Abstract: An improved flexible blanket includes a nickel-based alloy foil layer brazed to a nickel-based alloy fabric layer. The fabric layer is stitched to an underlying ceramic insulation layer.

Abstract: An artificial leg includes a trunk socket, a thigh section hingedly coupled to the trunk socket, a leg section hingedly coupled to the thigh section and a foot section hingedly coupled to the leg section. A mechanical energy storage device, such as a spring, is operatively associated with the artificial leg for storage and release of energy during a normal walking stride of the user. More particularly, energy is stored in the mechanical energy storage device during a weight-bearing phase of the walking stride when the user's weight is on the artificial leg and energy is released during a phase of the normal walking stride, when the user's weight is removed from the artificial leg. The stored energy is released from the energy storage device to pivot the thigh section forwardly about the hinged coupling thereof to the trunk socket.

Abstract: An anthropomorphic master/slave manipulator system including master arm apparatus including a plurality of master tubular articulated portions which are coaxially adjacent one another and relatively rotatable, master transducing apparatus responsive to the relative rotation of the adjacent tubular portions and operative to provide a driving signal, slave arm apparatus including a plurality of slave tubular portions corresponding to those portions of the master arm apparatus, the slave tubular portions being coaxially adjacent one another and relatively rotatable, slave transducing apparatus responsive to the driving signal and operative to drivingly rotate the slave tubular portions through an angle that corresponds to the relative rotation of the corresponding master arm tubular portions, and a communication link between the master transducing apparatus and the slave transducing apparatus for applying the driving signal to the slave transducer.