Abstract: A surfactant film viewing apparatus having a chassis, film wand, and film wand positioning means. The chassis is opaque and has a magnifying lens and a light aperture to allow ambient light into the interior of the chassis. The chassis, with the exception of the light aperture and the magnifying lens, forms an substantially closed surface. The film wand has a hoop suitable for supporting a surfactant film across its span. The apparatus includes a means for positioning of said hoop in said interior of said chassis such that the position of said hoop relative to the magnifying lens is stable but manually adjustable so the surfactant film can be positioned for viewing by said magnifying lens. The apparatus may include a reservoir for the surfactant/water mixture, and the means for positioning may also include a means for dipping the hoop in the surfactant/water mixture.

Abstract: An optical toy is disclosed. The optical toy includes a frame, at least one emitting part, at least one receiving part, a plurality of light guiding parts, and at least one power source. The frame includes a container and at least one containing structure. The emitting part is movably located on the containing structure. The emitting part includes at least one light source for emitting light. The receiving part is movably located on the containing structure. The receiving part includes a light sensor for sensing the light. The plurality of light guiding parts is located in the container for changing the direction of the light. The relative positions of the plurality of light guiding parts can be changed. The power source is located in the frame for providing power to the optical toy.

Abstract: When a mechanism constituent unit having a base is secured to a magnetic base at a predetermined position, a fixture having a detachable mechanism inside itself is employed, and the fixture is disposed on a notch of the base of the mechanism constituent unit in a non-adsorption state in which magnetic force lines of a permanent magnet of the detachable mechanism permeate the fixture. In this state, a rotation casing is rotated 90 degrees to be in a lock state, and a fixing casing is firmly adsorbed to the magnetic base such that magnetic force of the permanent magnet inside it permeate to the magnetic base side. Thus, the mechanism constituent unit base is firmly sandwiched by a pressing portion of the fixing casing and the magnetic base, and the base of the mechanism constituent unit is firmly secured to the magnetic base at a predetermined position.

Abstract: An optical system includes two lens systems, one that provides viewing of an object with relatively no spherical aberration, and another that provides viewing of the object with significant spherical aberration. Preferably, both lens systems provide viewing of the object with relatively no chromatic aberration. The optical system may have the configuration of binoculars.

Abstract: A glare reducing lens is demonstrated by a holder with a half-mirrored plate and a graphic image mounted on the holder at an angle to the plate. The plate has another graphic image positioned behind it and visible through the plate. The holder is adapted for movement on the base over a range of positions for convenient viewing by tall and short persons. Such positioning of the holder is controlled by mechanical interconnecting surfaces. The viewer sees the graphic image transmitted through the mirrored plate as well as a superimposed image reflected onto the mirrored plate from the separate graphic image. When a viewer does not use a glare reducing lens, the two images visually interfere with each other, while by viewing through a lens the reflected image is eliminated leaving the directly viewed graphic image sharp and clear.

Abstract: An apparatus for demonstrating changes in motion with respect to time. Two arrays of equally spaced photoresistors and light-emitting diodes are placed on two parallel straight line arrays. Rails upon which an object moves are placed parallel to the arrays. A laser is attached to the object. At any moment of time during the motion of the object, the laser illuminates one or two adjacent photoresistors. Each photoresistor in a line of elements is connected to a first input of a logic AND gate, to whose second input clock pulses are conducted and whose output is connected through a logic flip-flop element to the light-emitting diode. The apparatus provides for demonstration of a motion development in time by conveying a visual demonstration of path sections or intervals traversed by the object in equal time intervals to thereby make possible a picture of whether the motion is steady or accelerated.

Abstract: The invention is a teaching tool, intended to elucidate the principles of light and its associated technologies. For several of the embodiments, the optics and components are embedded into sliding or rotating structures, so that the student is able to “shift” or “dial” the component into a pre-determined location within the optical train in order to perform the intended optical demonstrations. The invention may contain diode lasers, light-emitting diodes, light bulbs, lenses, modulators, holograms, prisms, interferometers, polarizers, slits, apertures, detectors, and fiber optics. Because the optics are readily selectable within the optical train, a large variety of different demonstrations can be conveniently performed. Another type of architecture is to employ linkable modules, each containing one or more components, which can be linked together in a variety of permutations in order to perform many different demonstrations.

Abstract: A developed film is illuminated to project its image onto a rear projection screen. A transparent case with a clear liquid filled therein is arranged, and the film is accommodated in the case. A writable transparent or translucent sheet is arranged over a front side of the rear projection screen.

Abstract: A system for teaching proofs, including a set of playing cards and a playing field electronically displayed on a computer game screen. The playing field includes two boxes labelled "GIVEN" and "CONCLUSION" for entry of a premise and a conclusion from a theorem (or other problem). By selecting from a certain menu or submenu contained in a window, a card may be reviewed. To set up the playing field, a mathematical statement, displayed on a set-up card of a group of set-up cards containing each statement from the universe of statements known, is entered into the boxes. The statements may be custom labelled. Geometric figures associated with the theorem may also be electronically drawn on the screen by a user to complete the set-up. After set-up is complete, a user then chooses from a set of playing cards, each card displaying a specific mathematical concept from the universe of mathematical concepts such as definitions, postulates, constructions, properties and theorems, and places it on the playing field.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for automated learning and performance evaluation of a group of items by a user. The apparatus, which can be a digital computer, has input means for receiving a user's response, a display means for presenting the material to be learned and logic means for sorting the items. The method, which can be practiced on a digital computer, has steps of querying the user as to whether items are believed to be known or unknown, sorting the items into groups of perceived known and unknown items and generating a sequence of items to be displayed. An important feature of this invention is that the user is tested regarding his belief as to whether the item is known or unknown not as to his actual knowledge.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of displaying a laser beam are provided. The apparatus comprises an elongate chamber which has a viewing window and which is filled with a clear aqueous suspension of a water-dispersible polymer. The laser beam is displayed by projecting it into the suspension-filled chamber through one end of the chamber.

Abstract: Provided is a magic mirror device comprising a substrate having a front surface which is mirror-finished while having slight recesses and a rear surface having no protrusion on which nicked marks are formed in stead of protrusions, wherein the thickness of the substrate is less than 10 mm while the depth of nicked marks are less than 20 .mu.m, thereby it is possible to precisely read a latent image on the mirror-finished front surface thereof upon irradiation of light onto the front surface.

Abstract: An amusement device having a plurality of mirror blocks of the same size and configuration, each of the blocks having a mirror face adapted to face upwardly when the blocks are supported on a flat horizontal supporting surface, and a plurality of pattern-bearing elements each bearing a partial section of an overall pattern and selectively positionable with respect to the mirror faces of the blocks to reconstruct the overall pattern by reflections from the mirror faces of the mirror blocks.

Abstract: Optical device comprising a base (14), transparent side wall (12A) and soap bubble (18) formation in arrangement, together with a light source, for viewing light from a source refracted from the bubble and which is supported as an arc from the base and side wall.