Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing material. The dispensing device comprises a dispensing head; a capsule magazine including at least one void; at least one material capsule, wherein the at least one material capsule is disposed within the at least one void in the material capsule magazine; a motor, operable to provide mechanical power for material dispensing operations, wherein the motor is disposed within the dispensing head; and a gear mechanically connected to the motor, wherein the gear is further disposed in connection with the at least one material capsule, such that operation of the motor causes rotation of the gear and, in turn rotation of the at least one material capsule.

Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing material. The dispensing device comprises a dispensing head; a capsule magazine including at least one void; at least one material capsule, wherein the at least one material capsule is disposed within the at least one void in the material capsule magazine; a motor, operable to provide mechanical power for material dispensing operations, wherein the motor is disposed within the dispensing head; and a gear mechanically connected to the motor, wherein the gear is further disposed in connection with the at least one material capsule, such that operation of the motor causes rotation of the gear and, in turn rotation of the at least one material capsule.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed a system using a microphone and a mobile computer device comprising a transducer through which a user is to exhale or inhale; the transducer is configured and operable to convert the spirometric flow rate into an audible signal having an audio frequency responsive to the spirometric flow rate, wherein the transducer comprises a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate the rotor responsive to a spirometric flow; wherein the microphone is external to the transducer and is adapted to detect the audible signal having the audio frequency and to convert the audible signal to a corresponding electrical signal having the audio frequency.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed a system using a microphone and a mobile computer device comprising a transducer through which a user is to exhale or inhale; the transducer is configured and operable to convert the spirometric flow rate into an audible signal having an audio frequency responsive to the spirometric flow rate, wherein the transducer comprises a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate the rotor responsive to a spirometric flow; wherein the microphone is external to the transducer and is adapted to detect the audible signal having the audio frequency and to convert the audible signal to a corresponding electrical signal having the audio frequency.

Abstract: A system for measuring spirometric flow rate using a microphone and a mobile computer device connected to or integrated with the microphone. The mobile computer device may include a processor and storage. The storage may be operatively connectible, e.g over a network, to a computer system used by a practitioner. The system has a transducer adapted for converting spirometric flow rate into an audible signal with an audio frequency characteristic of the spirometric flow rate. The microphone is external to the transducer and may be adapted to detect the audible signal having an audio frequency and to convert the audible signal to a corresponding electrical signal having the audio frequency. The audio frequency may be characteristic of a peak expiratory flow rate and the output result is characteristic of the peak expiratory flow rate.

Abstract: An optical crossbar switch for optically coupling optic fibers comprising: at least one first fiber and a plurality of second fibers; a moveable fiber-end carriage coupled to an end of the at least one first fiber and having at least one latching hook and being constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; at least one moveable slack-control carriage coupled to the body of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; an array of sockets defined by walls, at least one of which walls of each sockets formed having a latch hole for receiving the latching hook; and at least one moving device controllable to move the carriages; wherein to optically couple a first fiber to a second fiber, the at least one moving device moves the fiber-end carriage of at least one of the first and second fibers to a socket and inserts the fiber's fiber end into the socket so that the at least one latching hook latches into the latch hole and secures the carriage to the socket array.

Abstract: An optical crossbar switch for optically coupling optic fibers comprising: at least one first fiber (21) and a plurality of second fibers (22); a moveable fiber-end carriage (41) coupled to an end of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; at least one moveable slack-control carriage (42) coupled to the body of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; and at least one moving device (70, 80) controllable to move the carriages; wherein to optically couple a first fiber of the at least one first fiber to a second fiber of the plurality of second fibers, the at least one moving device moves the fiber-end carriage of the first fiber along its trajectory to a position at which the end of the first fiber is optically coupled to an end of the second fiber and moves the at least one slack-control carriage to take up slack in the first fiber generated by movement of its fiber-end carriage.

Abstract: An optical crossbar switch for optically coupling optic fibers comprising: at least one first fiber and a plurality of second fibers; a moveable fiber-end carriage coupled to an end of the at least one first fiber and having at least one latching hook and being constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; at least one moveable slack-control carriage coupled to the body of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; an array of sockets defined by walls, at least one of which walls of each sockets formed having a latch hole for receiving the latching hook; and at least one moving device controllable to move the carriages; wherein to optically couple a first fiber to a second fiber, the at least one moving device moves the fiber-end carriage of at least one of the first and second fibers to a socket and inserts the fiber's fiber end into the socket so that the at least one latching hook latches into the latch hole and secures the carriage to the socket array.

Abstract: An optical crossbar switch for optically coupling optic fibers comprising: at least one first fiber (21) and a plurality of second fibers (22); a moveable fiber-end carriage (41) coupled to an end of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; at least one moveable slack-control carriage (42) coupled to the body of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; and at least one moving device (70, 80) controllable to move the carriages; wherein to optically couple a first fiber of the at least one first fiber to a second fiber of the plurality of second fibers, the at least one moving device moves the fiber-end carriage of the first fiber along its trajectory to a position at which the end of the first fiber is optically coupled to an end of the second fiber and moves the at least one slack-control carriage to take up slack in the first fiber generated by movement of its fiber-end carriage.

Abstract: An optical crossbar switch for optically coupling optic fibers comprising: at least one first fiber (21) and a plurality of second fibers (22); a moveable fiber-end carriage (41) coupled to an end of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; at least one moveable slack-control carriage (42) coupled to the body of the at least one first fiber and constrained to move along a predetermined trajectory; and at least one moving device (70, 80) controllable to move the carriages; wherein to optically couple a first fiber of the at least one first fiber to a second fiber of the plurality of second fibers, the at least one moving device moves the fiber-end carriage of the first fiber along its trajectory to a position at which the end of the first fiber is optically coupled to an end of the second fiber and moves the at least one slack-control carriage to take up slack in the first fiber generated by movement of its fiber-end carriage.