Abstract: An online collaborative story system allows multiple people to collaborate on creating a story by contributing content of various types to a server computer, where it is voted on by the collaborators or a designated editor to create the finished story. Additionally, one or more of the collaborators can be rewarded for their participation in the story.

Abstract: An approach is provided to join graphical user interface objects into a group. A request is received at a touch-enabled display screen to join a first graphical user interface object with a second graphical user interface object. The request is from a user of the system. The first and second graphical user interface objects are then associated with each other. The first and second graphical user interface objects are displayed on the touch-enabled display screen adjacent to each other and a visual indicator is also displayed near the objects that indicates that the objects have been joined in a group.

Abstract: The present invention generates a color template design to format a presentation. According to one aspect, a plurality of template designs are provided on a visual display. A selection of one of the plurality of template designs is received from a user. A plurality of source images that are separate from the plurality of template designs are provided on the visual display. A selection of a color from one of the plurality of source images is received from the user. Colors of the selected template design are automatically adjusted to match the selected the color from the source image. The selected template design may include framing, mat, background, and foreground portions, at least one of which is adjusted. After automatically adjusting the colors, the selected template design may be displayed and/or stored for use as a template.

Abstract: A system and method for creating composite images by utilizing a camera comprises a cradle device that transports the camera across a target area during a scanning procedure that captures and stores image data. During the scanning procedure, a motion detector captures and provides scan motion data to a scanning manager from the camera. The scanning manager may then responsively utilize the scan motion data to accurately extract still frames corresponding to the target area from the captured image data at pre-determined time intervals. A stitching software program may then access and combine the still frames generated by the scanning manager to thereby create composite images.

Abstract: A static mixer may include a conduit section having a channel, an injector opening through an inner wall thereof, a tab having a main portion extending from the inner wall adjacent and downstream of the opening and extending radially inwardly at an angle away from the opening in the downstream direction, and having at least one finger extending at a non-zero angle from the main portion, the main portion and the at least one finger being configured such that a second fluid injected through the injector opening and into a first fluid flowing through the conduit section flows radially along the main portion toward a center of the conduit section, and radially outward from the main portion along the at least one finger, whereby the first and second fluids are thoroughly mixed as a result of turbulence imparted by the tab to the fluids.

Abstract: A cooling system integrating a plurality of evaporative chillers, which each cool water to below ambient wet bulb temperature. In an air-to-air heat exchanger of each chiller, the incoming airstream used to evaporate water from the water stream is first cooled indirectly using the cooled air that is exhausted from a saturator of an adjacent chiller or subunit. By pre-chilling the air without adding moisture, each of the chillers of the cooling system is able to achieve water temperatures below the ambient wet bulb temperature. The system integrates or “daisy chains” multiple sub-wet bulb evaporative chillers or subunits such that the cool air output from one subunit is used to pre-cool the incoming air of another neighboring unit. To this end, adjacent units have their heat exchangers fluidically connected together (e.g., air flow output from each saturator is passed as cool return air through channels of an adjacent heat exchanger).

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently transferring data from an electronic camera device includes a camera device that is configured to capture image data and temporarily store the image data into an economical limited local buffer memory. A transfer manager from the camera device may then periodically arbitrate for access to a wireless communications network, and may transfer the captured image data from the buffer memory to a designated data destination, such as an image service on a distributed computer network like the Internet. A system user may then efficiently access the transferred image data from a dedicated storage location on the data destination by utilizing any appropriate data-access device, such as a personal computer device or a portable electronic device.

Abstract: A hair extension kit may be packaged in such a way that patterns may be readily printed onto the hair using a standard printer. The hair extension may be removable from the kit to easily accessorize a girl's or doll's hair.

Abstract: A system for controlling effects performed on an image includes a digital camera having a display that displays the image. Masking tools position graphical representations on the display to define a portion of the image that is altered when the effects are subsequently applied to the image. The several masking tools may be combined to form a single masking tool.

Abstract: The present invention generates a color template design to format a presentation. According to one aspect, a plurality of template designs are provided on a visual display. A selection of one of the plurality of template designs is received from a user. A plurality of source images that are separate from the plurality of template designs are provided on the visual display. A selection of a color from one of the plurality of source images is received from the user. Colors of the selected template design are automatically adjusted to match the selected the color from the source image. The selected template design may include framing, mat, background, and foreground portions, at least one of which is adjusted. After automatically adjusting the colors, the selected template design may be displayed and/or stored for use as a template.

Abstract: A laminate is generally provided having alcohol repellency properties. In one particular embodiment, the laminate includes a meltblown web bonded to a spunbond web (e.g., a SM laminate, a SMS laminate, a SMMS laminate, etc.). A fluorinated polymeric coating is attached to the surface of the spunbond web (e.g., grafted). The fluorinated polymeric coating comprises a perfluoroalkyl(alkyl) (meth)acrylate monomer polymerized on the surface of the spunbond web via exposure to a low frequency energy source. The perfluoroalkyl(alkyl) (meth)acrylate monomer has a perfluoroalkyl side groups comprising —(CF2)z—F, where z is an integer from 1 to 6. The laminate has an alcohol repellency of greater than 80%.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing adjacent images includes an imaging device with a panorama manager that performs various procedures to manipulate one or more image parameters that correspond to adjacent frames of captured image data. An image-stitching software program may then produce a cohesive combined panorama image from the adjacent frames of image data by utilizing the manipulated image parameters.

Abstract: An imaging service creates a visual presentation. The imaging service accesses images of a location, arranges them such that they create a desired visual effect when displayed, and combines them in a visual presentation. The imaging service may employ a client/server system, in which case images and information are uploaded from a client, and the visual presentation is downloaded to the client. The imaging service may also receive compensation from a computer user for using the imaging service.

Abstract: The present invention generates a color template design to format a presentation. According to one aspect, a plurality of template designs are provided on a visual display. A selection of one of the plurality of template designs is received from a user. A plurality of source images that are separate from the plurality of template designs are provided on the visual display. A selection of a color from one of the plurality of source images is received from the user. Colors of the selected template design are automatically adjusted to match the selected the color from the source image. The selected template design may include framing, mat, background, and foreground portions, at least one of which is adjusted. After automatically adjusting the colors, the selected template design may be displayed and/or stored for use as a template.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a nonwoven web, the method including the steps of providing plurality of fibers and subjecting the fibers to a pneumatic attenuation force which imparts a velocity to the fibers, reducing the velocity of the fibers in a diffusion chamber which is formed substantially between opposed diverging sidewalls, subjecting the fibers to an applied electrostatic charge, and thereafter collecting the fibers into a web on a moving forming surface. The invention also provides an apparatus for forming nonwoven webs, the apparatus comprising a source of fibers, a fiber attenuation chamber, a diffusion chamber formed substantially between opposed diverging sidewalls, the diffusion chamber located below the fiber attenuation chamber, and a forming surface for collecting the fibers as a nonwoven web.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for modulating expression of endogenous cellular genes using recombinant zinc finger proteins.

Abstract: A system for controlling effects performed on an image includes a digital camera having a display that displays the image. Masking tools position graphical representations on the display to define a portion of the image that is altered when the effects are subsequently applied to the image. The several masking tools may be combined to form a single masking tool.

Abstract: For rotational graphical user interface navigation, a display module displays a first face of a uniform prism rotatable only about a central horizontal axis. The uniform prism includes a plurality of faces. Each face has Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls for a unique function set. Only one face of the uniform prism is visible at a time. Each face is displayed with a geometric shape conforming to a face geometry of the multidimensional solid when the multidimensional solid is being rotated, and a face is displayed as filling a screen when the multidimensional solid is not being rotated. An input module receives a rotational command. The rotational command rotates the uniform prism around the central horizontal axis. The rotation module rotates the uniform prism to display a second face in response to the rotational command, displaying the rotation of the uniform prism.

Abstract: A display module displays a first face of a virtual multidimensional solid comprising a plurality of faces. Each face comprises graphical user interface controls for a unique function set. An input module receives a rotational command that rotates the multidimensional solid around at least one axis. A rotation module rotates the multidimensional solid to display a second face in response to the rotational command, displaying the rotation of the multidimensional solid.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for personal threat notification. The method includes determining a device location. The device location is a location of a device. The method includes determining a threat location. The threat location includes a location of a threat. The method includes presenting a notification to the device in response to determining that the threat location is within a predetermined distance of the device location.