Abstract: Methods and test kits are provided for assessing effectiveness of an individual's hand cleansing technique. One method includes donning a glove on one hand and another glove on the other, which then are engaged for a desired period of time. The gloves are removed and the hands cleansed. Thereafter, a third glove is donned on one hand and a fourth glove on the other, which again are engaged. Alternatively or additionally, at least one fingertip on one hand optionally can be swabbed with a swab device to collect a sample from the fingertip, then the hands cleansed. At least one cleansed fingertip can be swabbed with a swab device to collect a sample. The gloves and/or test swab(s) can be sent to a lab and tested for a microbe presence to assesses effectiveness of an individual's hand cleansing technique. Kits can be provided to aid in carrying out said methods.

Abstract: A system for assaying electronic or electrochemically active materials or devices made therefrom includes a microcontroller, a main digital-to-analog converter (DAC), current and voltage sensing modules, a reference voltage DAC, and a power switch. The reference voltage DAC applies a calibrated voltage across the materials/devices, and the switch disconnects the main DAC to generate an open-circuit voltage. The microcontroller assays the materials/devices using the measured voltage, measured current, reference voltage, and/or open-circuit voltage. The main DAC may include coarse and fine DACs.

Abstract: A system and method for phone authorized transfers and/or payments are described. The system generates and authorizes instructions for funds transfers and payments between sender and recipient of participating institutions. The participating institutions of the sender and recipient of the funds transfer/payment may be the same or different, and may be located within the same or different countries. The system and method generates and authorizes funds transfer/payment instructions using the phone number of the recipient as identifying information and without providing banking particulars of the recipient. In some embodiments, the system implements an interactive voice response (IVR) application allowing a user to interact with the system using voice prompts responsive to the user's spoken response in the telephone receiver or the user input on the keypad of the user's touch-tone wired or wireless telephone.