Abstract: Mechanisms are described for scanning items while they remain loaded on a forklift (or other mobile carrier), or while the items are being loaded or unloaded in the normal course of warehouse operations. An apparatus including any number of scanner(s) (such as image capture device(s) or other devices for capturing information about physical items) may be affixed to the mobile carrier, and may be configured to automatically actuate during loading and unloading operations. The scanner(s) may be configured to automatically commence information capture when loading/unloading operations commence, and to automatically stop capture when loading/unloading operations are completed. Automatically actuated lamp(s) may also be provided to aid in information capture.

Abstract: This invention relates to a systems, methods and apparatuses for controlling a sleep environment, particularly for controlling an indoor sleep environment, and to a method and system of waking a sleeping person. The invention monitors one or both of wet-bulb globe temperatures (WBGTs) within the sleep environment and outdoors with a view to either altering the WBGT within the sleep environment to mimic a nadir or inflection point typically found outdoors and/or generate an alarm when a nadir or inflection point of the WBGT outdoors is determined.

Abstract: This invention relates to a systems, methods and apparatuses for controlling a sleep environment, particularly for controlling an indoor sleep environment, and to a method and system of waking a sleeping person. The invention monitors one or both of wet-bulb globe temperatures (WBGTs) within the sleep environment and outdoors with a view to either altering the WBGT within the sleep environment to mimic a nadir or inflection point typically found outdoors and/or or generate an alarm when a nadir or inflection point of the WBGT outdoors is determined.

Abstract: A plurality of pre-recorded, generated or other sound tracks (e.g. voice, karaoke) are selectable and de-selectable by a user for synchronously mixing with a main song track and all other sound tracks that are playing. The sound tracks are matched and synchronized to the song track. A visual display depicts icons which represent the sound tracks, and indicate which sound tracks are selected and de-selected. The user creates an individual musical performance by interactively selecting and de-selecting one or more sound tracks using a joystick or keyboard on a real-time basis with instantaneous visual and audible feedback. Depending on the musical content of each sound track, various operational modes ensure that whenever a track is selected, the result is always immediate, musically synchronized and aesthetically pleasing.

Abstract: A plurality of pre-recorded, generated or other sound tracks (e.g. voice, karaoke) are selectable and de-selectable by a user for synchronously mixing with a main song track and all other sound tracks that are playing. The sound tracks are matched and synchronized to the song track. A visual display depicts icons which represent the sound tracks, and indicate which sound tracks are selected and de-selected. The user creates an individual musical performance by interactively selecting and de-selecting one or more sound tracks using a joystick or keyboard on a real-time basis with instantaneous visual and audible feedback. Depending on the musical content of each sound track, various operational modes ensure that whenever a track is selected, the result is always immediate, musically synchronized and aesthetically pleasing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for playing a first sequence of sounds represented by data stored in memory synchronously with a second sequence of sounds represented by data stored in memory, at any point during the playing of the second sequence of sounds. A point in time is selected at which a specific sound in the first sequence of sounds must be played at the same time as the specific sound in the second sequence of sounds for the two sequences to be synchronous. The number of sounds in the second sequence which have been played before the current sound being played is counted and used to determine which sound in the first sequence is synchronous with the current sound in the second sequence. The data representing both sounds is then retrieved and used to generate, i.e. to "play," the identified sound in the first sequence simultaneously with the current sound of the second sequence.