Abstract: One aspect is a device for processing a filament in a process stream, including at least one processing beam source, designed and arranged for emitting at least one processing beam which is suitable for processing a segment of the filament by interaction of the at least one processing beam with the segment of the filament, thereby obtaining a processed filament. The device includes a guide, including a filament feed which is arranged upstream of the at least one processing beam source, and is designed to feed the filament from a feed reel. The guide is designed and arranged to guide the filament so that during the processing the segment of the filament inclines an angle with a vertical axis in the range from 0 to 45°.

Abstract: One aspect is a method for producing an ablated conductor, including providing a coated conductor including an inner layer that is electrically conducting and at least one coating layer that at least partially covers the inner layer, and providing at least one laser beam. The method includes at least partially removing the at least one coating layer in a first section by moving the at least one laser beam and the coated conductor with respect to each other along at least one scan line in the first section. A first energy density of a first radiation, produced by the at least one laser beam, that irradiates a surface of the first section is adjusted according to a first ablation depth of the first section.

Abstract: One aspect pertains to a method for producing an ablated wire, including providing a coated wire having a circumference and a length. The coated wire has a core, an outermost coating layer, and an outer surface. The outermost coating layer at least partially surrounds the core. A plurality of laser beams are provided. The coated wire and the plurality of laser beams are arranged with respect to each other. At least two of the plurality of laser beams are arranged at different angular positions with respect to the circumference of the coated wire. The outermost coating layer is at least partially removed by moving at least one of the plurality of laser beams with respect to the coated wire to obtain the ablated wire. At least two of the plurality of laser beams are independent of each other.

Abstract: One aspect is a method of manufacturing a lead connector for an implantable medical device. The method includes connecting proximal ends of a plurality of conductive pins to a corresponding one of a plurality of ring contacts to form a plurality of ring-pin subassemblies, assembling each of the plurality of ring-pin subassemblies on an assembly frame, including inserting the plurality of conductive pins in a corresponding plurality of openings within the assembly frame such that the corresponding plurality of ring contacts are spaced along a longitudinal dimension of the assembly frame, arranging the assembly frame along with the conductive pins and corresponding ring contacts within a mold cavity, filling the mold cavity with a mold material that surrounds the assembly frame, and removing a resulting lead connector from the mold cavity.

Abstract: One aspect is an ablation system with a wire feed configured to feed a wire and a wire take-up configured to take-up the wire. A wire handling system is configured to advance the wire and to stop the wire between the wire feed and the wire take-up in a controlled manner. A laser ablation processor is located between the wire feed and the wire take-up, the laser ablation processor having at least one laser configured to ablate the wire when the wire is stopped. A clamp system is located between wire feed and the wire take-up and configured to clamp onto the wire when the wire is stopped.

Abstract: One aspect is a device for processing a filament in a process stream, including at least one processing beam source, designed and arranged for emitting at least one processing beam which is suitable for processing a segment of the filament by interaction of the at least one processing beam with the segment of the filament, thereby obtaining a processed filament. The device includes a guide, including a filament feed which is arranged upstream of the at least one processing beam source, and is designed to feed the filament from a feed reel. The guide is designed and arranged to guide the filament so that during the processing the segment of the filament inclines an angle with a vertical axis in the range from 0 to 45°.

Abstract: One aspect refers to a method for preparing a processed filament, including providing a filament, which comprises a multitude of segments, which follow one another in a longitudinal direction of the filament, wherein each of the segments of the multitude of segments comprises a multitude of sections, which are disposed circumferentially around the filament; and processing the filament in n processing steps, thereby obtaining the processed filament. For each integer i in the range from 1 to n, the ith processing step comprises, for each integer j in the range from 1 to m, processing the jth section of the (i+j?1)th segment. N and m are integers which are, independent from one another, at least 2. Sections of different number are at different circumferential locations of the filament. The processing of each section of each segment of the filament comprises an interaction of the section of the segment of the filament with at least one processing beam.

Abstract: One aspect relates to a process for preparing a processed filament, including provision of a filament, including a segment. At least in the segment, the filament includes a core, including a first metal, a first layer which is superimposed on the core, and includes a polymer, and a second layer which is superimposed on the first layer, and includes a second metal. The segment of the filament is processed by interaction of the segment with at least one beam of electromagnetic radiation of a first kind. The electromagnetic radiation of the first kind has a spectrum with a peak wavelength in the range from 430 to 780 nm. Further, one aspect relates to a processed filament, obtainable by the process; a filament; an electrical device, including at least a part of the processed filament.

Abstract: A medical lead for implantation includes an electrode assembly having a plurality of electrodes. Each of the plurality of electrodes include a plurality of electrode segments. Each electrode segment has a flexible conductor directly coupled to it. A strut is coupled within each of the plurality of electrodes such that each of the flexible conductors coupled to the plurality of electrode segments are supported between the strut and each of the plurality of electrodes by the strut. An insulator fills gaps between the plurality of electrodes, the strut and the flexible conductors.

Abstract: An insurance product provides coverage for value escalation in a highly capitalized project. One or more indices are used to obtain a quantification of volatility of the value of the project over the project lifecycle. Probabilities of value changes over the project lifecycle can be generated from an index, which can be solely representative of the project value, or can be the result of combinations of one or more indices to approximate project value changes. The project value change probabilities are used to estimate an amount of insurance coverage that can be applied to cover project value changes. The party responsible for the project can purchase the insurance product with a premium derived from the amount and type of coverage tied to the index. The insurance product assists the responsible party in containing changes in project value over the course of the project life cycle.

Abstract: An insurance product provides coverage for value escalation in a highly capitalized project. One or more indices are used to obtain a quantification of volatility of the value of the project over the project lifecycle. Probabilities of value changes over the project lifecycle can be generated from an index, which can be solely representative of the project value, or can be the result of combinations of one or more indices to approximate project value changes. The project value change probabilities are used to estimate an amount of insurance coverage that can be applied to cover project value changes. The party responsible for the project can purchase the insurance product with a premium derived from the amount and type of coverage tied to the index. The insurance product assists the responsible party in containing changes in project value over the course of the project life cycle.

Abstract: A method is provided of modifying a hierarchal cost model of a multi-component system over a time period of the model extending from a historical time to a future time, wherein the model is built from item cost indices, each of which is built from one or more commodity price indices created from market data. The model is stored in memory of a computer system that includes a processor, a user input device and a display. The method includes the steps of selecting an item from the model, selecting a time from the model time period (the selected item time), and inputting a user selected cost of the item for the selected time. The processor modifies the item price index to create a custom item price index based on the input item price, the selected item date, and the item's constituent cost indices, and stores the custom price index in the memory. The method may further include modifying the cost model to create a custom cost model based on the custom item price index, and storing the custom cost model in memory.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, location of a network device is facilitated via a human-sensible location indication. For example, a location indication request may be received at a network interface card of a personal computer. In response to the request, a human-sensible location indication may then be provided from the network interface card.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, location of a network device is facilitated via a human-sensible location indication.

Abstract: A resource oriented host computer-printer system in which the host computer and printer share information and data processing duties. A system and method for analyzing the execution times for draw primitives allows the host computer to determine whether the printer will be able to render draw primitives in real-time. A resource assembler calculates the cost of executing each draw primitive within a band to determine if the printer can render the draw primitive in real-time. If the band is too complex for the printer to render in real-time, the printer may pre-render the band or the host computer will render the band and transmit the bit-map of that band to the printer. The host computer makes a series of decisions as to the best form for transferring data from the host computer to the printer. If the printer cannot store the bit-map data file, the bit-map data file is compressed.