Abstract: An apparatus includes a headset having one or more speaker units. Each speaker unit is configured to provide audio signals to an operator. Each speaker unit includes an ear cuff configured to contact the operator's head. The headset further includes multiple sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics associated with the operator. At least one of the sensors is embedded within at least one ear cuff of at least one speaker unit. The sensors could include an electrocardiography electrode, a skin conductivity probe, pulse oximetry light emitting diodes and photodetectors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a temperature sensor. The apparatus could also include a processing unit configured to analyze audio signals captured by a microphone unit of the headset to identify respiration by the operator or at least one voice characteristic of the operator.

Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit (IC) chip containing a plurality of transistors, including: a substrate; a first transistor on the substrate; and a second transistor integrally formed on the substrate with the first transistor, the second transistor having a different structure than the first transistor, wherein the first transistor includes a first material system and the second transistor includes a second material system different from the first material system. The monolithic IC chip may further include a third transistor integrally formed on the substrate with the first and second transistors. The first transistor may include gallium nitride (GaN) and the second and third transistors may include silicon carbide (SiC).

Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit (IC) chip containing a plurality of transistors, including: a substrate; a first transistor on the substrate; and a second transistor integrally formed on the substrate with the first transistor, the second transistor having a different structure than the first transistor, wherein the first transistor includes a first material system and the second transistor includes a second material system different from the first material system. The monolithic IC chip may further include a third transistor integrally formed on the substrate with the first and second transistors. The first transistor may include gallium nitride (GaN) and the second and third transistors may include silicon carbide (SiC).

Abstract: A grommet for securing a tube includes an oval hole having a wide portion and a narrow portion, a recess located between upper and lower shoulders surrounding the hole, an inclined surface to guide the grommet into a mounting hole, and a lower surface that can 5 be engaged by a connector on the tube.

Abstract: An assembly for clamping a tube includes a fitting including a land, a bolt housing, legs, and a tooth on each leg, a band surrounding an axis, contacting the land and formed with holes spaced along the band, and a bolt located in the bolt housing, including helical teeth engaged with said holes for changing a diameter of the band and forcing the tooth toward the band as the band is tightened by rotating the bolt.

Abstract: A flat panel active electronically scanned array (AESA) (1) includes heterogeneous integrated circuit DC-DC voltage converters (3) periodically placed on array elements (2). A heterogeneous integrated circuit (100, 400, 500, 600) includes a voltage converter (101) configured to receive an input voltage (VI), and to convert the input voltage to an output voltage (VO) that is different from the input voltage, the voltage converter (101) comprising an analog and/or digital PWM circuit (104). The heterogeneous integrated circuit (100, 400, 500, 600) also includes a feedback circuit (103) configured to receive the output voltage (VO), and to generate a control signal used to vary a pulse width of a PWM signal generated by the analog and/or digital PWM circuit (104). The digital PWM circuit (104) is implemented in a heterogeneous integrated circuit (100, 400, 500, 600) fabricated on a common substrate (606) using CMOS and GaN fabrication processes.

Abstract: A single monolithic integrated circuit (10) containing a solar cell (or cells) with a DC-DC converter includes: a substrate (120, 220); the solar cell (101) or a solar cell array (100, 100?) on the substrate for generating an output voltage; and the DC-DC converter (102) integrated on the substrate for receiving the output voltage to generate a converted voltage, which may be higher or lower than the solar generated voltage. The substrate may be a silicon <111>, silicon carbide, or sapphire substrate. A GaN RF power amplifier and a CMOS controller including PWM modulator may also be monolithically integrated with an InGaN solar cell array and a GaN DC-DC converter. GaN switches (113, 115, 117, 119) may be used to couple InGaN solar cells (101) in series or parallel within the solar cell array (100, 100?) to yield improved or optimal voltage and current levels as required by the load.

Abstract: The invention relates to a therapeutic device for the delivery of therapeutic agents, e.g. a peptide such as leuprolide, via the vagina to a female mammal. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to methods for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders, diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), endometriosis, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovarian disease, various cancers such as breast cancer, acne, hirsutism, microbial or fungal or viral infections such as bacterial vaginosis or AIDS/HIV, and chronic diseases using a disclosed vaginal device.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a waveform of an electrical current applied to an electrode of an electrochemical device that consists of at least two electrodes separaged by an electrolyte that includes the steps of: applying an electrical current to an electrode of a device; determining a waveform of the voltage or the current of the electrical current; representing the waveform by a mathematical expression or numbers taking measurements of output voltage, current or power of the device associated with the application of the electrical current; and varying the shape and frequency of the waveform to optimize the output voltage, current or power of the device and thereby determine an optimized waveform of the electrical current to be applied to the electrode of the device.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a waveform of an electrical current applied to an electrode includes the steps of: applying an electrical current to an electrode of a device; determining a waveform of the voltage or the current of the electrical current; representing the waveform by a mathematical description such as a number of points or an analytical function characterized by a number of unknown coefficients and a fixed number of known functions; measuring a function of the device associated with the application of the electrical current; feeding the waveform description and the measurements to an algorithm, which may be in a computer program or other calculating device including manual calculations, including an optimization routine which uses the points or coefficients as independent variables for optimizing the function of the device; and performing the calculations to determine values of the points or coefficients which optimize the function of the device, and thereby determine an optimized waveform of the elect

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making rolls of wave cut bags, and a roll of bags is disclosed. A film is weakened along a generally straight line in a generally cross machine direction. The film is also weakened a wave shape, and the wave shape weakenings are alternated with the straight line weakenings. The film is folded in a cross machine direction, and the straight line weakenings are separated to form bottoms of adjacent bags. The bottoms of adjacent bags are preferably overlapped, although they need not be. The wave shaped weakenings are preferably separated (although they need not be) to form wave shaped tops of a adjacent bags. If separated, the wave shaped tops have a longer portion and a shorter portion, and the longer portion is between, in the machine direction, the longer and shorter portion of the adjacent wave shaped top.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a waveform of an electrical current applied to an electrode of an elecetrochemical device that includes at least two electrodes separated by an electrolyte, includes the steps of: applying an electrical current to an electrode of a device; determining a waveform of the voltage or the current of the electrical current; representing the waveform by a mathematical expressions or numbers; taking measurements of output voltage, current or power of the device associated with the application of the electrical current; and varying the shape and frequency of the wave form to optimize the output voltage, current or power of the device and thereby determine an optimized waveform of the electrical current to be applied to the electrode of the device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of operating an electrochemical device. The method includes controlling the mass flow of fuel to the device so that the mass flow varies during the operation of the device. In combination with the mass flow control, the method also includes controlling an electrical parameter of the device so that the electrical parameter varies during the operation of the device. Another embodiment includes a method of operating a fuel cell using a flow of fuel or oxidant that contains a contaminant, and using a controller to control the flow and an electrical parameter of the fuel cell. A further embodiment includes a method of operating an electrochemical device using reactants that include a reactant causing an undesired electrochemical reaction, and using a controller to control the flow of reactants and an electrical parameter of the device.

Abstract: A pre-distorter that compensates for amplitude and phase distortion created by an amplifier. During a training session, the amplifier is stimulated with input signals of pre-selected amplitude and phase at various temperatures and the amplifier output is captured and converted into data sets. Polynomials are then fitted to the data sets and inverses of the polynomials are determined. The coefficients of the inverse polynomials are then saved for each temperature. During operation, the amplifier temperature is predicted based on the amplifier input signal and the coefficients associated with the predicted temperature are selected to be applied to the input signal to compensate for amplitude and phase distortion caused by the amplifier.

Abstract: A method of supplying energy to a set of customer buildings having energy consuming appliances includes establishing a set of customer tolerances for conserving energy use in a set of customer buildings. A remote control system to control appliances in the customer buildings is established. At least some of the appliances in the set of buildings are controlled with the remote control system according to the customer tolerances to reduce the demand for energy.

Abstract: A pre-distorter that compensates for amplitude and phase distortion created by an amplifier. During a training session, the amplifier is stimulated with input signals of pre-selected amplitude and phase at various temperatures and the amplifier output is captured and converted into data sets. Polynomials are then fitted to the data sets and inverses of the polynomials are determined. The coefficients of the inverse polynomials are then saved for each temperature. During operation, the amplifier temperature is predicted based on the amplifier input signal and the coefficients associated with the predicted temperature are selected to be applied to the input signal to compensate for amplitude and phase distortion caused by the amplifier.

Abstract: A predistorter is disclosed that predistorts an input signal based on one or more static coefficients that are representative of a non-linear distortion characteristic of an amplifier. The input signal is also processed based on a non-linear gain parameter that reduces an error metric between the input signal and a feedback signal. The nonlinear gain parameter adapts an amount of nonlinearity introduced by the predistorter. The non-linear gain adaptation is performed, for example, when the input voltage is above a threshold input voltage. The input signal can be processed by multiplying the input signal by the non-linear gain parameter followed by table-coefficient processing, or by both multiplying the input by the non-linear gain parameter followed by dividing the table-coefficient processed output signal by the same non-linear gain parameter. The input signal can also be processed based on a feedback gain parameter that compensates for a small-signal gain of the feedback loop.

Abstract: Low-cost, light weight portable cervical traction or spinal decompression devices for home use by a patient. A carriage is slidable along a portion of a support structure parallel to a longitudinal axis. The carriage includes a restraining mechanism adapted to releasably restrain a portion of a patient's body to the carriage. The pneumatic traction force generating apparatus is operatively coupled to move the carriage relative to the support structure when in a pressurized state. The pneumatic traction force generating apparatus is adapted to maintain a generally static traction force during a treatment period when in the pressurized state without additional pressurized air being supplied. A hand pump operated by the patient is fluidly connected to the pneumatic traction force generating apparatus to inject pressurized air. The hand pump is capable of injecting at least 138 kPa (20 psi) of pressure into the pneumatic traction force generating apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-axis cervical and lumbar traction table and method of using same. The traction table includes a support frame with a first body supporting portion and a second body supporting portion. The first body supporting portion is moveable relative to the second body supporting portion along a longitudinal axis. A high friction surface is optionally used to secure a patient to at least one of the first and second body supporting portions. Linking mechanism is adapted to move the first body supporting portion along a path relative to the second body supporting portion, wherein the path comprises at least one rotational degree of freedom.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and useful device for reversibly locking vehicle lug nuts in a stationary position. One of the unique abilities of the present invention is the capacity to lock the lug nuts at roughly the exact degree of tension from the time the apparatus is installed until the apparatus is intentionally removed. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for locking vehicle lug nuts in a stationary position so as to prevent premature loosening and dislocation during routine vehicle use. The apparatus can withstand extreme differentials in environmental conditions without compromising the degree of tension of the lug nuts. In the furtherance of this and other objectives, the apparatus is preferably designed with a removable cover that can withstand conditions such as wide temperature variances, various forms of moisture, road dirt and salt, metal fatigue and rust, and high heat transference from brakes.