Abstract: A retaining strap for a trouser leg includes a band of stretchable fabric arranged, in use, to loop around the circumference of a user's foot, and at least one attachment device arranged to releasably attach the band to the trouser leg. The attachment device is further arranged to attach to a front portion of the trouser leg such that, in use, the attachment device is positioned over the top of a user's foot.

Abstract: A system and method of managing time-series data for smart grids is disclosed. Data is collected from a plurality of sensors. An index is modified for a newly created block. A one disk operation per read or write is performed. The one disk operation per read includes accessing and looking up the index to locate the data without movement of an arm of the disk, and obtaining the data. The one disk operation per write includes searching the disk for free space, calculating an offset, modifying the index, and writing the data contiguously into a block of the disk the index points to.

Abstract: A system and method of managing time-series data for smart grids is disclosed. Data is collected from a plurality of sensors. An index is modified for a newly created block. A one disk operation per read or write is performed. The one disk operation per read includes accessing and looking up the index to locate the data without movement of an arm of the disk, and obtaining the data. The one disk operation per write includes searching the disk for free space, calculating an offset, modifying the index, and writing the data contiguously into a block of the disk the index points to.