Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining a thickness of a deposited material. Energy is passed through the deposited material, wherein some of the energy is transmitted. The transmitted energy is received, and the received energy is used to determine a thickness of the deposited material.

Abstract: A system and method for absorbing energy in shoes from an impact force. A variety of mechanical designs convert at least a portion of response of a first member in a direction of applied impact force, such as when a wearer's heel strikes a surface, to response of a second member in another direction. A mechanism absorbs at least some of the energy from the response in the other direction. A design method is also provided which allows a designer of shoes to select specific characteristics of the energy absorbing system, and precisely relate them to the impact load on the wearer. Modular components of the energy absorbing system can thus be produced having variations of the selected characteristic, for providing customizable selection of the energy absorbing system.