Abstract: A spacecraft for the distribution of electrical energy to client craft at points situated in free space, in orbit and/or on a celestial body includes a main structure equipped with an electric thruster, with a chemical thruster and with a solar generator, a first fuel container for fuel intended for the electric thruster, and a second fuel container for fuel intended for the chemical thruster. The spacecraft is able to be modulated such that the main structure can be coupled/decoupled alternatively to/from the first container or the second container, the first container and the second container are able to be coupled/decoupled to/from one another, and the solar generator can be deployed or retracted.

Abstract: A method for correcting deformations of the surface of an object equipped with a device for correcting deformations, the device including a piezoelectric layer including first and second surfaces, a first plurality of electrical tracks arranged on the first surface, a second plurality of electrical tracks arranged on the second surface, the tracks of the first plurality forming a plurality of lines and the tracks of the second plurality forming a plurality of columns, each column of the plurality of columns being perpendicular to the lines of the plurality of lines, the crossing of a line and a column forming a pixel. The method includes measuring the deformations of the surface; identifying the pixels for correcting the deformations and applying, for each identified pixel, with the line and the column corresponding to the pixel, an electric field greater than the coercive field of the piezoelectric material of the piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A method for correcting deformations of the surface of an object equipped with a device for correcting deformations, the device including a piezoelectric layer including first and second surfaces, a first plurality of electrical tracks arranged on the first surface, a second plurality of electrical tracks arranged on the second surface, the tracks of the first plurality forming a plurality of lines and the tracks of the second plurality forming a plurality of columns, each column of the plurality of columns being perpendicular to the lines of the plurality of lines, the crossing of a line and a column forming a pixel. The method includes measuring the deformations of the surface; identifying the pixels for correcting the deformations and applying, for each identified pixel, with the line and the column corresponding to the pixel, an electric field greater than the coercive field of the piezoelectric material of the piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A multimodality imaging phantom is disclosed which is useful for calibrating devices for imaging vascular conduits. The phantom is compatible with X-ray, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging techniques. It allows testing, calibration, and inter-modality comparative study of imaging devices, in static or dynamic flow conditions. It also provides a geometric reference for evaluation of accuracy of imaging devices. The tissue-mimicking material is preferably an agar-based solidified gel. A vessel of known desired geometry runs throughout the gel and is connected to an inlet and outlet at its extremities for generating a flow circulation in the vessel. Said phantom also contains fiducial markers detectable in the above-mentioned modalities. The markers are preferably made of glass and are embedded in a layer of agar gel containing a fat component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a casing containing a printed circuit (50) and comprising a front face (10) and a rear face (20), and a removable keypad module (40) electrically connected to the printed circuit (50). According to the invention, the device further comprises a removable clip (60) that encloses the perimeter of the keypad module (40) in order to lock the keypad module to said front face (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a communication terminal comprising a multi-directional image acquisition system (1?), said image acquisition system (1?) consisting of: image capture means (3?), at least one optical lens (2?) and reflection means (4?) which provide the image to the image capture means (3?). According to the invention, the reflection means (4?) are mounted such as to rotate around the optical axis of the image capture means (3?). The invention is characterised in that the reflection means (4?) are located on the optical path between the optical lens (2?) and the image capture means (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiocommunication terminal consisting of a housing comprising two shells, namely: a rear shell (20) and a front shell (30). The rear shell (20) covers an antenna space that is dedicated to a patch antenna (10) and a storage space that is dedicated to an energy-storing device (40), said antenna space being adjacent to the storage space. According to the invention, the terminal comprises a vacant space around the energy-storing device (40) between the printed circuit board (70) and the rear shell (20) and the space occupied by the antenna patch (10) extends over at least part of said vacant space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a casing containing a printed circuit (50) and comprising a front face (10) and a rear face (20), and a removable keypad module (40) electrically connected to the printed circuit (50). According to the invention, the device further comprises a removable clip (60) that encloses the perimeter of the keypad module (40) in order to lock the keypad module to said front face (10).

Abstract: A multimodality imaging phantom is disclosed which is useful for calibrating devices for imaging vascular conduits. The phantom is compatible with X-ray, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging techniques. It allows testing, calibration, and inter-modality comparative study of imaging devices, in static or dynamic flow conditions. It also provides a geometric reference for evaluation of accuracy of imaging devices. The tissue-mimicking material is preferably an agar-based solidified gel. A vessel of known desired geometry runs throughout the gel and is connected to an inlet and outlet at its extremities for generating a flow circulation in the vessel. Said phantom also contains fiducial markers detectable in the above-mentioned modalities. The markers are preferably made of glass and are embedded in a layer of agar gel containing a fat component.

Abstract: A multimodality imaging phantom is disclosed in the present invention. This multimodality imaging phantom is particularly useful for calibrating devices for imaging vascular conduits. The phantom is compatible with X-ray, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging techniques. It allows testing, calibration, and inter-modality comparative study of imaging devices, in static or dynamic flow conditions. It also provides a geometric reference for evaluation of accuracy of imaging devices. The tissue-mimicking material is preferably an agar-based solidified gel. A vessel of known desired geometry runs throughout the gel and is connected to an inlet and outlet at its extremities for generating a flow circulation in the vessel. Using a lost-material casting technique, complex realistic geometry (including 3D configurations with no symmetry axis or plane) of normal or diseased vessel can be modeled. Said phantom also contains fiducial markers detectable in the above-mentioned modalities.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for latching and unlatching a removable cover referred to as a “removable element” on a box referred to as a “fixed element”, the device comprising a latch provided on one of the elements and slidable between a latched position in which one end of the latch is in contact with the other element and unlatched position in which said end is not in contact with the other element, said latch having a gripping surface enabling it to be caused to slide. According to the invention, it has means for locking the latch in the unlatched position, at least until the cover is moved.

Abstract: The method of estimating systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures of a patient, comprising the steps of (a) producing an electric signal xs(t) representative of heart sounds of the patient; (b) extracting second heart sound S2(t) from the signal produced in step (a); (c) extracting pulmonary and aortic components P2(t) and A2(t) from S2(t); (d) extracting a signal representative of mean cardiac interval; (e) correlating the pulmonary and aortic components P2(t) and A2(t) to obtain a cross correlation function; (f) measuring a splitting interval of the cross correlation function obtained in step (e); (g) producing a normalized splitting interval; and (h) estimating the systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures by means of predetermined regressive functions. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for estimating systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures of a patient.

Abstract: To compensate for the poor signal-to-noise ratio when transforming a patient tracheal sound signal into a respiration flow signal, the transformed signal is used when the sound signal is above a threshold, and interpolated values are used when the sound signal is below the threshold. A volume of breath signal is reliably obtained. Respiration start/stop is detected either by analyzing the sound signal or by physical measurement of the patient. A wearable device incorporating the sound signal processing method can provide an immediate indication or alarm when the volume of breath signal indicates a condition requiring medical attention.

Abstract: The electronic stethoscope is designed to minimize the influence of the various types of noise while optimizing auscultation of the sounds of interest, and to enable a cardiologist to auscultate mechanical heart valves. It comprises a probe for sensing sounds of interest produced within a patient's body and for converting these sounds to an electric signal, and an audio amplifier and earphones for reproducing the sounds of interest in response to this electric signal.

Abstract: Process and device for controlling the braking of a brake bench of a wheeled vehicle having plural interconnected drive shafts, each shaft having a differential. One wheel on a shaft is driven in the forward direction and the other wheel on the same shaft is driven in the rearward direction. The speed (V.sub.A) of the drive motor (7a) of the one wheel (3a) and the speed (V.sub.B) of the drive motor (7b) of the other wheel (3b) differ from each other such that the difference of the two speeds (V.sub.A, V.sub.B) is maintained less than a value such as will move another shaft of the vehicle which is external to the brake bench. The difference in the two speeds (V.sub.A, V.sub.B) is maintained less than 5% of the speed (V.sub.A) of the drive motor (7a) in the forward direction (A).