Abstract: Methods and systems directed to collecting and processing stool samples are disclosed herein. A stool sample may be collected from a subject using a stool collector, which may comprise one or more catchment units. The stool sample may then be subjected to further processing and/or analysis to determine one or more parameters of the stool sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection system employed for securing a start-up of an application, said system comprising at least one first detector (D2) and one second detector (D3), each detector comprising two input terminals (I1, I2) connected to its logic inputs, two output terminals (O1, O2) connected to its logic outputs and two power supply terminals (0V, +24V) connected to two electrical power supply lines. The two output terminals (O1, O2) of the first detector (D2) are connected to the two input terminals (I1, I2) of the second detector (D3) and the two output terminals (O1, O2) of the second detector (D3) are connected to control devices (K1, K2) of the application to be secured, so as to form a detection chain.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety detection system comprising a detection chain formed by a number of interconnected safety detectors (D1, . . . D5). The detectors (D1, . . . D5) in the chain are also interconnected in order to form a diagnostic line in parallel with the safety chain. The first detector thus comprises means for generating diagnostic information comprising its surveillance state, and means for sending this diagnostic information, on the diagnostic line, to the second detector in the chain, which in turn enriches the diagnostic information. At the end of the chain, the last detector is connected to a diagnostic module (MD) intended to receive the diagnostic information, to interpret it, and to control the start-up of the application to be secured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for the secure detection of an RFID electronic tag (ET1). This detection system comprises a read/write station (1), said station (1) comprising first processing means (12) and second processing means (13), the first processing means (12) and the second processing means (13) making it possible to read in parallel control data (CD) previously written in the RFID electronic tag (ET1) when the RFID electronic tag (ET1) is located within range of the station. The station controls the state of the machine according to the processing performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety detection system comprising a detection chain formed by a number of interconnected safety detectors (D1, . . . D5). The detectors (D1, . . . D5) in the chain are also interconnected in order to form a diagnostic line in parallel with the safety chain. The first detector thus comprises means for generating diagnostic information comprising its surveillance state, and means for sending this diagnostic information, on the diagnostic line, to the second detector in the chain, which in turn enriches the diagnostic information. At the end of the chain, the last detector is connected to a diagnostic module (MD) intended to receive the diagnostic information, to interpret it, and to control the start-up of the application to be secured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection system employed for securing a start-up of an application, said system comprising at least one first detector (D2) and one second detector (D3), each detector comprising two input terminals (I1, I2) connected to its logic inputs, two output terminals (O1, O2) connected to its logic outputs and two power supply terminals (0V, +24V) connected to two electrical power supply lines. The two output terminals (O1, O2) of the first detector (D2) are connected to the two input terminals (I1, I2) of the second detector (D3) and the two output terminals (O1, O2) of the second detector (D3) are connected to control devices (K1, K2) of the application to be secured, so as to form a detection chain.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for the secure detection of an RFID electronic tag (ET1). This detection system comprises a read/write station (1), said station (1) comprising first processing means (12) and second processing means (13), the first processing means (12) and the second processing means (13) making it possible to read in parallel control data (CD) previously written in the RFID electronic tag (ET1) when the RFID electronic tag (ET1) is located within range of the station. The station controls the state of the machine according to the processing performed.

Abstract: An interactive product information device is disclosed for establishing a communication link between a customer using the device and a product representative at a remote location. The interactive product information device, to be used in various commercial settings such as stores, shopping malls, trade shows and the like, is designed to establish a communication link between the customer and the product representative upon activation of the device by the customer. This activation, which may be implemented through a single one-touch activation switch and corresponding circuit, operates a communication device connected thereto and automatically establishes the link. The same one-touch activation switch may also be used to activate a product demonstration unit provided with the product information the device.

Abstract: The invention proposes an interactive a system comprising user units (1a, 1b, 1c) intended to display a content broadcast by a content supply unit (3). According to the invention, the user units are designed to transmit user data (Da, Db, Dc) to an application control unit (2). The application control unit determines pieces of content to be overlaid from user data received. It transmits overlay data to the user units and/or to the content supply unit. These overlay data are used by the user units and/or by the content supply unit for overlaying the pieces of content determined by the application control unit in the content to be displayed and/or in the content to be broadcast. Application: interactive television.

Abstract: A method of controlling a temperature of a surface of a direct chill cast ingot cast in an open-ended mold provided with a bottom block during early stages of casting as the ingot emerges from the open-ended mold. The method involves the steps of directing a flow of a coolant onto at least one surface of an ingot emerging from an open-ended mold to impinge on the surface at a normal impingement point and to cool the surface, measuring a surface temperature on the emerging ingot at at least one measurement location which is at a predetermined position close enough to the normal impingement point to be affected by the secondary coolant, to generate a measured surface temperature, determining the displacement of the bottom block of the casting machine from its initial position at the start of the cast, corresponding to each the surface temperature measurement, and using the measured surface temperature to control a casting variable and thereby to control the temperature of the surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for measurement of a temperature of a moving metal slab to provide a measured temperature indication corresponding to an actual temperature at a location on the surface of the slab.

Abstract: A process and control system for controlling a rotary calcining kiln having a feed material inlet for material to be calcined, a calcined product outlet and a high temperature zone in which said material is calcined, the high temperature zone being movable within the rotary calcining kiln according to changes in operational control variables of the rotary calcining kiln. The process comprises measuring temperatures within the rotary calcining kiln at various positions spaced from each other along the rotary calcining kiln in a region overlapping a predetermined desired position for the high temperature zone, and adjusting the control variables to move the high temperature zone to the desired position when the high temperature zone deviates from the desired position. In the process, the temperatures are measured by thermocouples having thermocouple junctions protected by heat and abrasion resistant sheaths, preferably made of alumina/silicon carbide ceramics, positioned within the rotary calcining kiln.

Abstract: A temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of an abrasive particulate material of the type found, for example, in rotary calcining kilns and the like. The device comprises a temperature sensor producing an indication of a temperature to which the sensor is exposed, circuitry or the like for connecting the temperature sensor to remote equipment for converting the indication to a recognisable form and a protective element shielding the temperature sensor from damage by the abrasive particulate material. The protective element comprises a layer of ceramic material having a matrix of alumina reinforced with 5 to 50% by volume (based on the total volume of the ceramic material) of particles of silicon carbide having an average size, at least in two dimensions, within the range of about 5 to 60 microns. The protective element provides good abrasion, heat-shock and mechanical resistance while exhibiting sufficient thermal conductivity to avoid undue inaccuracies in the temperature measurements.

Abstract: The invention provides a new stirring apparatus for stirring the liquid metal contents of a furnace, particularly the shallow furnaces used in the processing of aluminum and its alloys. The apparatus consists a reservoir separate from the furnace of relatively large horizontal cross-section and volume, into which a vaccuum draws metal from the furnace through a nozzle, the metal then being returned by gas pressure forcibly into the furnace through the nozzle in the form of a horizontally directed jet. The cycle is repeated at sufficiently close intervals to ensure that the furnace bath is quickly and effectively mixed. The nozzle directs the molten metal entering the reservoir tangentially to swirl the metal and reduce the accumulation of dross. The reservoir comprises a bottom static part including the nozzle and a readily removable top cover carrying heaters for heating the reservoir interior and the dross that deposits on the side wall to ease its removal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising an integrated optical guide, which has at least one rectilinear part and one curved part, and comprising means for obtaining the confinement of the light in the guide in the curved part, which means include a groove provided along the edge of the guide in the region of the curve part, characterized in that these means also include a guide structure comprising a guiding layer and, overhanging the guiding layer, a ribbon in relief for determining the optical path followed by the light in the guiding layer, and in that these means moreover include a groove structure such that it has a constant depth, that its central part follows extactly the edge of the guiding ribbon in the curved part, that its ends are removing from the edge of this ribbon at the beginning and at the end of the curved part, that its bottom is disposed in the guiding layer at a level which does not reach the lower part of this guiding layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices is set forth using reactive ion plasma etching in which an optical grating is formed to etch underlying regions, such as dielectric material, semiconductor material, or alternate layers of different semiconductor material. The optical grating is formed with a rectangular profile having grooves and mask strips on a sample material where each of the grooves has a width L.sub.S substantially equal to the width L.sub.M of the mask strips. The optical grating is formed of a material which may be one of a photoresist, a dielectric compound, a metal, or a metallic compound. This method enables control of reactive ion etching during manufacture of integrated circuits of III-V compounds.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising at least a reactive ion etching step of a so-called substrate formed by semiconductor compounds having the general formulae Ga.sub.1-x As.sub.x In.sub.1-y P.sub.y, in which formulae x and y are the concentrations and lie between 0 and 1, this method comprising for carrying out this etching step a masking system of the said substrate cooperating with a flow of reacting gases, characterized in that the masking system is formed by a first metallic layer of titanium (Ti) of small thickness, on which a second metallic layer of nickel (Ni) is disposed having a thickness of about ten times larger, and in that the flow of reacting gases is formed by the mixture of the gases Cl.sub.2 /CH.sub.4 /H.sub.2 /Ar, in which mixture Cl.sub.2 is present in a quantity of about a quarter of the quantities of CH.sub.4 and Ar, as far as the partial pressures in the etching chamber are concerned.Application: Manufacture of optoelectronic devices of III-V materials.

Abstract: In order to attain the maximum permissible speed of a stepping motor and to achieve a substantial reduction in the time required to perform a predetermined number of steps, acceleration between the starting speed V.sub.o and the maximum speed V.sub.m takes place in the form of incremental increases .DELTA.V.sub.n in the frequency of the signal for controlling the speed of the motor at time intervals .DELTA.t which are all equal. All the speeds V.sub.n-1 +.DELTA.V.sub.n are precomputed by a microprocessor and the precomputed values are stored in memory. These values are read at each instant t+.DELTA.t during the acceleration period and in the reverse order with respect to the deceleration period. The curve velocity V is a function of time t is of exponential form with a negative exponent.