Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering and implanting heart valves are disclosed. The delivery systems can include an integrated introducer. The integrated introducer can include a sheath having an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of a delivery capsule of the delivery system and an outer diameter that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the delivery capsule. The integrated introducer can include a hub having a hemostatic seal. The hub can have a locking mechanism configured to fix the integrated introducer in place on the delivery system.

Abstract: In some implementations, a laser diode array may comprise a cavity that includes a rear facet and a front facet and multiple emitters that are transversely single mode and disposed within the cavity. In some implementations, the multiple emitters each include a seeding section having a constant emitter width that is single mode at the rear facet and a flared section having a monotonically expanding emitter width that increases adiabatically over a majority of a length of the cavity such that outputs from the multiple emitters are single mode at the front facet. In some implementations, the emitter width is less than twenty micrometers at the front facet.

Abstract: A fault tolerant network switch includes two or more switches units and a highly reliable (i.e., one with no single point of failure) interconnect unit so that during normal operation both switches are actively handling network packets and upon the failure of one of the switch units, another switch unit takes over, ensuring continued normal network operation, with somewhat reduced performance. The failed switch unit can then be replaced and the network returned to its original performance without disturbance to the other switch or the network cable connections.

Abstract: A non-destructive inspection system makes use of a template that is put on a structure to be inspected to provide an image-based display of inspection results. The template, an example of which is a grid, defines locations on the structure from which inspection data are obtained. A portable display device, an example of which is a laptop computer, with information about the template receives information pertaining to inspection data obtained from locations defined by the template and displays inspection results in an image-based format that corresponds to the template. An example of such a system uses “tap test” non-destructive inspection techniques and provides an image-based display of a plurality of structural stiffness measures, each stiffness measure calculated from a measure of impact duration for a “tap”.