Abstract: An orientation system for a visually impaired user which includes a base station and a handset; said base station is attached close to an item that the user wishes to orientate themselves to; the base station is configured to emit a beam which is unable to penetrate solid objects and which has a centreline; the handset is configured to detect the beam and generate an output which the user can use to determine the edges of the beam and thus orientate approximately with the centreline.

Abstract: An Investment System (Vehicle) invests or holds an ownership interest in real property, receiving income from the property for the benefit of the underlying owners in the Vehicle. The Vehicle offers fractional ownership interests to investors owning real property which are exchanged for an ownership in the Vehicle. Such exchanges obtain deferral of gains from appreciation in the value of the property, which would otherwise be taxable, by complying with the provisions of IRC section 1031. The Vehicle provides investors the ability to execute subsequent exchanges of ownership interests in the Vehicle, at the discretion of the exchanging owner, for a separate replacement property representing a more desirable investment. The Vehicle Sponsor facilitates such subsequent exchanges, via either a replacement investor that acquires the ownership in the Vehicle or by purchasing the exchanging owner's interest. Purchases could be financed using a liquidity facility or line of credit established for such purpose.

Abstract: A nitrate reduction device has a cadmium structure forming a plurality of longitudinal channels within a flow chamber, which may be formed by a plurality of wires. The device is used to reduce nitrate to a final nitrite product for analysis.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and processor instructions to determine a first direct cost associated with at least a partial implementation of a business decision, the first direct cost including at least one of productivity gains and losses, determine a second direct cost based on a non-implementation of the business decision, the second direct cost based on the productivity gains and losses, determine a first risk reduction associated with at least a partial implementation of the business decision, the first risk reduction based on a business relationship risk(s), determine a second risk reduction associated with a non-implementation of the business decision, the second risk reduction based on the business relationship risk(s), and, associate the business decision with a value, the value corresponding to a sum between differences of: (i) the first direct cost and the second direct cost, and, (ii) the first risk reduction and the second risk reduction.

Abstract: A secure funds device for use with a computer system, such as a personal computer, for transferring funds, in response to a funds transfer request for amounts of funds from the computer system, to a funds receiver. One or more electronic cash devices store electronic funds and transfer funds in response to funds transfer request when authorized by an authorization signal. A processor is used for connecting the funds transfer request from the computer system to the electronic cash device and for transferring electronic funds from the electronic cash device to the computer system when the authorization signal is present. User control means, including for example a pushbutton switch and an LCD display, that is not accessible by the computer system is used for providing the authorization signal. The secure funds device has a secure interface that prevents the computer system from generating the authorization signal.