Abstract: A fuel cell assembly has a fuel cell with a membrane electrode assembly disposed between an anode fluid flow plate and a cathode fluid flow plate. The cathode flow plate defines a flow channel for conveying oxidant to the membrane electrode assembly. The flow channel has an inlet and an outlet. A plasma discharge fan is configured to generate air flow into said inlet. The plasma discharge fan may also be configured to generate ozone flow into the inlet, thereby enhancing electrochemical reaction at the cathode side of the membrane electrode assembly. A plurality of the fuel cells may be configured in a stack arrangement, whereby the inlets for the plurality of fuel cells in the stack form an air inlet face of the fuel cell stack. The plasma discharge fan may comprise a plate structure disposed over the stack air inlet face, being configured to deliver a generally uniform air flow into the stack air inlet face over substantially its entire area.

Abstract: A computer peripheral device incorporates a fuel cell that may be used to supply power to a computer device coupled to the peripheral device. The peripheral device comprises a housing and circuitry within the housing to provide at least one computer peripheral function. A data interface provides for data transfer to and/or from a computer device. A fuel cell power source is incorporated into the peripheral device. A power interface provides power transfer to the computer device when connected thereto. A power controller is configured to supply power from the fuel cell power source to the power interface for supplying said power to said computer device when connected thereto.

Abstract: A hand held appliance, such as a hairdryer, includes a body having a fluid inlet for admitting fluid into the appliance, a fluid outlet, a duct lined with a material, and a primary fluid flow path extending from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet and through the duct. The material may be a foam or a felt and is a sound absorbing material, a vibration absorbing material, is an insulator, is tuned to resonant frequencies of the appliance. The primary fluid flow path may be non-linear. The duct may have a non-circular cross-section and may comprise a handle portion of the appliance, and the handle portion of the duct is lined with said material. A fan unit may be provided located upstream of the handle portion. The duct may comprise a first handle portion and a second handle portion of the appliance.

Abstract: A cleaning appliance of the canister type includes separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, a floor engaging rolling assembly, and a steering mechanism for steering the cleaning appliance as it is maneuvered over a floor surface and for pivoting the separating apparatus relative to the rolling assembly.

Abstract: An interface assembly includes an interface, such as a mask, that is secured to a head using a headgear assembly. The headgear assembly can include at least one halo portion and a plurality of straps. The headgear assembly can include both a front halo portion and a rear halo portion. In some arrangements, the headgear and mask define an adjustable closed loop. In some arrangements, the headgear can include one or more rigid portions that contact the user's face to at least partially isolate a seal of the mask from tightening forces applied to the headgear. In some arrangements, the mask is an oral-nasal mask and the headgear applies a force to the mask comprising an upward force component. In some arrangements, the headgear can be contoured to the user's head.

Abstract: A method of projecting a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system, the method including using an optical phase adjustment apparatus in the projection system to apply a phase modification to radiation which has been diffracted from an assist feature of the pattern, the phase modification acting to reduce the size of an assist feature image exposed in resist on the substrate or prevent printing of the assist feature image in the resist on the substrate, while maintaining a contribution of the assist feature image to an image enhancement of a functional feature of the pattern.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds of formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable N-oxides, salts, hydrates, solvates, complexes, bioisosteres, metabolites, and prodrugs thereof, which are of use in the treatment of infection with, and diseases caused by, Clostridium difficile.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of producing hydrogen, including selectively applying heat to a fuel within a canister thermally insulated and inside a cartridge, firing fuel with heating elements to facilitate decomposition and release hydrogen, and, removing said hydrogen from said cartridge via a fluid communication means.

Abstract: In aspects of the disclosure, a fuel cartridge wherein the fuel is in a powdered form is admixed with inert materials such as alumina or other ceramics to improve thermal conductivity. Said cartridge having fuel zones, heating zones, and controllers to selectively heat fuel zones and thereby generate hydrogen via decomposition of fuel is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of producing hydrogen, including selectively applying heat to a fuel within a canister thermally insulated and inside a cartridge, firing fuel to facilitate decomposition and release hydrogen, and, removing said hydrogen from said cartridge via a fluid communication means.

Abstract: A method and system for distributed spatial mode processing is disclosed where a plurality of optical signals is received via a plurality of spatial modes on a first optical link, spatial mode conversion is performed on the plurality of optical signals to switch the plurality of optical signals to different ones of the plurality of spatial modes and the plurality of optical signals is transmitted via the different ones of the plurality of spatial modes on a second optical link where spatial mode filtering may occur.

Abstract: A colorless, directionless ROADM includes a pair of contentioned add and drop wavelength-selective optical switches, an input wavelength-selective optical switch having one input port, and an output wavelength-selective optical switch having one output port. Unintended input-to-output port couplings, which appear in the “contentioned” add and drop switches, can be mitigated by the input and output wavelength-selective optical switches carrying the through traffic.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaning appliance includes a main body having a user operable handle, separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing air flow and a casing housing a fan unit for drawing the air flow through the separating apparatus. A support assembly is connected to the main body for allowing the appliance to be rolled along a surface using the handle. The support assembly includes a pair of domed-shaped wheels which each have a substantially circular rim. The overall size of the appliance is reduced by locating the casing between the wheels, and providing an air duct which extends between the rims of the wheels to convey the air flow from the separating apparatus to the casing.

Abstract: A bladeless fan assembly includes a nozzle mounted on a base housing a device creating an air flow through the nozzle. The nozzle includes an interior passage receiving the air flow from the base and a mouth through which the air flow is emitted. The nozzle extends substantially orthogonally about an axis to define an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air flow emitted from the mouth. The depth of the base in the direction of the axis may be no more than twice the depth of the nozzle. The assembly produces an air current without requiring a bladed fan, that is, the air flow is created by a bladeless fan.

Abstract: A scalable multicast M×N optical switch (MCS) includes a non-scalable MCS having a plurality of (L+1)×1 selector switches east coupled at one of its L entrance ports to egress ports of the non-scalable MCS, the remaining L?1 entrance ports being coupled to an L*N upgrade ports, where M and N are integers ?2, and L is an integer ?1. This allows the scalable MCS to be cascaded in a daisy-chain fashion, providing scalability from the M common ports to L*M common ports. In another embodiment, the selector switches are integrated into the MCS, providing scalability of common MCS ports.

Abstract: A multicast optical switch uses a diffractive bulk optical element, which splits at least one input optical beam into sub-beams, which freely propagate in a medium towards an array of directors, such as MEMS switches, for directing the sub-beams to output ports. Freely propagating optical beams can cross each other without introducing mutual optical loss. The amount of crosstalk is limited by scattering in the optical medium, which can be made virtually non-existent. Therefore, the number of the crossover connections, and consequently the number of inputs and outputs of a multicast optical switch, can be increased substantially without a loss or a crosstalk penalty.