Abstract: An apparatus and method for inserting a femoral broach or femoral stem or acetabular cup into a bone. The apparatus includes at least one closed loop insertion mechanism to provide impacts on the associated handles of the broach, stem, or the acetabular cup; at least one sensor to sense a series of impacts, including impact angle, and to provide real-time feedback of the alignment and/or condition of the bone; and a processor operably connected to the at least one sensor. The processor includes an algorithm that receives the real-time feedback to control the force, frequency, and alignment of the impacts by the at least one closed loop insertion mechanism.

Abstract: An optical system for particle size and concentration analysis, includes: at least one laser that produces an illuminating beam; a focusing lens that focuses the illuminating beam on particles that move relative to the illuminating beam at known or pre-defined angles to the illuminating beam through the focal region of the focusing lens; and at least two forward-looking detectors, that detect interactions of particles with the illuminating beam in the focal region of the focusing lens. The focusing lens is a cylindrical lens that forms a focal region that is: (i) narrow in the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam, and (ii) wide in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by an optical axis of the system and the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam. Each of the two forward-looking detectors is comprised of two segmented linear arrays of detectors.

Abstract: A method for detecting faulty manufactured items based on natural language descriptions (NLDs), the method may include: (i) obtaining one or more neural networks (NNs) that are trained to detect objects that exhibit one or more textual features of a group of textual features; wherein members of the group are defined by NLDs; wherein the one or more NNs are trained on one or more training datasets, the training datasets are not based on sensed information units (SIUs) of the manufactured items; (ii) receiving a SIU that captures an evaluated manufactured item (EMI); (iii) processing the SIU of the EMI by the one or more NNs, to provide one or more NN processing results regarding one or more relationships between the EMI and the one or more textual features; and (iv) determining a status of the EMI, based on one or more decision rules and the one or more NN processing results.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inserting a broach or stem into a bone, the broach and stem having an associated handle for impaction. The apparatus includes: a closed loop impactor configured to provide a series of impacts on the handle: at least one sensor configured to sense the series of impacts, including sensing the bone stress and to provide real-time feedback of a condition of the bone to the impactor's impact force, displacement and impact frequency; and a processor operably connected to the at least one sensor and configured to receive the real-time feedback therefrom, and operably connected to the impactor to control the rate and force of the impacts that the impactor applies to the broach.

Abstract: An optical system for particle size and concentration analysis, includes: at least one laser that produces an illuminating beam; a focusing lens that focuses the illuminating beam on particles that move relative to the illuminating beam at known or pre-defined angles to the illuminating beam through the focal region of the focusing lens; and at least two forward-looking detectors, that detect interactions of particles with the illuminating beam in the focal region of the focusing lens. The focusing lens is a cylindrical lens that forms a focal region that is: (i) narrow in the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam, and (ii) wide in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by an optical axis of the system and the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam. Each of the two forward-looking detectors is comprised of two segmented linear arrays of detectors.

Abstract: An optical system for particle size and concentration analysis, includes: at least one laser that produces an illuminating beam; a focusing lens that focuses the illuminating beam on particles that move relative to the illuminating beam at known or pre-defined angles to the illuminating beam through the focal region of the focusing lens; and at least two forward-looking detectors, that detect interactions of particles with the illuminating beam in the focal region of the focusing lens. The focusing lens is a cylindrical lens that forms a focal region that is: (i) narrow in the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam, and (ii) wide in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by an optical axis of the system and the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam. Each of the two forward-looking detectors is comprised of two segmented linear arrays of detectors.

Abstract: A device that is configured to detect spectrally resolved emission from a material is disclosed. The device includes an optical cavity comprising a pair of substrates separated by a distance defined to restrict a photonic density of states (DOS) of the material to be detected, a detector oriented with respect to the optical cavity to receive emission from the optical cavity and a controller configured to control the distance. The pair of substrates includes facing reflective surfaces.

Abstract: A flap actuator for adjusting the orientation of a flap or the like, the actuator. The actuator includes: a static arcuate member having a radius of curvature; a piezoelectric motor biased to be in operable contact with the static arcuate member; a housing for housing the piezoelectric motor; and a flap orientation shaft operably connecting between the housing and the flap. The distance between the shaft and the static arcuate member is essentially equal to the radius of curvature of the static arcuate member.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor comprises a frame having a first frame side and a second frame side; a first actuator assembly and a second actuator assembly. The first actuator assembly comprises a first piezoelectric actuator and two rollers, each of the rollers is pressed between the first piezoelectric actuator and the first frame side. The second actuator assembly comprises a second piezoelectric actuator and two rollers, each of the rollers is pressed between the second piezoelectric actuator and the second frame side. The motor further comprises at least one pre-loaded spring provided between the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly, pushing the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly against the first frame side and the second frame side, respectively.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor comprises a frame having a first frame side and a second frame side; a first actuator assembly and a second actuator assembly. The first actuator assembly comprises a first piezoelectric actuator and two rollers, each of the rollers is pressed between the first piezoelectric actuators and the first frame side the second actuator assembly comprises a second piezoelectric actuator and two rollers, each of the rollers is pressed between the second piezoelectric actuator and the second frame side. The motor further comprises at least one pre-loaded spring provided between the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly, pushing the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly against the first frame side and the second frame side, respectively.

Abstract: A device that is configured to detect spectrally resolved emission from a material is disclosed. The device includes an optical cavity comprising a pair of substrates separated by a distance defined to restrict a photonic density of states (DOS) of the material to be detected, a detector oriented with respect to the optical cavity to receive emission from the optical cavity and a controller configured to control the distance. The pair of substrates includes facing reflective surfaces.

Abstract: An optical system for particle size and concentration analysis, includes: at least one laser that produces an illuminating beam; a focusing lens that focuses the illuminating beam on particles that move relative to the illuminating beam at known or pre-defined angles to the illuminating beam through the focal region of the focusing lens; and at least two forward-looking detectors, that detect interactions of particles with the illuminating beam in the focal region of the focusing lens. The focusing lens is a cylindrical lens that forms a focal region that is: (i) narrow in the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam, and (ii) wide in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by an optical axis of the system and the direction of relative motion between the particles and the illuminating beam. Each of the two forward-looking detectors is comprised of two segmented linear arrays of detectors.

Abstract: A cleaning robot includes a propulsion mechanism to propel the robot on a floor, a robotic arm with a gripper at its distal end, and a plurality of different cleaning tools, each cleaning tool including a handle that is configured to be grasped by the gripper. At least one of a plurality of receptacles is configured to hold one of the cleaning tools. A controller is configured to autonomously operate the propulsion system to transport the robot to region to be cleaned, operate the robotic arm to bring the gripper to a receptacle that is holding a selected cleaning tool, operate the gripper to grasp a handle of the selected cleaning tool and to manipulate the cleaning tool when cleaning the region, and operate the robotic arm and the gripper to return the selected cleaning tool to its receptacle.

Abstract: A flap actuator for adjusting the orientation of a flap or the like, the actuator. The actuator includes: a static arcuate member having a radius of curvature; a piezoelectric motor biased to be in operable contact with the static arcuate member; a housing for housing the piezoelectric motor; and a flap orientation shaft operably connecting between the housing and the flap. The distance between the shaft and the static arcuate member is essentially equal to the radius of curvature of the static arcuate member.

Abstract: Apparatus for transmitting motion to a moveable body comprising: a first bar having ends; two articulated arms, each comprising first and second arms connected at a joint having an axis about which the first and second arms rotate, wherein the first arms are of equal length, the second arms are of equal length and the second arm of each articulated arm is connected to a different end of the bar at a joint having an axis about which second arm and bar rotate; a mount connected to the first arm of each articulated arm at a joint having an axis about which first arm rotates; a second bar coupled to each articulated arm at a joint having an axis about which the second bar rotates; and a piezoelectric motor coupled to the first bar controllable to apply a force selectively in either direction along the bar's length; wherein, the joints are configured so that all the axes are substantially parallel and the first arms are parallel and the second arms are parallel for all rotations about the axes.

Abstract: Apparatus for coupling a piezoelectric motor to a moveable body, the motor having a coupling surface for coupling to the moveable body, the apparatus comprising: at least one elastic element that provides at least a portion of a coupling force for pressing the coupling surface of the piezoelectric motor to the moveable body; and at least one shape memory component that is controllable to change shape and/or phase; wherein the at least a portion of the coupling force provided by an elastic element of the at least one elastic element changes responsive to changes in shape and/or phase of the at least one memory component.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for detecting and identifying pathologies in a magnified captured image. The method comprising the step of: performing macro image analysis for identifying abnormal and normal segments of the captured image, performing conversion of colored images to gray scale image, performing segmentation of the gray scale colored biopsy by applying two segmentation levels, merging the image results of the coarse level and the fine level segmentations by expanding the coarse image to fit scale of the fine image and identifying pixels having the same value at both levels, performing comparison between object's properties and characteristics appearing in abnormal segments and object's properties and characteristics appearing in normal segments, and calculating the deviations of each property between the abnormal segments and the normal segments and ranking objects based on the calculated deviations of each property and characteristic.

Abstract: A camera having an optic axis and comprising: a lens having a lens optic axis; a platform to which the lens is mounted; a guide track to which the platform is mounted and along which the platform is moveable; wherein the guide track is rotatable between a first position in which the optic axis of the lens substantially coincides with the camera optic axis and a second position in which the lens optic axis does not coincide with the camera optic axis.

Abstract: A mirror system comprising: a mirror; at least one piezoelectric motor having a coupling surface for coupling the motor to a moveable body; at least one spherical contact surface coupled to the mirror; and a motor mounting frame that holds a piezoelectric motor of the at least one piezoelectric motor and presses the piezoelectric motor coupling surface to a contact surface of the spherical contact surface; wherein the motor is controllable to apply force to the contact surface that rotates the mirror.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for detecting and identifying pathologies in a magnified captured image. The method comprising the step of: performing macro image analysis for identifying abnormal and normal segments of the captured image, performing conversion of colored images to gray scale image, performing segmentation of the gray scale colored biopsy by applying two segmentation levels, merging the image results of the coarse level and the fine level segmentations by expanding the coarse image to fit scale of the fine image and identifying pixels having the same value at both levels, performing comparison between object's properties and characteristics appearing in abnormal segments and object's properties and characteristics appearing in normal segments, and calculating the deviations of each property between the abnormal segments and the normal segments and ranking objects based on the calculated deviations of each property and characteristic.