Abstract: Systems and methods for managing databases are disclosed. One disclosed system includes a processor-addressable physical memory and a processor in communication with said processor-addressable physical memory and configured to execute an environment and to allocate an environment memory to said environment. In such a system, said environment is configured to maintain a database of objects in a database memory within said environment memory. An application executes in an application memory within said environment memory, and upon instantiation of a database object, the application environment allocates memory in said database for said database object, the database providing master storage for said database object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing databases are disclosed. One disclosed system includes a processor-addressable physical memory and a processor in communication with said processor-addressable physical memory and configured to execute an environment and to allocate an environment memory to said environment. In such a system, said environment is configured to maintain a database of objects in a database memory within said environment memory. An application executes in an application memory within said environment memory, and upon instantiation of a database object, the application environment allocates memory in said database for said database object, the database providing master storage for said database object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing databases are disclosed. One system includes a processor-addressable physical memory and a processor in communication with the processor-addressable physical memory and configured to execute an environment and to allocate an environment memory to the environment. In such a system, the environment is configured to maintain a database of objects in a database memory within the environment memory. An application executes in an application memory within the environment memory, and upon instantiation of a database object, the application environment allocates memory in the database for the database object, the database providing master storage for the database object. Upon an instruction to obtain the database object from said application, the environment provides to the application a reference to the database object; and upon an access operation on the database object by the application, provides to the application direct access to data of said database object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing databases are disclosed. One disclosed system includes a processor-addressable physical memory and a processor in communication with said processor-addressable physical memory and configured to execute an environment and to allocate an environment memory to said environment. In such a system, said environment is configured to maintain a database of objects in a database memory within said environment memory. An application executes in an application memory within said environment memory, and upon instantiation of a database object, the application environment allocates memory in said database for said database object, the database providing master storage for said database object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing databases are disclosed. One disclosed system includes a processor-addressable physical memory and a processor in communication with said processor-addressable physical memory and configured to execute an environment and to allocate an environment memory to said environment. In such a system, said environment is configured to maintain a database of objects in a database memory within said environment memory. An application executes in an application memory within said environment memory, and upon instantiation of a database object, the application environment allocates memory in said database for said database object, the database providing master storage for said database object.

Abstract: Ball robot comprising a shell, a diametric main axle, at least one pendulum, and a drive mechanism comprising at least two drive motors, wherein the drive motors are arranged on the pendulum(s) in the vicinity of the inner surface of the shell. There is also provided a ball robot with a ball shaped shell, a diametric axle attached to the shell concentric with the main axis of rotation of the shell, and a drive mechanism located inside the shell and supported by the diametric axle, wherein the diametric axle is arranged to accommodate for dimensional changes of the shell along the main axis of rotation.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for managing databases are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment is a system that includes a processor-addressable physical memory and a processor in communication with said processor-addressable physical memory and configured to execute an environment and to allocate an environment memory to said environment. In such an embodiment, said environment is configured to maintain a database of objects in a database memory within said environment memory. The environment executes an application in an application memory within said environment memory, and upon instantiation of a database object, allocates memory in said database for said database object, the database providing master storage for said database object.

Abstract: Ball robot comprising a shell, a diametric main axle, at least one pendulum, and a drive mechanism comprising at least two drive motors, wherein the drive motors are arranged on the pendulum(s) in the vicinity of the inner surface of the shell. There is also provided a ball robot with a ball attached to the shell concentric the shell, and a drive mechanism located inside the shell and supported by the diametric axle, wherein the diametric axle is arranged to accommodate for dimensional changes of the shell along the main axis of rotation.

Abstract: A piston ring including at least one intermetallic alloy is provided. A piston ring having a wear-resistant composite composition and a piston ring coating comprising a wear-resistant composition are also provided.

Abstract: The invention discloses a piston ring comprising a piston ring substrate. The piston ring substrate comprises at least 50 volume %, of at least one intermetallic alloy, based on the total volume of the wear-resistant composition. The invention further relates to a piston ring comprising a wear-resistant composite composition and a piston ring coating comprising a wear-resistant composition, the wear-resistant composite composition comprising a ceramic compound.

Abstract: A piston ring including at least one intermetallic alloy is provided. A piston ring having a wear-resistant composite composition and a piston ring coating comprising a wear-resistant composition are also provided.

Abstract: The invention discloses a piston ring comprising a piston ring substrate. The piston ring substrate comprises at least 50 volume %, of at least one intermetallic alloy, based on the total volume of the wear-resistant composition. The invention further relates to a piston ring comprising a wear-resistant composite composition and a piston ring coating comprising a wear-resistant composition, the wear-resistant composite composition comprising a ceramic compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for electrolytic coating of a substratum, especially a piston ring, with a ceramic chrome layer, the substratum being arranged at an electrode connected to voltage and chromium ions for coating the substratum being present in the electrolyte. Furthermore the electrolyte contains a crystalline carrier structure which is present in the form of ions in the electrolyte, said carrier structure acting as a carrier of the chromium ions which are present in the electrolyte, and being incorporated in the ceramic chrome layer forming on the substratum by the process. The invention also relates to a ceramic chrome layer which is applied to a substratum, especially a piston ring, and is characterised in that the chrome layer is formed by a process as stated above and comprises a crystalline carrier structure.