60results about How to "Inexpensive and compact" patented technology

A planar touch control is used to provide input to a computer and haptic feedback is provided thereto. A touch control includes a touch input device with a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor associated with the computer based on a location of user implemented contact on the touch surface. The computer can position or modify a cursor or image in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user via the touch surface.

A haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to a computer. A touch input device includes a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor of the computer based on a location of user contact on the touch surface. The computer can position a cursor in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user contacting the touch surface. The touch input device can be a touchpad separate from the computer's display screen, or can be a touch screen. Output haptic sensations on the touch input device can include pulses, vibrations, and spatial textures. The touch input device can include multiple different regions to control different computer functions.

A system for advising an exerciser about his physical activities, associated either with displacement of the exerciser itself or of an object displaced by the exerciser, or an object displaced simultaneously with the exerciser. The system comprises a first unit for monitoring the activities. This unit is not in physical contact with the exerciser or the object, displaced by the exerciser. The first unit is capable to collect raw data defining the activities either in terms of distance or acceleration. The first unit transmits the collected raw data in a wireless fashion to a second unit, which receives the transmitted raw data, processes it and calculates various parameters, defining the said physical activities, and represents the calculated parameters in a form recognizable by the exerciser. The system enables tracking, recording and updating the relevant information, provides improved feedback and thus helps to the exercising individual to improve his performances.

A haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to a computer. A touch input device includes a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor of the computer based on a location of user contact on the touch surface. The computer can position a cursor in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user contacting the touch surface. The touch input device can be a touchpad separate from the computer's display screen, or can be a touch screen. Output haptic sensations on the touch input device can include pulses, vibrations, and spatial textures. The touch input device can include multiple different regions to control different computer functions.

A digital Laminographic or Tomosynthesis method is described for use in the detection of explosives concealed in baggage. The method uses at least one source of x-ray and at least two sets of detectors, preferably more to generate 3D images of high detail. The data from the detectors can be simply time delayed and summed up to generate high definition image of layers through the bag. This leads to very high speed of 3D imaging, the same speed as in regular x-ray scanners. In addition, there is no rotating gantry, the systems is simple, compact, relatively inexpensive, and can be used to generate 3D images of large shipping containers.

A torque vectoring device is provided. The torque vectoring device includes a drive member engaged with a power source, a plurality of spherical adjusters configured to be tiltable and rotatable with respect to the drive member, a first output frictionally engaged with the spherical adjusters, and a second output frictionally engaged with the spherical adjusters. A torque distribution between the first output and the second output may be adjusted by tilting the plurality of spherical adjusters. The spherical adjusters also facilitate a differential action between the first output and the second output.

The invention relates to a switching apparatus (10) for switching a load on and off, in particular a motor or the like in a vehicle, having a housing (20), an operating element (30), a switching element (40), wherein the switching element (40) can be activated by the operating element (30), and at least one switching signal for a control unit can be produced by means of the switching element (40), and the operating element (30) has a symbol element (50). The invention provides for a first optical waveguide element (60) to carry a first light (71) from at least one first light source (70) such that the symbol element (50) is uniformly illuminated.

A gravity gradiometer is disclosed which has sensor masses in the forms of bars 41 and 43 arranged orthogonal to one another and transducers for providing an output signal indicative of movement of the bars in response to changes in the gravity gradient tensor. The transducers are formed from thin film structure having a first layer forming a fine pitch coil 510 and a second layer forming a coarse pitch coil 511. The layers are separated by an insulating layer. The coarse pitch coil 511 forms a transformer for stepping up the current flowing through the fine pitch coil 510 and the coarse pitch coil 511 supplies current to a SQUID device 367.

A rod body 30 is formed of magnetostrictive material and includes one end portion 30 fixed, and a piston 35 is fixed to the other end portion 30b of the rod body 30. The piston 35 is slidably disposed within a cylinder 36 in which there is formed a pump chamber 37. A suction port 39 for sucking lubricating oil into the pump chamber 37 is formed in the cylinder 36, while a suction valve 40 for preventing the lubricating oil from flowing out from the suction port 39 is disposed in the suction port 39. In the cylinder 36, there is disposed a nozzle 20 which communicates with the pump chamber 37 and has a sectional area smaller than the lubricating oil passage sectional area of the suction valve 40. There is disposed a coil 43 outside the rod body 30 and, to the coil 43, there is connected a control device 6 for controlling the supply of a current to be supplied to the coil 43.

An inkjet recording apparatus includes: an inkjet head that ejects an active energy-curable ink to form an image on a recording medium; an irradiating unit that includes a light source, and that irradiates an active energy ray from the light source to cure the active energy-curable ink ejected by the inkjet head; an energy intensity measuring unit that measures an intensity value of the active energy ray irradiated on the recording medium; and an irradiation condition control unit that controls an irradiation condition of the active energy ray on the recording medium on the basis of the intensity value measured by the energy intensity measuring unit after a passing of time to the extent of allowing the temperature of the irradiating unit to be stabilized at the start-up from lighting or rest of the irradiating unit.

In a germination / growing apparatus having: a heat shield chamber that can be opened and closed; an illuminator for illuminating the inside of the heat shield chamber; a temperature regulator for heating and / or cooling the inside of the heat shield chamber; and a controller for controlling the temperature regulator, whereby seeds or plants are contained in the germination / growing apparatus for germinating or growing in the heat shield chamber, a breath inspirer for inspiring a human breath to the heat shield chamber is provided. With this configuration, the concentration of the carbon dioxide in the heat shield chamber can be increased, and the growth of the plant can be promoted.

Method for manufacturing of an optical fiber with a decoupling interface for scattered light to monitor the power of light guided through the optical fiber, where the optical fiber has a core having a first refractive index and a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding having a second refractive index smaller than the first refractive index, and where a portion of the optical fiber is substantially straightly aligned in the region of the decoupling interface, in which method the optical fiber is electro-thermally treated at an intermediate position within the substantially straightly aligned portion such that a partial mixture of core material and cladding material and, thereby, formation of scattering centers occurs in an interface region between the core and said the cladding, thereby forming the decoupling interface for scattered light from the modified intermediate position.

A communication system and device that enables free-hand drawn SMS (Short Messaging Service) messages to be transmitted and received from / to various user devices. A buffer device is inserted within a GSM compatible handset providing a buffer for both conventional SMS messages created by typing a message on the keypad of the handset and for free-hand drawn SMS messages created by drawing or writing the free-hand message on a data entry device. An optional OCR (Optical Character Recognition) facility can be provided in either the buffer device inserted within the handset or in a network server that receives the transmitted message and processes it for proper routing to the intended recipient.

An optical coherence tomography imaging device (1) for imaging a retina of a human subject comprises a base (10) having a planar contact surface (11), an optical unit (30) providing a sample beam to scan the retina of the human subject and a head support (80) to be contacted by a head portion of the human subject, the head support (80) defining an entrance position of the sample beam entering an eye of the human subject. An angle between the sample beam at the entrance position and the planar contact surface (11) of the base (10) is 50 to 90°. This arrangement ensures that the head rests in a stable and well defined position with respect to the OCT optics. The risk of negative effects on the imaging process due to head movements, in particular due to movements during the scan time of the OCT device is considerably reduced. Furthermore, the device may assume a compact form factor.

In a germination / growing apparatus having: a heat shield chamber that can be opened and closed; an illuminator for illuminating the inside of the heat shield chamber; a temperature regulator for heating and / or cooling the inside of the heat shield chamber; and a controller for controlling the temperature regulator, whereby seeds or plants are contained in the germination / growing apparatus for germinating or growing in the heat shield chamber, a breath inspirer for inspiring a human breath to the heat shield chamber is provided. With this configuration, the concentration of the carbon dioxide in the heat shield chamber can be increased, and the growth of the plant can be promoted.

A compact recycling coin changer device for simultaneously serving a plurality of users includes a housing with a plurality of coin inlet and outlet slots. Individual coin lift units deliver coins for sorting and distributing to common coin denomination hoppers are arranged in parallel rows. A common duct, centrally located in the housing, can receive released coins from the hoppers and deposit them on a common coin-distributing device that operatively interconnects with the respective coin outlets, for example on opposite exterior housing walls. The coin changer device can be operatively associated with the dispensing of products, for example at a gas station or other retail outlets.

A device (1) comprising a sensor module (2) with a package (3) is produced at reduced costs by providing the package (3) with two or more substrates (4,5) each with a functional layer (14,15), at least one sensor (24,25) such as a magnetometer and / or an accelerometer being located in at least one functional layer (14,15), and by providing the package (3) with a system comprising solder bumps (7-12) for aligning the functional layers (14,15). The system either comprises a first number of solder bumps (7,8) for coupling the functional layers (14,15) electrically and mechanically to each other via first bonding elements (31) or comprises a third substrate (6) with a third functional layer (16) and a second number of solder bumps (9,10) for coupling the first and third functional layers (14,16) electrically and mechanically to each other via second bonding elements (32) and a third number of solder bumps (11,12) for coupling the second and third functional layers (15,16) electrically and mechanically to each other via third bonding elements (33). Mechanically and / or electrically dummy solder bumps improve the alignment of the functional layers (14,15).

The invention relates to disconnection device designed to separate a first portion (11.1) of an electrical circuit (11) electrically from a second portion (11.2) of said circuit, the disconnection device comprising: at least one pair of contacts (16), one of which contacts (16.2) is a moving contact, the pair of contacts having an open state and a closed state; and a flexible conductor (21) fixed at one end to the moving contact (16.2) and serving to be fixed at the other end to one of the portions (11.1) of the electrical circuit. The conductor comprises a flexible tube (21) that is electrically conductive, at least at its surface, and that has bending stiffness that is low enough to enable it to bend without kinking, and torsion stiffness that is high enough to enable it to take up a shape and a position that are substantially reproducible at least in the closed state. Application in particular to gas-insulated high-voltage electricity substations.

The invention relates to a switching apparatus (10) for switching a load on and off, in particular a motor or the like in a vehicle, having a housing (20), an operating element (30), a switching element (40), wherein the switching element (40) can be activated by the operating element (30), and at least one switching signal for a control unit can be produced by means of the switching element (40), and the operating element (30) has a symbol element (50). The invention provides for a first optical waveguide element (60) to carry a first light (71) from at least one first light source (70) such that the symbol element (50) is uniformly illuminated.

Providing a zoom lens system being inexpensive, compact and lightweight with high optical performance, and an imaging apparatus, and a method for varying a focal length. The zoom lens system includes, in order from an object, a first lens group having negative refractive power, a second lens group having positive refractive power, a third lens group having negative refractive power, and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first and second lens groups decreases, a distance between the second and third lens groups increases, and a distance between the third and fourth lens groups decreases. The second lens group consists of two positive lenses or less and one negative lens. The fourth lens group consists of two positive lenses or less and one negative lens. Given conditions are satisfied.

A coin separating unit of a compact configuration for separating coins of different thicknesses from a bulk supply includes a coin transporting unit such as a rotating belt having a support surface of a predetermined flexibility and friction characteristic. A separating roller unit is positioned above a support surface and rotates in a direction opposite to the movement of the belt. A supporter unit is operatively located upstream of the separating roller unit and can displace coins that are overlaid with each other. The belt has sufficient flexibility so that a gap between the surface of the belt and a separating roller unit can be increased to accommodate a particular thickness of coin as it passes beneath the separating roller unit.

A communication system and device that enables free-hand drawn SMS (Short Messaging Service) messages to be transmitted and received from / to various user devices. A buffer device is inserted within a GSM compatible handset providing a buffer for both conventional SMS messages created by typing a message on the keypad of the handset and for free-hand drawn SMS messages created by drawing or writing the free-hand message on a data entry device. An optional OCR (Optical Character Recognition) facility can be provided in either the buffer device inserted within the handset or in a network server that receives the transmitted message and processes it for proper routing to the intended recipient.