Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining a collision between a first deformable object and a second deformable object in a virtual reality simulation, the method including the steps of providing a first test capable of determining the proximity of the first object to the second object, providing a second test capable of determining the proximity of the first object to the second object, wherein the second test is more comprehensive than the first test, and wherein the second test is capable of being implemented once the first test returns a positive result. Since the more comprehensive test is implemented only when a collision is likely or imminent (as determined by the first test), the processor executing the simulation is not unduly burdened, and can devote resources to other tasks required by the simulation program.

Abstract: A process is claimed for making a composite sheet useful for an absorbent article, the composite sheet comprising a wrinkled, patterned elasticized region that comprises a patterned first sheet and an elastic material, the first sheet being patterned with troughs, that are typically compacter, i.e. of higher density, prior to attachment to the elastic material. The troughs are attached to the elastic material. The resulting composite sheet has a uniform wrinkle pattern. Also claimed are specific absorbent articles.

Abstract: A process is claimed for making a composite sheet useful as topsheet with one or more openings to receive fecal material useful for an absorbent article, said composite sheet comprising a wrinkled, patterned elasticized region that comprises a patterned first sheet and an elastic material said first sheet being patterned with troughs, that are typically compacter, i.e. of higher density, prior to attachment to the elastic material. The troughs are attached to the elastic material. The resulting composite sheet has a uniform wrinkle pattern. Also claimed are specific absorbent articles. Also claimed are composite sheets with a specific residual strain and peel force value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming an absorbent core assembly containing a batt of particulate material which may be used in an absorbent article. The apparatus may include a laydown drum having a plurality of vacuum zones, a plurality of fence zones, and a plurality of blow-off zones. The vacuum zones may be substantially permeable to permit air to pass through and into the laydown drum. The fence zones may be substantially impermeable to inhibit air from passing through. The blow-off zones may be substantially permeable to permit air to pass out of and through said laydown drum. The apparatus may also include a deposition chute for depositing particulate material on a web of material in close proximity to the laydown drum. A shield may also be attached to the deposition chute in order to prevent the particles from bouncing off of the laydown drum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a wad of particulate material which may be used in an absorbent article. The apparatus may include a laydown drum having a plurality of vacuum zones, a plurality of fence zones, and a plurality of blow-off zones. The plurality of vacuum zones may be substantially permeable to permit vacuum air to pass through and into the laydown drum. The plurality of fence zones may be substantially impermeable to inhibit air to pass through. The plurality of blow-off zones may be substantially permeable to permit blown air to pass out of and through said laydown drum. The apparatus may also include a deposition chute for depositing particulate material on a web of material in close proximity to the laydown drum. A shield may also be attached to the deposition chute.

Abstract: A support (12) for a display device (10) is disclosed, the support (12) comprising a pole (14) which consists of a lower pole section (24/26), an intermediate pole section (20, 22) and an upper pole section (16). The three pole sections (16, 20/22 and 24/26) fitting together in spigot and socket fashion. An upper component (28) is provided in the upper end of the upper pole section (16) and a lower component (44) is provided in the lower end of the lower section (24/26). The upper (28) and lower components (44) each including a recess therein for securing one end of a length of elastic cord (58) to pull the upper pole section (16) into the intermediate pole section (20/22) and to pull the intermediate pole section (20/22) into the lower pole section (24/26). The upper component (28) has a resiliently flexible wire (60) protruding therefrom for supporting and tensioning a banner in the form of a flexible printed sheet (64). The support (12) and the wire (60) being within a protective sleeve (66).

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a user's telephone-related data is aggregated from various sources for use in assisting the user with making telephone calls. For example, call history data corresponding to a landline telephone, a mobile telephone and/or an office telephone of the user may be combined. Other sources include a landline telephone service, a mobile telephone service, an enterprise telephone system or server, a computing device, voice mail data, web page data, electronic message content, instant message content, a contacts list, and/or an information data store. The telephone-related data can be processed (e.g., based on frequency and calling patterns) to determine corresponding probability data to help determine a user's intent in locating a particular recipient to call. The user may access the telephone-related data via voice commands input at one of the user's telephones, or by receiving a visible list of at least part of the telephone-related data.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for pre-fastening disposable absorbent articles having a slot-and-tab fastening system during manufacturing of the pre-fastened disposable articles, such as diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, adults incontinence pads and the like.

Abstract: A method for making absorbent articles such as diapers and training pants having a pocket for receiving a removable core component is provided. Absorbent articles having removable absorbent core components are further provided. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article comprises providing a wearer facing portion and a garment facing portion, and providing a first absorbent core component with either the wearer facing portion or the garment facing portion. The wearer facing portion and the garment facing portion are associated such that an openable chassis pocket is formed there between, the wearer facing portion and the garment facing portion being separable to create an access opening to the openable chassis pocket for receiving a replaceable absorbent core component.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for assessing proprioception in a subject. One embodiment of an apparatus of the invention comprises two articulating members attachable to a pair of limbs of a subject, and provides data relating to geometry and/or location and/or motion of each limb in 2- or 3-dimensional space. The apparatus may include means for monitoring gaze direction. The apparatus may comprise a robotic linkage. One embodiment of the method comprises obtaining data relating to the geometry and/or location and/or motion of the limbs, or portions thereof, of a subject as the subject performs a matching task. Another embodiment comprises obtaining data relating to the location of a limb of a subject, together with data relating to gaze direction as the subject looks toward the perceived location of limb.

Abstract: In a packet-based transaction processing system, workload is balanced across multiple computer systems. A plurality of packets is received from a plurality of clients over a plurality of communications sessions. Each of the plurality of packets includes a portion of a transaction involving a financial transaction instrument that requires authorization. The plurality of packets are processed to assemble a plurality of transactions. Each of the plurality of transactions is then transmitted to an application server selected from a plurality of servers that provides authorization for the transactions. The server may be selected from the plurality of servers based on a round-robin distribution of the plurality of servers, and additionally, the round-robin distribution may be modified to account for a workload on each of the plurality of servers.

Abstract: Intelligent speech recognition is used to provide users with the ability to utter more user friendly commands. Satisfaction is increased when a user can vocalize a subset of a formal command name and still have the intended command identified and processed. Moreover, greater accuracy in identifying a command application from a user's utterance can be achieved by ignoring command choices associated with unlikely user utterances. An intelligent speech recognition system can identify differing acceptable verbal command phrase forms, e.g., but not limited to, complete commands, command subsequences and command subsets, for different commands supported by the system. Subset blocking words are identified for assistance in reducing the ambiguity in matching user verbal command phrases with valid commands supported by the intelligent speech recognition system.

Abstract: The invention described in this application relates to a method of increasing the amount of weight gained by the mammal during a feeding period, to a method of increasing the amount of milk replacer consumed by the mammal during a feeding period, to a method of decreasing the amount of scour of the ruminant during a feeding period, to a method of decreasing the amount of respiratory distress of the mammal during a feeding period, to a method of feeding the ruminant, to a mammal ration, to a daily mammal ration, to a method of feeding mammals an animal feed that contains resistant starch, and to a method of increasing the feed efficiency of a mammal during a feeding period that entails feeding the mammal an effective amount of a fluid animal feed during the feeding period and feeding the mammal an effective amount of resistant starch during the feeding period.

Abstract: A method for removing a damaged dielectric material following an etch process, an ashing process, or a wet cleaning process is described. A dry, non-plasma removal process is implemented to remove a thin layer of damaged material on a feature following formation of the feature. The dry, non-plasma removal process includes a chemical treatment of the damaged material, followed by a thermal treatment of the chemically treated surface layer. The two steps, chemical and thermal treatment, can be repeated.

Abstract: A method and system for patterning a dielectric film such as a low dielectric constant (low-k) material. A dry non-plasma etching process can be implemented to transfer a pattern from a photo-lithographic layer to a hard mask layer, while minimizing the evolution of surface roughness in the sidewall of the etched pattern in the hard mask layer. Once a pattern is transferred to the hard mask layer, the photo-lithographic layer can be removed in order to minimize the exposure of the underlying low-k dielectric film to the ashing or wet stripping process that facilitates removal of the photo-lithographic layer. The dry non-plasma removal process comprises a chemical treatment of the exposed hard mask layer, followed by a thermal treatment of the chemically treated exposed layer. The two steps, chemical and thermal treatment, can be repeated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing light therapy traction to a patient. A light therapy device and a traction mechanism provide concurrent, alternating and/or repetitive treatment to a patient. The light therapy device includes one or more light sources configured to deliver light to a patient. The traction mechanism is configured to provide selective separation to a particular location the patient's body, such as a location of the patient's vertebrae. In some embodiments, the light therapy and traction are performed simultaneously. In other embodiments, the light therapy and lumbar traction are performed in treatment cycles to the patient. Embodiments of the present invention embrace the application of light therapy prior to, during, and/or after a cervical and/or lumbar traction treatment.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article suitable for receiving and containing bodily exudates of a wearer where the article includes a front waist region, a back waist region and a crotch region disposed between the front and back waist regions, each region having both an interior surface and an exterior surface and wherein the article further includes a sensor comprising a material selected from the group consisting of thermochromic inks, thermochromic dyes, thermochromic liquid crystalline materials, and combinations thereof such that the sensor is fastened to an interior surface of any one of the regions.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a gas turbine engine mounted on a three-point mounting frame. The three-point mounting frame includes an engine support structure having first and second beams in a V-configuration, and a secondary support structure that is positioned about the engine support structure and has a rectangular footprint. The frame may include a Y-configuration that includes the V-configuration, and may be implemented in a machine mounting system, such as in a marine vessel.

Abstract: A process of decentralizing distribution of electronic mail messages. The goal of this invention is to decentralize the distribution of email messages for the purpose of decreasing the number of messages sent through a single IP address. This will decrease the percentage of messages which are filtered out as spam due to the IP address of the sending SMTP. This concept applies to any corporation which sends out marketing messages on behalf of its members.

Abstract: A socket assembly enables a number of electrical appliances to be automatically isolated from, and reconnected to, an electrical power supply upon respectively switching off or on a “master” appliance. Generally, the assembly includes: a master electrical outlet and at least one slave electrical outlet, both connectable to a common power source; sensing means for sensing power drawn from the master electrical outlet; a controller operable to isolate the at least one slave electrical outlet from the power source when the sensing means detects a fall in power drawn from the master electrical outlet from a first, higher level to a second, lower level.