Abstract: The present invention provides a method of diagnosing, or developing or monitoring a treatment regime for, an ocular condition in a subject based on detected physical behaviour in a tear film, or lack of tear film, in the subjects eye, the method comprising the steps of: (a) capturing from the subjects eye at least a first captured data set; (b) identifying at least a first comparative data set; (c) analysing the at least a first captured data set relative to the at least a first comparative data set, thereby detecting physical behaviour in the tear film; and (d) diagnosing, or developing or monitoring a treatment regime for, the ocular condition based on the detected physical behaviour of the tear film. Also provided are methods of selecting contact lenses, of evaluating the effects of wearing a contact lens, and of determining preferable wearing periods of contact lenses and rest periods from wearing contact lenses by subjects.

Abstract: This invention relates to the miniaturization of radiosyntheses onto microfabricated devices, and in particular to use of microfabricated devices for radiosynthesis, isolation, and analysis of radiotracers for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining device positions in a video surveillance system. A method described herein includes generating a reference sound; emitting, at a first device, the reference sound; detecting, at the first device, a responsive reference sound from one or more second devices in response to the emitted reference sound; identifying a position of each of the one or more second devices; obtaining information relating to latency of the one or more second devices; computing a round trip time associated with each of the one or more second devices based on at least a timing of detecting the one or more responsive reference sounds and the latency of each of the one or more second devices; and estimating the position of the first device according to the round trip time and the position associated with each of the one or more second devices.

Abstract: This invention relates to the miniaturisation of radiosyntheses onto microfabricated devices, and in particular to use of microfabricated devices for radiosynthesis, isolation, and analysis of radiotracers for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining device positions in a video surveillance system. A method described herein includes generating a reference sound; emitting, at a first device, the reference sound; detecting, at the first device, a responsive reference sound from one or more second devices in response to the emitted reference sound; identifying a position of each of the one or more second devices; obtaining information relating to latency of the one or more second devices; computing a round trip time associated with each of the one or more second devices based on at least a timing of detecting the one or more responsive reference sounds and the latency of each of the one or more second devices; and estimating the position of the first device according to the round trip time and the position associated with each of the one or more second devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable preamplifier for musical instruments which is particularly useful for electric guitars. The preamplifier has a body which houses an electronic system for amplifying and shaping the frequency spectrum of signals from the guitar and a battery for supplying power to the electronic system. A short, shielded input audio cable is permanently attached to the preamplifier body, is electrically coupled to the electronic system input, and terminates in an input phone plug. The preamplifier is also provided with an output phone jack. The preamplifier is portable and can be physically attached to a guitar strap or to the musician's clothing. When the input phone plug is inserted into a guitar output jack and an instrument cable is inserted into the preamplifier output phone jack, amplified and spectrally shaped signals from the guitar can be delivered via the instrument cable to a guitar amplifier/loudspeaker, mixing board, or other audio signal device.

Abstract: A non-thermal plasma or corona discharge is generated at multiple points and distributed to decontaminate surfaces and objects contaminated with chemical or biological agents. The corona discharge can be generated using very short high voltage pulses. The pulsed corona discharge can be directed at a contaminated surface through the unbraided strands at an end of a dielectric covered conductor. Another pulsed discharge embodiment incorporates a primary coil surrounding a chamber having a void filled with a plurality of secondary coils. A silent corona discharge can be generated using a variety of different configurations of a dielectric coated electrode and a bare electrode. The silent discharge is produced at all intersections between the dielectric covered electrode and the bare electrode. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a blanket-like structure that is useful for decontaminating surfaces or decontaminating a fluid passing between spaced-apart bare electrodes.

Abstract: An inflatable structure for protecting an elevator interior includes an inflatable wall configured to be positioned adjacent the walls of an elevator cab. The inflatable wall may be inflated in position within the elevator cab and deflated to a storage position. The inflatable wall protects the walls of the elevator cab and prevents equipment from contacting or damaging the walls of the cab during a moving process.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for separating particulates from a fluid in which the particulates are entrained. An impact collection surface is coated with a material that improves the efficiency with which the particulates are separated from the fluid and collected. In one embodiment, the coating retains the particulates when dry, but readily releases the particulates when wetted with a liquid. In another embodiment, the coating is a material that has a relatively low coefficient of friction, so that the particulates that have impacted on the coating are readily washed from it with a liquid. The coating may be selected to retain specific biological particulates by including an antibody that selectively links with antigens on the biological particulates. The coated impact collection surface may be used to purify water by removing biological contaminants and other particulates from the water passing over the coated impact collection surface.

Abstract: A cellular telephone transmitter is provided, including a selectable gain microphone amplifier, to transmit vocal signals to the receiver of a communicating telephone. The telephone transmitter including a variable gain amplifier to amplify the vocal signal picked up by the microphone, a gain controller to vary the gain of the amplifier, and a selector associated with the gain controller which allows the telephone user to choose the gain of the amplifier. The telephone user intermittently activates the selector, while speaking, to choose an amplifier gain level appropriate to the volume of the input vocal signal. In particular, the user can elect to temporarily boost the gain while whispering into the phone. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A radio transceiver is provided for wireless communications, having an interface connection that is selectable between either an antenna or a cable interface. The radio transceiver is engaged to the antenna through an impedance matching network which translates the antenna impedance to match that of the radio transceiver. The radio transceiver can, alternately, be connected to external test equipment or performance enhancement equipment through the cable interface. Since the radio transceiver has the same impedance as most external test equipment, the antenna matching network is not required or used when test equipment is connected to the cable interface. In the present invention the cable interface at least partially disconnects the matching network whenever the cable interface is in use. Once the antenna has been disconnected, the impedance of the cable interface matches that of the radio transceiver.

Abstract: A voltage gradient measurement device is provided for determining the remaining lifetime of a battery used to power a radio, pager, cellular telephone, or similar device. The battery is attached to a first circuit element to obtain a history of the battery voltage which is used to determine the differential battery voltage. The battery is also attached to a second circuit element which measures the voltage margin between the battery voltage and a reference voltage representing the battery end-of-life condition. A third circuit element divides the voltage margin output of the second circuit element by the differential battery voltage output of the first circuit element to estimate the time that will elapse until the battery voltage approximately equals the reference end-of-life voltage level.

Abstract: A control circuit which regulates an ac power output device. The control circuit is operatively connected to the ac power output and measures the ac signal with a diode to generate a control signal stimulus. A second diode is operatively connected to the power measuring diode so that the two diodes have the same voltage drops associated with the quiescent operation of the diodes. Quiescent voltage changes in the power measuring diode are canceled by the matching quiescent voltage change in the second diode. In this manner, power measurement errors associated with diode quiescent voltage changes are minimized.