Abstract: A sheet dispenser for a stack of removable sheet has a transparent or translucent upper housing member. The dispenser provide visual feedback to a user upon removing a sheet from the stack.

Abstract: Methods of monitoring items and/or materials from a manufacturing process. One embodiment of the invention provides a method of monitoring items and/or materials from a manufacturing process using a plurality of RFID tagged containers, and a plurality of stations associated with different portions of the manufacturing process, where each station includes an RFID reader.

Abstract: An item monitoring system and method of using an item monitoring system. The present invention relates more particularly to an item monitoring system including a sensor, that senses a plurality of items in a first amount of space associated with the sensor and that senses both items containing metal and items containing no metal, a communications network, and a computer that receives information from the sensor through the communications network. The present invention also relates more particularly to a method of monitoring items to determine the number of items within a first amount of space associated with the sensor.

Abstract: Sheet dispensers, which provide feedback to a user or provide a unique function to a user, are disclosed. Visual, audio, aromatic, or other types of feedback may be provided to a user by the sheet dispenser. Sheet dispensers suitable for use as a switch, a room deodorizer, a flame-generating device, or a combination thereof are disclosed. A method of activating a switch-controlled object is also disclosed. Further, a method of making sheet dispensers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A medical assembly, such as an artificial heart assembly, adapted to be implanted within a living subject is composed of an implantable data communications interface adapted to receive an encoded data signal from a data communications interface located outside the subject at a position remote from the medical assembly. The encoded data signal is transmitted in a plurality of periodic signal bursts, which are transmitted at a first frequency to represent a first data value and a second frequency to represent a second data value. Each of the bursts comprises a plurality of signal transitions having a third frequency greater than both the first and second frequencies.

Abstract: A medical assembly, such as an artificial heart assembly, adapted to be implanted within a living subject is composed of an implantable data communications interface adapted to receive an encoded data signal from a data communications interface located outside the subject at a position remote from the medical assembly. The encoded data signal is transmitted in a plurality of periodic signal bursts, which are transmitted at a first frequency to represent a first data value and a second frequency to represent of second data value. Each of the bursts comprises a plurality of signal transitions having a third frequency greater than both the first and second frequencies.