Abstract: Some embodiments provide an irrigation flow sensor system, comprising: a housing forming a fluid channel to cooperate with conduits of an irrigation system; a paddle wheel device with at least a first blade of a set of the blades comprises a magnetic element; the paddle wheel device is positioned with at least a portion of the blades extends into the fluid channel as the blades rotate about an axis; a magnetic sensor proximate a pathway of the magnetic element as it rotates configured to provide a sensor output every time the magnetic element passes the magnetic sensor; a switch coupled to the magnetic sensor and a current loop, wherein the switch in an activate state is configured to temporarily change the current in the current loop in response to the sensor output, with a rate of change in current corresponding to a flow rate of the fluid flowing.

Abstract: Provided are fabrics and lifting devices that are high performance and skin friendly, for patient care, including as bed linens upon which a patient may sleep and/or rest, as well as patient slings for lifting and/or repositioning a patient.

Abstract: Provided are fabrics and lifting devices that are high performance and skin friendly, for patient care, including as bed linens upon which a patient may sleep and/or rest, as well as patient slings for lifting and/or repositioning a patient.

Abstract: Provided are fabrics and lifting devices that are high performance and skin friendly, for patient care, including as bed linens upon which a patient may sleep and/or rest, as well as patient slings for lifting and/or repositioning a patient.

Abstract: A fabric comprises a woven fabric having continuous filament warp yarns and continuous filament filling yarns, wherein the warp yarns are about 30 denier to 100 denier, and the filling yarns are about 30 denier to 100 denier, wherein the warp yarns and filling yarns are woven together in a plain weave to provide a pill resistant fabric having identical surfaces on both sides thereof, and wherein each surface has a coefficient of friction that does not exceed 0.35 under both dry and wet surface conditions. The fabric has a wicking rate of between about 1.00 and 1.75 inches per minute, and has a percent dryness after 45 minutes of 90%.

Abstract: A fabric comprises a woven fabric having continuous filament warp yarns and continuous filament filling yarns, wherein the warp yarns are about 30 denier to 100 denier, and the filling yarns are about 30 denier to 100 denier, wherein the warp yarns and filling yarns are woven together in a plain weave to provide a pill resistant fabric having identical surfaces on both sides thereof, and wherein each surface has a coefficient of friction that does not exceed 0.35 under both dry and wet surface conditions. The fabric has a wicking rate of between about 1.00 and 1.75 inches per minute, and has a percent dryness after 45 minutes of 90%.

Abstract: A method for determining a physical property of an object or fluid in a dynamic multi-path clutter environment comprises transmitting an RF interrogation signal to a wireless sensor physically coupled to the object or fluid (gas or liquid) in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment, wherein the wireless sensor is operable to receive the RF interrogation signal, produce a reference signal and a measurement signal, and retransmit the reference signal and the measurement signal in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment. The reference signal and measurement signal are delayed by the wireless sensor by an amount of time that may be a function of the unknown physical property. The method also comprises receiving the retransmitted reference signal and the retransmitted measurement signal and comparing them in the time domain in order to determine the unknown physical property of the object or fluid.

Abstract: Bioburden reducing fabrics include a woven fabric having warp yarns and filling yarns woven together in a plain weave to provide a pill resistant fabric having identical surfaces on both sides thereof. A surface of the fabric, when exposed to a pathogenic environment for twenty hours, allows no more than a total average of about twenty-two CFUs of pathogens per square centimeter to be formed thereon.

Abstract: A method for determining a physical property of an object or fluid in a dynamic multi-path clutter environment comprises transmitting an RF interrogation signal to a wireless sensor physically coupled to the object or fluid (gas or liquid) in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment, wherein the wireless sensor is operable to receive the RF interrogation signal, produce a reference signal and a measurement signal, and retransmit the reference signal and the measurement signal in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment. The reference signal and measurement signal are delayed by the wireless sensor by an amount of time that may be a function of the unknown physical property. The method also comprises receiving the retransmitted reference signal and the retransmitted measurement signal and comparing them in the time domain in order to determine the unknown physical property of the object or fluid.

Abstract: An antenna made up of small addressable conductive segments, or pixel elements, located in a dielectric space positioned over a two-dimensional pixel element actuator is presented. The small pixel elements can be actuated in less than a millisecond by the actuator to form patterns that create an array of patch antennas and associated transmission lines on the upper surface of the dielectric space. The pixel elements can be formed using small movable conductive particles such as metal flakes or metal chips.

Abstract: An antenna made up of small addressable conductive segments, or pixel elements, located in a dielectric space positioned over a two-dimensional pixel element actuator is presented. The small pixel elements can be actuated in less than a millisecond by the actuator to form patterns that create an array of patch antennas and associated transmission lines on the upper surface of the dielectric space.

Abstract: A method for determining a physical property of a structural member in a dynamic multi-path clutter environment is given. The method comprises transmitting an RF interrogation signal to a wireless sensor operable to receive the RF interrogation signal, produce a reference signal and a measurement signal, and transmit the reference signal and the measurement signal in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment. The reference signal is delayed by a first time delay and the measurement signal is delayed by a second time delay that is a function of the physical property to be determined. The first and second time delays are associated by a known relationship defined by the wireless sensor. The method further comprises receiving the transmitted reference signal and the transmitted measurement signal and comparing the transmitted reference signal and the transmitted measurement signal in the time domain. Finally, the method comprises using this comparison to determine the physical property of the structural member.

Abstract: An antenna made up of addressable conductive segments, or pixel elements, affixed to the top of each piston in a piston array is presented. The pixel elements can be activated in less than a millisecond to form an antenna array and transmission line pattern using movable pistons and a two-dimensional actuator. Each piston comprises a handle, a bottom conductive segment affixed to the top of the handle, a dielectric segment affixed to the uppermost surface of the bottom conductive segment, and a top conductive segment affixed to the uppermost surface of the dielectric segment. When the piston is not actuated, the top conductive segment forms part of a ground plane. The top conductive segment form part of the transmission line and antenna array patterns, the dielectric segment becomes a dielectric space and the bottom conductive segment forms part of the ground plane when the piston is actuated.

Abstract: The infrared image generation device, method and system generate realistic infrared images to accurately test infrared sensors. The device and system include a laser light source, at least one scanner, a processor and a target plate. The scanner(s) receive and redirect the laser light. The processor controls operation of the scanner(s) to generate at least one infrared image and the target plate receives the redirected light from the scanner(s) and, as such, the infrared image(s) are generated on the target plate. For instance, the target plate may display an infrared image having at least one portion that represents a temperature of at least 1000 Kelvin. The target plate may be made of a transparent heat sink layer facing the scanner(s), an insulator layer adjacent to the transparent heat sink layer, and an emissive layer that is at least opaque and is adjacent to the insulator layer.

Abstract: An antenna made up of addressable conductive segments, or pixel elements, affixed to the top of each piston in a piston array is presented. The pixel elements can be activated in less than a millisecond to form an antenna array and transmission line pattern using movable pistons and a two-dimensional actuator. Each piston comprises a handle, a bottom conductive segment affixed to the top of the handle, a dielectric segment affixed to the uppermost surface of the bottom conductive segment, and a top conductive segment affixed to the uppermost surface of the dielectric segment. When the piston is not actuated, the top conductive segment forms part of a ground plane. The top conductive segment form part of the transmission line and antenna array patterns, the dielectric segment becomes a dielectric space and the bottom conductive segment forms part of the ground plane when the piston is actuated.

Abstract: An improved regulator system is disclosed for controlling a field winding of an alternator to regulate the charging of a battery. The improved regulator system comprises an internal regulator mounted onto the alternator. The internal regulator has an internal regulator control circuit for monitoring the battery and for controlling the field winding. An electrical connector actuates the internal regulator to regulate the output of the alternator in accordance with the internal regulator. The electrical connector enables an external regulator to be connected to the alternator thereby bypassing the internal regulator to regulate the output of the alternator in accordance with the external regulator. The improved regulator system facilitates the connection of an upgrade external regulator with the internal regulator functioning as a reserve regulator in the remote event of a malfunction of the external regulator.

Abstract: An ensemble clock comprises: an input for receiving a reference signal; multiple free-running oscillators each configured to generate a corresponding free-running frequency; an output oscillator configured to generate a controlled frequency having a frequency responsive to a control signal; a differencer unit configured to derive difference measurements indicative of time and frequency-based errors associated with each of (i) the controlled frequency, and (ii) the free-running frequency, relative to the reference signal; and a controller configured to generate the control signal responsive to the difference measurements.

Abstract: An improved regulator system is disclosed for controlling a field winding of an alternator to regulate the charging of a battery. The improved regulator system comprises an internal regulator mounted onto the alternator. The internal regulator has an internal regulator control circuit for monitoring the battery and for controlling the field winding. An electrical connector actuates the internal regulator to regulate the output of the alternator in accordance with the internal regulator. The electrical connector enables an external regulator to be connected to the alternator thereby bypassing the internal regulator to regulate the output of the alternator in accordance with the external regulator. The improved regulator system facilitates the connection of an upgrade external regulator with the internal regulator functioning as a reserve regulator in the remote event of a malfunction of the external regulator.

Abstract: A system, comprising a sterilizable package; an implantable medical device placed inside the sterilizable package; and an electrical interface electrically coupled to the implantable medical device and extending from inside the sterilizable package to outside the sterilizable package. In various embodiments, the interface may include package contacts electrically coupled to electrode terminals on the implantable medical device, patient terminals and conductors extending between the package contacts and the patient terminals.

Abstract: A system, comprising a sterilizable package; an implantable medical device placed inside the sterilizable package; and an electrical interface electrically coupled to the implantable medical device and extending from inside the sterilizable package to outside the sterilizable package. In various embodiments, the interface may include package contacts electrically coupled to electrode terminals on the implantable medical device, patient terminals and conductors extending between the package contacts and the patient terminals.