Abstract: Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing the surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues in a manner analogous to use of a standard needle gripper. Cycling the handle from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position may alternate the device between gripping the needle with a first clamp (for example, along a proximal portion of the needle) to gripping the needle with a second clamp (for example, along a distal portion of the needle) and optionally back to gripping with the first clamp, with the needle often staying at a substantially fixed location relative to the suturing device body.

Abstract: Device, system and method of protecting aircrafts against incoming threats. For example, a system for protecting an aircraft against an incoming threat includes: one or more electro-optic sensors to substantially continuously search for the incoming threat, and to generate a signal indicating that a possible incoming threat is detected; one or more radar sensors to be activated in response to the signal, and to search for the incoming threat; and a central computer to determine whether or not the incoming threat exists, based on a sensor fusion algorithm able to fuse data received from the one or more electro-optic sensors and data received from the one or more radar sensors.

Abstract: Device, system and method of protecting aircrafts against incoming threats. For example, a system for protecting an aircraft against an incoming threat includes: one or more electro-optic sensors to substantially continuously search for the incoming threat, and to generate a signal indicating that a possible incoming threat is detected; one or more radar sensors to be activated in response to the signal, and to search for the incoming threat; and a central computer to determine whether or not the incoming threat exists, based on a sensor fusion algorithm able to fuse data received from the one or more electro-optic sensors and data received from the one or more radar sensors.

Abstract: Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing the surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues in a manner analogous to use of a standard needle gripper. Cycling the handle from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position may alternate the device between gripping the needle with a first clamp (for example, along a proximal portion of the needle) to gripping the needle with a second clamp (for example, along a distal portion of the needle) and optionally back to gripping with the first clamp, with the needle often staying at a substantially fixed location relative to the suturing device body.

Abstract: Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing the surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues in a manner analogous to use of a standard needle gripper. Cycling the handle from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position may alternate the device between gripping the needle with a first clamp (for example, along a proximal portion of the needle) to gripping the needle with a second clamp (for example, along a distal portion of the needle) and optionally back to gripping with the first clamp, with the needle often staying at a substantially fixed location relative to the suturing device body.

Abstract: Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing the surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues in a manner analogous to use of a standard needle gripper. Cycling the handle from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position may alternate the device between gripping the needle with a first clamp (for example, along a proximal portion of the needle) to gripping the needle with a second clamp (for example, along a distal portion of the needle) and optionally back to gripping with the first clamp, with the needle often staying at a substantially fixed location relative to the suturing device body.

Abstract: Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing the surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues in a manner analogous to use of a standard needle gripper. Cycling the handle from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position may alternate the device between gripping the needle with a first clamp (for example, along a proximal portion of the needle) to gripping the needle with a second clamp (for example, along a distal portion of the needle) and optionally back to gripping with the first clamp, with the needle often staying at a substantially fixed location relative to the suturing device body. Related single-clamp needle grasping devices can be bent plastically by a surgeon, and/or have bodies that are grasped by a hand while a portion of the hand actuates a handle.

Abstract: A sachet [(10, 22, 110, 210, 510)] for the packaging and dispensing of an item or a flowable substance [(125)], such as a liquid, powder or paste, has a semi-rigid member [(112)] with a weakened region [(120)] formed thereon so that upon bending across the weakened region [(120)] the semi-rigid member [(112)] will fracture along the weakened region [(120)]. The sachet [(110)] also has a reservoir [(114)] formed by overlaid first and second flexible film layers [(116,118)] which are adapted to contain the flowable substance [(125)]. In one form, an annular region [(128)] of the second flexible film layer [(118)] immediately surrounding the aperture region [(126)] is sealed to the adjacent region of the semi-rigid member [(112)] so as to prevent leakage of the flowable substance [(125)] from within the reservoir [(114)]. In use, fracturing along the weakened region [(120)] will expose the aperture [(126)] so as to allow the flowable substance [(125)] to be dispensed.

Abstract: A multi-layer array of power converting elements for converting electromagnetic energy such as sunlight incident on the array to electricity is disclosed. The array is suitable for use in integrated circuit arrays as well as discrete circuit arrays. The array comprises an upper layer of photocells with spaces between the photocells. At least one other layer of photocells is disposed below the upper layer and is illuminated by the penumbra of the upper layer. Lower layers are separated from upper layers by a distance defined by the width of the cells in the immediate upper layer, the distance between the array and the source of electromagnetic energy and the width of the source of electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to a solar energy heating module comprising a sealable chamber having cross-flow radiator means therein dividing the chamber into a fluid inlet compartment and a fluid outlet compartment, and, preferably, at least one perforated sleeve in said inlet compartment. The invention also comprises an assembly of the modules into a unitary heater having a common intake manifold.