4374results about How to "Easy to learn" patented technology

A surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery includes a hollow shank with an actuating device arranged at the one end thereof and a bendable instrument tip arranged at the other end. The instrument tip is bendable toward the shank and carries a mouth part. The surgical instrument also includes a gear mechanism which transforms at least a movement of said actuating device by an operator into a rotation of said mouth part according to a predetermined transmission ratio in relation to the actuating movement.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing. compliant, and flexible multi-touch surface. The surface consists of compressible cushion, dielectric, electrode, and circuitry layers. A simple proximity transduction circuit is placed under each electrode to maximize signal-to-noise ratio and to reduce wiring complexity. Such distributed transduction circuitry is economical for large surfaces when implemented with thin-film transistor techniques. Scanning and signal offset removal on an electrode array produces low-noise proximity images. Segmentation processing of each proximity image constructs a group of electrodes corresponding to each distinguishable contact and extracts shape, position and surface proximity features for each group. Groups in successive images which correspond to the same hand contact are linked by a persistent path tracker which also detects individual contact touchdown and liftoff. Combinatorial optimization modules associate each contact's path with a particular fingertip, thumb, or palm of either hand on the basis of biomechanical constraints and contact features. Classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.

The invention relates to an input device having multifunctional keys, wherein the different functions are triggered by varying the pressure on the keys or by varying the depth to which the key is depressed or the distance it is moved (see FIG. 3). The input device requires substantially fewer keys than a standard qwerty keyboard to input data and requires less physical space. In certain instances the keyboard can be operated with one hand.

A system and method that allows a user to use their everyday language or user defined words to operate a computer in a highly efficient way. In short, every word, letter, control character and symbol is potentially actionable. A computer user's productivity is dramatically increased by making available those functions that enable a user to produce most of his work through simple, language-based commands. The present invention provides an intuitive interface, referred to as a semantic user interface (SUI), that enhances the operation of the current standard window-based interface in a manner that is simple, richer and natural. By leveraging all of the richness and power inherent in a user's language, the present invention provides an important tool that allows the personal computer to operate in a manner that is much closer to our natural way of interacting. A user is allowed to enter "commands" in his everyday natural language in order to control the operations of the computer. All commands are language-based and user-defined. These commands can be entered from any context of the user's computer (e.g., any application or operating system workspace). The commands allows a user to launch applications and navigate within applications by using language rather than clicks from a pointing device such as a mouse. It also allows the replacement of keystrokes with stored words or keystrokes. The system also keeps a complete archive record of all the text content the user provides as input, regardless of which application program or operating system window the user is operating in at the time. The combined set of all user defined commands and the memory of all the input text that is stored in the archive constitutes the personality profile and is transportable from one computer to another.

Dynamic systems and methods for gathering / tracking data, automatically adapting to an individual's pace of learning, selectively determining the type and difficulty of content provided to an individual, selectively providing an exposure frequency for the content, and / or enabling rapid design modifications within the educational environment. Educational content is dynamically designed / developed and customizably presented to an individual learner. An analysis is performed on the data to optimize learning. Modifications are selectively or automatically made to the educational content. The process of designing, implementing, analyzing, and selectively modifying creates a cycle that optimizes the learning process and adapts to groups and individual learners with the goal of improving learning outcomes and efficiency. Furthermore, the educational content is dynamically provided to the learner on an iterative basis according to the need of that learner in the learning process.

A teleconferencing system for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants. The system has a plurality of video display devices, each having associated participant video capture capabilities and participant audio capture and reproduction capabilities. At least one communication path is provided for transmitting signals representing participant audio and video. A graphical rolodex can be displayed on a participant's video display device and includes a scrollable listing of entries of video-enabled potential participants. Also included is a quick dial list, listing icons representing video-enabled potential participants copied from the graphical rolodex. The system is configured to allow an initiating participant to initiate collaboration by selecting at least one participant listed in at least one of the graphical rolodex and quick dial list, and automatically establish one of a plurality of communication types, with a selected participant, upon a communication type being selected or by default when the participant is selected.

A suturing device for use with a delivery catheter in a transcatheter procedure, for closing an opening formed in the body. The suturing device comprises: a spiral needle having a central core, a proximal end, and a distal end. The distal end terminates in a sharp point for cutting a spiral passageway through body tissue surrounding the opening that is to be closed. The device also includes a guide wire having a suture eye at one end thereof for receiving suture thread after the guide wire has been advanced through the hollow central core of the spiral needle. The device further includes driving means, for allowing advancing and retracting of the spiral needle and guide wire with respect to the catheter, and for allowing connecting between the suture thread and the suture eye of the guide wire. The present invention also relates to a method for closing an opening formed in the body using a transcatheter procedure.

An XML-based framework (30) for developing software applications (12) includes a document manager (32) to manage activities relating to one or more XML-based data documents (34) associated with an application (12), each data document (34) modeling data associated with the application (12) and representing relationships between the data document (34) and one or more other data documents (34). The framework (30) includes a rules manager (36) to manage rules (38) specifying logic for handling notifications associated with XML-based action documents (34) received at the application (12), the notifications requesting actions involving data documents (34). The framework (30) also includes an operations manager (40) to manage the execution of transactions involving data documents (34) based on operations (42) defined for the application (12) during its development. The framework (30) provides a generic XML-based transaction engine, the application (12) being one of a plurality of distributed applications (12) each being an instance of the generic transaction engine. An electronic marketplace with a distributed transaction layer may include such a plurality of distributed applications (12), where the applications (12) interact with one another using the distributed transaction layer (14) to conduct electronic commerce within the marketplace.

A pen-based computer text input system capable of interpreting a special pre-defined set of single stroke glyphs. Each input stroke is identified with one of three categories: (1) pre-character modifier strokes, (2) character or symbol strokes, or (3) post-character modifier strokes. Pre-character modifier strokes precede character strokes and inform the present recognition system that a subsequently entered character stroke is to be modified by the pre-character modifier stroke in a pre-defined manner. Character strokes cause a character or symbol to be displayed on the display device the moment it is input on the writing tablet, interpreted in accordance with any pre-character modifier stroke. A post-character modifier stroke causes the recognition system to modify, in a pre-defined manner, a character or symbol which was previously entered and displayed. An important advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide immediate recognition of multiple stroke characters without using boxed input.

A surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery includes a hollow shank with an actuating device arranged at the one end thereof and a bendable instrument tip arranged at the other end. The instrument tip is bendable toward the shank and carries a mouth part. The surgical instrument also includes a gear mechanism which transforms at least a movement of said actuating device by an operator into a rotation of said mouth part according to a predetermined transmission ratio in relation to the actuating movement.

A method of receiving input from a user includes providing a surface within reach of a hand of the user. A plurality of locations on the surface that are touched by the user are sensed. An alphanumeric character having a shape most similar to the plurality of touched locations on the surface is determined. The user is audibly or visually informed of the alphanumeric character and / or a word in which the alphanumeric character is included. Feedback is received from the user regarding whether the alphanumeric character and / or word is an alphanumeric character and / or word that the user intended to be determined in the determining step.

Keyboard for one-handed touch typing derived from a normal Sholes keyboard, where each character-key is assigned two characters (for instance T / Y), thereby reducing the number of keys to approximately half the number of keys on a normal Sholes keyboard. The choice between the two alternative characters of a specific key is based on the mode of depression of that particular key, and hence no separate key for choise between the two alternatives is needed. The characteristics of the keyboard can either be set once and for all or can be particularly adapted to the specific user of the keyboard, such as for instance to the user's writing speed.

A method of playing a wagering card game for a number of player using standard playing cards having a standard rank and involving standard poker hand rankings comprises: each player placing at least four distinct wagering parts to participate in the game; dealing three cards to each player and at least two common cards, all of the at least two common cards being dealt face down; giving each player the chance to examine the cards received by that player and to withdraw at least a first part of the at least four distinct wagering parts wager based on the rank of the player's cards prior to one of the at least two common cards being dealt face down being exposed; showing the at least one common card, thereby providing at least a partial hand for each player, each player's at least a partial hand comprising the shown at least one common card and the cards each player was dealt; allowing each player to withdraw a second part of the at least four wagering parts and forfeiting a third part of the at least four wagering parts; showing at least one more common card to expose all common cards that had been dealt face down; and resolving each player's remaining wager based on the rank of that player's hand, which remaining wager was not withdrawn.

A discriminative grammar framework utilizing a machine learning algorithm is employed to facilitate in learning scoring functions for parsing of unstructured information. The framework includes a discriminative context free grammar that is trained based on features of an example input. The flexibility of the framework allows information features and / or features output by arbitrary processes to be utilized as the example input as well. Myopic inside scoring is circumvented in the parsing process because contextual information is utilized to facilitate scoring function training.

A text edit apparatus which presents, based on language analysis information regarding a text, a portion of the text where voice quality may change when the text is read aloud has advantages of predicting likelihood of the voice quality change and judging whether or not the voice quality change will occur. The apparatus includes: a voice quality change estimation unit (103) which estimates the likelihood of the voice quality change which occurs when the text is read aloud, for each predetermined unit which is an input symbol sequence of the text including at least one phonologic sequence, based on language analysis information which is a symbol sequence of a result of language analysis including a phonologic sequence corresponding to the text; a voice quality change portion judgment unit (105) which locates a portion of the text where the voice quality change is likely to occur, based on the language analysis information and a result of the estimation performed by the voice quality change estimation unit (103); and a display unit (108) which presents the user the portion which is located by the voice quality change portion judgment unit (105) as where the voice quality change is likely to occur.

The present invention is directed to interactive training, and in particular, to methods and systems for computerized interactive skill training. An example embodiment provides a method and system for providing skill training using a computerized system. The computerized system receives a selection of a first training subject. Several related training components can be invoked, such as reading, watching, performing, and / or reviewing components. In addition, a scored challenge session is provided, wherein a training challenge is provided to a user via a terminal, optionally in video form.

Devices, systems and methods to modify memory and / or cognitive function by delivering a sensory stimulus paired with learned material at opportune physiological periods during sleep. For example, described herein are systems, methods and devices to enhance a user's cognitive function in such areas as memorization and learning. A machine (e.g., a system or device) may be used to identify opportune periods of the sleep cycle and to deliver a stimulus during specific phases of the sleep cycle to facilitate or interrupt memory consolidation. In some variations the machine records ambient sensory inputs during awake acquisition or reinforcement / relearning and replays all or an extracted form of the ambient sensory stimuli a specified portion of the user's sleep.

A system and method provides content or material such as educational, informational, or learning content from existing and / or third party content on a network such as the Internet and disseminates the content via the network to a user by correlating the culled content to a user's learning profile. The system preferably pushes the content to the user after correlation of content to the user's learning profile. The user's learning profile includes data regarding a user's learning proclivities and / or preferences of a user's learning profile. The system scans and / or searches the Internet for the existing content. The system stores data about the scanned content particularly with respect to the content itself and relative to the classifications, categories, and / or categorization of learning proclivities and / or preferences. Particularly, the system stores data regarding the elements and / or characteristics of the content with respect to the learning proclivities and / or preferences. Subject matter content is then provided as per a curriculum and / or learning chain. The learning profile also maintains data regarding learning chain progression with regard to a curriculum. Preferably, but not necessarily, the content data and learning profile are in the form of an object model and, particularly, as metadata.

Disclosed is a system and method for managing and tracking the location of patients and health care facility resources, including but not limited to health care practitioners, health care equipment, patient charts and other items in a health care facility. The system comprises a health care information system having at least one data repository for storing health care facility data, patient data and health care facility resource data and at least one graphical user interface in communication with the at least one data repository, and a graphical representation of at least one health care facility stored in the health care information system and displayable by the graphical user interface for managing patient care and health care facility resources. The graphical representation preferably provides an interactive map of the at least one health care facility for tracking the location of patients and health care facility resources.

There is provided a digital device control system using a smart phone, including a smart phone having an application of a remote control function, a digital device of which on / off of a power supply, channel or volume is controlled according to a signal received from the smart phone, and an IR repeater functioning as a central control unit connected to the smart phone through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication and connected to the digital device through a plurality of infrared ray communications in order to remotely control the digital device, and therefore, the digital device can be controlled using the smart phone instead of a remote controller. In addition, since a plurality of LEDs capable of performing infrared ray communication is included in the IR repeater so as to transmit and receive an infrared signal of a wide range, a digital device desired to be controlled can be remotely controlled even when the digital device is placed at a far distance or at a blind spot in a room, and a plurality of digital devices can be controlled simultaneously.

A method of playing a wagering card game for a number of player using standard playing cards having a standard rank and involving standard poker hand rankings comprises: each player placing at least four distinct wagering parts to participate in the game; dealing three cards to each player and at least two common cards, all of the at least two common cards being dealt face down; giving each player the chance to examine the cards received by that player and to withdraw at least a first part of the at least four distinct wagering parts wager based on the rank of the player's cards prior to one of the at least two common cards being dealt face down being exposed; showing the at least one common card, thereby providing at least a partial hand for each player, each player's at least a partial hand comprising the shown at least one common card and the cards each player was dealt; allowing each player to withdraw a second part of the at least four wagering parts and forfeiting a third part of the at least four wagering parts; showing at least one more common card to expose all common cards that had been dealt face down; and resolving each player's remaining wager based on the rank of that player's hand, which remaining wager was not withdrawn.

Mobile apparatus with transaction information is disclosed. The mobile apparatus receives, from an electronic service, with the wireless transceiver, a plurality of packets relating to transactions of an account linked with a payment card, transforms the received plurality of packets into transaction information, and displays, with the user interface, the transaction information such that transactions in relation to each other are represented by geometric objects.