Abstract: An animal mobility device to be used with an animal who lacks full functional use of its rear legs, providing the animal with two modes of operation, with the first mode of operation being active, whereby the animal propels itself by its front legs while having its rear portion supported by the device, and with the second mode of operation being passive, whereby a human operator propels the device while the entirety of the animal is supported by the device.

Abstract: An animal mobility device to be used with an animal who lacks full functional use of its rear legs, providing the animal with two modes of operation, with the first mode of operation being active, whereby the animal propels itself by its front legs while having its rear portion supported by the device, and with the second mode of operation being passive, whereby a human operator propels the device while the entirety of the animal is supported by the device.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise a tape that extends along the cable and that facilitates locating the cable when the cable is buried underground. The tape can comprise a film of nonconductive material, such as plastic, with an overlaying pattern of conductive patches. The conductive patches can comprise regions of metallic film laminated with or otherwise adhering to the nonconductive film. Spacing between the conductive patches can provide patch-to-patch isolation so that the ends of the cable are electrically isolated from one another. Field personnel can locate the underground cable by scanning the ground with a metal detector.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise small spheres or balls disposed in the cable's interstitial spaces, for example between the cable's optical fibers and a surrounding buffer tube. The spheres can comprise foam rubber, closed-cell or open-cell porous polymer, or some other soft material. Typical diameters for the spheres can be in a range of 1 to 2.5 millimeters. A soft composition of the spheres can cushion the optical fibers and physically impede water ingress into the cable. Additional fiber protection can arise from the ability of the loose spheres to rotate individually, in a ball-bearing effect. Thus, sphere-to-sphere motion can absorb physical stresses associated with bending, twisting, bumping, and stretching the cable during installation, thereby shielding the fibers from damage.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise spheres or balls that are coated with a water absorbent material, such as a super absorbent polymer (“SAP”). The spheres can provide clean and efficient carriers for introducing SAP into the cable during manufacturing. The spheres can have a diameter in a range of 20 microns to 2.5 millimeters and can be disposed in the cable's interstitial spaces, for example between the cable's optical fibers and a surrounding buffer tube. The SAP material can adhere to the spheres as a cross-linked coating or via electrostatic charge, for example. Beyond absorbing any water that may enter the cable, the spheres can provide cushioning or mechanical protection for the optical fibers. When the cable receives stress, motion among the spheres can absorb the stress to shield the fibers from damage.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise loose spheres or balls disposed in the cable's interstitial spaces, for example between the cable's optical fibers and a surrounding buffer tube. The spheres can have a diameter in a range of 20 microns to 2.5 millimeters. The composition of the spheres can include a material that absorbs water, such as a super absorbent polymer (“SAP”). The SAP material can be distributed uniformly within each sphere. The spheres not only can provide a carrier to facilitate inserting SAP material in the cable during manufacturing, but also can cushion the cable's fibers when the cable is placed in service. When the cable receives stress, motion among the spheres can absorb the stress to shield the fibers from damage.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise small spheres or balls disposed in the cable's interstitial spaces, for example between the cable's optical fibers and a surrounding buffer tube. The spheres can comprise foam rubber, closed-cell or open-cell porous polymer, or some other soft material. Typical diameters for the spheres can be in a range of 1 to 2.5 millimeters. A soft composition of the spheres can cushion the optical fibers and physically impede water ingress into the cable. Additional fiber protection can arise from the ability of the loose spheres to rotate individually, in a ball-bearing effect. Thus, sphere-to-sphere motion can absorb physical stresses associated with bending, twisting, bumping, and stretching the cable during installation, thereby shielding the fibers from damage.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise spheres or balls that are coated with a water absorbent material, such as a super absorbent polymer (“SAP”). The spheres can provide clean and efficient carriers for introducing SAP into the cable during manufacturing. The spheres can have a diameter in a range of 20 microns to 2.5 millimeters and can be disposed in the cable's interstitial spaces, for example between the cable's optical fibers and a surrounding buffer tube. The SAP material can adhere to the spheres as a cross-linked coating or via electrostatic charge, for example. Beyond absorbing any water that may enter the cable, the spheres can provide cushioning or mechanical protection for the optical fibers. When the cable receives stress, motion among the spheres can absorb the stress to shield the fibers from damage.

Abstract: A communication cable, such as an optical fiber cable, can comprise radio frequency identification (“RFID”) elements that facilitate locating and identifying the cable. The RFID elements can provide information about the cable from a remote location, for example when the cable is spooled in a warehouse, buried underground, suspended overhead, or installed in a cable tray. The RFID elements can be attached at defined locations along a plastic tape within the cable. Each RFID element can comprise an antenna that extends lengthwise along the tape and/or circuit traces or other components that are imprinted on the tape. Each RFID element can have a unique code or address, thereby providing a record of manufacturing parameters that are specific to that cable. Also, the unique code can be specific to an incremental length of cable. Accordingly, the RFID elements can yield information about each fiber segment of the cable.

Abstract: An optical fiber or a cable can comprise marks that uniquely identify the fiber or cable and that facilitate tracing materials thereof back to manufacturing. The marks can extend lengthwise along the fiber or cable, for example from end-to-end. A user of the optical fiber or cable can make an identification from an end-on view. The marks can be encoded with information based on the number of marks, the widths of the individual marks, and/or the spacing between each mark. The marks can comprise a continuous barcode that is integrated into a material of the optical fiber or cable. The glassy material of a fiber optic preform can comprise an embedded set of enlarged marks, so that drawing optical fiber from the preform pulls marks of appropriate size into the fiber's cladding material. The marks can alternatively comprise encoded stripes extruded into a cable jacket.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable can comprise a tape that extends along the cable and that facilitates locating the cable when the cable is buried underground. The tape can comprise a film of nonconductive material, such as plastic, with an overlaying pattern of conductive patches. The conductive patches can comprise regions of metallic film laminated with or otherwise adhering to the nonconductive film. Spacing between the conductive patches can provide patch-to-patch isolation so that the ends of the cable are electrically isolated from one another. Field personnel can locate the underground cable by scanning the ground with a metal detector.

Abstract: A fish diversion apparatus uses a plane screen to divert fish for variety of types of water intakes in order to protect fish from injury and death. The apparatus permits selection of a relatively small screen angle, for example ten degrees, to minimize fish injury. The apparatus permits selection of a high water velocity, for example ten feet per second, to maximize power generation efficiency. The apparatus is especially suitable retrofit to existing water intakes. The apparatus is modular to allow use plural modules in parallel to adjust for water flow conditions. The apparatus has a floor, two opposite side walls, and a roof which define a water flow passage and a plane screen within the passage. The screen is oriented to divert fish into a fish bypass which carries fish to a safe discharge location. The dimensions of the floor, walls, and roof are selected to define the dimensions of the passage and to permit selection of the screen angle.