Abstract: A side-load connector comprises a housing, a port into which an attachment post of a retractor blade is loaded, a sidewall opening, a retaining fork between a housing upper surface and a housing lower surface, and a slider. The port passes through the housing upper surface and the housing lower surface. The sidewall opening passes through a housing sidewall and permits lateral passage of the attachment post through the housing sidewall to the port. The retaining fork includes a front tine and a back tine. The slider is coupled to the retaining fork and configured to slide the retaining fork between a closed position in which the front tine and the back tine engage the loaded attachment post and an opened position in which the front tine does not engage the loaded attachment post.

Abstract: A surgical device includes a ratchet having pawls biased to a locked position in which the pawls prevent movement of a ratchet body along a rack. A pinion and a cam disc of the ratchet cooperate to selectively release the pawls from the rack and impart ratcheted movement of the ratchet body along the rack. Rotation of a handle rotates the pinion and the cam disc. Due to such rotation, the cam disc periodically releases the pawls from the rack, and the pinion imparts movement of the ratchet body along the rack during the periodic release of the pawls.

Abstract: A side-load connector comprises a housing, a port into which an attachment post of a retractor blade is loaded, a sidewall opening, a retaining fork between a housing upper surface and a housing lower surface, and a slider. The port passes through the housing upper surface and the housing lower surface. The sidewall opening passes through a housing sidewall and permits lateral passage of the attachment post through the housing sidewall to the port. The retaining fork includes a front tine and a back tine. The slider is coupled to the retaining fork and configured to slide the retaining fork between a closed position in which the front tine and the back tine engage the loaded attachment post and an opened position in which the front tine does not engage the loaded attachment post.

Abstract: An orientation indicator device that includes a band having an interior side, an exterior side, and a length to wrap around a neck of an animal. The orientation indicator device includes at least one fiducial marker attached to the band that is visible from the exterior side of the band to denote an orientation of the animal. The orientation indicator device includes a tag coupled to the band to hang by gravity from under the neck. The band is in the form of a collar with fasteners to fasten the collar around the neck. A system is also disclosed that includes a walk-in analysis zone. The orientation indicator device and a computer vision system, in the walk-in analysis zone, identify an orientation of an animal in the zone by capturing the orientation indicator device and dimensions of a body of the animal.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a rack, a first arm coupled to the rack, a second arm coupled to the rack, a first tower coupled to the first arm, and a second tower coupled to the second arm. The first tower comprises an upper end, a lower end, and a track between the upper end and the lower end. A channel of the first arm is configured to receive the track of the first tower and selectively position the first arm along the track of the first tower. The lower end of the first tower is configured to snap onto a pedicle screw and to disengage from the pedicle screw in response to a removal tool being inserted into the first tower.

Abstract: A surgical device includes a ratchet having pawls biased to a locked position in which the pawls prevent movement of a ratchet body along a rack. A pinion and a cam disc of the ratchet cooperate to selectively release the pawls from the rack and impart ratcheted movement of the ratchet body along the rack. Rotation of a handle rotates the pinion and the cam disc. Due to such rotation, the cam disc periodically releases the pawls from the rack, and the pinion imparts movement of the ratchet body along the rack during the periodic release of the pawls.

Abstract: A system for examining an animal that includes a kiosk housing having an analysis zone. The system includes a persuasion delivery device in the analysis zone. The system includes a dispensing machine to dispense an animal attractant to the persuasion delivery device. The system includes a set of sensors located in the analysis zone to sense real-time data related to health of an animal. The set of sensors includes at least one sensor to sense within the analysis zone at least one biological parameter of the animal related to the health. A method is provided using the system that autonomously guides the animal to the analysis zone by a predisposition of the animal to hunt for an animal attractant so that biological parameters of the animal related to the health of the animal are sensed in a stress-free or reduced stress environment.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a rack, a first arm coupled to the rack, a second arm coupled to the rack, a first tower coupled to the first arm, and a second tower coupled to the second arm. The first tower comprises an upper end, a lower end, and a track between the upper end and the lower end. A channel of the first arm is configured to receive the track of the first tower and selectively position the first arm along the track of the first tower. The lower end of the first tower is configured to snap onto a pedicle screw and to disengage from the pedicle screw in response to a removal tool being inserted into the first tower.

Abstract: A heat trap apparatus for a water heater is provided. The heat trap apparatus includes a tubular body, a liner disposed within the tubular body, and a heat trap baffle assembly having a tubular housing coaxially disposed within the liner. The liner includes a projection to engage with an inner surface of the tubular body at a first end using an interference fit. The tubular housing includes a first diametric portion to engage with the inner surface of the tubular body at a second end using an interference fit, a second diametric portion extending from the first diametric portion and to engage with an inner surface of the liner using an interference fit, and a third diametric portion extending from the second diametric portion and to movably support one or more heat trap inserts to inhibit convective fluid flow therethrough.

Abstract: A system for creating a satellite design includes a satellite system design configurator, a satellite system validation subsystem, a dependent requirements generator subsystem, and a cost and completion estimator subsystem, wherein each subsystem comprises at least one processor. The subsystems operate in concert to enable the configurator to provide a repeatable satellite design based on one or more user inputs and one or more generative inputs. At least a portion of the inputs are received via at least one input device included with the system. The system further includes a viewing device to allow a user to view the results from the configurator. A method for creating the satellite design includes generating satellite dependent requirements based on received or predetermined parameters, creating the satellite design with the satellite system design configurator based on the generated satellite dependent requirements, and validating the satellite design.

Abstract: A system for producing a modular bus architecture for use in a satellite includes a processor configured to determine a support structure arrangement selected from predefined support structure components that are configurable to form various modular bus architectures for use in outer space. The support structure is configurable in a plurality of arrangements based on an intended space-based mission as determined by the processor. A plurality of the predefined components that are to be included with the support structure are further determined by the processor based on parameters selected for the intended mission. A method for producing the modular bus architecture includes determining a build of the modular bus architecture based on pre-set parameters, arranging the support structure selected from the predefined support structure components, and selecting components that are to be included with the support structure as further determined by the processor.

Abstract: Membranes for electrochemical technologies that operate at non-extreme acidic or basic conditions are described herein. The membrane can be a bipolar membrane having an anion-exchange layer, a cation-exchange layer, and a polymer layer containing a catalyst juxtaposed between the two layers. The catalyst can improve the rate for water dissociation and water formation at low applied bias thereby decreasing the overpotential and resistance for overall ion transport, especially when unequal pH values are used between the catholyte and anolyte.

Abstract: A surgical device includes a ratchet having pawls biased to a locked position in which the pawls prevent movement of a ratchet body along a rack. A pinion and a cam disc of the ratchet cooperate to selectively release the pawls from the rack and impart ratcheted movement of the ratchet body along the rack. Rotation of a handle rotates the pinion and the cam disc. Due to such rotation, the cam disc periodically releases the pawls from the rack, and the pinion imparts movement of the ratchet body along the rack during the periodic release of the pawls.

Abstract: A retractor may include one or more racks and retractor blades coupled to the respective racks via respective carriages and retractor arms. The carriages may traverse respective racks to laterally position retractor blades. The retractor blades may include tracks which the retractor arms may traverse to longitudinally position retractor blades with respect to the racks.

Abstract: A headwear system that allows changing the outward appearance of headwear such as a cap is disclosed. The system includes a fabric head covering having a securing mechanism on an interior surface of the fabric. A utility belt is inserted in the securing mechanism. The utility belt has a magnet. A decorative element having a ferrous material is attached to an exterior area of the headwear corresponding to a location of the magnet of the utility belt on the interior surface of the fabric head covering.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a rack, a first arm coupled to the rack, a second arm coupled to the rack, a first tower coupled to the first arm, and a second tower coupled to the second arm. The first tower comprises an upper end, a lower end, and a track between the upper end and the lower end. A channel of the first arm is configured to receive the track of the first tower and selectively position the first arm along the track of the first tower. The lower end of the first tower is configured to snap onto a pedicle screw and to disengage from the pedicle screw in response to a removal tool being inserted into the first tower.

Abstract: A system for examining an animal that includes a kiosk housing having an analysis zone. The system includes a persuasion delivery device in the analysis zone. The system includes a dispensing machine to dispense an animal attractant to the persuasion delivery device. The system includes a set of sensors located in the analysis zone to sense real-time data related to health of an animal. The set of sensors includes at least one sensor to sense within the analysis zone at least one biological parameter of the animal related to the health. A method is provided using the system that autonomously guides the animal to the analysis zone by a predisposition of the animal to hunt for an animal attractant so that biological parameters of the animal related to the health of the animal are sensed in a stress-free or reduced stress environment.

Abstract: A system that includes at least one processor and a non-transitory, tangible memory device having programming instructions. When the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor receives from a set of sensors at least one biological parameter of an animal in a walk-in analysis zone to create real-time biological. The at least one processor analyzes the real-time biological data from the walk-in analysis zone and recommends animal feed nutrients based on the analyzed real-time biological data. The at least one processor communicates the recommended animal feed nutrients to at least one of: a mobile communication device; and a display device in proximity to the walk-in analysis zone.

Abstract: An orientation indicator device that includes a band having an interior side, an exterior side, and a length to wrap around a neck of an animal. The orientation indicator device includes at least one fiducial marker attached to the band that is visible from the exterior side of the band to denote an orientation of the animal. The orientation indicator device includes a tag coupled to the band to hang by gravity from under the neck. The band is in the form of a collar with fasteners to fasten the collar around the neck. A system is also disclosed that includes a walk-in analysis zone. The orientation indicator device and a computer vision system, in the walk-in analysis zone, identify an orientation of an animal in the zone by capturing the orientation indicator device and dimensions of a body of the animal.

Abstract: A system that includes a persuasion delivery device to deliver a persuasion to an animal to persuade the animal into a walk-in analysis zone for conducting an examination session. The system includes a set of sensors to sense in real-time at least one biological parameter to create real-time biological data. Each sensor has a sample collector in the walk-in analysis zone to capture a respective biological parameter. The system includes at least one processor to analyze the real-time biological data and at least one of: recommending animal feed nutrients based on the analyzed real-time biological data; identifying the at least one biological parameter on a user interface; and causing a feed making machine to make animal feed based on the recommended animal feed nutrients.