Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an electrical interface to a body are provided. In one embodiment, an implantable module is disclosed, comprising: an implantable electrode array, implantable within a body and capable of providing a plurality of communication channels for communicating electrical signals detected in a body; an amplifier circuit for processing electrical signals received from the electrode array; a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving telemetry data between the amplifier circuit and a wireless receiver located outside of the body; and a sealed enclosure that houses the amplifier circuit and the wireless transmitter and is biocompatible with surrounding tissue, the enclosure having a window that is transparent to a wireless medium used by the wireless transceiver.

Abstract: Magnetic tracking systems and methods for determining the position and orientation of a remote object. A magnetic tracking system includes a stationary transmitter for establishing a reference coordinate system, and at least one receiver. The remote object is attached to, mounted on, or otherwise coupled to the receiver. The transmitter can include a set of three mutually perpendicular coils having a common center point, or a set of three coplanar coils with separate centers. The receiver can include a set of three orthogonal coils. The position and orientation of the receiver and the remote object coupled thereto is determined by measuring the nine mutual inductances between the three transmitter coils and the three receiver coils. The magnetic tracking system provides reduced power consumption, increased efficiency, digital compensation for component variation, automatic self-calibration, automatic synchronization with no connections between transmitter and receiver, and rapid low-cost implementation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a load cell assembly and methods of folding a circuit device are disclosed. A flexible circuit body including a strip having at least one hinge is provided, with the strip being in a first position or an unfolded position. A plurality of strain gauges are attached to the strip, with the hinge disposed between the strain gauges. A jig is provided and the strip of the flexible circuit body is folded along the hinge utilizing the jig to define a second position or folded position of the strip.

Abstract: A system for delivering an implant device to a vascular site in a patient a delivery pusher apparatus, an implant device detachably connected to the delivery pusher apparatus by a tether having a distal end connected to a proximal end of the implant device, wherein the tether is substantially non-tensioned when connecting the implant device to the delivery pusher, and an electrical heating element configured coaxially around at least a portion of the tether, wherein heat generated by the heating element severs the tether at a point near the proximal end of the implant device.

Abstract: This invention provides a micro-supercapacitor with high energy density and high power density. In some variations, carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, coated with a metal oxide, such as ruthenium oxide, are grown in a supercapacitor cavity that contains no separator. A lid is bonded to the cavity using a bonding process to form a hermetic seal. These micro-supercapacitors may be fabricated from silicon-on-insulator wafers according to the disclosed methods. An exemplary micro-supercapacitor is cubic with a length of about 50-100 ?m. The absence of a separator translates to higher energy storage volume and less wasted space within the supercapacitor cell. The energy density of the micro-supercapacitor may exceed 150 J/cm3 and the peak output power density may be in the range of about 2-20 W/cm3, in various embodiments.

Abstract: An ejection seat arm flail injury prevention apparatus comprises a pair of rigid support arms on each side of the ejection seat that deploy outwardly to support a semi-rigid backstop substantially behind the ejection seat occupant. When the ejection seat is propelled out of the aircraft and is subjected to the windblast, the occupant's arms are allowed to flail in a rearward direction in the windblast until the occupant's arms impact the semi-rigid backstop. The backstop is semi-rigid in that it deforms sufficiently to enable the rearward motion of the occupant's arms to be arrested without impact injury, yet is sufficiently rigid to prevent the occupant's arms from rebounding off the backstop or striking the rigid support arms.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a duct is disclosed that is suitable for aerospace applications, for example. The method includes the steps of providing a longitudinally extending duct having a first wall thickness at an end portion and a second wall thickness at a portion that is less than the first wall thickness. The duct is bent at the portion to a desired shape to provide a tube having at least one bend located within a distance of one duct diameter from the first wall thickness.

Abstract: A system for enabling a retail transaction between a brick-and-mortar retailer and a customer, comprising: a mobile device including an application operated by the customer while physically present in the brick-and-mortar retailer, wherein the application is designed to obtain product information about a product and offer information from the customer including a proposed price for the product; a user information aggregation server designed to receive the product information and the offer information from the application on the mobile device and augment the product information and offer information with information about the customer, and to forward the product information, offer information, and customer information to a decision server; and further designed to receive a decision as to whether the offer has been accepted by the decision server, wherein the decision is at least partially based on the customer information, and to notify the customer.

Abstract: A system is provided comprising: a mobile device including an application to obtain purchase information from a physical receipt, wherein the purchase information includes a product identification and a purchase price; a monitoring server designed to receive the purchase information from the application on the mobile device, correlate the purchase information with a retailer, retrieve a retailer purchase protection policy associated with the retailer, wherein the retailer purchase protection policy contains limitations under which a credit can be authorized, monitor a current price for a product identified by the product information, and, when the current price for the product drops below the purchase price and the limitations of the retailer purchase protection policy have not been violated, send the purchase information to the retailer with as request for a credit.

Abstract: A comparative evaluation of a plurality of alternative candidates is performed by creating a plurality of evaluation criteria for evaluating the alternative candidates, comparing pairs of the evaluation criteria and assigning a relative weight to each compared pair of evaluation criteria, assigning an evaluation value to the evaluation criteria for each of the alternative candidates, and generating a relative ranking of the alternative candidates based at least in part on the assigned relative weights and the assigned evaluation values.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method of fabrication of stretchable electronic skin is provided. The method may include receiving an elastic material net. An elastic conductor mesh is formed on the elastic material net. A device is electrically bonded to the elastic conductor mesh. The implementation may further include forming a mold comprising a net pattern on a substrate and creating the elastic material net by coating the mold with an elastic material precursor, and then removing the elastic net from the substrate with the elastic conductor thereon. In one embodiment, a stretchable electronic skin including a net structure having a non-conducting elastic material with an elastic conductor mesh formed on the non-conducting elastic material, and a device electrically connected to the elastic conductor mesh.

Abstract: A sentient system combines detection, tracking, and immersive visualization of a cluttered and crowded environment, such as an office building, terminal, or other enclosed site using a network of stereo cameras. A guard monitors the site using a live 3D model, which is updated from different directions using the multiple video streams. As a person moves within the view of a camera, the system detects its motion and tracks the person's path, it hands off the track to the next camera when the person goes out of that camera's view. Multiple people can be tracked simultaneously both within and across cameras, with each track shown on a map display. The track system includes a track map browser that displays the tracks of all moving objects as well as a history of recent tracks and a video flashlight viewer that displays live immersive video of any person that is being tracked.

Abstract: A vaso-occlusive device is provided for reducing blood flow in a patient. The device can include a coil, a stretch resistant member, and a plurality of fibers. The coil can define a lumen and be sized for insertion to a point of use in a vascular network of the patient. The stretch resistant member can have a first end fixedly attached to the first end of the coil. Further, the plurality of fibers can be configured with each of the fibers in direct contact with the stretch resistant member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating a parameter of interest using values of a beam property from two or more electromagnetic beams that both pass through at least part of an optical displacement device. The apparatus may include a Fabry-Perot interferometer, a collimated light source, and a detection array. At least one mirror of the interferometer may be operably coupled to an element receiving an external stimulus, such as pressure, force, and/or acceleration. The method includes using the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses related to measurement of analytes, including measurements of analytes in samples withdrawn from a patient.

Abstract: A percussion drill, and methods of using the same, including a shank in mechanical alignment with a piston-hammer and a valve in fluid communication with the piston-hammer. The percussion drill further includes an internal hydraulic dampening system for reducing the velocity of the piston-hammer when the shank is forward of a power position relative to the velocity of the piston-hammer when the shank is in a power position. Preferably, the internal hydraulic dampening system includes mechanical alignment of a portion of the piston-hammer with a port in fluid communication with the valve, operable to reduce fluid flow into an area surrounding the valve when the piston-hammer is forward of its position relative to its normal operation.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention relates to deriving or extracting information from audio, images and video. One claim recites a method of operating a network filter. The network includes a plurality of network nodes, the network filter is for filtering video or audio. The method includes: monitoring video or audio traffic to a particular network node; identifying a first video or audio at the particular network node through deriving identifying data from data representing the first video or audio, the deriving utilizes at least one programmed multi-purpose computer processor; determining additional information associated with the first video or audio based at least in part on the identifying information; and notifying the network node of the presence of the additional information.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling energy from a skylight of a structure including a plurality of vanes positioned beneath the skylight and angularly adjustable to control solar radiation entering the structure through the skylight. The vanes are substantially S-shaped. A first light sensor is disposed proximate the skylight side of the vanes for providing a signal over time representative of changing incident solar radiation at the skylight side of the vanes, and a second light sensor disposed proximate the structure side the vanes for providing a signal over time representative of changing incident solar radiation at the structure side of the vanes. A control assembly is operably connected to the vanes for automatically controlling the angle of each of the vanes in response to the signals of the first and second light sensors which signals vary due to changes in incident solar radiation over time.

Abstract: An ejection seat arm flail injury prevention apparatus comprises a pair of rigid support arms on each side of the ejection seat that deploy outwardly to support a semi-rigid backstop substantially behind the ejection seat occupant. When the ejection seat is propelled out of the aircraft and is subjected to the windblast, the occupant's arms are allowed to flail in a rearward direction in the windblast until the occupant's arms impact the semi-rigid backstop. The backstop is semi-rigid in that it deforms sufficiently to enable the rearward motion of the occupant's arms to be arrested without impact injury, yet is sufficiently rigid to prevent the occupant's arms from rebounding off the backstop or striking the rigid support arms.

Abstract: The invention provides for vaso-occlusive coils comprising fibers.