Abstract: In compounding pharmaceuticals at the outset, the medications are typically arrive in their mass produced form (pills, creams, syrups, etc.) and are individually packaged. Some packaging forms, particularly tubes, take an excessive amount of time to empty for the medication to be used in later compound medications. Presently in this industry, human workers will squeeze the medication out of each individual tube into large bucket containers for storage until the medication is ready for mixing. The disclosed invention provides a novel apparatus and method for emptying multiple tubes at a time with limited human interaction. The apparatus uses a roller and cap-pressing method that can empty several tubes at one time, significantly increasing efficiency. The apparatus is then connected with a novel software package which controls the operation of the device and can provide a counting mechanism for contract monitoring and predicting the lifespan of the device.

Abstract: Motorized machinery, such as overhead cranes, are widely used in industries all over the world. It is not easy to move crane payloads without oscillation, increasing the likelihood of obstacle collisions and other accidents. One possible solution to such problems could be aiding the operator with a dynamic map of the workspace that shows the current position of obstacles. This method discloses the use of a camera to take images of the workspace, using imaging blurring to smooth the obtained images, and drawing contours to produce an individual, near real-time map of the workspace. In one or more embodiments, known obstacles may be tagged in a manner which is readable by the camera. This image and historical images of the same workspace are layered on top of one another to produce a map of obstacles on the workspace floor. This imaging and layering can produce a near real-time map of obstacles that can be used to guide heavy motorized machinery around a workspace without incident.

Abstract: In compounding pharmaceuticals at the outset, the medications are typically arrive in their mass produced form (pills, creams, syrups, etc.) and are individually packaged. Some packaging forms, particularly tubes, take an excessive amount of time to empty for the medication to be used in later compound medications. Presently in this industry, human workers will squeeze the medication out of each individual tube into large bucket containers for storage until the medication is ready for mixing. The disclosed invention provides a novel apparatus and method for emptying multiple tubes at a time with limited human interaction. The apparatus uses a roller and cap-pressing method that can empty several tubes at one time, significantly increasing efficiency. The apparatus is then connected with a novel software package which controls the operation of the device and can provide a counting mechanism for contract monitoring and predicting the lifespan of the device.

Abstract: Motorized machinery, such as overhead cranes, are widely used in industries all over the world. It is not easy to move crane payloads without oscillation, increasing the likelihood of obstacle collisions and other accidents. One possible solution to such problems could be aiding the operator with a dynamic map of the workspace that shows the current position of obstacles. This method discloses the use of a camera to take images of the workspace, using imaging blurring to smooth the obtained images, and drawing contours to produce an individual, near real-time map of the workspace. In one or more embodiments, known obstacles may be tagged in a manner which is readable by the camera. This image and historical images of the same workspace are layered on top of one another to produce a map of obstacles on the workspace floor. This imaging and layering can produce a near real-time map of obstacles that can be used to guide heavy motorized machinery around a workspace without incident.

Abstract: A human-operated system comprises a positioning system and an input shaper. The positioning system moves an object from one location to another. The positioning system includes a computing device that controls the movement of the positioning system responsive to receiving a user command. The input shaper is coupled to the computing device of the positioning system. The computing device estimates an overtravel of the positioning system and determines an overtravel constraint that is factored into the movement of the positioning device. The computing device moves the positioning system based on the overtravel constraint in a manner that limits the overtravel, deflection and vibration of the object as the object is moved from one location to another. The human-operated system includes a predictive element that represents a predictor location responsive to the user command provided by the human operator, which aids the human operator position the positioning system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method including: (i) dispersing frequency components of an input EM waveform along a first direction with each frequency component spatially extended along a second direction different from the first direction; (ii) setting an amplitude for an output portion of each of the spatially extended frequency components; and (iii) combining the output portions from the different frequency components to produce a temporally shaped output EM waveform, wherein setting the amplitude of each output portion comprises diffracting a corresponding input portion for the spatially extended frequency component along the second direction into different diffraction orders, wherein the combined output portions correspond to a common diffraction order. A system for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method including: (i) dispersing frequency components of an input EM waveform along a first direction with each frequency component spatially extended along a second direction different from the first direction; (ii) setting an amplitude for an output portion of each of the spatially extended frequency components; and (iii) combining the output portions from the different frequency components to produce a temporally shaped output EM waveform, wherein setting the amplitude of each output portion comprises diffracting a corresponding input portion for the spatially extended frequency component along the second direction into different diffraction orders, wherein the combined output portions correspond to a common diffraction order. A system for performing the method is also disclosed.