Abstract: Protective devices, to protect a body part having a bony portion with a soft tissue layer between the bony portion and an outer skin layer, have an inner surface which conforms to the body part to be protected and are applied to the body part to reduce pressure exhibited at the interface between the bony portion and the soft tissue layer, across the soft tissue and outer skin layers and at the interface between the outer skin layer and a support surface. The protective devices may be made of any material suitable for distributing the weight of the body part over an extended area and volume so as to decrease the pressure about the bony portion.

Abstract: Protective devices, to protect a body part having a bony portion with a soft tissue layer between the bony portion and an outer skin layer, have an inner surface which conforms to the body part to be protected and are applied to the body part to reduce pressure exhibited at the interface between the bony portion and the soft tissue layer, across the soft tissue and outer skin layers and at the interface between the outer skin layer and a support surface. The protective devices may be made of any material suitable for distributing the weight of the body part over an extended area and volume so as to decrease the pressure about the bony portion.

Abstract: Protective devices, to protect a body part having a bony portion with a soft tissue layer between the bony portion and an outer skin layer, have an inner surface which conforms to the body part to be protected and are applied to the body part to reduce pressure exhibited at the interface between the bony portion and the soft tissue layer, across the soft tissue and outer skin layers and at the interface between the outer skin layer and a support surface. The protective devices may be made of any material suitable for distributing the weight of the body part over an extended area and volume and may include a mushy material, a hard shell, a hydro absorptive material, and a wound dressing with medication. The body-part to be protected includes at least one of the heel, trochanter, knee, sacrum, coccyx, ischium, scapula, elbow, ankle, buttocks and occiput; The protective devices may be secured to the body part directly or via a garment or any other suitable securing means.

Abstract: A linear electric generator (LEG) includes sections of coils of an induction coil assembly (ICA) disposed along a distance d1 and apparatus for passing a permanent magnetic assembly (PMA) of length d2, where d2 is less than d1, along the coils for generating voltages and power in the coils in close proximity to the PMA. Unidirectional conducting elements are connected between the coils and output power lines to couple the voltages developed across excited coils to the output power lines without the unexcited coils loading down or dissipating the voltage developed across the output power lines.

Abstract: In a linear electric generator (LEG) which includes apparatus for passing a permanent magnetic assembly (PMA) along linearly disposed sections of coils of an induction coil assembly (ICA) for generating voltages and power, a switching arrangement for coupling only selected sections of coils of the ICA across the power output lines of the LEG. The selected coil sections include the sections of coils of the ICA in close proximity to the passing PMA. In accordance with different embodiments, the non selected coils of the ICA may be either short circuited or disconnected (open circuited) from the power output lines.

Abstract: Protective devices, to protect a body part having a bony portion with a soft tissue layer between the bony portion and an outer skin layer, have an inner surface which conforms to the body part to be protected and are applied to the body part to reduce pressure exhibited at the interface between the bony portion and the soft tissue layer, across the soft tissue and outer skin layers and at the interface between the outer skin layer and a support surface. The protective devices may be made of any material suitable for distributing the weight of the body part over an extended area and volume and may include a mushy material, a hard shell, a hydro absorptive material, and a wound dressing with medication. The body part to be protected includes at least one of the heel, trochanter, knee, sacrum, coccyx, ischium, scapula, elbow, ankle, buttocks and occiput; The protective devices may be secured to the body part directly or via a garment or any other suitable securing means.

Abstract: Protective devices, to protect a body part having a bony portion with a soft tissue layer between the bony portion and an outer skin layer, have an inner surface which conforms to the body part to be protected and are applied to the body part to reduce pressure exhibited at the interface between the bony portion and the soft tissue layer, across the soft tissue and outer skin layers and at the interface between the outer skin layer and a support surface. The protective devices may be made of any material suitable for distributing the weight of the body part over an extended area and volume and may include a mushy material, a hard shell, a hydro absorptive material, and a wound dressing with medication. The body part to be protected includes at least one of the heel, trochanter, knee, sacrum, coccyx, ischium, scapula, elbow, ankle, buttocks and occiput; The protective devices may be secured to the body part directly or via a garment or any other suitable securing means.

Abstract: A charge is placed on the floating substrate of an insulated-gate field-effect transistor IGFET by applying, to the source of the IGFET, a signal making a first transition between first (V.sub.1) and second (V.sub.2) voltages and a second transition between the second voltage and a third voltage (V.sub.3) which is intermediate V.sub.1 and V.sub.2. The first transition is of a polarity and magnitude to forward bias the source-to-substrate junction of the IGFET and establishes a first level (L.sub.1) at the substrate region close to said second voltage. The second transition causes the source potential to go to V.sub.3 but the source-to-substrate junction is reverse biased and the substrate potential remains at a level (L.sub.2) which is intermediate L.sub.1 and V.sub.3. Consequently, the source to substrate junction remains isolated for values of signals applied to the source in the range between V.sub.1 and L.sub.2.