An activity monitor is provided that can be cheaper and require lower power than existing activity monitors. A single output channel from a plurality of motion sensors is provided and monitored intermittently.

A system and method facilitating activity (e.g., dithering/half toning and/or noise) detection is provided. The invention includes an activity detection system having a connected component analyzer and an activity detector. The invention provides for the quantity of connected component(s) in and/or intersecting a region surrounding a pixel to be determined. The activity detector provides an activity map output based, at least in part, upon the quantity of connected component(s) in and/or interse...

A sample of material such as blood, urine, spinal fluid, or the like to be tested for the presence of biological activity is placed into a sterile container together with a suitable growth medium which includes a C.sup.14 carbon containing carbon source (such as C.sup.14 substituted glucose) which is fermentable to produce gaseous C.sup.14 O.sub.2. An incubator is provided for exposing the container and its contents to conditions conducive to growth. After a suitable incubation period, a portion...

A system for providing visual observation of changes in muscle tonus and muscle contraction concomitant with self-initiated changes in muscular activity, especially in applications where kinesthetic sensation is deficient. Muscular activity is sensed by compressible means which provides a signal in the form of an air flow of appropriate positive or negative pressure values which, in turn, is converted into an electrical signal which is ultimately transformed into a visually observable meter read...

A device for the observation of the individual, group and intergroup activities of colony forming insects, such as ants, comprised of two or more removable and exchangeable elements for receiving and cultivating the insects or colonies, and an intergroup activity observation chamber. The cultivation elements are provided with elements to permit the introduction, or removal, of insects or other materials, and may be provided with a nesting element. The receiving and cultivating elements are also ...

A device for and method of measuring the hydrogen concentration in liquid sodium. A thin-wall, tubular, annealed nickel probe in contact with liquid sodium is connected to an ion pump and a vacuum gauge. A vacuum is created within the nickel probe by the ion pump, which thereafter is isolated from the remainder of the device. Hydrogen atoms in the liquid sodium diffuse through the wall of the probe and into the interior thereof until an equilibrium between hydrogen atoms within the probe and hyd...

A device for attachment to a vehicle to record the periods of time in which the vehicle is standing, in motion, and/or certain doors thereof are open or closed. The device includes a marking instrument, e.g., a stylus, which is supported by a vibration sensitive arm. The stylus is in constant engagement with a recording disk. A clock rotatably drives the disk at a predetermined rate. Peculiar helix drive structure is included for gradually moving the stylus ever closer to the center of the disk,...

A design activity hobby set of a flower-arranging-type characterized by the provision of a base having a light source therein with stem-receiving apertures in the closed top of the base and translucent rodlike stem tubes for reception in the apertures with at least some of the stem tubes terminating in a petal-receiving end for assembling plural translucent plastic petal components thereon for creating individual simulated flower arrangement designs to be illuminated by the light from the light ...

A motion sensor unit (11) is intended to be carried by a domestic animal. The motion sensor unit (11) operates in parallel to and independently of a conventional transponder unit (1). The motion sensor unit (11) contains a motion detector (14) for measuring the activity of the animal by providing electrical pulses when the animal moves. Each hour is subdivided in a number of intervals in each one of which it is determined if the activity has exceeded a certain threshold. If it is the case, a cou...

An activity toy for a child includes an activity board member having opposite first and second side faces, a pair of keyed mounting shafts which extend outwardly from opposite side edges of the activity board member and a pair of support frame members for supporting the activity board member on a supporting surface. The mounting shafts are alternatively receivable in several different predetermined dispositions on the support frame members for alternatively supporting the activity board member i...