Abstract: An interactive character system that includes one or more toy characters and an environment, such as a theme park. Each toy character has one or more one or more electronic signal receivers, and an electronic system. The electronic system is structured to produce oral communication and has a programmable memory structured to store software. The software is structured to interact with the electronic signals and to cause the electronic system to produce the oral communication. The environment has one or more environmental electronic signal transmitters disposed therein. The toy character, one or more one or more electronic signal receivers interact with the one or more environmental electronic signal transmitters to cause the toy character electronic system to produce the oral communication.

Abstract: A curable slurry for forming ceramic microstructures on a substrate using a mold. The slurry is a mixture of a ceramic powder, a fugitive binder, and a diluent. The ceramic powder has a low softening temperature in a range of about 400° C. to 600° C. and a coefficient of thermal expansion closely matched to that of the substrate. The fugitive binder is capable of radiation curing, electron beam curing, or thermal curing. The diluent promotes release properties with the mold after curing the binder or quick and complete burn out of the binder during debinding.

Abstract: The invention teaches the combination of a common toy, the yo-yo, and an electronic hand-held game playing device. To date, these two areas have not been combined and certainly have not been interactive. Specifically, the invention consists of an electronic circuit embedded into the disk of a yo-yo such that typical yo-yo game playing interfaces with the electronic game. The electronic game may be the LCD-type games similar to current hand-held games with the exception that the player must use typical yo-yo game playing actions to play the LCD game. The electronic LCD game will utilize the LCD to display game results and graphics while the yo-yo sensor and switches will provide game input. In addition, the invention discloses electronic games based on audio sound effects, similar to current non-LCD electronic hand-held games with the exception that player must use typical yo-yo game playing to play the game.

Abstract: The Electronic RPM Yo-Yo will contain electronics for purposes of measuring typical yo-yo game play including the speed and RPMs, the duration of the spin of the yo-yo and it will also calculate overall score based upon a combination of the speed and duration. It may also calculate the scale speed in miles per hour and the distance which the yo-yo would have traveled had it been rolling along a flat plane. The electronics will save high scores for each of the result categories. The high scores can be recalled. The electronics will include a sound transducer to provide audio signals that will alert a player when his current play has exceeded a high score. Results of game play will be conveyed using LCD read-out, a bar graph comprised of colored LEDs or heard audibly via a speaker and electronic speech. Results can also be transmitted to similar yo-yo's via IR (infrared) or IF radio frequency technology.

Abstract: The invention is an improvement to LCD game playing devices whereby a colored reflective surface is added that is larger than the LCD viewing area which allows the LCD to move over the background with intelligence. Thus, the LCD's normally static colored background will change. This change can be used to have a scrolling landscape or to move to new background graphics that reflect new game playing themes. The reflective surface as a whole remains static but as viewed through the moving LCD it will appear to be scrolling or changing. The LCD will light up to reveal different images most likely relative to the current background. The reflective surface can be printed in a circular path, a linear path, a two-dimensional surface, intersecting linear paths or a perimeter shape. The computer chip housed within the game playing device will know where the LCD is relative to the background. This knowledge and the physical movement of the LCD is used to enhance game play.

Abstract: A curable slurry for forming ceramic microstructures on a substrate using a mold. The slurry is a mixture of a ceramic powder, a fugitive binder, and a diluent. The ceramic powder has a low softening temperature in a range of about 400° C. to 600° C. and a coefficient of thermal expansion closely matched to that of the substrate. The fugitive binder is capable of radiation curing, electron beam curing, or thermal curing. The diluent promotes release properties with the mold after curing the binder or quick and complete burn out of the binder during debinding.

Abstract: A curable slurry for forming ceramic microstructures on a substrate using a mold. The slurry is a mixture of a ceramic powder, a fugitive binder, and a diluent. The ceramic powder has a low softening temperature in a range of about 400° C. to 600° C. and a coefficient of thermal expansion closely matched to that of the substrate. The fugitive binder is capable of radiation curing, electron beam curing, or thermal curing. The diluent promotes release properties with the mold after curing the binder or quick and complete burn out of the binder during debinding.

Abstract: An educational computer system includes a computer, a display device, a remote control character, and a wireless modem for communication between the computer and the remote control character. The remote control character can move and speak in response to signals from the computer, thereby allowing the remote control character to interact with the user and with characters displayed on the display device. When a program is run, the computer determines whether the remote control character is available. If it is not, the computer substitutes an animated character that is displayed on the display device. The computer periodically checks for the remote control characters while displaying the animated character. If the remote control character becomes available, the animated character is discontinued and the computer begins sending voice and movement information to the remote control character.

Abstract: A slurry loading apparatus for automatically loading a slurry into a substrate, the substrate having a front surface, a back surface opposite said front surface and an interior with voids between the front and back surfaces, the apparatus including a device for introducing the slurry onto the front surface and into the voids where excess slurry passes through the substrate and exits the back surface, and a device for repeatedly forcing the excess slurry back onto the back surface and into the voids.