Abstract: A permanent magnet machine includes a machine housing having an inner surface that extends between a first housing end and a second housing end along a central longitudinal axis. The permanent magnet machine also includes a stator disposed within the machine housing, the stator having a stator core having an exterior surface extending between a first face and a second face along the central longitudinal axis, wherein the exterior surface defines a discontinuous region that is arranged to minimize points of contact between the inner surface and the exterior surface. The discontinuous region is at least partially defined by at least one of a first perturbation and a second perturbation that is circumferentially spaced apart from the first perturbation.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for ensuring a high degree of accuracy in the transmission of biometric data (e.g., from a home monitoring device) over a potentially high-noise, error-introducing communication link, such as the Internet, wireless networks, and the telephone system. An intermediate biometric data transmission device is used to receive biometric data from a home monitoring device. The intermediate device encapsulates the raw data packets (which include a checksum) from the home monitoring device in an intermediate data packet with its own checksums. The intermediate device data packet is transmitted over a communication medium to a remote data repository, such as a health data management system. There, the checksums of the intermediate data packet are checked to ensure that the transmission was error free and then the checksums of the original raw biometric data packet are checked using device-specific CRC algorithms stored at the remote system.

Abstract: When creating a distribution file for distributing software over a network, instructions for automatically invoking instructions for installing software can be placed in the software distribution file. If an installation program, the software, and the instructions are placed in the software distribution file, a single user action can download and activate the software distribution file, leading to automatic installation of the software. The installation can be accomplished without further user input. The software distribution file can include an extractor for automatically extracting items in the distribution file.