Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for efficiently and effectively manipulating spreadable materials. Such apparatus and methods may be incorporated for uses such as applying spreadable materials such as hair color, relaxers, and the like to a surface such as the surface of strands of hair for the purpose of highlighting or otherwise processing hair. A variety of applicators including varying edges, surfaces, tapers, and dimensions are disclosed, wherein each applicator configuration creates a different effect when used for hair processing. Furthermore, a hair stylist may select one or more of the disclosed applicators based upon ease of use for the particular hair stylist, personal preference, and/or the type of hair to be processed. The applicators disclosed herein retain their rigidity during use, are fast-drying, create less waste, and are easy to clean. In one embodiment, a user may tailor the applicator's head design to meet his or her personal needs.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for efficiently and effectively manipulating spreadable materials. Such apparatus and methods may be incorporated for uses such as applying spreadable materials such as hair color to a surface such as the surface of strands of hair for the purpose of highlighting or otherwise coloring the hair. A variety of applicators including varying edges are disclosed, wherein each edge creates a different affect when used for hair highlighting. Furthermore, a hair colorist may select one or more of the disclosed applicators based upon ease of use for the particular hair colorist, personal preference, and/or the type of hair to be colored and/or highlighted. The applicators disclosed herein may be used to paint color on the hair, however, such applicators retain their rigidity during use, are faster-drying, and easier to clean than highlighting brushes known in the prior art.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for efficiently and effectively manipulating spreadable materials. Such apparatus and methods may be incorporated for uses such as applying spreadable materials such as hair color to a surface such as the surface of strands of hair for the purpose of highlighting or otherwise coloring the hair. A variety of applicators including varying edges are disclosed, wherein each edge creates a different affect when used for hair highlighting. Furthermore, a hair colorist may select one or more of the disclosed applicators based upon ease of use for the particular hair colorist, personal preference, and/or the type of hair to be colored and/or highlighted. The applicators disclosed herein may be used to paint color on the hair, however, such applicators retain their rigidity during use, are faster-drying, and easier to clean than highlighting brushes known in the prior art.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for efficiently and effectively manipulating spreadable materials. Such apparatus and methods may be incorporated for uses such as applying spreadable materials such as hair color, relaxers, and the like to a surface such as the surface of strands of hair for the purpose of highlighting or otherwise processing hair. A variety of applicators including varying edges, surfaces, tapers, and dimensions are disclosed, wherein each applicator configuration creates a different effect when used for hair processing. Furthermore, a hair stylist may select one or more of the disclosed applicators based upon ease of use for the particular hair stylist, personal preference, and/or the type of hair to be processed. The applicators disclosed herein retain their rigidity during use, are fast-drying, create less waste, and are easy to clean. In one embodiment, a user may tailor the applicator's head design to meet his or her personal needs.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for minimizing loss to a service business via article protection. In one aspect of the invention, protectors manufactured from a flexible, chemical-resistant material are provided. A client may place his personal possessions in the protector while receiving goods or services that may potentially damage or soil his possessions. Additionally, the protectors may include classification devices, color codes, marks, identification indicia, advertising, and the like to increase the utility thereof. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of minimizing financial loss via the use of protectors is provided. Upon entering a business location for a desired good or service, a client may be provided with a protector for placement of his personal items. The goods or services may then be provided without risk to the personal items, which may be removed from the protector after the goods and/or services have been received.

Abstract: Computer software for and a method of determining location of a target image within a two-dimensional input image by employing a three-dimensional reference image comprising determining object edge points in the input image; given estimated seeker line-of-sight orientation and range data, computing a two-dimensional reference image from the three-dimensional reference image; applying a weighted-direction-cross-product Hough Transform to the object edge points and points of the two-dimensional reference image; classifying the input image as containing a target image or not; if the image contains a target image, identifying a location of the target image within the two-dimensional input image; computing confidence measure as to the selected location of the target image; and in the case of sequential decision, also performing confidence accumulation through multi-frames or multi-looks.