution on the piezoelectric membrane which will null or maintain constant the phase of the mixed beam.

Abstract: A gardening trowel is provided to permit easy loosening of earth around plants and the like through the utilization of a handle which is substantially offset from the center line of the trowel to simultaneously provide a pushing post and a lever arm such that the heel of the palm is utilized to press the point of the trowel into the earth. This same offset handle is utilized along with an asymmetric trowel blade to permit easy rotation of the blade, such that upon insertion, the trowel may be rotated by the side or heel of the hand due to the lever arm provided by the offset handle, so as to easily rotate the blade even after insertion of the blade into packed, hardened earth.