Abstract: A method of monitoring a patient's foot forms a thermogram of the sole of at least one foot of the patient, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. The method also compares the thermogram against a prior thermogram of the same foot, and produces output information indicating the emergence of an ulcer on a given portion on the at least one foot as a function of 1) whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one pattern, and 2) the comparison with the prior thermogram, which shows non-ulcerated tissue at the given location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating foot inflammation each uses at least one temperature detection modality to form a first thermogram and a second thermogram of the sole of at least one foot. Each thermogram forms a substantially continuous set of two-dimensional temperature values across the sole of the (at least one) foot. The thermograms have features; namely, the first thermogram has first features and the second thermogram has second features. The method and apparatus thus control a device to apply at least one transformation to the first and second thermograms to align the first features with corresponding second features, and determine, at any thermogram location, if at least one of the thermograms presents one of a plurality of patterns indicative of inflammation. Finally, the method and apparatus each produce output information indicating the result of the determination of whether the thermograms present one of the plurality of patterns.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a patient's foot forms a thermogram of the sole of at least one foot of the patient, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. The method also compares the thermogram against a prior thermogram of the same foot, and produces output information indicating the emergence of an ulcer on a given portion on the at least one foot as a function of 1) whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one pattern, and 2) the comparison with the prior thermogram, which shows non-ulcerated tissue at the given location.

Abstract: A method of monitoring at least one foot of a patient provides an open platform for receiving at least one foot. The open platform has at least one temperature sensor for generating a plurality of temperature data values after receipt of the at least one foot. The method also forms a thermogram of the sole of the at least one foot from the temperature data values, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. Finally, the method produces output information indicating the risk of an ulcer emerging on the foot as a function of whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one prescribed pattern.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a patient's foot provides an open platform for receiving at least one foot. The platform has at least one temperature sensor for generating a plurality of temperature data values after receipt of the at least one foot. The method then forms a thermogram of the sole of the at least one foot from the temperature data, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. Next, the method produces output information indicating the emergence of a pre-ulcer or progression of a known pre-ulcer in the at least one foot as a function of whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one pattern.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating foot inflammation each uses at least one temperature detection modality to form a first thermogram and a second thermogram of the sole of at least one foot. Each thermogram forms a substantially continuous set of two-dimensional temperature values across the sole of the (at least one) foot. The thermograms have features; namely, the first thermogram has first features and the second thermogram has second features. The method and apparatus thus control a device to apply at least one transformation to the first and second thermograms to align the first features with corresponding second features, and determine, at any thermogram location, if at least one of the thermograms presents one of a plurality of patterns indicative of inflammation. Finally, the method and apparatus each produce output information indicating the result of the determination of whether the thermograms present one of the plurality of patterns.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the temperature distribution over the sole of the foot has a flexible substrate. The substrate defines a plurality of discontinuities forming a plurality of substrate segments. Each substrate segment has a sensor region with a surface for coupling a sensor, and at least one connector to connect to at least one sensor region of an adjacent substrate segment. Each of a plurality of the sensor regions is configured to be movable relative to other sensor regions. The discontinuities cause the flexible substrate to exhibit elastic properties in the aggregate. The apparatus also has a plurality of resistive contact temperature sensors coupled with the flexible substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for quickly and efficiently importing digital objects into a computer-aided design (CAD) program. The system provides a database that has a compilation of digital objects collected from external sources. The digital objects may be sorted by manufacturer, category of object, file type, model number, and so on. Once an digital object is selected, several options become available depending on the file type of the object. With some file types, one of numerous types associated with a specific object may be chosen before placing the digital object into the CAD program. With other file types, the user may configure a multitude of options pertaining to the object before placing the digital object into the CAD program. The digital object may then be placed within a project in the CAD program by the single click of a button or keystroke.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a patient's foot forms a thermogram of the sole of at least one foot of the patient, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. The method also compares the thermogram against a prior thermogram of the same foot, and produces output information indicating the emergence of an ulcer on a given portion on the at least one foot as a function of 1) whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one pattern, and 2) the comparison with the prior thermogram, which shows non-ulcerated tissue at the given location.

Abstract: A method of monitoring at least one foot of a patient provides an open platform for receiving at least one foot. The open platform has at least one temperature sensor for generating a plurality of temperature data values after receipt of the at least one foot. The method also forms a thermogram of the sole of the at least one foot from the temperature data values, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. Finally, the method produces output information indicating the risk of an ulcer emerging on the foot as a function of whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one prescribed pattern.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a patient's foot provides an open platform for receiving at least one foot. The platform has at least one temperature sensor for generating a plurality of temperature data values after receipt of the at least one foot. The method then forms a thermogram of the sole of the at least one foot from the temperature data, and determines whether the thermogram presents at least one of a plurality of prescribed patterns. Next, the method produces output information indicating the emergence of a pre-ulcer or progression of a known pre-ulcer in the at least one foot as a function of whether the thermogram is determined to present the at least one pattern.

Abstract: An improved method for rapidly and accurately modifying small structures, including structures on a micron or nanometer scale, suitable for the repair of defects in lithographic photo-masks and semiconductors on a nano-scopic level. Features or samples repaired may be conductive or non-conductive. A single instrument can be employed to both observe the surface of the mask or wafer, and to effectuate the repair of conductive and non-conductive features thereon. Using a Stylus-Nano-Profilometer probe, rapid lateral strokes across the sample surface in a definable pattern at known high applied pressure are used to effectuate defect repair. The tip of the probe can also be dithered rapidly in a pattern or used as to create a jackhammer effect to more effectively remove material from the sample surface.

Abstract: An improved method for rapidly and accurately modifying small structures, including structures on a micron or nanometer scale, suitable for the repair of defects in lithographic photo-masks and semiconductors on a nano-scopic level. Features or samples repaired may be conductive or non-conductive. A single instrument can be employed to both observe the surface of the mask or wafer, and to effectuate the repair of conductive and non-conductive features thereon. Using a Stylus-Nano-Profilometer probe, rapid lateral strokes across the sample surface in a definable pattern at known high applied pressure are used to effectuate defect repair. The tip of the probe can also be dithered rapidly in a pattern or used as to create a jackhammer effect to more effectively remove material from the sample surface.

Abstract: A method of improving the precision and speed of probe microscopy. Direct geometric measurement of relevant date points allows more rapid determination of critical dimensions while improving measurement precision through minimized system drift. Precision and throughput is further improved by deflection-based measurement. Sensitivity to soft contacts is improved by using diagonal approach trajectories for the probe tip (20). And throughput is improved while risk of damage to tip and/or surface is reduced by using lateral force detection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of a thin coating, having a thickness on the order of 1 to 10 nm, of one material formed over a substrate of another material of significantly different atomic number, for example, a carbon coating on a ferromagnetic substrate. A primary radiation source, for example, of electrons or X-ray, creates low-energy secondary electrons in the substrate. The intensity of inelastically scattered electrons generally increases with film thickness. The secondary electron spectrum measured for a test sample is compared with the spectra for a plurality of similar reference samples of the same set of compositions, and a test thickness is thereby determined. The method may be practice on conventional electron spectrometers with the addition of some programmed analysis. Various techniques are available for extracting the data and comparing the test and reference data.