Abstract: This disclosure provides tools and implant techniques utilizing such tools to gain access to and implant a medical device, such as a medical electrical lead, within extravascular spaces. In one example, this disclosure provides a tool for creating a sub-sternal tunnel in a patient. The tool comprises a relatively straight guide member extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof, a tunneling member extending from a first end thereof to a tip thereof, the tunneling member extending alongside and coplanar with the guide member, the first end of the tunneling member and the first end of the guide member being joined together, and a handle coupled to the guide member.

Abstract: Modified ciliary neurotrophic factors and methods for their production and therapeutic use, especially in the treatment of Huntington's disease.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the aligning of ceramic carrier substrates on base substrates. The apparatus is a gripper having angled faces lined with soft metallic pads embedded with diamonds that engage in a vertical direction with microfeatures in the ceramic carrier of a semiconductor, providing a secure grip throughout alignment and bonding to a base substrate and providing a gentle release upon disengagement. The gripper is typically detachably affixed to a micromanipulator to provide controlled motion and is spring mounted to provide self adjustment to variations in ceramic carrier substrate thickness and angle.

Abstract: To mount two semiconductor optical devices together such that a coupling face of one is aligned with and close to the coupling face of the other the devices are mounted on two different carriers. One of the carriers is flat and has a vertical edge and carries the optical device such that its coupling face is flush with the vertical edge. The other carrier is wedge-shaped and has a vertical edge and carries the other optical device such that its coupling face is flush with that vertical edge. A flat baseplate supports the flat carrier. The wedged carrier is supported on an inclined plane which may be formed on a separate wedge supported on the baseplate or which may be formed as an inclined surface portion on the baseplate. By sliding the flat carrier relative to the wedged carrier and sliding the wedged carrier up or down the inclined plane the coupling faces may be aligned. The application of liquid adhesive facilitates the sliding action and permits easy securing after alignment by curing the adhesive.

Abstract: Broadband ATM switches for switching ATM packetized data in timeslots are disclosed. In one embodiment, the switch includes input buffer, a space switch for connecting input ports and output ports at successive timeslots and a system scheduler. The timeslot utilization processing is carried out by using a content addressable memory. A bit map is provided for registering the timeslot utilization of the input ports and the output ports. An encoder determines the earliest commonly available timeslot for connecting input ports and their requested output ports. There is further disclosed an architecture in which groups of input ports share common buffer memories and in which the system scheduler processes grouped inputs, thus taking advantage of the architecture's similar characteristics and advantages to those of the common memory switch.

Abstract: A multiple path electro-optic transducer comprises a plurality of electro-optic elements arranged in an array in a device package with electrical connections thereto. A lens tube having a lens, such as a graded index (GRIN) lens, therein is supported so that an axis of the lens is perpendicular to and aligned with the array and so that the array is imaged by the lens in a plane of an outer end of the lens tube. An optical fiber connector comprises a ferrule having a bore therein and a plurality of optical fibers extending through the bore in an array corresponding to the array of electro-optic elements, the ferrule and fibers being positioned, by a cylindrical sleeve over the lens tube and ferrule, so that ends of the fibers lie in the plane of the outer end of the lens tube whereby light emitted by each of the electro-optic element is focused by the lens onto a respective one of the fibers. A mechanical coupling is provided by a bayonet connection between the optical fiber connector and the device package.

Abstract: An optical disc assembly has an optical disc and a protective cover. The optical disc has a surface adapted to have optically recorded thereon data consisting of a series of laser ablated pits recorded as a series of concentric data tracks. The pits have small size and high surface density. The protective cover has a permanent optical recording at one surface thereof consisting of a series of visible marks. The marks are an order of magnitude larger than the pits and have a much lower surface density. Memory data is recorded on the optical disc and positional data, comprising a map of the memory data surface, is recorded on the cover. This allows the use of separate positional data and memory data monitoring channels which facilitates the recording of a blank optical disc and subsequent memory data access.

Abstract: A clustered munition in a system for low altitude aerial delivery, which releases multiple rocket powered missiles, each having the capability to cruise at a constant altitude and search for a target. Once a target is identified, the missile homes on and strikes the target. In the preferred form the target seeking means is a radiometric seeker operating in the millimeter wavelength range, in which metal or similarly reflective targets stand out against the background and provide a significant signal which is used to program the terminal action of the missile.

Abstract: In dual wavelength equipment such as a combined read/write unit for an optical disc system, read light of wavelength .lambda..sub.1 is directed through an isolator and a combiner, is reflected from a target back through the combiner and, at the isolator is directed out of the incident beam path to photodetectors. Write light of wavelength .lambda..sub.2 is directed from a position off the read beam path to the combiner where it is re-directed into the read beam path and onto the target. The isolator has a linear polarizer, a polarizing beam splitter, and a retarder functioning together to ensure that at the polarizing beam splitter reflected light is linearly polarized in a direction perpendicular to the incident light. The combiner is typically an interference filter inclined both to the read and write beam path, which transmits .lambda..sub.1 and reflects .lambda..sub.2.