Abstract: Personality traits displayed on a workbench are grouped into a character profile that is utilized in determining the personality and/or specific actions of a synthetic character. The personality traits are selectable by an operator from graduated dials. The personality traits may also be displayed in the form of selectable attributes or trait indicative behaviors that, when selected, are mapped into predetermined amounts of each trait in the character profile. The character profile is utilized to compute activation levels for primary behaviors, which are selected to influence or direct behavior of the synthetic character. Secondary behaviors are also selected, but discarded if conflicting with the selected primary behaviors. When behaviors are selected, the corresponding behaviors are translated into classes of ‘personality effectors’ that modulate the synthetic character's behavioral expression to reflect the desired set of traits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating communication about a document between two users creates autonomous, animated computer characters, or avatars, which are then attached to the document under discussion. The avatar is created by one user, who need not be the author of the document, and is attached to the document to represent a point of view. The avatar represents the physical likeness of its creator. The avatar is animated, using an avatar scripting language, to perform specified behaviors including pointing, walking and changing facial expressions. The avatar includes audio files that are synchronized with movement of the avatar's mouth to provide an audio message.

Abstract: An automatic re-authoring system and method re-author a document originally designed for display on a desktop computer screen for display on a smaller display screen, such as those used with a PDA or a cellular telephone. The automatic re-authoring system and method input a document to be re-authored and re-authoring parameters, such as display screen size, default font and the like. The automatic re-authoring system and method convert the document into a number of pages, where each page is fully displayable with only at most a minimal amount of scrolling on the display screen of the PDA or cellular phone. At each stage of the re-authoring, a number of different transformations are applied to the original document or a selected re-authored page. The selected re-authored page is the best page resulting from the previous re-authoring stage. The best page at each stage is determined based on the re-authoring parameters and the content of the document being re-authored.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating communication about a document between two users creates autonomous, animated computer characters, or avatars, which are then attached to the document under discussion. The avatar is created by one user, who need not be the author of the document, and is attached to the document to represent a point of view. The avatar represents the physical likeness of its creator. The avatar is animated, using an avatar scripting language, to perform specified behaviors including pointing, walking and changing facial expressions. The avatar includes audio files that are synchronized with movement of the avatar's mouth to provide an audio message.

Abstract: Personality traits displayed on a workbench are grouped into a character profile that is utilized in determining the personality and/or specific actions of a synthetic character. The personality traits are selectable by an operator from graduated dials. The personality traits may also be displayed in the form of selectable attributes or trait indicative behaviors that, when selected, are mapped into predetermined amounts of each trait in the character profile. The character profile is utilized to compute activation levels for primary behaviors, which are selected to influence or direct behavior of the synthetic character. Secondary behaviors are also selected, but discarded if conflicting with the selected primary behaviors. When behaviors are selected, the corresponding behaviors are translated into classes of ‘personality effectors’ that modulate the synthetic character's behavioral expression to reflect the desired set of traits.

Abstract: Deliberative and reactive processing are combined to process multi-modal inputs and direct movements and speech of a synthetic character that operates as an interface between a user and a piece of equipment. The synthetic character is constructed as an ally, working with and helping the user learn and operate the equipment. The synthetic character interacts with both a virtual space where the character is displayed, and a physical space (domain) that includes the user. Real-time reactive processing provides lifelike and engaging responses to user queries and conversations. Deliberative processing provides responses to inputs that require more processing time (deep linguistic processing, for example). Knowledge bases are maintained for both dynamic (discourse model, for example) and static (e.g., knowledge about the domain or discourse plans) information types.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating communication about a document between two users creates autonomous, animated computer characters, or avatars, which are then attached to the document under discussion. The avatar is created by one user, who need not be the author of the document, and is attached to the document to represent a point of view. The avatar represents the physical likeness of its creator. The avatar is animated, using an avatar scripting language, to perform specified behaviors including pointing, walking and changing facial expressions. The avatar includes audio files that are synchronized with movement of the avatar's mouth to provide an audio message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating communication about a document between two users creates autonomous, animated computer characters, or avatars, which are then attached to the document under discussion. The avatar is created by one user, who need not be the author of the document, and is attached to the document to represent a point of view. The avatar represents the physical likeness of its creator. The avatar is animated, using an avatar scripting language, to perform specified behaviors including pointing, walking and changing facial expressions. The avatar includes audio files that are synchronized with movement of the avatar's mouth to provide an audio message.

Abstract: An electronic notebook assigns properties to digital ink of note marks and keywords to digital pages. The properties indicate the type of note mark and the keywords indicate general content of the note marks on a digital page. The notebook also synchronizes audio data with the note marks and permits audio highlighting. The electronic notebook provides an updatable database of note marks and audio that is capable of being searched based on the properties, keywords, and audio highlights.

Abstract: When dynamically grouping a plurality of graphic objects, such as displayed on a graphic input display apparatus, a cluster tree is formed for the plurality of graphic objects. The cluster tree is based on a plurality of different types of distance measures. These include a time distance and a spatial distance. These distances are combined to form a distance metric indicting a distance between a pair of the graphic objects. Each level of the cluster tree defines a new cluster of the graphic objects. At least one of the graphic objects is selected. The different cluster levels of the cluster tree containing the selected graphic object are displayable. The displayed cluster of the graphic objects can be modified to increase or decrease the cluster level of the cluster containing the selected graphic object.

Abstract: A muffler for use with a pneumatic motor the muffler including a housing having a first longitudinal wall, a second longitudinal wall, a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall, and a front wall where the first and second longitudinal walls include an exhaust port and the front, longitudinal and lateral walls define a muffler chamber. The muffler also includes first and second baffle located in said muffler chamber. The first and second baffles include a first side and a second side, and each baffle extends away from a first lateral wall substantially parallel to the longitudinal walls and terminates in a baffle edge. The first and second baffles dividing the muffler chamber into at least two exhaust chambers, the baffle edges define a crossover opening for flowing an exhausted fluid to an adjacent exhaust chamber. A sound absorbing media along said first and second sides of said first and second baffles.

Abstract: An open path low back pressure muffler for reciprocating air motor pulsing exhaust providing an increased area inlet orifice, double flow path reversal with directional flow assistance and a turnable sound absorbing lined duct exit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a two step process of peening for workpieces having small radii fillets or fragile edges, such as gas turbine airfoils have. In the first step, relatively small size shot of less than 1 mm dia is used to impart a first peening intensity to a workpiece. This results in a first relatively rough surface finish. In the second step, shot of substantially uniform diameter in the range 1-2.5 mm is impacted with uniform velocity to provide a surface finish smoother than 30AA (10.sup.-6 inch). When fillets are peened, improved fatigue life results from the duplex process. When used on edges, where direct edge impact is avoided in the second step, deformed edges are avoided by the process. Yet the workpiece is substantially smooth and the edges have the requisite residual stress distribution.