A transit center apparatus is provided having one or more modules attachable to a transit stop pole to provide one or more of the following conveniences to a transit stop patron: information in an optionally illuminated modular display apparatus, overhead illumination, video camera surveillance, and wireless communication. These conveniences are preferably provided through an overhead assembly and a rugged information display case. The overhead assembly houses one or more of the group consisting...

A multiple watt-linkage force transfer mechanism is provided for an internal-combustion engine. The force transfer mechanism comprises two "bell cranks" that are used to drive a single crankshaft through a watt linkage mechanism. Each bell crank, in turn, is driven by two pistons through corresponding watt linkage mechanisms. The watt linkages connected to the pistons enable the connection ends of the pistons to travel along substantially straight paths, significantly reducing side loads against...

A portable, easily assembled and disassembled three-legged stool or stool kit includes a seat with a quick-release leg-fastening assembly, three legs having keyhole slots to engage with the quick-release leg-fastening assembly, and a substantially planar leg bracket oriented below and parallel with the seat that has three symmetrically-oriented elongated slots to receive and orient the legs. At least one of the legs has multiple, spaced-apart sets of opposing grooves for supporting a removable, ...

A therapeutic mattress system and bed are disclosed for providing a comprehensive system of pulmonary and skin care therapies for the critically ill, immobilized patient. The features provided include rotational therapy, percussion therapy and pulsation therapy on a critical care bed frame with a low air loss patient support, all of which are controlled with various types of feedback from particularized sensors in the bed.

A portable multispectral data acquisition system for use on a vehicle such as an aircraft comprises a plurality of gyroscope-stabilized remote sensing devices synchronized to simultaneously capture images of a common spatial area in both visible and invisible bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, a computer and digital recorder to record and correlate the captured images with temporospatial reference information, image processing software to stack or layer the images and to extract and compare ...

A multiple watt-linkage force transfer mechanism is provided for an internal-combustion engine. The force transfer mechanism comprises two "bell cranks" that are used to drive a single crankshaft through a watt linkage mechanism. Each bell crank, in turn, is driven by two pistons through corresponding watt linkage mechanisms. The watt linkages connected to the pistons enable the connection ends of the pistons to travel along substantially straight paths, significantly reducing side loads against...

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 ...

A therapeutic treatment bed with features to enhance the care and comfort of burn patients and others subject to extensive recuperative periods. Among the features are patient engaging fluidized bead surfaces integral with the upper surfaces of air cushions provided by an air bed. Detachable conformation of the fluidized bead surfaces is also provided.

An articulated and animated toy capable of recognizing human users and interacting therewith which includes a computer-based device having stored thereon encoded first human fingerprint data, a fingerprint sensor for acquiring data representative of a second human fingerprint, and software resident within said computer-based device for fingerprint verification, which includes minutiae analysis, neural networks, or another equivalent algorithm for comparing said first human fingerprint data with ...

An improved mounting apparatus for a lateral rotation therapeutic bed is provided that facilitates access to the patient and connection and disconnection of patient care lines to and from a patient on the bed. A therapeutic bed is described comprising a base frame, a patient support platform rotatably mounted on the base frame for rotational movement about a longitudinal rotational axis of the patient support platform, and a drive system for rotating the patient support platform on the base fram...