Abstract: A seismic deployment system having a deployment apparatus, a tow line, and a carrier line having a plurality of seismic sensor coupled therealong. The deployment apparatus has a hydrodynamic body. The tow line is configured for towing the hydrodynamic body through a water column. The carrier line is engaged with the deployment apparatus. The deployment apparatus is configured to control tension in the carrier line for deployment of the seismic sensors while the hydrodynamic body is towed through the water column by the tow line.

Abstract: A seismic deployment system having a deployment apparatus, a tow line, and a carrier line having a plurality of seismic sensor coupled therealong. The deployment apparatus has a hydrodynamic body. The tow line is configured for towing the hydrodynamic body through a water column. The carrier line is engaged with the deployment apparatus. The deployment apparatus is configured to control tension in the carrier line for deployment of the seismic sensors while the hydrodynamic body is towed through the water column by the tow line.

Abstract: A seismic sensor cable system is provided. The seismic sensor cable system may include a cable, a first sensor configured to measure motion of the cable, wherein measurement of motion by the first sensor substantially excludes particle motion associated with seismic waves, and a second sensor configured to measure particle motion associated with the seismic waves.

Abstract: A transition device for fitting to an extension ladder includes a single elongate rung portion and two hook-shaped arm portions at respective opposite ends of the rung portion. The hook-shaped arm portions have respective wing formations that project longitudinally from each end of the transition device 110. The hook-shaped arm portions are engaged over the uppermost exposed rung of the lower section of the extension ladder, so that the wing formations abut the uprights of the ladder and prevent movement or rotation of the device. The transition device 110 acts to increase the forward extension of the rung to enables a user to step safely over the transition between the lower and upper sections.

Abstract: A seismic sensor cable system is provided. The seismic sensor cable system may include a cable, a first sensor configured to measure motion of the cable, wherein measurement of motion by the first sensor substantially excludes particle motion associated with seismic waves, and a second sensor configured to measure particle motion associated with the seismic waves.

Abstract: A device for treating a liquid comprising a solvent and a solute, and separating the solvent and solute, the device comprising a continuous flow treatment chamber including: (a) one or more drying zones; (b) one or more return zones to circulate heating fluid continuously through drying zone(s) and return zone(s) sequentially; (c) a heating fluid inlet(s) in at least one of the return zones for the introduction of the heating fluid; (d) a circulating fan to circulate the heating fluid; (e) a liquid inlet(s) in the drying zone(s) including nozzles though which liquid to be treated is introduced in misted form into the zones; (f) a solute collector(s) located in the drying zone(s) downstream of the liquid inlet(s); wherein the introduced liquid is heated by the heating fluid and the solute is separated from the liquid in the solute collector(s).

Abstract: A device for treating a liquid comprising a solvent and a solute, and separating the solvent and solute, the device comprising a continuous flow treatment chamber including: (a) one or more drying zones; (b) one or more return zones to circulate heating fluid continuously through drying zone(s) and return zone(s) sequentially; (c) a heating fluid inlet(s) in at least one of the return zones for the introduction of the heating fluid; (d) a circulating fan to circulate the heating fluid; (e) a liquid inlet(s) in the drying zone(s) including nozzles though which liquid to be treated is introduced in misted form into the zones; (f) a solute collector(s) located in the drying zone(s) downstream of the liquid inlet(s); wherein the introduced liquid is heated by the heating fluid and the solute is separated from the liquid in the solute collector(s).

Abstract: A method of tagging and sterilizing an item, the method including the steps of: providing an item (12) that is to be sterilized and tagged; applying an RFID tagging device (22) to said item, said tagging device including a data store (30) formed from an array of micromechanical resonant members (34), said resonant members being configured to vibrate in accordance with an applied RF signal, so as to provide a data response; and sterilizing said tagged item by autoclaving and/or by irradiation.

Abstract: Castor wheel assembly including a castor pin having a castor axis; a yoke mounted to the castor pin—and rotatable about a yoke axis; a castor wheel rotatably mounted to the yoke about a wheel axis; and a gradient device disposed between the castor pin and the yoke. The gradient device is operative to allow angular displacement of the yoke axis relative to the castor axis.

Abstract: A method of tagging and sterilizing an item, the method including the steps of: providing an item (12) that is to be sterilized and tagged; applying an RFID tagging device (22) to said item, said tagging device including a data store (30) formed from an array of micromechanical resonant members (34), said resonant members being configured to vibrate in accordance with an applied RF signal, so as to provide a data response; and sterilizing said tagged item by autoclaving and/or by irradiation.

Abstract: A passive memory device includes a plurality of resonant members, e.g. of a cantilever or bridge-type form, that may have different resonant frequencies and that may be held against vibrations by end or side tethers. Data may be recorded in the device by removing various of the tethers, so that, on applying an excitation signal, e.g. from a transmitter, untethered resonant members vibrate strongly in response to their resonant frequencies, and provide a response signal that can be picked up e.g. by a receiver and correlated with the excitation signal frequencies to determine which resonant members have been untethered. The response by an untethered resonant member can correspond to a logical “1”, whilst the lack of a response signal at a known resonant member frequency can correspond to a logical “0”, or vice versa.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a projection display system includes a spatial light modulator and a volume illumination hologram. The spatial light modulator comprises a digital micromirror device, and the projection system includes a laser light source to produce a sequence of collimated, colored, light beams for the illumination hologram. Waste light produced by the spatial light modulator is transmitted to the illumination hologram, and the illumination hologram emits waste light from at least one of its edges. Waste light emitted from an edge of the illumination hologram is absorbed by a light sensor to control the intensity of the light beams. A projection focusing element is mounted proximate a side of the illumination hologram to focus the image beam from the spatial light modulator for viewing. A projection hologram is interposed between the side of the illumination hologram and the projection focusing element to manage waste light.

Abstract: A bi-stable microswitch (1) including a pair of contacts (4, 5) and an armature (10,11) movable between a first position and a second position to selectively break or make the pair of contacts, the armature being latched in the second position by a magnetic path including a permanent magnet (3) and a magnetizable element (7) having a first temperature, wherein the armature is resiliently biased towards the first position when latched, and is movable from the second position to the first position upon heating of the magnetizable element to above the first temperature.

Abstract: A bi-stable microswitch (1) including a pair of contacts (6, 7) and an armature (4) movable between a first position and a second position to selectively make or break the pair of contacts, the armature being latched in the second position by a shape memory alloy latch (14), wherein the shape memory alloy latch is caused to deform upon heating so as to permit the armature to return to the first position.

Abstract: A bi-stable microswitch (1) including a pair of contacts (6, 7) and an armature (4) movable between a first position and a second position to selectively make or break the pair of contacts, the armature being latched in the second position by a shape memory alloy latch (14), wherein the shape memory alloy latch is caused to deform upon heating so as to permit the armature to return to the first position.

Abstract: A bi-stable microswitch (1) including a pair of contacts (4, 5) and an armature (10,11) movable between a first position and a second position to selectively break or make the pair of contacts, the armature being latched in the second position by a magnetic path including a permanent magnet (3) and a magnetisable element (7) having a first temperature, wherein the armature is resiliently biased towards the first position when latched, and is movable from the second position to the first position upon heating of the magnetisable element to above the first temperature.

Abstract: An electrically powered vehicle includes an inverter mounted in the vehicle, the inverter having a plurality of high power IGBT modules for converting DC power to AC power for application to a plurality of AC electric motors connected in driving relationship to wheels on the vehicle. Each of the IGBT modules is mounted in thermal transfer relationship to an electrically isolated base plate and each base plate has a plurality of closely spaced, parallel slots formed across one surface with a plurality of fins fitted into the slots and extending from the base plate. The system includes apparatus for mounting the IGBT modules to a wall separating an electronics compartment from an air supply and air exhaust compartment. Air from an air supply plenum in the air supply compartment is directed into the fins extending from the IGBT base plate and exhaust through an exhaust conduit. The vehicle includes a blower to force air to flow through the fins extending from the base plate.

Abstract: An electrical power system includes an inverter having a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and capacitors for converting DC power to AC power and at least one power bus bar including an interconnecting bus bar and a plurality of extension bus bars. The area between the conductors of the interconnecting bus bar and the extension bus bars is minimized to reduce the inductance between the IGBTs and the capacitors. The extension bus bars are each coupled to the interconnecting bus bar and a respective one of the IGBTs and capacitors. An IGBT can be removed from the inverter without removing the interconnecting bus bar or any other IGBT. The capacitors can be positioned at ninety degree angles with respect to the interconnecting bus bar. In one embodiment, the IGBTs are additionally positioned at ninety degree angles with respect to the interconnecting bus bar. In an alternate embodiment, the IGBTs are positioned parallel with respect to the interconnecting bus bar.

Abstract: A suspension system for magnetically suspending an object O comprises an electromagnetic coil L having an axially extending core 13 of magnetically permeable material and a permanent magnet 14 disposed on its axis. A permanent magnet 10 is also provided in the object O and is arranged such that it is in attraction with the permanent magnet 14 on the coil L, and with the magnetically permeable core 13 so that the object O is suspended at a position below the coil L by the attractive force. Sensors 15,16 on the coil L detect the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 10 in the object O, and provide signals to a control circuit, which applies current to the coil L to attract the object O when the detected field is below a predetermined limit and to repel the object when the detector field is above a predetermined limit.

Abstract: An extensible ladder includes a plurality of sections, each having a pair of tubular uprights connected by a rung, with the uprights of each section being slidably engaged with the corresponding uprights of an adjacent section. The inside surface of the tubular uprights are provided with longitudinally extending grooves, which reduce the area of sliding contact between adjacent uprights, thereby making the ladder easier to extend or collapse.