Abstract: A robot has a component that is oriented relative to a chassis of the robot. For example, a display screen is mounted to the robot using a pan and tilt arrangement. During operation, trajectory data indicative of a trajectory is determined that specifies where the robot is intended to travel as it moves through an environment. This trajectory data is used to dynamically orient the component. For example, as the robot moves through the environment, the display screen would be oriented such that it appears to be “facing” a point in space that is associated with a point on the trajectory.

Abstract: A commutating circuit breaker that progressively inserts increasing resistance into a circuit via physical motion of a shuttle that is linked into the circuit by at least one set of sliding electrical contacts on the shuttle that connect the power through the moving shuttle to a sequence of different resistive paths with increasing resistance; the motion of the shuttle can be either linear or rotary. At no point are the sliding stator electrodes separated from the matching stationary stator electrodes so as to generate a powerful arc, which minimizes damage to the sliding stator electrodes. Instead, the current is commutated from one resistive path to the next with small enough changes in resistance at each step that arcing is suppressed. The variable resistance can either be within the moving shuttle, or the shuttle can comprise a commutating shuttle that moves the current over a series of stationary resistors.

Abstract: A microsurgical simulation system includes a display for providing a virtual simulation of images of a model of a human eye and a hand-held tool for simulating a surgical tool. The hand-held tool comprises a position and orientation sensor for supplying positional signals to a processor to indicate a position and orientation of the hand held tool and a tracking system for supplying measurement signals to the processor to indicate a linear distance between a first component and a second component of the hand-held tool. A virtual representation of the hand-held tool is presented on the display, and the appearance and positioning of the virtual representation of the hand-held tool is based on the positional signals and measurement signals supplied to the processor by the hand-held device.

Abstract: Techniques for voucher or rebate redemption are provided. An enterprise system electronically distributes an encoded voucher or rebate to a device of a consumer. In an embodiment, the consumer electronically presents the encoded rebate or voucher at a kiosk, via the device, and receives a card preloaded with a value for the voucher or the rebate. In another case, the consumer electronically presents the encoded rebate or voucher at a retailer, via the device, during a transaction and a value for the voucher or the rebate is debited based on the transaction.

Abstract: The present application facilitates creation of electronic book files by defining and utilizing application programming interfaces to facilitate execution of scripts to facilitate display, execution, graphic icons, audio, and graphics, and any insertion of content into an electronic book format.

Abstract: A file format and a reader for electronic periodicals composed a digital replica of a hardcopy of a periodical. The file format includes a plurality of primarily text-only files corresponding to articles in the digital replica. The reader displays the digital replica, and when a user activates a control to select an article, a separate view is displayed that displays the text only version of the selected article. In this view the text of the article appears linearly, from beginning to end, and is presented as a continuous, sequential text file.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for reusing a component. In one aspect, a method includes executing a source application in an application environment; presenting a reusable component in a source application window corresponding to the source application, wherein the reusable component is visibly distinguishable from one or more non-reusable components displayed in the source application window; receiving input selecting the reusable component in the source application window and adding the reusable component to a target application window corresponding to a target application; and inserting one or more computer-readable instructions associated with the reusable component into the target application. Further, input can be received to activate a reuse function associated with the source application.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for selecting an application to be used to manipulate a file in a computing environment. The technique includes receiving a request to manipulate a file, the file having a file type, identifying a plurality of applications associated with the file type in the computing environment, and selecting an application from the plurality of applications associated with the file type based at least in part on context information representing a context of the computing environment. Each of the identified plurality of applications associated with the file type are capable of manipulating files of the file type.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for reusing a component. In one aspect, a method includes executing a source application in an application environment; presenting a reusable component in a source application window corresponding to the source application, wherein the reusable component is visibly distinguishable from one or more non-reusable components displayed in the source application window; receiving input selecting the reusable component in the source application window and adding the reusable component to a target application window corresponding to a target application; and inserting one or more computer-readable instructions associated with the reusable component into the target application. Further, input can be received to activate a reuse function associated with the source application.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for selecting an application to be used to manipulate a file in a computing environment. The technique includes receiving a request to manipulate a file, the file having a file type, identifying a plurality of applications associated with the file type in the computing environment, and selecting an application from the plurality of applications associated with the file type based at least in part on context information representing a context of the computing environment. Each of the identified plurality of applications associated with the file type are capable of manipulating files of the file type.

Abstract: A method and apparatus generates a graphical user interface that summarizes information in an easy and user-friendly format in a database which stores topics and responses to those topics. To that end, the graphical user interface includes a user frequency view and an adjacent report view. The user frequency view includes a two-dimensional grid having indicia identifying one or more users along the horizontal dimension, and an index listing a plurality of topics along the vertical dimension. The grid forms a plurality of intersecting horizontal topic rows and vertical user identifying columns. Each intersection of a topic row and user identifying column may include indicia that display the number of responses to each of the listed topics by each of the users. The report view includes a listing of the titles of each response to a topic selected in the index, or the titles of each response by a user to a selected topic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus summarizes information in an easy and user-friendly format in a database that stores topics and responses to those topics. To that end, a graphical user interface is disclosed having a calendar view and an adjacent report view. The calendar view is a two-dimensional grid having a timeline displayed along one dimension, an index listing one or more topics along the other dimension, and indicia displaying the number of responses to each of the listed topics on the each day, week, month, or year designated in the timeline. Selection of the one or more topics displays the title, author, and date of posting of each response to the selected topic in the report view. Selection of the title of one of the responses in the report view, or the indicia in the calendar view, displays the content of the response.

Abstract: A method and apparatus summarizes information in an easy and user-friendly format in a database that stores topics and responses to those topics. To that end, the database may be accessed by a GUI having an outline view that lists each of the responses under a topic in outline form, and an adjacent response chain view having indicia for accessing the content of each response in a response chain to a selected response. A response may either be a response to a topic (topic response) or a response to a previously posted response (reply response). The response chain therefore includes a selected response and any other responses that are directly linked, by responses, between the selected response and the topic.