Abstract: The present invention relates to a vacuum system 10 for evacuating a chamber 10 of a metallurgical processing system. The system comprises a vacuum pumping arrangement 14 for evacuating gas from the chamber, a foreline connecting the vacuum pumping arrangement to the chamber, a filter volume located in the foreline 16 for filtering gas evacuated from the chamber along the foreline, and a by-pass line 20 connecting the vacuum pumping arrangement to the chamber and arranged to by-pass the filter volume selectively dependent on monitored characteristics of the degassing chamber or the vacuum system.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hard wood strand product, comprising the steps of harvesting logs of eucalypts from plantation trees having an age between 8 years and 12 years, forming strands from the logs, adding a binder including a polymeric methane di-isocyanate resin and a wax to the strands, forming a mat with the strands, and pressing and heating the mat using a press to form the strand product.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to sub-diffraction limit image resolution and other imaging techniques. In one aspect, the invention is directed to determining and/or imaging light from two or more entities separated by a distance less than the diffraction limit of the incident light. For example, the entities may be separated by a distance of less than about 1000 nm, or less than about 300 nm for visible light. In one set of embodiments, the entities may be selectively activatable, i.e., one entity can be activated to produce light, without activating other entities. A first entity may be activated and determined (e.g., by determining light emitted by the entity), then a second entity may be activated and determined. The entities may be immobilized relative to each other and/or to a common entity.

Abstract: A transformer is provided. The transformer includes a core formed from a plurality of planar laminations stacked together adjacent one another to lie substantially parallel. The transformer also includes electrically insulating spacing means provided between each of the laminations and a lamination adjacent thereto to separate them so as to provide a plurality of voids in the core, each of which is between a lamination and a lamination adjacent thereto. The transformer further includes an electrically insulating fluid located within and filling said voids.

Abstract: A method of testing a transformer prior to installation in a high-pressure environment wherein the transformer comprises a transformer core comprising a stack of a plurality laminations, is provided. The method comprises applying a mechanical compression force to the stack, the force being at least equivalent to the ambient pressure of the high-pressure environment; and testing the electrical efficiency of the transformer.

Abstract: A method of obtaining data from a subsea control module of an underwater well facility is provided. The method comprises: providing a tag which stores data relating to the module, the tag being operable to wirelessly transmit the data to a reader device; locating the tag at the module; providing a reader device; and interrogating the tag using the reader device, such that the tag is caused to wirelessly transmit the data to the reader device, wherein the tag is communicatively connected to a subsea electronics module for receiving information therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to sub-diffraction limit image resolution and other imaging techniques. In one aspect, the invention is directed to determining and/or imaging light from two or more entities separated by a distance less than the diffraction limit of the incident light. For example, the entities may be separated by a distance of less than about 1000 nm, or less than about 300 nm for visible light. In one set of embodiments, the entities may be selectively activatable, i.e., one entity can be activated to produce light, without activating other entities. A first entity may be activated and determined (e.g., by determining light emitted by the entity), then a second entity may be activated and determined The entities may be immobilized relative to each other and/or to a common entity.

Abstract: A hard wood strand lumber or board product including strands of one or more eucalypts bonded together with a binder including an isocyanate resin.

Abstract: A strand lumber or board product based on eucalypt species and an iso-cyanate binder such as PMDI.

Abstract: A polynucleotide is provided, comprising at least a first region encoding a first protein capable of conferring on a plant, or tissue comprising it, resistance or tolerance to a first herbicide, and a second region encoding a second protein likewise capable of conferring resistance to a second herbicide, with the provisos (i) that the polynucleotide does not encode a fusion protein comprising only a 5-enol-pyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase (EPSPS) and a glutathione S transferase (GST); (ii) that the polynucleotide does not comprise only regions encoding superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S transferase (GST); and (iii) that the polynucleotide does not comprise only regions encoding GST and phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT).

Abstract: A strand lumber or board product based on eucalypt species and an iso-cyanate binder such as PMDI.

Abstract: A method of outputting media content is described. The media content is coded according to a predefined coding scheme to produce coded media content. Enhancement data, comprising information for selectively enhancing at least one portion of the media content, is also supplied. A corresponding method of providing media content is also described, including receiving enhancement data for selectively enhancing at least one portion of the media content and providing enhanced decoded media content for the at least one portion based on the enhancement data. By providing selective enhancements, e.g. of critical portions, a user experience can be improved without requiring a significant increase in bandwidth and enhancements may be delivered over a different channel to the basic data.

Abstract: To supplement a video display on a conventional television, a surround video stream may be projected onto wall and other surfaces adjacent the television. The surround video stream may derive from a wide angle lens camera positioned alongside the main camera. The surround video stream may be processed in a local processor to compensate for departures from planar geometry in the wall surfaces. Where no surround video stream is received, a video processor may synthesize a surround video stream from the main video signal. Moving objects represented in the main video signal may be synthesized in the surround video to provide the perception of movement across the viewer's full field of view.

Abstract: A conference call facility is described in which one (2a) of a group of communication devices (2a,2b,2c,2d) connected to a low power radio frequency network (9) is able to set up a call to a party external of the network (9) and then selectively add further devices (2a,2b,2c) to the call under the control of the user of the one device (2a). The users of the other devices (2b,2c) are able to enable or disable the selection of their device in a conference call. One or more of the communication devices may be a mobile radio telephone equipped with the necessary network interface (1).

Abstract: A teleconferencing robot for enabling a remote conferee to project a sense of presence into a group meeting. The teleconferencing robot includes: a base; a video monitor movably mounted to the base for receiving and displaying an image of the remote conferee; an attention getting device for getting the attention of conferees in the group meeting; a control device mounted on the base for moving the video monitor and actuating the attention getting device in response to an input control signal derived from a remote signal generated by the remote conferee and sending an outgoing data signal to the remote conferee providing feedback to the remote conferee from the robot; and the video monitor and attention getting device move in response to the input control signal to enable the remote conferee to project a sense of presence into the group meeting, and to confirm the movement by the outgoing data signal.

Abstract: An “exchange” intermediates transactions involving reward points between reward programme participants providers and reward programme providers. Such an exchange may, for example, transact buying, selling or transferring points from, to, or between reward programme participants. The exchange offers to buy reward points from reward programme participants at a discounted value, and sell points to the reward programme provider at a cost value or to reward programme participants at a premium.

Abstract: A method for determining the position and orientation of a camera, which may not rely on the use of special markers. A set of reference images may be stored, together with camera pose and feature information for each image. A first estimate of camera position is determined by comparing the current camera image with the set of reference images. A refined estimate can be obtained using features from the current image matched in a subset of similar reference images, and in particular, the 3D positions of those features. A consistent 3D model of all stored feature information need not be provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for the projection of a remote conferee's presence into a group meeting environment by using a combination of videoconferencing/teleconferencing and robotics technology. The remote conferee's face is shown substantially life-size on a video monitor. The remote conferee's eyes appear to be looking directly at the viewer. The video monitor can turn left or right to point at the person speaking, automatically or by manual control, to give the impression that the remote conferee is turning his head to look at the person speaking. The video screen can be raised and lowered to give the impression that the remote conferee is standing up and sitting down. An attention-getting mechanism prompts the attention of the other conferees when the remote conferee wants to interrupt or enter a conversation.

Abstract: A method of providing a visual representation of a scene to a participant in a studio is provided, wherein the studio is arranged to be viewed by a camera to provide a camera image and has at least a portion of a background object arranged to be keyed out of the camera image by a keying process. The method includes obtaining an estimate of the viewpoint of the participant; rendering an image of the scene based on the viewpoint of the participant; and projecting at least a portion of the rendered image onto the background object to provide a projected image portion visible to the participant. The projected image portion is projected so as to be keyed out of the camera image by the keying process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for keying foreground and background areas of an image or objects within an image is described. The selected object or area is differentially lit with key light having a selected characteristic, such as a selected colour property or temporal variation. A first image is formed of the scene, and a key signal is derived from the image based on detection of the key light. A second image of the scene may also be formed in which the effect of the key light on the object or area is reduced. The method may allow objects or areas to be keyed into or out of an image.