Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a hollow cable for transmitting radiofrequency and/or microwave frequency energy to an electrosurgical instrument, wherein the hollow cable is provided with electrical connectors for forming a bipolar electrical connection with an electrosurgical instrument that fits within, e.g. slides relative to, the hollow cable. The connectors can be conductive protrusions extending in an axial direction on opposite sides of the cable. The protrusions can be tabs, fins, rods, pins, or wires. The protrusions can be strips which engage corresponding terminals on the instrument. The transmission line structure of the invention can have a greater diameter then convention coaxial cables, which can minimise loss whilst still providing access for control wires and/or fluid to reach an surgical instrument. The cable can be used with multiple instruments.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, systems and devices having segmented numeral character recognition. In an embodiment, users may take digital pictures of a seven-segment display on a sensor device. For example, a user at a remote location may use a digital camera to capture a digital image of a seven-segment display on a sensor device. Captured images of a seven-segment display may then be sent or uploaded over a network to a remote health management system. The health care management system includes a reader that processes the received images to determine sensor readings representative of the values output on the seven-segment displays of the remote sensor devices. Machine learning and OCR are used to identify numeric characters in images associated with seven-segment displays. In this way, a remote heath management system can obtain sensor readings from remote locations when users only have access to sensor devices with seven-segment displays.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: Various implementations directed to a competency management system are provided. In one implementation, a method for performing an assessment using a competency management system may include displaying a skills map for a position within an organization, where the skills map corresponds to a skill represented by skill units, and where each skill unit includes skill elements having evidence requirements and competency levels. The method may also include receiving self-assessment data corresponding to the evidence requirements. The method may further include determining a self-assessment competency score based on the self-assessment data. The method may additionally include receiving supervisor assessment data from a supervisor of the organization, where the supervisor assessment data includes data indicating a confirmation or denial of the self-assessment competency score based on the evidence requirements.

Abstract: Various implementations directed to a competency management system are provided. In one implementation, a method for performing an assessment using a competency management system may include displaying a skills map for a position within an organization, where the skills map corresponds to a skill represented by skill units, and where each skill unit includes skill elements having evidence requirements and competency levels. The method may also include receiving self-assessment data corresponding to the evidence requirements. The method may further include determining a self-assessment competency score based on the self-assessment data. The method may additionally include receiving supervisor assessment data from a supervisor of the organization, where the supervisor assessment data includes data indicating a confirmation or denial of the self-assessment competency score based on the evidence requirements.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: An integrated battery package, that contains semiconductor chips, for example to control and regulate battery charging and to monitor the package operation, uses a single lead frame to interconnect several internal chips, to internally connect said control chips to the battery and to connect the whole package assembly externally. The invention eliminates the need for any additional connecting mechanism. The invention uses established production processes. A molding process, similar to plastic chip encapsulation, encloses the battery controlling chips and forms at the same time the body of the battery package. An additional cover, sealed to said body, closes the battery package.

Abstract: A method of conditioning a tubular clay material to enable its loading with an active, the method comprising the step of exposing the tubular clay material to a chemical agent in a manner such that the agent sorbs to a surface of the clay material that is internal of the tube, the chemical agent being selected such that, when the agent is sorbed to the clay material internal surface, the affinity of the tubular clay material for the active is altered.

Abstract: An integrated battery package, that contains semiconductor chips, for example to control and regulate battery charging and to monitor the package operation, uses a single lead frame to interconnect several internal chips, to internally connect said control chips to the battery and to connect the whole package assembly externally. The invention eliminates the need for any additional connecting mechanism. The invention uses established production processes. A molding process, similar to plastic chip encapsulation, encloses the battery controlling chips and forms at the same time the body of the battery package. An additional cover, sealed to said body, closes the battery package.

Abstract: An integrated battery package, that contains semiconductor chips, for example to control and regulate battery charging and to monitor the package operation, uses a single lead frame to interconnect several internal chips, to internally connect said control chips to the battery and to connect the whole package assembly externally. The invention eliminates the need for any additional connecting mechanism. The invention uses established production processes. A molding process, similar to plastic chip encapsulation, encloses the battery controlling chips and forms at the same time the body of the battery package. An additional cover, sealed to said body, closes the battery package.

Abstract: An integrated battery package, that contains semiconductor chips, for example to control and regulate battery charging and to monitor the package operation, uses a single lead frame to interconnect several internal chips, to internally connect said control chips to the battery and to connect the whole package assembly externally. The invention eliminates the need for any additional connecting mechanism. The invention uses established production processes. A molding process, similar to plastic chip encapsulation, encloses the battery controlling chips and forms at the same time the body of the battery package. An additional cover, sealed to said body, closes the battery package.

Abstract: A system and a method for visual, electronic communication and/or entertainment purposes, displaying a lightshow, which can, if desired, represent selected information/events have been achieved. Said lightshow/information is displayed using one or more LED modules comprising more than one, usually three, LEDs emitting each light in different primary colors of a color space. Thus a lightshow/information/events can be visually displayed using a multitude of colors, different brightness, by flashing, by activation of specific positions, and by ON/OFF intervals. Said LED modules are controlled by a circuit comprising a LED driver unit, controlling the light intensity of each LED, a sequencer to control said LED drivers, and a memory to store the patterns for the illumination, the sequence and the brightness. The LEDs can be preferably addressed in a multiplexing mode, thus the connection between the LED drivers and the LEDs can be simplified.

Abstract: Communications data such as traffic levels in a communications network is analysed using techniques adapted from the study of chaos. Future values of a series of communications data are predicted and an attractor structure is determined from the communications data. This enables the communications processes to be monitored, controlled and analysed. Action can be taken to modify the communications process using the results from the prediction and attractor structure to reduce costs and improve performance and efficiency. These methods may also be used for product data from manufacturing processes. An algorithm bank is compiled containing prediction algorithms suitable for different types of data series, including those exhibiting deterministic behaviour and those exhibiting stochastic behaviour. Recent past values of a data series are taken and assessed or audited in order to determine which of the algorithms in the bank would provide the optimal prediction.

Abstract: Nonionic, hydrophobic photobleach compounds, especially those based on Si(IV) phthalocyanines, which are liquid at ambient temperatures and their use in a variety of consumer product compositions.

Abstract: Consumer product compositions such as laundry detergents comprising selected photosensitive compounds for photobleaching, photodisinfection, antibacterial activity, hueing or other benefits. The compositions are preferably formulated with detersive surfactants and/or water-soluble polymers.