Abstract: Surgical staplers and methods of their use are provided. In one embodiment, a surgical stapler includes a tubular shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a handle extending from the proximal end of the tubular shaft, a head assembly extending from the distal end of the tubular shaft, and an insertion guide configured to extend through the head assembly. The insertion guide includes an expandable member configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration and a camera configured to be positioned at least partially within the expandable member.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include spacer nuts for use with battery packs and configurations thereof.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for capturing motion from a self-tracking device are disclosed. In embodiments, a device self-tracks motion of the device relative to a first reference frame while recording motion of a subject relative to a second reference frame, the second reference frame being a reference frame relative to the device. In the embodiments, the subject may be a real object or, alternately, the subject may be a virtual subject and a motion of the virtual object may be recorded relative to the second reference frame by associating a position offset relative to the device with the position of the virtual object in the recorded motion. The motion of the subject relative to the first reference frame may be determined from the tracked motion of the device relative to the first frame and the recorded motion of the subject relative to the second reference frame.

Abstract: A system and method for tap event location includes a device using a selection apparatus that provides accurate point locations. The device determines a 3-dimensional map of a scene in the view frustum of the device relative to a coordinate frame. The device receives an indication of the occurrence of a tap event comprising a contact of the selection apparatus with a subject, and determines the location of the tap event relative to the coordinate frame from the location of the selection apparatus. The location of the tap event may be used to determine a subject. Data associated with the subject may then be processed to provide effects in, or data about, the scene in the view frustum of the device. Embodiments include a selection apparatus that communicates occurrences of tap events to the device and includes features that allow the device to determine the location of the selection apparatus.

Abstract: A patch applied to the body to alleviate pain includes a heated section that is powered through a USB cable having temperature and time controls and includes a reusable adhesive for use multiple times.

Abstract: A system and method for tap event location includes a device using a selection apparatus that provides accurate point locations. The device determines a 3-dimensional map of a scene in the view frustum of the device relative to a coordinate frame. The device receives an indication of the occurrence of a tap event comprising a contact of the selection apparatus with a subject, and determines the location of the tap event relative to the coordinate frame from the location of the selection apparatus. The location of the tap event may be used to determine a subject. Data associated with the subject may then be processed to provide effects in, or data about, the scene in the view frustum of the device. Embodiments include a selection apparatus that communicates occurrences of tap events to the device and includes features that allow the device to determine the location of the selection apparatus.

Abstract: A system and method for tap event location includes a device using a selection apparatus that provides accurate point locations. The device determines a 3-dimensional map of a scene in the view frustum of the device relative to a coordinate frame. The device receives an indication of the occurrence of a tap event comprising a contact of the selection apparatus with a subject, and determines the location of the tap event relative to the coordinate frame from the location of the selection apparatus. The location of the tap event may be used to determine a subject. Data associated with the subject may then be processed to provide effects in, or data about, the scene in the view frustum of the device. Embodiments include a selection apparatus that communicates occurrences of tap events to the device and includes features that allow the device to determine the location of the selection apparatus.

Abstract: A system and method for tap event location includes a device using a selection apparatus that provides accurate point locations. The device determines a 3-dimensional map of a scene in the view frustum of the device relative to a coordinate frame. The device receives an indication of the occurrence of a tap event comprising a contact of the selection apparatus with a subject, and determines the location of the tap event relative to the coordinate frame from the location of the selection apparatus. The location of the tap event may be used to determine a subject. Data associated with the subject may then be processed to provide effects in, or data about, the scene in the view frustum of the device. Embodiments include a selection apparatus that communicates occurrences of tap events to the device and includes features that allow the device to determine the location of the selection apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for capturing motion from a self-tracking device are disclosed. In embodiments, a device self-tracks motion of the device relative to a first reference frame while recording motion of a subject relative to a second reference frame, the second reference frame being a reference frame relative to the device. In the embodiments, the subject may be a real object or, alternately, the subject may be a virtual subject and a motion of the virtual object may be recorded relative to the second reference frame by associating a position offset relative to the device with the position of the virtual object in the recorded motion. The motion of the subject relative to the first reference frame may be determined from the tracked motion of the device relative to the first frame and the recorded motion of the subject relative to the second reference frame.

Abstract: A liquid delivery device for killing weeds. The liquid delivery device includes a main tube, a handle, and a pump housing that includes a pump chamber. A reservoir is disposed in the main tube, and a plunger is connected to the reservoir and positioned in the pump chamber. The plunger is operative to push a liquid contained in the pump chamber through a check valve and dispensing orifices when a user moves the reservoir with respect to the main tube and pump housing. The device also includes a spike extending from the pump housing and an annular stand-off surrounding the spike. The spike is adapted to disrupt the soil and damage the root structure of a target weed.

Abstract: A safety circuit to disrupt power to a heating element of an appliance to be powered through a solid state switch (Tri-ac Q1), typically a triac, from an AC power source (V1) having a positive half cycle and a negative half cycle delivering power. A low resistance condition is sensed by detecting either the current through or voltage across the solid state switch during the positive half cycle and the negative half cycle of the AC power line, when the solid state AC switch is not actuated. A fault signal is generated to interrupt power to the heating element, preferably by a crowbar circuit opening a fuse, whenever the low resistance condition is detected.

Abstract: A control system is disclosed that is configurable (e.g., by a programmer) so as to enable input from multiple sources to capture to multiple controls. Also or alternatively, the system is configurable so as to enable input from multiple sources to capture to a single control. The system also provides a consistent and extendable scheme for filtering out conflicting events for individual controls. In one embodiment, this means that the system is configurable (e.g., based on the programmer's asserted preferences) so as to enable a selective determination as to whether additional inputs can be captured for a given control.

Abstract: The device disclosed aids the application of a wider and longer line on top of the small line printed on a golf ball by the balls manufacturer. The device disclosed is a cylinder with an open top and partially closed bottom, into which a ball is inserted. The disclosed device differs from existing art in that the inside diameter of the cylinder is larger than the golf ball and there is a low friction peg supporting the ball. Unlike existing art in which the ball is secured by the frame or supported by the walls of a cylinder, the features of the device disclosed allow the ball to spin freely inside the cylinder. A method of loading, positioning and unloading the ball is disclosed.

Abstract: A portable device accessory is used to hold, grip or manipulate a portable device such as and not limited to mobile phones, MP3 players, portable entertainment/computing devices, and/or gaming devices. The accessory possesses two suctions cups connected by a neck and having an aperture for receiving a jack on earphone. Certain embodiments of the accessory will have tabs, ridges, groove and/or a space to receive earphones. The accessory permits a jack of earphones to be threaded through an aperture and the cord of the earphones to be wrapped around the accessory. The suction cups may be inverted to conceal the cord wrapped around a neck of the accessory and tabs may be used to hold inverted suction cups together.

Abstract: Temperature-indicting system including a mechanical temperature-indicating system including a bourdon tube for directly driving an indicating pointer, and an electrical temperature-indicating system including an electronic sensor, a transmitter and one or more electrical switches. The transmitter is modular and easily replaceable. Output of the pointer and the transmitter is synchronized relative to accuracy so that comparison of switch points of the switches that correlate temperature determined by the mechanical system and temperature determined by the electronic system enables detection of a failure or inaccuracy in one or both systems.

Abstract: A portable device accessory is used to hold, grip or manipulate a portable device such as and not limited to mobile phones, MP3 players, portable entertainment/computing devices, and/or gaming devices. The accessory possesses two suctions cups connected by a neck and having an aperture for receiving a jack on earphone. Certain embodiments of the accessory will have tabs, ridges, groove and/or a space to receive earphones. The accessory permits a jack of earphones to be threaded through an aperture and the cord of the earphones to be wrapped around the accessory. The suction cups may be inverted to conceal the cord wrapped around a neck of the accessory and tabs may be used to hold inverted suction cups together.

Abstract: Temperature-indicting system including a mechanical temperature-indicating system including a bourdon tube for directly driving an indicating pointer, and an electrical temperature-indicating system including an electronic sensor, a transmitter and one or more electrical switches. The transmitter is modular and easily replaceable. Output of the pointer and the transmitter is synchronized relative to accuracy so that comparison of switch points of the switches that correlate temperature determined by the mechanical system and temperature determined by the electronic system enables detection of a failure or inaccuracy in one or both systems.

Abstract: Responding to an account reactivation request includes receiving an account reactivation request from a former subscriber having a deactivated account and automatically accessing stored account information related to the deactivated account based on the account reactivation request. The stored account information is compared with a reactivation standard to produce a comparison result. Based on the comparison result a response to the reactivation request is provided. The receiving, accessing, comparing, and responding may be performed by a computer without interaction between the former subscriber and a service representative.

Abstract: A portable device accessory is used to hold, grip or manipulate a portable device such as and not limited to mobile phones, MP3 players, portable entertainment/computing devices, and/or gaming devices. The accessory possesses two suctions cups connected by a neck and having an aperture for receiving a jack on earphone. Certain embodiments of the accessory will have tabs, ridges, groove and/or a space to receive earphones. The accessory permits a jack of earphones to be threaded through an aperture and the cord of the earphones to be wrapped around the accessory. The suction cups may be inverted to conceal the cord wrapped around a neck of the accessory and tabs may be used to hold inverted suction cups together.