Abstract: A detector for detecting detonatable devices such as land mines has a a search head with a probe having a tip for placing beneath the surface of the ground. The probe tip ultrasonically provides an indication of the presence of a metal or plastic material. A force sensor coupled to the probe time provides an indication of force at the tip as it is placed beneath the ground surface. Therefore, before too much force is applied to the tip, a user is warned and accidental detonation may be prevented.

Abstract: In the past, contact imaging devices were large and costly. It has been proposed that for contact imaging device adoption for the personal computing market, cost and size must be reduced. In an attempt to address these concerns, a biometric pointing device such as a mouse is presented incorporating therein a contact imager. The contact imager fits within a small enclosure. Further, data transmission means within the mouse provides a signal to a single port on a computer indicative of the output data from both the contact imaging means and the pointing device.

Abstract: A method of configuring and reconfiguring a computer system based on user authorization is presented wherein at least some users perceive themselves and available system resources as the entirety of the computer system. The resources are configured through use of virtual resources providing predetermined access privileges and configurations for some users. In another aspect, a method is provided of configuring and reconfiguring a computer system based on biometric user input wherein at least some user biometric input is necessary in order to gain authorized access to a system and to configure the system based on the authorized user. The configuration is, preferably, transparent to the user.