10440results about "Strength properties" patented technology

A protective membrane is disclosed for an electronic device that has a touch screen. The touch screen is protected with a membrane adapted to the specific contour and profile of the electronic device and allows the user to use the touch screen interface with no shortcomings. The protective case is further adapted to allow infrared and other communication signals while the device is secured inside the case. Further, electrical connections can be made through the case without affecting the protection afforded the electronic device inside.

A surgical grasper is provided. The grasper comprises a handle, two jaws operably connected to the handle, which jaws can be actuated by the handle, and a sensor. A surgical grasper for use in robotic surgery is also provided. The grasper comprises a shaft, two jaws at a distal end of the shaft, which jaws can be actuated in response to a robot command, and a sensor. A method for measuring an amount of force being applied by a jaw of a grasper is also provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a grasper comprising a handle and two jaws operably connected to the handle, which jaws can be actuated by the handle; providing a sensor on the grasper; and, providing for measuring an amount of force being applied to the sensor. A method for measuring an amount of force being applied by a jaw of a grasper for use in robotic surgery is also provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a grasper for use in robotic surgery, the grasper comprising a shaft and two jaws at a distal end of the shaft, which jaws can be actuated responsive to a robot command; providing a sensor; and, providing for measuring an amount of force being applied to the sensor.

A system and method for auto-calibrating a barcode scanning tunnel to determine the orientation of one or more cameras with respect to a range finder and a conveyor belt comprises providing a scanning tunnel having a moveable surface, at least one range finder having an orientation, at least one camera having an orientation and at least one calibration object having at least one indicia disposed in a predetermined relationship to one or more features of the at least one calibration object, capturing at least one image of the at least one calibration object by the at least one camera, electronically detecting the at least one calibration object at least one indicia and the one or more object features and electronically calculating at least one component of the at least one camera orientation with respect to the moveable surface in response to information obtained from the image and the at least one calibration object at least one indicia.

To conduct a fluid, the transducer has a flow tube which in operation vibrated by an excitation assembly. Inlet-side and outlet-side vibrations of the flow tube are sensed by means of a sensor arrangement. To produce shear forces in the fluid, the flow tube is at least intermittently excited into torsional vibrations about a longitudinal flow-tube axis. An internal portion of the transducer, formed at least by the flow tube, an antivibrator, the sensor arrangement, and the excitation assembly and mounted at least on the inlet and outlet tube sections, has a centroid which is located inside the flow tube. The transducer is suitable for use in viscometers or Coriolis mass flowmeter-viscometers. In spite of using only a single straight flow tube, it is dynamically well balanced in operation, and the development of bending moments by the torsionally vibrating flow tube is largely prevented. This also effectively prevents the transducer case or the connected pipe from being excited into sympathetic vibration. Measurement signals representative of mass flow rate are readily distinguishable from measurement signals representative of viscosity, particularly if the sensors used for the viscosity measurement are also used for the mass flow measurement.

A method for determining output torque limits of a powertrain including an electrically variable transmission relies upon a model of the electrically variable transmission. Transmission operating space is defined by combined electric machine torque constraints and engine torque constraints. Output torque limits are determined at the limits of the transmission operating space.

Methods and apparatus for delivering fluidic materials to sample destinations, including mass spectrometers for analysis are provided. In preferred embodiments, sample aliquots are electrosprayed from tapered spray tips of capillary elements into the orifices of mass spectrometric inlet systems. In certain embodiments, fluidic samples are orthogonally sprayed from capillary elements or other fluid conduits, whereas in other embodiments samples are sprayed after devices are rotated or otherwise translocated from sample sources to sample destinations. In still other embodiments, samples are sprayed from flexed or deflected capillary elements at selected sample destinations.

A calibration method for a hand-held surgical instrument is disclosed. The hand-held instrument includes a drive motor, a firing rod controlled by the drive motor and having at least one indicator, and a sensor configured to detect the at least one indicator. A microcontroller includes a pulse modulation algorithm stored therein to control the drive motor. The microcontroller executes a calibration algorithm to adjust at least one program coefficient in the pulse modulation algorithm.

A vascular access port system including means for detecting and indicating the presence or absence of a needle. The detecting and indicating means may be carried in whole or in part by one of or both of the needle and / or the vascular access port. The detecting and indicating means may utilize a conductive needle, a mechanical switch, a magnetic switch, a Hall effect sensor, an electric field, a magnetic field, or an inductor, for example, for detection purposes. The vascular access port system permits the practitioner to confirm that the needle has been correctly inserted into the VAP, and notifies the patient and / or practitioner if the needle has been accidentally withdrawn.

A system and method for assessing the quality of spot weld joints between pieces of metal includes an ultrasound transducer probing a spot weld joint. The ultrasound transducer transmits ultrasonic radiation into the spot weld joint, receives corresponding echoes, and transforms the echoes into electrical signals. An image reconstructor connected to the ultrasound transducer transforms the electrical signals into numerical data representing an ultrasound image. A neural network connected to the image reconstructor analyzes the numerical data and an output system presents information representing the quality of the spot weld joint. The system is trained to assess the quality of spot weld joints by scanning a spot weld joint with an ultrasound transducer to produce the data set representing the joint; then physically deconstructing the joint to assess the joint quality.

An apparatus and method for automatically tuning a resonant circuit in a chiroptical measurement system. A sample cell holds a sample being measured for a chiroptical property as the sample is modulated by the resonant circuit. A signal source coupled to the resonant circuit generates a driving signal at one of a plurality of frequencies to modulate the resonant circuit. The frequencies are within a range of expected resonant frequencies for the resonant circuit. A feedback loop circuit coupled to the signal source is used to adjust the frequency of the driving signal to another of the frequencies in response to a feedback signal associated with a measured parameter of the driving signal. In this way, the frequency of the driving signal is adjusted to create a resonant condition. The driving signal may also be applied at a reduced power level so that the resonant circuit can be driven at off-resonant frequencies within the range of frequencies.

A framework for adaptively managing the life of components. A sensor provides non-destructive test data obtained from inspecting a component. The inspection data may be filtered using reference signatures and by subtracting a baseline. The filtered inspection data and other inspection data for the component is analyzed to locate flaws and estimate the current condition of the component. The current condition may then be used to predict the component's condition at a future time or to predict a future time at which the component's condition will have deteriorated to a certain level. A current condition may be input to a precomputed database to look up the future condition or time. The future condition or time is described by a probability distribution which may be used to assess the risk of component failure. The assessed risk may be used to determine whether the part should continue in service, be replaced or repaired. A hyperlattice database is used with a rapid searching method to estimate at least one material condition and one usage parameter, such as stress level for the component. The hyperlattice is also used to rapidly predict future condition, associated uncertainty and risk of failure.

A blood glucose sensing system includes a sensor and a sensor electronics device. The sensor includes a plurality of electrodes. The sensor electronics device includes stabilization circuitry. The stabilization circuitry cases a first voltage to be applied to one of the electrodes for a first timeframe and causes a second voltage to be applied to one of the electrodes for a second timeframe. The stabilization circuitry repeats the application of the first voltage and the second voltage to continue the anodic-cathodic cycle. The sensor electronics device may include a power supply, a regulator, and a voltage application device, where the voltage application device receives a regulator voltage from the regulator, applies a first voltage to an electrode for the first timeframe, and applies a second voltage to an electrode for the second timeframe.

A system to monitor the health of a structure, sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. The health monitoring sensor nodes include sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node data collector. The sensor nodes can each include an energy harvester to harvest energy to power the sensor node. The system also includes an energy distributing node positioned to provide energy to the sensor nodes, through the structure being monitored, to be harvested by energy harvester of the sensor nodes.

A controller for a gradient sequential compression system is provided for inflating a plurality of inflatable chambers of one or more compression sleeves according to several different modes of operation. A mode of operation may define the number and selection of chambers to be inflated, the pressurization levels, the pressurization time, or the sequence of chamber inflation. To enable the controller to automatically perform a designated mode of operation based on the type of compression sleeve connected, a new and improved connecting device is provided. An indicator on an interface connector associates a predetermined mode of operation with the interface connector. A sensor associated with a complementary connector identifies the mode of operation associated with the interface connector. It is contemplated that the universal connecting device can be used for any type of system, not just controllers for a gradient sequential compression system.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining the life span for secure use of a pipeline comprising the steps of a) defining an area for surface corrosion analysis on the pipeline, b) providing a corrosion scanning system for scanning the defined area on the pipeline, c) localizing and measuring the corrosion on the surface of the defined area by means of the corrosion scanning system, d) determining the remaining wall-thickness of the pipeline at the defined area by means of the corrosion scanning system, and e) processing the surface condition data related to corrosion at the defined area obtained in steps c) and d) to determine the life span for secure use of the pipeline. In another aspect the present invention relates to a corrosion scanning system for performing for performing the method according to the invention. In another aspect the invention relates to a prediction system for predicting the secure life span of a pipeline.

An inflatable implant is disclosed. The inflatable implant comprises at least one inflation channel for forming an inflatable structure of the inflatable implant; and an inflation media disposed within the at least one inflation channel, wherein the inflation media comprises a mixture of an epoxy resin and a hardener, the mixture is configured to gel at about 37° C. in less than about 2.5 hours after mixing to form a gelled mixture.

A multi-functional sensor system for simultaneously monitoring various parameters such as the structural, chemical and environmental conditions associated with a medium to be monitored, e.g., bridges, high-rise buildings, pollution zones, is provided wherein the system includes at least a plurality of wireless multi-functional sensor platforms embedded in the medium in which an interrogation unit transmits power and receives responses. Each wireless multi-functional sensor platform includes multiple channels for accommodating a plurality of sensor types to simultaneously monitor the parameters associated with the medium. Thus, the wireless sensor platforms are formed to include those sensor types which are considered germane to the intended medium to be monitored.

A probe used during a total knee arthroplasty for measuring forces and locations of their points of application and thereby moments includes two load sensitive plates t to be inserted in one joint-compartment of a knee joint each and each being provided with a top surface and a bottom surface. At least two load sensors may be situated on the top surfaces and / or the bottom surface of each load sensitive plate.

A circular chemiresistor for use in microchemical sensors. A pair of electrodes is fabricated on an electrically insulating substrate. The pattern of electrodes is arranged in a circle-filling geometry, such as a concentric, dual-track spiral design, or a circular interdigitated design. A drop of a chemically sensitive polymer (i.e., chemiresistive ink) is deposited on the insulating substrate on the electrodes, which spreads out into a thin, circular disk contacting the pair of electrodes. This circularly-shaped electrode geometry maximizes the contact area between the pair of electrodes and the polymer deposit, which provides a lower and more stable baseline resistance than with linear-trace designs. The circularly-shaped electrode pattern also serves to minimize batch-to-batch variations in the baseline resistance due to non-uniform distributions of conductive particles in the chemiresistive polymer film.

A system and method for controlling one or more remote sensors includes wirelessly communicating with the sensors, monitoring operation of each one of the sensors, and causing any one of the sensors that is operating in an unauthorized manner to be disabled. In one embodiment, the sensors can include micro-mechanical structure supporting electronic circuitry. The electronic circuitry is capable of monitoring at least one performance parameter of the sensor, comparing the monitored parameter to a preset limit, and disabling the sensor if the preset performance limit is exceeded.

A calibration disk includes calibration areas that allow a glide head to be calibrated as to the glide's head's avalanche height, fly height and the like. The calibration areas may be, for example, configured in a circumferential band (or, alternatively, a series of circumferential bands extending substantially concentric to one another), one or more spiral bands or some other suitable configuration. Such bands can, for example, extend from adjacent an outer diameter of the calibration disk to adjacent an inner portion of the calibration disk. Each of the circumferential bands is a textured area on the calibration disk having a given degree of composite roughness, as measured by the given circumferential band's average composite roughness height, and as such is referred to herein as a calibration band. Preferably, the given circumferential band is textured in a uniform manner, sufficient to produce a constant and continuous output signal from a sensor mounted on a glide head when the glide head flies lower than a maximum composite roughness height. Also preferably, the average composite roughness height within an individual calibration band is substantially uniform, and the average composite roughness height of each calibration band is slightly different from that of the other calibration bands.

A system to monitor the health of a structure, sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. The health monitoring sensor nodes include sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node data collector. The sensor nodes can each include an energy harvester to harvest energy to power the sensor node. The system also includes an energy distributing node positioned to provide energy to the sensor nodes, through the structure being monitored, to be harvested by energy harvester of the sensor nodes.

A parallel fluid processing system including multiple fluid process regions containing solid material in fluid communication with a common first fluid source may be used to conduct analyses and / or synthesis in parallel. A parallel fluid processing data correction method includes supplying and processing a calibrant in each fluid process region, measuring a first physical parameter and deriving at least one correction factor based on the parameter, supplying and processing at least one second fluid in each fluid process region, and then applying the correction factor to yield corrected process data. Retention time correction, peak area correction, and other useful data corrections may be performed. Parallel fluid processing may be performed with microfluidic devices and systems. A system for correcting retention times in parallel liquid chromatography is further provided.

The present invention is directed to a method for determining the molecular weight and diffusivity of a sample solute by providing a plus shaped microchannel network on a microfluidic chip, having at least four microchannels intersecting at a cross point; flowing a sample stream comprising a sample solute of unknown diffusivity and a blank stream from separate microchannels through the cross point and out to separate microchannels; creating a sample curve measuring the concentration of the sample solute that diffuses from the sample stream to the blank stream at the cross point while altering the flowrate of one of the blank stream or the sample stream; and determining a diffusion coefficient of the sample solute by extrapolating data from similar curves of at least two solutes having known molecular weights and / or diffusion coefficients created under similar conditions as those generated by the sample solute.

A chemical-sensing apparatus is formed from the combination of a chemical preconcentrator which sorbs and concentrates particular volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and one or more chemiresistors that sense the VOCs after the preconcentrator has been triggered to release them in concentrated form. Use of the preconcentrator and chemiresistor(s) in combination allows the VOCs to be detected at lower concentration than would be possible using the chemiresistor(s) alone and further allows measurements to be made in a variety of fluids, including liquids (e.g. groundwater). Additionally, the apparatus provides a new mode of operation for sensing VOCs based on the measurement of decay time constants, and a method for background correction to improve measurement precision.

A method of remotely monitoring the radiant energy (6) emitted from a turbine component such as a turbine blade (1) having a low-reflective surface coating (3) which may be undergoing potential degradation is used to determine whether erosion, spallation, delamination, or the like, of the coating (3) is occurring.

The present invention is directed to a DNA element that enhances the translation of the human amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene. The enhancer may be incorporated into expression vectors to enhance recombinant protein production. In addition, the invention is directed to an assay that utilizes vectors containing the translation enhancer element for the purpose of identifying agents that modulate the expression of the human amyloid precursor protein. These agents will ultimately be used to suppress APP expression in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

A monitoring system is provided, which may include a structural component configured to undergo mechanical loading and a wireless node attached to the structural component. The node may include a strain sensing device configured to measure strain experienced by the structural component at the location of the node. The node may also include a processor configured to predict, based on the strain measurements, fatigue life of the structural component.

Intubation is a potentially dangerous invasive procedure with many plausible errors, such as over-inflation of a cuff and insertion of an intubation tube in the wrong lumen, potentially resulting in a patient's internal bleeding, suffocation, or even death. An intubation aide according to example embodiments of the present invention allows intubation of a patient, while eliminating potential injury to the patient, increasing accuracy and reliability of the placement of the intubation tube, and drastically decreasing procedural time. Within moments of insertion of the device into a patient, the medical caregiver knows, with complete certainty, the location of the intubation device without applying traditional time-consuming tasks. Embodiments also provide patient safety, if intubated for a prolonged periods, by regulating an inflation pressure of the cuff. The intubation aide can also be used for training purposes and is ideal for intubation in hospital and field settings.