Abstract: There is disclosed herein a sports training aid that may be useful in performing training exercises for improving, modifying or maintaining the swing, stroke or strike of an athlete or sportsperson, for sports such as tennis, table tennis, badminton, baseball, hockey, and fencing or other martial arts, and in particular golf, involving a club, bat, racquet or the like. The sports training aid includes a handle member and a spacing member that are configured to define a desired hand position relative to the torso of the athlete or sportsperson, and to maintain a desired relationship between the torso and hand position during the training exercise. The sports training aid may be adjustable to set the hand position relative to the torso differently for different exercises. The sports training aid may be modular and provide different training members attachable to the handle member, to facilitate practising different sporting actions, or different parts or variations of the same sporting action.

Abstract: Methods and devices for sealing a storage vessel or other apparatus are provided. A piston moves from a first position to a second position within a body to compress a sealing element, such as a metallic ring. One or more attachment elements connect the piston to the body. A removable pipe can be used for pump-out.

Abstract: A method for treatment of a sacral insufficiency fracture comprises a plurality of steps. A step is performed for placing an access device within a patient. Such placing of the access device includes causing a distal end portion of the access device to traverse through a sacroiliac joint of the patient and to traverse into the patient's sacrum until the distal end portion of the access device is within a region of the sacrum where a sacral insufficiency fracture is located. Thereafter, a step is performed for delivering bonding material though a portion of the access device into the sacrum at the region thereof where the sacral insufficiency fracture is located.

Abstract: A method for treatment of a sacral insufficiency fracture comprises a plurality of steps. A step is performed for placing an access device within a patient. Such placing of the access device includes causing a distal end portion of the access device to traverse through a sacroiliac joint of the patient and to traverse into the patient's sacrum until the distal end portion of the access device is within a region of the sacrum where a sacral insufficiency fracture is located. Thereafter, a step is performed for delivering bonding material though a portion of the access device into the sacrum at the region thereof where the sacral insufficiency fracture is located.

Abstract: A method for treatment of a sacral insufficiency fracture comprises a plurality of steps. A step is performed for placing an access device within a patient. Such placing of the access device includes causing a distal end portion of the access device to traverse through a sacroiliac joint of the patient and to traverse into the patient's sacrum until the distal end portion of the access device is within a region of the sacrum where a sacral insufficiency fracture is located. Thereafter, a step is performed for delivering bonding material though a portion of the access device into the sacrum at the region thereof where the sacral insufficiency fracture is located.

Abstract: A surgical fastener manipulation tool in accordance with embodiment of the present invention is useful by a surgeon to place fasteners such as threaded screws. The surgical fastener manipulation tool selectively engages a mating structure of fastener for securing the fastener thereto. Thus, advantageously, the surgical fastener manipulation tool can be used for placing such fasteners and/or can be used for extracting (i.e., removing) such fasteners. The ability to extract a fastener (e.g., a threaded bone screw) with the same tool used for placing it is highly beneficial due to time savings during a surgical procedure and is advantageous with respect to prior art fastener manipulation tool configurations that require placement and extraction tools to be differently configured.

Abstract: A bone screw comprises a main body including a shank portion, a head portion attached to the shank portion, and a cap moveably attached to the head portion. The head portion includes a tool interface structure therein having a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewall extending therebetween. A tool lock recess is provided in at least one of the sidewalls of the tool interface structure. The tool interface structure is accessible through an opening within an exterior surface of the cap.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed which provide for a “factory-calibrated” sensor. In doing so, the systems and methods include predictive prospective modeling of sensor behavior, and also include predictive modeling of physiology. With these two correction factors, a consistent determination of sensitivity can be achieved, thus achieving factory calibration.

Abstract: An equalizer circuit provides both passive and active cell voltage equalization in a battery pack to improve charge and discharge capacity at a low cost. The equalizer circuit is a bilevel circuit that uses both passive equalizers and active equalizers to balance cell voltage. The cells may be grouped into size limited sections which are balanced by passive equalizers. The sections are balanced by active equalizers to promote increased pack charge and discharge capacity. The equalizer circuit can use a current detector or a voltage controlled oscillator to assist in closed loop current control to reduce switching losses and permit use of smaller transistors. The equalizer circuit can use open line protection with capacitors to store excess charge and prevent voltage overload of the switching devices.

Abstract: There is described an automated liquid management system for a liquid container such as a bathtub. The system comprises a faucet or a shower head, a drain closure, a level sensor and a controller operatively coupled to thereto. The controller operates the faucet or a shower head, the drain closure and the level sensor to monitor and control the level of liquid in the container.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed which provide for a “factory-calibrated” sensor. In doing so, the systems and methods include predictive prospective modeling of sensor behavior, and also include predictive modeling of physiology. With these two correction factors, a consistent determination of sensitivity can be achieved, thus achieving factory calibration.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a sports training aid that may be useful in performing training exercises for improving, modifying or maintaining the swing, stroke or strike of an athlete or sportsperson, for sports such as tennis, table tennis, badminton, baseball, hockey, and fencing or other martial arts, and in particular golf, involving a club, bat, racquet or the like. The sports training aid includes a handle member and a spacing member that are configured to define a desired hand position relative to the torso of the athlete or sportsperson, and to maintain a desired relationship between the torso and hand position during the training exercise. The sports training aid may be adjustable to set the hand position relative to the torso differently for different exercises. The sports training aid may be modular and provide different training members attachable to the handle member, to facilitate practising different sporting actions, or different parts or variations of the same sporting action.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a sports training aid that may be useful in performing training exercises for improving, modifying or maintaining the swing, stroke or strike of an athlete or sportsperson, for sports such as tennis, table tennis, badminton, baseball, hockey, and fencing or other martial arts, and in particular golf, involving a club, bat, racquet or the like. The sports training aid includes a handle member and a spacing member that are configured to define a desired hand position relative to the torso of the athlete or sportsperson, and to maintain a desired relationship between the torso and hand position during the training exercise. The sports training aid may be adjustable to set the hand position relative to the torso differently for different exercises. The sports training aid may be modular and provide different training members attachable to the handle member, to facilitate practising different sporting actions, or different parts or variations of the same sporting action.

Abstract: A surgical fastener manipulation tool in accordance with embodiment of the present invention is useful by a surgeon to place fasteners such as threaded screws. The surgical fastener manipulation tool selectively engages a mating structure of fastener for securing the fastener thereto. Thus, advantageously, the surgical fastener manipulation tool can be used for placing such fasteners and/or can be used for extracting (i.e., removing) such fasteners. The ability to extract a fastener (e.g., a threaded bone screw) with the same tool used for placing it is highly beneficial due to time savings during a surgical procedure and is advantageous with respect to prior art fastener manipulation tool configurations that require placement and extraction tools to be differently configured.

Abstract: An equalizer circuit provides both passive and active charge transfer between cells in a battery pack to improve charge and discharge efficiency. The equalizer circuit is a bilevel circuit that uses both resistive equalizers and switching equalizers to balance cell charge. The cells may be grouped into size limited sections which are balanced by resistive equalizers. The sections are balanced by switching equalizers to promote increased pack discharge capacity.

Abstract: A surgical fastener manipulation tool in accordance with embodiment of the present invention is useful by a surgeon to place fasteners such as threaded screws. The surgical fastener manipulation tool selectively engages a mating structure of fastener for securing the fastener thereto. Thus, advantageously, the surgical fastener manipulation tool can be used for placing such fasteners and/or can be used for extracting (i.e., removing) such fasteners. The ability to extract a fastener (e.g., a threaded bone screw) with the same tool used for placing it is highly beneficial due to time savings during a surgical procedure and is advantageous with respect to prior art fastener manipulation tool configurations that require placement and extraction tools to be differently configured.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed which provide for a “factory-calibrated” sensor. In doing so, the systems and methods include predictive prospective modeling of sensor behavior, and also include predictive modeling of physiology. With these two correction factors, a consistent determination of sensitivity can be achieved, thus achieving factory calibration.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a sports training aid that may be useful in performing training exercises for improving, modifying or maintaining the swing, stroke or strike of an athlete or sportsperson, for sports such as tennis, table tennis, badminton, baseball, hockey, and fencing or other martial arts, and in particular golf, involving a club, bat, racquet or the like. The sports training aid includes a handle member and a spacing member that are configured to define a desired hand position relative to the torso of the athlete or sportsperson, and to maintain a desired relationship between the torso and hand position during the training exercise. The sports training aid may be adjustable to set the hand position relative to the torso differently for different exercises. The sports training aid may be modular and provide different training members attachable to the handle member, to facilitate practising different sporting actions, or different parts or variations of the same sporting action.

Abstract: An overflow system for determining a level of a liquid to be contained in a container, which comprises a body extending along a longitudinal axis, the body being insertable within the container; and a level sensor unit secured to the body for detecting the level of the liquid along the longitudinal axis of the body.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed which provide for a “factory-calibrated” sensor. In doing so, the systems and methods include predictive prospective modeling of sensor behavior, and also include predictive modeling of physiology. With these two correction factors, a consistent determination of sensitivity can be achieved, thus achieving factory calibration.