Abstract: A method for measuring the clearance of a slider over a rotating disk by inducing a collision between the slider and the disk is described. After the normal flying height of the slider is established, the slider is driven into a collision with the rotating disk surface by applying a DC or AC voltage between the slider and the disk. The clearance data can be extracted from the induced collision by measuring a parameter, such as the change in the amplitude of the readback signal from the magnetic sensor, which is related to fly-height at the normal fly-height and at the disk surface. The two data points can then be used to derive the clearance. One embodiment uses a single beam interferometer to derive the vibrational displacement of the collision event.

Abstract: A medical monitor is disclosed for implantation in a human body for monitoring biological activity and states as detected by implanted sensors. The medical monitor includes an enclosure surrounding at least one hard disk drive, and also includes a transmitter and a receiver for producing and transmitting signals in the radio frequency range. The medical monitor is in communication with the sensors, by which information on biological activity and states is stored on the one or more hard disk drives. It also includes a recharging system including at least one rechargeable battery and an induction electronics interface.

Abstract: A travel assistant device includes a hard disk drive including at least one database, a digital camera, a microphone, a display screen, and at least one speaker. The hard disk drive is provided with database software by which images and sound input from the digital camera and the microphone are stored in the hard disk drive as a personal log database. Images and sound files can be displayed on the display screen and through the speaker, and the personal log database may be updated by additional commentary and images as desired. The database software also retrieves downloaded database information which includes images, sound files and text which act as a travel instructor. Also preferably included is a portable translator device.

Abstract: A method for burnishing a slider in a disk drive in which the disk is rotated in the opposite or reverse direction from that used to develop the air-bearing and to read and write data is described. Rotating the disk in the reverse direction results in no air-bearing being formed and the slider being in contact with the disk surface. The burnishing removes material over the magnetic transducers in the slider which separate the transducers from the disk resulting in greater sensitivity. Optionally the stopping point for burnishing can be determined by monitoring measurable parameters such as the change in the MR resistance (MRR), i.e., ?MRR/MRR until a selected range is achieved. The invention can be used to remove an overcoat from the air-bearing surface of the slider, remove protruding areas from the slider and to remove debris from the disk surface.

Abstract: A self-contained OCR system includes a housing holding a scanner for outputting a digitized representation of information on paper documents, and a processor in the housing for executing an OCR module to generate ASCII text from the digitized representation. The housing also holds a hard disk drive for storing the text. External devices are not needed to transform the paper-borne text to electronically-stored text.

Abstract: A magnetic disk having a low surface microwaviness at a scale of about 200 microns and higher, and a high surface roughness at a scale of less than about a length of a pad of a slider for writing to the disk.

Abstract: A hard disk drive dynamically establishes a pitch static attitude (PSA) of a slider as appropriate to be higher during load and unload and lower during operation. Also, the PSA may be dynamically established during operation as a function of slider radial position and/or internal disk pressure and/or fly height to adjust slider fly height and/or contact stability. A PSA bias mechanism such as a piezoelectric layer can be coupled to the slider suspension to bend the flexure of the suspension to achieve PSA adjustment.

Abstract: A hard disk drive establishes a roll static attitude (RSA) of a slider during operation to be zero during normal operation and to be non-zero during load/unload from a ramp. Specifically, a RSA bias mechanism such as a piezoelectric layer can be coupled to the slider suspension to bend the flexure of the suspension during load/unload so that the slider inner edge is higher than the outer edge. Consequently, any slider-disk contact that occurs during load/unload will be at the outer edge of the slider, where data is not expected to be on the disk.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for sensing increased resistance changes in an MR element to detect MR sensor events. The initial MR resistance for each slider is recorded during the drive build. The MR resistance is periodically monitored at later stages of the drive build and during normal operation. The later MR sensor resistance measurements are compared to the baseline measurement taken during the drive build to determine if an MR sensor event occurs, such as contact being made between the MR sensor and the recording medium or an MR sensor being positioned ON or OFF the ramp.

Abstract: A method for creating a hard drive includes installing a slider in a disk drive having at least one disk lubricated with a first stage lubricant. The slider is designed to be in contact with the disk at initial use. The slider is burnished. A second stage lubricant is added to the disk after the burnishing step. The first stage lubricant provides less lubrication than the second stage lubricant, allowing the slider to be burnished in a controllable manner during the burnishing step. The second stage lubricant then provides lubrication to the disk during use by the end consumer.

Abstract: A method for creating a disk drive. A slider is installed in a disk drive having at least one unlubricated disk. The slider is designed to be in initial contact. The slider is burnished to the final design point. A vapor phase lubricant reservoir system is installed in the drive either before or after the burnishing step.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a method for burnishing a slider in a disk drive in which the disk is rotated in the opposite or reverse direction from that used to develop the air-bearing and to read and write data. Rotating the disk in the reverse direction results in no air-bearing being formed and the slider being in contact with the disk surface. The burnishing removes material over the magnetic transducers in the slider which separate the transducers from the disk resulting in greater sensitivity. Optionally the stopping point for burnishing can be determined by monitoring measurable parameters such as the change in the MR resistance (MRR), i.e., &Dgr;MRR/MRR until a selected range is achieved. The burnishing techniques of the invention are used to remove material, such as an overcoat, from the air-bearing surface of the slider which separates the magnetoresistive element from the magnetic medium.