Abstract: A liquid storage and dispensing system, and methods for its use in the storage, shipping, and accurate dispensing by manual or automated methods, of, for example, precious biologic samples such as protein, DNA or RNA, with minimal contamination, oxidation, and evaporation, the system having: an essentially cylindrical storage barrel with a flange at its open end and a port and delivery tip at the closed end; a piston with a seal, where the piston closely matches the shape of the closed end of the barrel to minimize dead volume; and a cover to seal the delivery tip during storage such as cryostorage.

Abstract: A tooth microphone apparatus worn in a human mouth that includes a sound transducer element in contact with at least one tooth in mouth, the transducer producing an electrical signal in response to speech and a means for transmitting said electrical signal from the sound transducer to an external apparatus. The sound transducer can be a MEMS accelerometer, and the MEMS accelerometer can be coupled to a signal conditioning circuit for signal conditioning. The signal conditioning circuit can be further coupled to a transmitter. The transmitter can be an RF transmitter of any type, an optical transmitter, or any other type of transmitter. In particular, it can be a bluetooth device or a device that transmits into a Wi-Fi network or any other means of communication. The transmitter is optional.

Abstract: A precision fluid dispensing system containing at least one two-piece pump and a precision closed loop controller drive system to address the small volume precision dispensing requirements of bioscience applications. A multiple diameter pump can be combined with a pump having multiple inlet and outlet ports to allow for precision multiple outlet dispenses in a single pump that finds use with microtiter plate pipetting and other precision dispensing. Inlet ports can be located on the smaller diameter of the cylinder with outlet ports on the larger diameter of the cylinder. A micro-controller with closed loop feedback provides exact linear positioning and motion of the pump piston as well as optional control of a nozzle to provide exact micro-dispensing of fluids.

Abstract: A system and method for dispensing pico-liter amounts of fluid through a mechanical nozzle using a magnetostrictive device that changes dimensions under an applied magnetic field. This device, with the possible help of a bias magnet, can be used to open and close the end of a fluid dispensing nozzle. An X-Y positioner can position a slide beneath the nozzle to produce a micro-array of fluid spots. The magnetostrictive nozzle can dispense fluid quantities as low as 50 pico-liters and operate at a rate of up to 10 kHz.

Abstract: A method of making beams, clamps and other structures by curing a polymer containing a magnetostrictive material. A magnetostrictive material like TERFENOL-D (TM) is placed in a polymer. This mixture is put onto a slide in a film. The mixture is cured by UV light (or other means) so that it cross-links. A second layer of polymer with no magnetostrictive material can be cured on top of the first layer. This leads to a beam structure which exhibits a bending moment in an applied magnetic field. By aligning the magnetostrictive particles before curing with a magnetic field, a beam or other structure can be produced with aligned particles. A mask can be used to selectively cure regions where the magnetostrictive particles have different alignments on the same layer. It is possible to build up multiple layer structures with layers of magnetostrictive particles aligned in different directions.

Abstract: A cell sorter system that includes a precision pump that causes fluid containing cells to enter an inlet port where the fluid is exposed to source light of one or more wavelengths and where cells scatter light or produce fluorescence by known means, and the scattered light and/or fluorescence is used to detect the presence and position of desired cells. The fluid is passed into a select gate that can be magnetostrictive where it is cause to exit one of a plurality of ports, at least one of these ports receiving the desired cells. A controller controls the precision pump, the detection system, and the select gate so that cells are selected from the fluid. An optional vacuum system can be used to pull fluid or cells out of the selected exit port.

Abstract: A precision fluid dispensing system containing at least one two-piece pump and a precision closed loop controller drive system to address the small volume precision dispensing requirements of bioscience applications. A multiple diameter pump can be combined with a pump having multiple inlet and outlet ports to allow for precision multiple outlet dispenses in a single pump that finds use with microtiter plate pipetting and other precision dispensing. Inlet ports can be located on the smaller diameter of the cylinder with outlet ports on the larger diameter of the cylinder. A micro-controller with closed loop feedback provides exact linear positioning and motion of the pump piston as well as optional control of a nozzle to provide exact micro-dispensing of fluids.

Abstract: A cutting tool (500) has a longitudinally extending shaft portion (588) with a chucking part (509) and a cutting head (506). A pressed powder cutting insert (518) with a cutting edge (520) is on the cutting head (506). The cutting edge (520) includes at least one cutting portion. A rake surface (524) is formed adjacent to at least one of the cutting portions (520) with the rake face (524) being at a rake angle from about 0° to 10°. A clearance face (526) is formed adjacent to the at least one cutting portion opposite the rake face (524). The clearance face (526) is at a clearance angle from about 10° to 50°. An edge radius (540) between the rake face (524) and the clearance face (526) is at a radius of from about 0.0015 to about 0.004 inch. The edge radius 540 is formed during pressing of the powder to form the insert, thus, enabling the insert to be directly braised into the cutting head (506).

Abstract: A cutting tool (200, 202) has a longitudinally extending shaft portion (208) with a chucking part (204) and a cutting head (206). A cutting edge (220) is formed on the cutting head (206). The cutting edge (220) includes at least one cutting portion. A rake surface (224) is formed adjacent to at least one of the cutting portions (220) with the rake face being at a rake angle in the range from about −10° to about 10°. A clearance face (226) is formed adjacent to the at least one cutting portion opposite the rake face (224). The clearance face (226) is at a clearance angle in the range from about 10° to about 50°. An edge radius between the rake face and the clearance face is at a radius of from about 0.0003 to about 0.0040 inch.

Abstract: A cutting tool (500) has a longitudinally extending shaft portion (588) with a chucking part (509) and a cutting head (506). A pressed powder cutting insert (518) with a cutting edge (520) is on the cutting head (506). The cutting edge (520) includes at least one cutting portion. A rake surface (524) is formed adjacent to at least one of the cutting portions (520) with the rake face (524) being at a rake angle from about 0° to 10°. A clearance face (526) is formed adjacent to the at least one cutting portion opposite the rake face (524). The clearance face (526) is at a clearance angle from about 10° to 50°. An edge radius (540) between the rake face (524) and the clearance face (526) is at a radius of from about 0.0015 to about 0.004 inch. The edge radius 540 is formed during pressing of the powder to form the insert, thus, enabling the insert to be directly braised into the cutting head (506).

Abstract: A cutting tool (200, 202) has a longitudinally extending shaft portion (208) with a chucking part (204) and a cutting head (206). A cutting edge (220) is formed on the cutting head (206). The cutting edge (220) includes at least one cutting portion. A rake surface (224) is formed adjacent to at least one of the cutting portions (220) with the rake face being at a rake angle in the range from about −10° to about 10°. A clearance face (226) is formed adjacent to the at least one cutting portion opposite the rake face (224). The clearance face (226) is at a clearance angle in the range from about 10° to about 50°. An edge radius between the rake face and the clearance face is at a radius of from about 0.0003 to about 0.0040 inch.

Abstract: A cutting tool (200, 202) has a longitudinally extending shaft portion (208) with a chucking part (204) and a cutting head (206). A cutting edge (220) is formed on the cutting head (206). The cutting edge (220) includes at least one cutting portion. A rake surface (224) is formed adjacent to at least one of the cutting portions (220) with the rake face being at a rake angle in the range from about −10° to about 10°. A clearance face (226) is formed adjacent to the at least one cutting portion opposite the rake face (224). The clearance face (226) is at a clearance angle in the range from about 10° to about 50°. An edge radius between the rake face and the clearance face is at a radius of from about 0.0003 to about 0.0040 inch.

Abstract: A cutting tool (500) has a longitudinally extending shaft portion (588) with a chucking part (509) and a cutting head (506). A pressed powder cutting insert (518) with a cutting edge (520) is on the cutting head (506). The cutting edge (520) includes at least one cutting portion. A rake surface (524) is formed adjacent to at least one of the cutting portions (520) with the rake face (524) being at a rake angle from about 0.degree. to 10.degree.. A clearance face (526) is formed adjacent to the at least one cutting portion opposite the rake face (524). The clearance face (526) is at a clearance angle from about 10.degree. to 50.degree.. An edge radius (540) between the rake face (524) and the clearance face (526) is at a radius of from about 0.0015 to about 0.004 inch. The edge radius 540 is formed during pressing of the powder to form the insert, thus, enabling the insert to be directly braised into the cutting head (506).

Abstract: An exercise machine which can independently vary the force and the speed at the user end is developed. The exercise machine includes a constant torque, variable speed reversible motor, a temperature controlled magnetic particle clutch, a gear reducer, a controller, and a suitable lever mechanism. The motor, clutch and gear reducer are chosen in a combination in order to achieve a predetermined output so that any combination of isotonic, isokinetic, isometric, isotonic/isokinetic, constant, variable, active, passive, uni-directional or bi-directional exercise routines can be performed with the exercise machine. With suitable lever modifications, the resistance providing unit can be successfully modified to emulate a shoulder press, bench press, leg exercise machine, arm exercise machine, etc. The output parameters, user force and user speed, are controlled in real time to maintain accuracy. This is made possible by the use of a PC-based controller interfaced to off-the-shelf motor and clutch control boards.

Abstract: An exercise machine which can independently vary the force and the speed at the user end is developed. The exercise machine includes a constant torque, variable speed reversible motor, a temperature controlled magnetic particle clutch, a gear reducer, a controller, and a suitable lever mechanism. The motor, clutch and gear reducer are chosen in a combination in order to achieve a predetermined output so that any combination of isotonic, isokinetic, isometric, isotonic/isokinetic, constant, variable, active, passive, uni-directional or bi-directional exercise routines can be performed with the exercise machine. With suitable lever modifications, the resistance providing unit can be successfully modified to emulate a shoulder press, bench press, leg exercise machine, arm exercise machine, etc. The output parameters, user force and user speed, are controlled in real time to maintain accuracy. This is made possible by the use of a PC-based controller interfaced to off-the-shelf motor and clutch control boards.