Abstract: A method and apparatus to detect environmental triggers of stress and antecedent physiological stress symptoms of a patient, followed up with delivery of stress relieving therapeutic response to the patient and a chronological report of events. An embodiment comprises a first device worn by the patient that contains sensors and can transmit and receive signals and a second device used by the caregiver that can transmit and receive signals. This integrated system continuously monitors environmental triggers and physiological stress indicative parameters of a patient diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, or other emotional or physical disorders, and compares these parameters against thresholds for the parameters. These thresholds can be configured automatically by the system—based on past episodes—or manually by the caregiver, or using automatically configured thresholds that are fine-tuned by the caregiver.

Abstract: A mobile terminal is used to assist individuals with disabilities. The mobile terminal (e.g., a “smartphone” or other commercially available wireless handheld device) may be loaded with software. The software may be configured to: (i) receive information about a sensory deficit associated with a user, (ii) receive information about a sensory proficiency associated with the user, (iii) determine whether an event associated with a sensory deficit satisfies a criterion, and if so (iv) provide an assistive output based on a sensory proficiency and the event.

Abstract: The articles with spinning globe include articles worn by a user and containers in which a spinning or rotating globe is disposed. The articles of apparel may be a shirt, a pair of pants a hat or other wearing apparel. The container may be a backpack, a purse, a suitcase, a lunchbox or other carrying container. The rotating globe is mounted in the articles of apparel and the containers so that a user may manually rotate the globe within the articles of apparel or the containers. The rotating globe may be placed in any of the articles and used by children as an educational tool to learn about geography, or by adults to note specific time zones when traveling or determine where a specific country is in relation to other countries.

Abstract: The articles with spinning globe include articles worn by a user and containers in which a spinning or rotating globe is disposed. The articles of apparel may be a shirt, a pair of pants a hat or other wearing apparel. The container may be a backpack, a purse, a suitcase, a lunchbox or other carrying container. The rotating globe is mounted in the articles of apparel and the containers so that a user may manually rotate the globe within the articles of apparel or the containers. The rotating globe may be placed in any of the articles and used by children as an educational tool to learn about geography, or by adults to note specific time zones when traveling or determine where a specific country is in relation to other countries.

Abstract: A metal-to-metal antifuse according to the present invention is disposed between a lower conductive electrode and an upper conductive electrode. The conductive electrodes may comprise either a barrier metal or a tungsten plug, and are each in electrical contact with a metal layer, usually a metal interconnect layer in an integrated circuit. An antifuse material is disposed between the lower and upper conductive electrodes and comprises a layer of amorphous silicon. The antifuse layer is sandwiched between two layers of silicon nitride.

Abstract: Maps are depicted on curved surfaces to present the shapes of geographical features without the distortion that is inherent in flat maps. In one of the disclosed embodiments, each of two or map posters has a curved map shell representing a geographical feature of interest. The map shells have convex sides and concave sides. In order to permit compact shipping or storage, the map posters are arranged so that the convex side of one map shell faces the concave side of the next map shell.

Abstract: An Earth planet model based on the science of plate tectonics. Accordingly, the model (10) includes a plurality of curved members (12), each curved member representing one of Earth's crustal tectonic plates. Each plate member (12) is formed of a durable, lightweight plastic material and molded in raised and indented relief to illustrate such tectonic features as subduction zones, collision zones, mid-ocean ridges, island chains, island arcs, continental shelves, terrestrial and ocean floor topography, and the like. Plates (12) are attached to the exterior of a base globe (14) forming, as a whole, the surface layer of Earth, or lithosphere. The base globe itself consists of a plurality of spheroidal members, an inner core (22), an outer core (20), and a mantle (18), representing Earth's internal strata. The assembled model is positioned on a supporting pedestal (11) for display or demonstration. The pedestal includes a simple rotary mechanism which allows rotation of the model.

Abstract: A geographical globe to provide geographical data about all of the continents so that a person can learn about those particular continents of interest. The geographical globe with an information base comprises an orb-shaped model assembly of the earth. A base member supports the orb-shaped model assembly. A structure in the base member supplies data about different countries on each continent of the earth.

Abstract: A system for displaying educational material relating to environmental matters comprises a computer, a laserdisc player for extracting video and audio signals and a globe which comprises a representation of the earth with an array of constantly spaced light emitting elements arranged on the surface of the globe so they can illuminate various patterns across the earth. The computer can control the patterns in stationary or moving format to illustrate various effects for example holes in the ozone layer, movement of pollution across the earth, the depletion or tropical rain forest. The array of illuminated lights in one preferred arrangement is formed by a plurality of optical fibers which are buried in an outer surface of the globe and which are connected together at an input end receiving light from a monitor screen on which the patterns are formed. A number of different monitors are provided each for generating illumination of a portion of the globe.

Abstract: An instructional globe facilitates the guided or self-directed study of terrestrial geography. A globe-shaped body is constructed so that major geographical features are represented on detachable appendages. Cues are provided for the proper placement of the appendages on the surface of the globe-shaped body, the cues consisting of niches, embossed or printed shapes, or indentations, unambiguously corresponding to the appendages. The globe-shaped body may be built up from a skeletal framework to hold a number of blocks, the blocks together forming a spherical surface. Appropriate portions of geographical features, or portions of cues, are formed on the blocks. A number of means are shown for attaching the blocks to the framework and the segments to the body. A series of embodiments apply the invention to the problems of teaching geography to students with varying or progressing learning skills.

Abstract: A globe apparatus is provided which includes a basic globe or sphere to which are secured a series of detachable members or pieces. In one preferred embodiment, land masses (continents) are represented by flat pieces which snap into the globe surface and which support, in detachable snap-on relationship, additional pieces representing countries. The countries are shaped in relief to depict topological features (mountains, valleys, etc.) and similarly shaped pieces representing land masses are, in turn, detachable fitted thereover so that removal of the latter reveals the countries. Accessories such as auxilliary globes representing the sun and moon are also provided.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a raised relief, illuminated globe includes printing a hemispherical map design on a flat vinyl plastic sheet, forming the vinyl plastic sheet into a substantially hemispherical shape, positioning the hemispherically formed sheet in a mold cavity, positioning a mold core on the back side of the sheet, injection molding a styrene backing for the hemispherical shaped sheet to conform the sheet with the mold cavity including relief areas defined in the cavity wall, and removing the molded hemisphere from the mold. A second molded hemisphere is produced in substantially the same manner and is attached to the first hemisphere to form a complete globe. The printed map design of the globe is positioned in the mold cavity to insure that the relief areas are properly positioned with respect to the design.