Abstract: A simple, inoffensive, and economic device is provided for signaling to get the attention of a waiter or waitress in a restaurant. A housing having a flat top and bottom holds one or more light emitters, preferably a number of light emitting diodes. A battery in the housing powers the lights through a gravity actuated switch and an intermittent flashing circuit. One flat face of the device is attached to the bottom of a can or bottle. When upright, the container rests on the device, and the lights are off. When the container is inverted to signal for service, the switch powers the emitters, which flash intermittently. The device may include a mechanism to stabilize the container in the inverted position.

Abstract: A watercraft has starboard and port hydrofoils or hydroskis that are supported by individually powered fore and aft supports for adjustable retraction and extension below the hull under control of a computer using signals from water speed, turn angle, roll angle and pitch angle sensors to maintain stability of operation, especially on high speed turns where the hull may be banked into a turn by positioning the ski on the inside of the turn lower than the other ski.

Abstract: A system for controlling access to a computer and for verifying informed consent in medical procedures includes a finger anatomy analyzer for verifying identity of a person. The analyzer generates a pattern of finger width vs length along the surface of the finger. The pattern generated is compared to a stored pattern to verify identity. To verify that the identified person is giving informed consent or denial to a medical procedure, the person is provided with the appropriate information and test questions given and answers recorded as evidence of comprehension to serve as evidence of informed consent or denial in combination with verified person identification.

Abstract: A water craft or land vehicle is stabilized against rolling and pitching forces by a mass or masses rotating about a vertical axis. The mass or masses are distributed along the vertical axis so that the center of the overall mass lies on the roll and pitch axes so that resistance to roll and pitch is exerted without precession. The gyro is gimballed along two axes which coincide with the roll and pitch axes. A stop mechanism allows a free pitching and rolling through a small angle before gyro resistance is met. Hydrofoils may be extended and retracted under pitch and roll signals from the gyro for extra stability.

Abstract: A safety message announcing device is interconnected to a machine so as to make the machine inoperative until the safety message has been announced. A control signal is provided along with the safety message. A control mechanism interconnected to the start switch of the machine will only operate when the control signal is received. The control signal may take the form of multiple fixed frequency tones announced along with the message, with the control mechanism tuned to the tones to only enable the machine when the tones are heard by the control mechanism, thus assuring that the message has been announced as well. The control signal may take the form of a code that must be input by the operator before the machine will operate. This may be done with a visual as well as a sound annunciator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus designed for verifying the identity of a person, for credit card authorization and other purposes, involves the measurement of the thickness of the knuckles and also the longitudinal distance between knuckles. The apparatus simultaneously takes a series of length and width measurements, and feeds them to a computer which is programmed to process the raw data and make comparisons to a standard previously recorded. Techniques for increasing the accuracy of the determination are also disclosed.