Abstract: A tubular body is operatively coupled to an oral nasal mask and provided with lateral apertures adapted for fluid flow. A flexible valve is mounted onto one end of the tubular body and adapted to seal the lateral apertures under normal operation conditions and expose the lateral apertures for fluid flow during emergency operation conditions. The sealed lateral apertures keep exhaust gases from escaping the oral nasal mask and contaminating the interior of the diving equipment during normal operation conditions. The exposed lateral apertures allow air from an alternate source to reach the mouth and nose of a user covered by the oral nasal mask during emergency operation conditions. The exposed lateral apertures allow excess water to be removed from inside the diving equipment. The valve system may be implemented as an integrated regulator mount nut/valve system.

Abstract: A selectable detent assembly that has a housing with a plurality of passageways. Within the housing is a selector spool that is disposed within a selector passageway and is rotatable to provide a plurality of rotational positions including a no detent position, a kick down position, and a continuous detent position. A pilot check valve is disposed within the housing and provides a fluid flow path from a pilot passageway to the selector passageway and a detent passageway. A detent arming piston is disposed within the detent passageway and is connected to a directional control valve spool. Thus, depending on the rotational position of the selector spool, the selector spool can either provide a continuous flow path through the selector passageway to a tank, a flow path that is controlled by the axial position of the selector spool or prevent flow to the tank in order to operate the detent arming piston.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes and associated person. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database aggregates documents having same, unique attributes in a plurality of information aggregates, and determines the intersections of said information aggregates. A visualization engine displays these intersections selectively with reference to people, documents, usage patterns or categories.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a social network. A metrics database stores virtual object indicia including document attributes, activities, and associated persons. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database infers individual connections to the virtual object by individuals executing the activities. A visualization engine visualizes membership in the social network as including these individuals and the activities connecting them. The query engine further collects a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a first shared attribute into an aggregate, and the visualization engine further filters the social network to include only individuals having membership in the aggregate.

Abstract: System and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and age of creation. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database aggregates documents having same, unique attributes and calculates therefrom, or from meta data defining the aggregate, an age value of the aggregate. A visualization engine visualizes age values for a plurality of aggregates at a client display.

Abstract: System and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and usage metrics. A query engine collects a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a shared attribute into an information aggregate and tracks usage metrics with respect to the documents. A visualization engine visualizes the usage metrics with respect to a single aggregate, or as a composite or comparison of usage metrics for a plurality of aggregates.

Abstract: Information in a database collection of knowledge resources is evaluated by collecting a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a shared attribute into an information aggregate; assigning to each document an usefulness value; and calculating and visualizing the acceleration of the aggregate as a ratio of a sum of the usefulness values for documents recently included in the information aggregate to a sum of the usefulness values for all documents in the aggregate.

Abstract: System and method for evaluating an information aggregate by analyzing categories into which each document of the aggregate is placed. A metrics database stores for each document indicia including associated categories. A query engine is responsive to a user request and the metrics database for aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate and identifying categories associated with documents comprising the information aggregate; and a visualization engine visualizes the category or set of categories, such as by list or distribution frequency, and changes in time over conceptual or physical space.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a social network. A metrics database stores virtual object indicia including document attributes, activities, and associated persons. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database infers individual connections to the virtual object by individuals executing the activities. A visualization engine visualizes membership in the social network as including these individuals and the activities connecting them. The query engine further collects a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a first shared attribute into an aggregate, and the visualization engine further filters the social network to include only individuals having membership in the aggregate.

Abstract: Information in a database collection of knowledge resources is evaluated by collecting a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a shared attribute into an information aggregate; assigning to each document an usefulness value; and calculating and visualizing the acceleration of the aggregate as a ratio of a sum of the usefulness values for documents recently included in the information aggregate to a sum of the usefulness values for all documents in the aggregate

Abstract: System and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and usage metrics. A query engine collects a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a shared attribute into an information aggregate and tracks usage metrics with respect to the documents. A visualization engine visualizes the usage metrics with respect to a single aggregate, or as a composite or comparison of usage metrics for a plurality of aggregates.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and age of creation. A query engine is responsive to a user request and the metrics database for aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate; collects a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a first shared attribute into a first information aggregate and a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a second shared attribute into a second information aggregate.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes and associated person. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database aggregates documents having same, unique attributes in a plurality of information aggregates, and determines the intersections of said information aggregates. A visualization engine displays these intersections selectively with reference to people, documents, usage patterns or categories.

Abstract: System for evaluating an information aggregate includes a metrics database for storing document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and time-stamped tracked activities; a query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database for aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate; the query engine further for calculating recency value of the aggregate; and a visualization engine for visualizing recency values for a plurality of aggregates at a client display. Base recency, relative recency, cross-aggregate recency, and normalized cross-aggregate recency metrics are provided.

Abstract: A knowledge Management (KM) tool that allows persons in an organization to more rapidly locate the people and information they need to answer their questions. Identification and visualization of information aggregate founders, including category creators, helps in locating expertise, and additionally helps to reveal and magnify hidden knowledge dynamics within the organization.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating an information aggregate by membership includes a metrics database for storing document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and age of creation; a query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database for (1) aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate; (2) collecting a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a first shared attribute into a first aggregate; (3) determining membership of the aggregate; and a visualization engine for visualizing the membership. The query engine is further operable for determining membership of the information aggregate during first and second time period for visualizing change in membership over time.

Abstract: System and method for evaluating an information aggregate. A metrics database stores document indicia including document attributes, associated persons and age of creation. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database aggregates documents having same, unique attributes and calculates therefrom, or from meta data defining the aggregate, an age value of the aggregate. A visualization engine visualizes age values for a plurality of aggregates at a client display.

Abstract: System and method for evaluating an information aggregate by analyzing categories into which each document of the aggregate is placed. A metrics database stores for each document indicia including associated categories. A query engine is responsive to a user request and the metrics database for aggregating documents having same, unique attributes in an information aggregate and identifying categories associated with documents comprising the information aggregate; and a visualization engine visualizes the category or set of categories, such as by list or distribution frequency, and changes in time over conceptual or physical space.

Abstract: A flexible full face mask to supply breathable air to humans when in environments where it is not possible to breathe, such as underwater masks, or in environments having toxic gases or similar toxic conditions. The mask includes a mask skirt in the form of a one-piece flexible face seal and separate rigid frame components which define separated self-contained spaces that are connected together in a manner to allow each self-contained space to individually conform and seal against the contours of the face of the wearer. The mask also includes a removable adaptor pod mounted on a lower of the frame components to enable full access to the mouth of the wearer while maintaining the mask in sealed relation on the facial surfaces of the wearer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for synthesizing and distributing personal care products in a retail environment. Preference data are generated in the retail environment. The preference data are representative of expressed preferences of a consumer with regard to personal care. In response to the preference data, instructions for reproducibly synthesizing at least one personal care product are generated in a format perceivable and understandable by humans. The at least one personal care product is synthesized in the retail environment in accordance with the instructions. The at least one personal care product is provided to the consumer before the consumer leaves the retail environment.