A storage system for items such as substrate carriers includes at least one stocker including a plurality of storage areas each adapted to store at least one storage device. At least one movable support is arranged on the at least one stocker. A control controls movement of the at least one movable support at least between a first position wherein the at least one movable support receives the at least one storage device outside one of the storage areas and a second position wherein the at least one movable support is arranged substantially within the one of the storage areas.

Boom drive apparatus for substrate transport systems and methods are described. The boom drive apparatus is adapted to drive one or more multi-arm robots rotationally mounted to the boom to efficiently put or pick substrates. The boom drive apparatus has a boom including a hub, a web, a first pilot above the web, and a second pilot below the web, a first driving member rotationally mounted to the first pilot, a second driving member rotationally mounted to the second pilot, a first driven member rotationally mounted to the boom above the a web, a second driven member rotationally mounted to the boom below the a web, and a first and second transmission members coupling the driving members to driven members located outboard on the boom. Numerous other aspects are provided.

A system for aligning an end effector with a substrate in a substrate transport apparatus. The system comprises a first sensor connected to the end effector and a controller for moving the substrate transport apparatus. The sensor has a sensing path pointed in an outward direction. The sensing path does not intersect the substrate when the substrate is located on the end effector. The controller for moving the substrate transport apparatus moves the substrate transport apparatus, based at least partially upon input from the sensor, to position the end effector at a predetermined position relative to the substrate to pick up the substrate onto the end effector.

A manipulator and a method of generating the shortest path along which the manipulator moves to grip an object without collision with the object models a target object and a gripper into a spherical shape, measures a current position of the gripper and a position of the target object and a target position of the gripper, calculates an arc-shaped path in a two-dimensional plane along which the gripper needs to move by calculating an included angle of a triangle consisting of the position of the object and the current position and target position of the gripper, transforms the arc-shaped path in the two-dimensional plane into an arc-shaped path in a three-dimensional space using a transform matrix consisting of the position of the object and the current position and target position of the gripper, thereby automatically generating the shortest path of the manipulator.

Parking arrangement and method for making a parking arrangement equipped with an automatic vehicle detection system ready for operation, which parking arrangement comprises a central computer with a database and at least a number of parking places identifiable by a location code, which parking places are each provided with at least one wirelessly operating parking sensor module, which is connected with the central computer via a UHF radio link and which is provided with an identification code, which parking sensor module comprises at least one vehicle sensor which in operation provides measuring values representative of the presence or absence of a vehicle in the respective parking place, wherein use is made of parking sensor modules which have an RFID identification circuit in which the identification code is stored, which identification code is wirelessly readable.

An interface (303) between adjacent ones of light guide sections (310) is inclined with respect to an incident surface (301) and an emission surface (302) of the light guide element (300A) so that an incident surface (311) of at least a part of the light guide sections (310) overlaps a part of a display region (202) in a liquid crystal panel (200A) and an emission surface (312) of said at least a part of the light guide sections (310) overlaps at least a part of a frame region (203) above which an image on the display region (202) is to be displayed. Furthermore, a relation 5°

An input device includes a display section, an input section, and an authentication section. The display section has a display area and displays a plurality of symbols in respective first regions of the display area. The input section receives an input indicating which of the plurality of symbols displayed on the display section is selected by a user by specifying a position in the display area. The authentication section authenticates the user based a result received by the input section. The input section receives an input indicating which of the plurality of symbols is selected, by receiving an input indicating which of a plurality of second regions allocated to each first region is selected. The authentication section authenticates the user based on the first region corresponding to the selected symbol from among the plurality of first regions and the second region selected from among the plurality of second regions.

Presented is a near field communication system and method to automatically establish an interconnection between two electronic devices. The system includes a first electronic device including an NFC chip communicatively coupled to a passive NFC tag, where the NFC tag having an integrated circuit with a predefined information content, a second device including an active NFC reader configured to read the predefined information content from the NFC tag based on an identification of a proximate distance therebetween, and where the NFC tag is capable of transmitting an activation signal to the NFC chip to enable transition of the NFC chip from a first state to a second state such as to establish a near field wireless communication link between the two devices to enable exchange of digital content therebetween.

A vehicle computer system comprising a transceiver in a vehicle configured to wirelessly connect with a nomadic device, wherein the nomadic device is capable of running a contextual application which operates at least in part based on vehicle environment data. The vehicle computer system further comprises one or more vehicle modules configured to receive environment data and capable of causing the transceiver to provide the vehicle environment data to the nomadic device for processing by the contextual application.

In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for identifying proximity of a mobile computing device to another mobile computing device. A computing system determines that a set of mobile computing devices are geographically proximate to a first mobile computing device based on identifying that each of the mobile computing devices received a first type of signal from an emitting device for which the first mobile computing device also received the first type of signal. The computing system determines a subset of the mobile computing devices that share a physical space with the first mobile computing device based on identifying that each of the mobile computing devices emitted a second type of signal that was detected by the first mobile computing device, or detected the second type of signal that was emitted by the first mobile computing device.

A method of determining a turbulent condition in an aircraft with a handheld device where the handheld device has at least one of a gyroscope, seismometer, and an accelerometer where the method includes receiving an output from the at least one of the gyroscope, seismometer, and accelerometer while the handheld device is located within the aircraft and providing an indication of a turbulent condition.

An approach is provided to automate predictive vehicle maintenance. In the approach, a vehicle's information handling system receives vehicle data transmissions from a number of other vehicles in geographic proximity to the vehicle. Both the vehicle and the other vehicles correspond to various vehicle types that are used to identify those other vehicles that are similar to the vehicle. The sets of received vehicle data transmissions that are received to similar vehicles are analyzed with respect to a plurality of vehicle maintenance data corresponding to the vehicle. The analysis of the vehicle data transmissions resulting in predictive vehicle maintenance recommendations pertaining to the first vehicle.

Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure builds on integrating existing technology with new devices, methods, and systems to provide a complete vehicle ecosystem.

An enhanced encryption keypad (100) capable of preventing illegal disassembly for an automated teller machine comprises a key panel (101) and a main control board (102). A removal detection protection circuit is disposed inside a main chip of the main control board (102), and at least one pin of the removal detection protection circuit is guided out from a surface (1021) of a side of the main control board (102) near the key panel to form a removal detection point (1022). The removal detection point (1022) has two opened signal contact points. The two opened signal contact points are conducted by a conductive adhesive (103) to activate the removal detection protection circuit. A conductive protection ring (1023) isolated from the removal detection point is disposed at the periphery of the removal detection point. The conductive protection ring (1023) is connected to the removal detection protection circuit inside the main control chip. A protection circle (1024) is disposed at the periphery of the conductive protection ring and the corresponding conductive adhesive. The present application effectively protects the encryption keypad from illegal attacks on the removal detection point from the side.

A fatigue degree input unit inputs a fatigue degree of a user through use of a processing device, and writes an input value of the fatigue degree into a storage device. A recommended duration calculation unit reads the input value of the fatigue degree written by the fatigue degree input unit from the storage device. In accordance with the input value of the fatigue degree read from the storage device, the recommended duration calculation unit calculates a bath duration to be recommended to the user, as a recommended duration, through use of the processing device. A recommended duration informing unit informs the user of the recommended duration calculated by the recommended duration calculation unit, through an output device.

A physiological trend monitor has a sensor signal responsive to multiple wavelengths of light transmitted into a tissue site. The transmitted light is detected after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site. A processor has an input responsive to the sensor signal and a physiological parameter output. Features are extracted from the physiological parameter output. Criteria are applied to the features. An alarm output is generated when the criteria are satisfied.

Defining a radio frequency identification read area includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operable to read RFID tags within a specified read area. An RFID transmitter is coupled with the RFID reader and is operable to radiating a modulated carrier in an area adjacent to the specified read area. The RFID reader controls the RFID transmitter to transmit the modulated carrier during a preamble transmission of the RFID reader to prevent any RFID tags in the adjacent area from recognizing an interrogation signal from the RFID reader.

A communication process between two constitutive elements of the network of electricity distribution in a domestic or industrial premise including circuit breakers, electrical modules, switches, electrical plugs and light connection devices. The process including the following steps: assignment by a protocol such as DHCP, BootP or RARP of a first IP address to a first element of the power distribution network, assignment of a second IP address to a second element, and establishment of a communication between the first and second elements of the power distribution network.

A method and system for tracking a body's bio-readings and environmental information in which such bio-readings are generated is disclosed. Conventional bio-reading sensor technology may be used in combination with technology for receiving information from electronic tags associated with items in a body's environment. Such technology may include RFID smart tags associated with items in an environment. Such smart tags store information describing the item associated with the smart tag. An RFID smart tag reader may be provided for retrieving item description information stored in such smart tags. The combination of bio-reading data and environmental data provide a power tool in evaluating behavioral and environmental variables that affect a body's bio-readings.

A system and method is provided for monitoring hygiene compliance.

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods to detect a fluid contamination level of a fluid sample. The method may comprise providing a fluid sample downhole from a subterranean formation, applying a reactant to the fluid sample to create a combined fluid, observing the combined fluid, and determining if contaminants are present within the fluid sample based upon the observing the combined fluid.

The subject of the invention is a method for determining the H2S content arising during the warm storage of sulfur-containing crude and residual oils and mineral distillates containing sulfur-containing crude and/or residual oils, in which a sample of the sulfur-containing mineral oil is dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture that boils at more than 200° C. and a carrier gas is caused to flow through the solution of the sulfur-containing mineral oil at temperatures above 80° C., and the quantity of hydrogen sulfide carried out with the carrier gas is analyzed quantitatively.

Disclosed are methods and systems for the analysis of testosterone in a sample using supported liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A system and method for creating a plurality of denaturation curves is disclosed. In accordance with certain embodiments, one variable, such as salt content, pH or another parameter, is varied to create a plurality of different buffer solutions. Each is then used to create a denaturation graph. The plurality of denaturation graphs allows analysis of the effect of that variable on protein stability.

A method for detecting electromagnetic waves derived from bacterial DNA, comprising extracting and purifying nucleic acids from a sample; diluting the extracted purified nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent; measuring a low frequency electromagnetic emission over time from the diluted extracted purified nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent; performing a signal analysis of the low frequency electromagnetic emission over time; and producing an output, based on the signal analysis, in dependence on the DNA in the sample. The DNA may be extracted from at least one of blood, feces, urine, saliva, tears, seminal fluid, sweat, seminal and vaginal fluids of a patient, or water to determine, e.g., potability. The samples may be frozen. The extracting and purifying may comprise diluting the sample with an aqueous buffer and mixing; degrading proteins in the diluted sample; precipitating DNA from the buffer solution; and resuspending the precipitated DNA in an aqueous solution.

The present invention relates to a method of identifying a natural substance that is capable of complexation with Ni2+, Cu2+ and/or Fe2+ ions, wherein an extract containing natural substances is led over a stationary phase loaded with Ni2+, Cu2+ and/or Fe2+ ions, which is suitable for immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC).

This invention relates to the field of preparation technology of optical pH sensor by co-intercalated fluorescein and 1-heptanesulfonic acid sodium into layered double hydroxide. The sensor is composed by conductive materials and the surface LDH films by co-interacted FLU and HES. The synthesis method is: first: synthesis of LDH colloid suspension, subsequently, the FLU and HES co-intercalated LDH colloid solution was prepared following the ion-exchange method, then the thin film of FLU-HES/LDH was spreaded on the surface of the conductive material by electrophoretic deposition, and the oriental pH sensor was synthesized. The advantages of the present invention is: first, the LDH matrix provides chromophore molecules with a confined and stable environment; the novel electrophoretic deposition strategy in this work provides a method for precise control of thickness (ranging from nanometers to micrometers), and the oriental pH sensor show good pH responsive.

A biosensor and method of making are disclosed. The biosensor is configured to detect a target and may include a peptide immobilized on a sensing component, the sensing component having an anode and a cathode. The immobilized peptide may comprise an antimicrobial peptide binding motif for the target. The sensing component has an electrical conductivity that changes in response to binding of the immobilized peptide to the target. The immobilized peptide may bind one or more targets selected from the list consisting of: bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, pathogens, protozoa, fungi, viruses, and cancerous cells. The biosensor may have a display with a readout that is responsive to changes in electrical conductivity of the sensing component. The display unit may be wirelessly coupled to the sensing component. A resonant circuit with an inductive coil may be electrically coupled to the sensing component. A planar coil antenna may be disposed in proximity to the resonant circuit, the planar coil antenna being configured to provide power to the sensing component.

Microfluidic devices having a protein renaturation component and methods for using the same are provided. Aspects of the present disclosure include microfluidic devices that include a separation medium with a first flow path and a protein renaturation component in fluid communication with the separation medium and having a second flow path. Also provided are methods of using the devices as well as systems and kits that include the devices. The devices, systems and methods find use in a variety of different applications, including diagnostic and validation assays.

The present disclosure relates to a molecularly imprinted structure for detection of a pentraxin protein and a method for preparing the same by synthesizing a reactive group-pentraxin protein ligand complex specifically reacting with the pentraxin protein and being polymerizable with a crosslink agent to detect a pentraxin protein by using the complex. The present disclosure also provides a chip for detection of a C-reactive protein and a method for preparing the same, the chip including a molecularly imprinted layer having excellent sensitivity to a C-reactive protein and an improved binding force to a metal substrate by using click chemistry.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor including a substrate, two or more electrodes, a conductive layer applied to the substrate and a molecularly imprinted polymer layer applied to the conductive layer is disclosed herein The MIP sensor may form part of an MIP sensor system that can be used to detect and quantify target molecules.

The present application provides apparatus and methods for determining the density of a fluid sample. In particular, it provides a sensor device which can be loaded with a fluid sample such as blood, and which further comprises at least one oscillating beam member or resonator. Exposure of the blood sample to clotting agents allows a clotting reaction to commence. The device allows the density of the sample fluid to be monitored with reference to the oscillation of the vibrating beam member, thus allowing the monitoring of the clotting of the fluid sample.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determination of ion concentrations, particularly in downhole water from hydrocarbon wells, aquifers etc. It is useful in a wide range of applications, including predicting the formation of scale and fingerprinting waters from different sources. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of ligands whose electronic configuration is altered by the binding of the scaling ions within a water sample. These alterations are detected electrochemically by applying varying potential to electrodes and measuring current flow as potential is varied, from which is derived the concentration of scaling ions in the fluid.

The invention relates to the quantitative measurement of steroidal compounds by mass spectrometry. In a particular aspect, the invention relates to methods for quantitative measurement of steroidal compounds from multiple samples by mass spectrometry.

Luminescent labels based on aromatic and heterocyclic compounds, including reactive intermediates used to synthesize these compounds, and methods of synthesizing and using these reporter compounds. These labels combine high photostabilities, large Stokes' shifts and contain a pyrimidinium moiety as a water-soluble group. These luminescent compounds relate generally to the following structure: The methods relate generally to the synthesis and/or use of reporter compounds for fluorescence lifetime or fluorescence polarization based applications.

Methods and systems for selectively capturing analytes, such as cells, e.g., circulating tumor cells (CTCs), from fluid samples are disclosed. The methods include contacting the sample with an analyte binding moiety that selectively binds to the analytes; optionally separating first components of the sample including a majority of the analytes bound to the binding moieties from second components of the sample using size-based separation, e.g., in a microfluidic channel; adding to the first components of the sample a plurality of binding agents under conditions that enable a plurality of the binding agents to be linked to the analyte binding moieties to form multivalent tagging agents bound to the analyte; passing the first components of the sample past a surface to which is attached a plurality of capture agents that selectively bind to the binding agents; and capturing the analytes by providing conditions that enable the multivalent tagging agents bound to the analytes to bind to one or more of the capture agents.

A chemiresistive biosensor for detecting an analyte can include a high specific surface area substrate conformally coated with a conductive polymer, and a binding reagent immobilized on the conductive polymer, wherein the binding reagent has a specific affinity for the analyte. The conductive polymer can be deposited on a substrate by oCVD.

A method for disabling and re-enabling third-party advertisements is disclosed. An Internet accessible “virtual world” or interactive on-line community can have its advertisements disabled by the entering and subsequent validation of a registration code that is associated with a toy into a website, once validated, displaying a virtual representation of the toy on the website, providing virtual world content so that the virtual representation of the toy is caused to interact with the virtual world content and the toy virtual representations of other users, displaying advertisement on the website in a first mode and allowing customization of the virtual world content including the disabling of advertisements in a second mode. In a similar manner the third party advertisements can be re-enabled.

The invention encompasses analyzers and analyzer systems that include a single particle analyzer, methods of using the analyzers and analyzers systems to analyze samples, either for single particles, e.g., protein molecules, or for multiple particles (multiplexing), methods of doing business based on the use of the analyzers or analyzer systems of the system, and electronic media for storing parameters useful in the analyzers and analyzer systems of the invention.

The present invention relates to a high-temperature furnace for T(O)C measurement of a sample, which has a furnace housing which bounds a vaporization space and has a sample opening for the dropwise introduction of the sample and at least one flushing opening for introduction of a flushing liquid. According to the invention, the furnace housing is lined with a spinel ceramic on an inner side facing the vaporization space. By means of the spinel ceramic, the vaporization space is lined with a material which allows particularly high temperatures within the vaporization space and thus very complete combustion and is at the same time very resistant to temperature changes. This allows cleaning with a flushing liquid at essentially the operating temperature of the vaporization space and removal of deposited salts, in particular recrystallized organic salts, from the vaporization space in the flushing liquid in dissolved or undissolved form. Aging of the high-temperature furnace by deposited salts can thereby be avoided or at least significantly retarded.

Fluorescent pH detector and methods for measuring pH using the fluorescent pH detector.

A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.

A surgical instrument with a stowing knife blade includes an elongated shaft, an end effector coupled to the shaft and including two opposed jaws, a housing included in one of the jaws, a first member mounted in the housing and movable distally, a knife pivotally coupled with the first member, and a second member. The knife is configured to cut when advanced distally. The first and second members are moved distally at the same rate during a cutting motion of the knife and the second member blocks a rotation of the knife relative to the first member during the cutting motion of the knife. After moving through the first distance, relative movement between the first and second members occurs so as to permit or induce the previously blocked rotation of the knife so that the knife can be stowed.

A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.

An instrument is configured to receive a staple cartridge to staple tissue and expel a fluid from within a container in the staple cartridge. The staple cartridge has an upper deck including staple apertures and orifices formed therein. The orifices are in fluid communication with the containers. The staple cartridge includes staple drivers having a driver body to translate a staple and a container protrusion to expel the fluid out the orifices. The fluid may be expelled while driving the staples out through the staple apertures. The container may be vertically compressible container or, in one alternative, may be a container having a channel and a sealant that is configured to be pierced as the fluid is expelled. Some configurations for the fluid include a hemostatic agent, thrombin, a gel, or a medicament. The containers may also be formed as reservoirs defined within the upper deck and/or cartridge body.

A surgical stapler is provided. The stapler includes a tubular body portion. A cartridge assembly is disposed at a distal end of the body portion for expelling an annular array of staples. Each of the staples of the annular array of staples has a generally bent backspan. An anvil member disposed at the distal end of the tubular body portion is positioned opposite the cartridge assembly to clinch the staples in tissue upon expulsion of the staples from the cartridge assembly. The anvil member has a corresponding annular array of staple forming buckets. Each of the buckets is configured to accommodate the generally bent configuration of the staples to facilitate formation thereof.

A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly.

A surgical stapling device and method for joining tissue portions are provided including a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the handle assembly, a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, and an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device. The anvil assembly includes a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft. A sleeve member is slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and is transitionable between a first position, where the sleeve member engages the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in an un-tilted condition, and a second position, where the sleeve member is disengaged from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to tilt.

A surgical instrument is provided. The surgical instrument includes a housing. The surgical instrument includes an elongated portion extending distally from the housing and defines a longitudinal axis. An end effector operably couples to the elongated portion. A first pivoting member pivotably couples to a distal end of the elongated portion. The first pivoting member defines a first pivot axis intersecting the longitudinal axis when the first pivoting member is rotated. A distal mounting assembly pivotably couples to the first pivoting member and operably couples to the end effector. The distal mounting assembly defines a second pivot axis intersecting the first pivot axis and the longitudinal axis when the proximal mounting assembly is rotated.

A surgical stapling apparatus including a releasable buttress material includes a cartridge assembly, an anvil assembly, and a buttress material. The cartridge assembly includes a plurality of staples, a tissue contacting surface defining staple retaining slots, and a swaged outer edge. The anvil assembly includes a tissue contacting surface defining staple pockets for forming staples expelled from the staple retaining slots of the cartridge assembly. The buttress material has an outer portion that is retaining within the swaged outer edge of the cartridge assembly.