Abstract: A method for producing a thermal barrier coating/environmental barrier coating system on a silicon containing material substrate includes applying an environmental barrier coating (EBC) over the silicon containing material substrate; and applying a thermal barrier coating (TBC) over the EBC. The thermal barrier coating includes a compound having a primary constituent portion and a stabilizer portion stabilizing the primary constituent. The primary constituent portion of the thermal barrier coating includes hafnia present in an amount of at least about 5 mol % of the primary constituent, and the stabilizer portion of the thermal barrier coating includes at least one metal oxide comprised of cations with a +2 or +3 valence present in the amount of about 10 to about 40 mol % of the thermal barrier coating.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provided herein include a calk or cleat for a horseshoe or a human shoe including a receptacle and a stud, and methods of installing and removing the calk or cleat, or the stud of the calk or cleat. The receptacle has a can or cylindrical shape and may have an outside threaded wall capable of being threaded into a threaded hole in the horseshoe or the human shoe and an inner wall having one or more vertical keyway in communication with an annular keyway. The stud may have a top section and a barrel section with one or more keys disposed to be received in the one or more vertical keyways and the annular keyway, the one or more keys having one or more nipples to fit into one or more divots on the bottom of the annular keyway. The inventive embodiments are designed to allow for quick and easy application and removal of the calk or stud without the use of tools.

Abstract: A method for determining the spatial location of an object within a containing space, comprising iteratively sub-dividing the containing space into parent and child spaces and evaluating whether the object is completely contained within the space.

Abstract: An operating system includes means for interacting with a user, means for storing information, the information being organized using nuclear trees, means for interacting with underlying hardware, and means for initiating an application to run on the underlying hardware.

Abstract: A computer architecture operates a computer using self-manipulating trees. A source is input and is matched to a self-manipulating tree using open-ended inviting to match identities to portions of the source. After activating the root node of the self-manipulating tree, the self-manipulating tree self-manipulates according to the instructions for self-manipulating contained in the identities pointed to by the nodes of the self-manipulating tree. The invention may be used as a natural language search engine for electronic data bases, a natural language programming language, a parser-free computer operating system, a computer problem solving system, and as an enhancement feature for general purpose computers and general purpose computer applications, such as a translator and a help engine.

Abstract: Coin dispensing apparatus is provided including a reservoir for coins and a rotor located to receive coins from the reservoir, the rotor having a lower storage portion shaped to receive a stack of coins, and an upper feed portion shaped to receive coins from the reservoir and direct them to the lower storage portion. Because the rotor receives and feeds the coins, to provide a stack of coins within the lower storage portion, ready for dispensing, the associated reservoir can be of a size to receive any type of coin. If it is necessary to adapt the apparatus to accept a different type of coin, it is only necessary to replace the rotor.

Abstract: A computer architecture operates a computer using self-manipulating trees. A source is input and is matched to a self-manipulating tree using open-ended inviting to match identities to portions of the source. After activating the root node of the self-manipulating tree, the self-manipulating tree self-manipulates according to the instructions for self-manipulating contained in the identities pointed to by the nodes of the self-manipulating tree. The invention may be used as a natural language search engine for electronic data bases, a natural language programming language, a parser-free computer operating system, a computer problem solving system, and as an enhancement feature for general purpose computers and general purpose computer applications, such as a translator and a help engine.