Abstract: An apparatus for facilitating animal or vehicle movement between different surface elevations includes multiple floor panel members, including a first floor panel member and a last floor panel member. Each of the floor panel members are slidably attached to an adjacent one of the floor panel members. The floor panel members, when extended, form a ramp having a length which is variable, the floor panel members being adapted to nest within one another when retracted. The apparatus further includes a housing configured to enclose the floor panel members when retracted. The last floor panel member is coupled to the housing in a manner which enables the ramp to be slidably removed from the housing without having the ramp disengage from the housing. The housing includes a front panel removably attached to the housing for securing the floor panel members within the housing when the ramp is retracted.

Abstract: A solar panel monitoring device and method is disclosed. The solar panel monitoring smart device comprises at least one power source or input; at least one sensor connected to the input, where the at least one sensor is adapted to responsively generate monitoring information on the input with which it is associated; a processor for receiving the monitoring information regarding the input from each of the sensors, and adapted to forward the received monitoring information; and a transmission chip for receiving the monitoring information, packetizing the monitoring information, and transmitting to a remote location.

Abstract: A method for modifying a PMMA surface by the gamma-irradiation induced polymerization thereon of N-vinylpyrrolidone, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate or a mixture thereof while maintaining the following conditions:(a) monomer concentration in the range of from about 0.5% to about 50%, by weight;(b) total gamma dose in the range of from about 0.01 to less than about 0.50 Mrad;(c) gamma dose rate in the range of from about 10 to about 2500 rads/minute; and(d) maintaining the molecular weight of the polymer in solution in the range of from about 250,000 to about 5,000,000.The invention also relates to modifying polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polycarbonate and silicon surfaces according to a similar method as well as materials produced by the above methods which are useful as ocular implants.