Abstract: Apparatus for picking a garment having a front and a back and placing the garment over a pallet such that the front and the back of the garment are on the front and the back sides respectively of the pallet. The apparatus comprises a picking arm to approach the garment and then withdraw towards the pallet; and one or more adherence locations on the picking arm, the adherence location being smaller than the first side, the adherence location for contacting the garment and causing adherence of the garment at the contact location, thereby causing the picking arm to pull the front of the garment over the front of the pallet, the back of the garment sliding under the first side onto the back of the pallet. Adherence may involve freezing.

Abstract: A padlock is provided with a transceiver to enable authorisation of an unlocking action by an authority. To control power consumption, a motion detector is used to activate the device from a dormant, low power consumption state.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to provide a modulated stimulation signal to a patient, the modulated stimulation signal including a carrier wave modulated with a biological or natural frequency stimulation signal, to provide the benefit of the biological or natural frequency stimulation signal to the patient without the patient perceiving the biological or natural frequency stimulation signal.

Abstract: A security apparatus is disclosed comprising one or more processors 300 configured to, in response to identifying a need for outputting light-obscuring material: instruct an output device 116 to output light-obscuring material into an environment; and instruct a verification device 120 to cause the verification device to detect a signal having a wavelength greater than an average particle size of the light-obscuring material so as to enable verification of whether an object of interest is in the environment when the object is obscured by the light-obscuring material.

Abstract: Frames of a first and second type with a common preamble that are periodically transmitted by a master device (200) are received at a slave device (100) that is maintained in a low powered mode, and periodically set in a higher-powered mode to receive and process the received frames based on a slave clock (130) in a period prior to an expected transmission of the common preamble of each frame from the master device (200) to detect a preamble extension of a frame of the second type in the period. The slave device (100) returns to a low powered mode when no preamble extension is detected in the period. Information is received from and/or transmitted to the master device (200) by the slave device (100) when a preamble extension is detected. The slave device (100) is returned to the low powered mode after the information has been received and/or transmitted.

Abstract: A component for use in a monitoring system, the component comprising: a housing for housing an operating module of the monitoring system for sensing an environmental input received via a front of the component; and a mounting component for mounting the component and supporting the housing; wherein the mounting component comprises first and second lateral faces that form at least part of respective opposing lateral outer surfaces of the component and are provided at different angles with respect to a third face of the mounting component so as to be asymmetrically arranged with respect to the third face, the third face forming at least part of a rear outer surface of the component. Also disclosed is a corresponding kit of parts, mounting component, method of mounting the component and a method of assembling the component.

Abstract: A hub, a system comprising the hub, a method of wireless communication channel selection and an associated computer program product, wherein the hub is configured for selective wireless communication over any channel of a plurality of wireless communication channels, the hub being configured to transmit a response request, the response request comprising a request for at least one or any device receiving and processing at least part of the response request to transmit a response over a listening period; during the listening period, listen to each channel of the plurality of channels; and determine an activity characteristic for each channel based, at least in part, on activity received by the hub on the respective channel during the listening period.

Abstract: A method of operating a sensing component for sensing a magnetic field to determine a state of an access point having a first component and a second component that are separable from each other to create an opening and wherein a magnet is mounted on one of the first or second components of the access point, wherein the method comprises: operating the sensing component to sense a magnetic field in multiple dimensions to produce a sample representation of the sensed magnetic field, wherein the sample representation is a multi-dimensional representation and determining whether the sample representation is in a pre-determined region about a reference representation that is representative of a state of an access point to determine that the sensed magnetic field corresponds to said state of the access point, wherein the pre-determined region comprises a circular cross-section.

Abstract: A method of operating a sensing component for sensing a magnetic field to determine a state of an access point having a first component and a second component that are separable from each other to create an opening and wherein a magnet is mounted on one of the first or second components of the access point, wherein the method comprises: operating the sensing component to sense a magnetic field in multiple dimensions to produce a sample representation of the sensed magnetic field, wherein the sample representation is a multi-dimensional representation and determining whether the sample representation is in a pre-determined region about a reference representation that is representative of a state of an access point to determine that the sensed magnetic field corresponds to said state of the access point, wherein the pre-determined region comprises a circular cross-section.

Abstract: A location of a person is identified. A controller core is configured for interfacing with a plurality of sensing devices at a plurality of locations. Each sensing device has a sensor for detecting a threat-condition and an acoustic sensor for generating an acoustic indicator indicative of an incident acoustic wave. The controller core is configured to: (i) upon receiving a trigger, instruct wireless transmission to the sensing devices, of a request for an acoustic indicator generated in the sensing device, wherein the request configures each of the sensing devices to activate a process in respect of an incident acoustic wave; (ii) receive one or more of said requested acoustic indicators; and (iii) based on the received one or more acoustic indicators, identify a location of the person (103) within the building.

Abstract: A device (200) comprises a receiver (210), a master clock (230), and a processor (220). The receiver (210) receives a signal from a remote device (100), which includes a component based on a slave clock (130) of the remote device (100) and is authenticated by comparing the component with a master signal from the master clock (230). An operation is performed based on the signal if authenticated, or a further authentication process sends a challenge signal to and receives a challenge response from the remote device (100). If the further authentication process is successful, an operation is performed based on the signal or a further received signal received from the remote device (100). A resynchronization signal is transmitted based on the master clock (230) to the remote device (100) for the resynchronization of the slave clock (130) as part of the challenge signal, or as a further transmitted signal.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for detecting an object in an environment. The apparatus comprises: a processor configured to: control an active reflected wave detector to measure wave reflections from the environment to accrue measured wave reflection data; process the measured wave reflection data to detect an object in said environment; in response to detection of said object, determine whether a first predetermined condition in respect of the object is met; and if the first predetermined condition is met, control an output device to output a deterrent.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for detecting an object in an environment. The apparatus comprises: a processor, the processor coupled to an active reflected wave detector that is operable to measure wave reflections from the environment. The processor is configured to: process measured wave reflection data to determine whether a predetermined condition is met, the measured wave reflection data accrued by the processor in response to the active reflected wave detector being activated in response to a motion sensor detecting motion in said environment; and if the predetermined condition is met, perform at least one operation related to camera image data.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a device for mounting on a wall for monitoring an environment. In one embodiment the device comprises: a body comprising: an active reflected wave detector; and a processor coupled to the active reflected wave detector, the processor configured to: control the active reflected wave detector to measure wave reflections from the environment to accrue measured wave reflection data, and identify a status of a person in the environment based on the measured wave reflection data, wherein the processor assumes, for said identification, that the active reflected wave detector is at an operating height above a floor of the environment. The device comprises a cord extending from the body, the cord having a length for ending at the floor when the device is mounted with the active reflected wave detector at said operating height and the cord is freely hanging and straight.

Abstract: A method of operating a sensing component for sensing a magnetic field to determine a state of an access point having a first component and a second component that are separable from each other to create an opening and wherein a magnet is mounted on one of the first or second components of the access point, wherein the method comprises: operating the sensing component to sense a magnetic field in multiple dimensions to produce a sample representation of the sensed magnetic field, wherein the sample representation is a multi-dimensional representation and determining whether the sample representation is in a pre-determined region about a reference representation that is representative of a state of an access point to determine that the sensed magnetic field corresponds to said state of the access point, wherein the pre-determined region comprises a circular cross-section.

Abstract: A device for measuring 3D coordinates associated with an object in an environment, comprising: a 3D reflected wave measuring device having a 3D coordinate system for measuring 3D coordinates of an object in the environment, the 3D reflected wave measuring device having a first frame of reference; and an orientation sensing device to indicate an orientation of the 3D reflected wave measuring device in an environment for aligning the first frame of reference with a second frame of reference that is associated with the environment. The device may be a fall detector device, although other applications are possible.

Abstract: Wireless communication is effected by signaling, in a beacon, that a time period following the beacon is to be used for communication. In the event that the beacon indicates no communication in that time period, there is an opportunity for listening devices to enter a sleep mode before the next anticipated beacon. A pending address frame can follow the beacon to indicate which listening devices are addressed for communications within the time period, and scheduling of such communications. Non-participating listening devices also have an opportunity for entry into the sleep mode.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to using an active reflected wave detector to classify the state of a person in an environment and optionally respond accordingly. In one embodiment there is provided a computer implemented method of determining a state of a person comprising: receiving an output of an active reflected wave detector; classifying a state of the person as being in a safe supported state based on the output using measurements of reflections associated with the person, wherein said classifying is based at least on: a height metric associated with at least one reflection from the person conveyed in the output of the active reflected wave detector; and a plurality of velocity magnitude measurements of the person corresponding to different times, each of said velocity magnitude measurements determined using the reflections associated with the person conveyed in the output of the active reflected wave detector.

Abstract: A fall detector device (102) for mounting on a wall for monitoring an environment (100), comprising: a motion sensor (204) for detecting motion of a person (106) within a first field of view of the motion sensor; an active reflective wave sensor (206) for detecting the presence of a person within a second field of view of the active reflective wave sensor using wave reflections from the environment, the first and second fields of views at least partially overlapping one another, and a processor coupled to the motion sensor and active reflective wave sensor for receiving output from each of the motion sensor and active reflective wave sensor, wherein operation of the active reflective wave sensor is dependent on a detection of motion of a person within at least a portion of the first field of view by the motion sensor.