Abstract:
Land based biomass production is constrained by the limited amount of material than can be produced per acre because of nutrient, soil and weather conditions. Aquatic species can be grown at far higher densities per unit area with far more consistency. Most bioreactors have focused on the growth of phototropic species. This invention, which relates to the field of fuel feedstock production, discloses a system designed to reproduce the interdependent consortia found in nature where the majority of the biomass is anaerobic and non-phototropic. Through careful control of nutrient inflow, pH, temperature, product and waste removal, the system can be tuned to sustain an ongoing microorganism "bloom" condition across the full range of resident species. It also allows for the production of directly usable fuel oils and biofilms as well as gas streams that can be converted to commercially useful chemicals using available process technology.
Abstract:
A method for intercepting and yawing an errant sailing vessel is disclosed, wherein the vessel might have been hijacked or malfunctioned and in danger of colliding with an object. The method comprises despatching a pair of watercraft (12, 14) to approach said sailing vessel (10), providing a tow rope (16) to be secured at one end to first watercraft (12) and the other end to second watercraft (14). The tow rope (16) is brought to extend between the first (12) and second (14) watercrafts over the hull of said sailing vessel. The first watercraft (12) is then secured to one side of said sailing vessel's hull, while second watercraft (14) pulls the tow rope away from the direction of sailing on the other side of said vessel's hull. In an alternative embodiment, the tow rope end held by the first watercraft (12) may be secured directly to the vessel's hull, thus freeing the first watercraft to evacuate crew from the vessel to a safer distance.
Abstract:
An intrusion detection system, suitable for railway platforms (10) is disclosed that utilises two or more detectors (14, 16) preferably of different wavelength ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. The detectors may be a laser scanner and a CCTV stereo camera. Signals from the two detectors are processed to avoid false alarms by requiring both detectors to indicate an intrusion. The background profile for an area when empty may be stored and used in conjunction with a one of the detectors to determine presence of, for example, people. The processing may further require both detectors to detect a presence at the same time and at the same location. Each detector may include means for cancelling variations in ambient conditions such as changes in light levels.
Abstract:
A vertical take-off and landing miniature aerial vehicle includes an upper fuselage segment (12) and a lower fuselage segment (14) that extend in opposite directions from a rotor guard assembly (16). A rotor (52) rotates within the rotor guard assembly (16) between the fuselage segments(12, 14). Plural turning vanes (28) extend from the rotor guard assembly (16) beneath the rotor (52). Moreover, plural grid fins (26) extend radially from the lower fuselage segment (14) below the turning vanes (28). The aerial vehicle is capable of taking off and landing vertically. During flight, the aerial vehicle can hover and transition between a horizontal flight mode and a vertical flight mode using the grid fins (26).
Abstract:
An active venting system for venting air from devices covering mouth and nose, said active venting system comprises: a power source; a blower coupled to the power source; and an electronic device or a printed circuit board coupled to the blower, wherein the blower is turned on or off by the electronic device or printed circuit board to vent exhaled or dead air from the respirator body. Also, provided are respiratory devices comprising the active venting system.
Abstract:
A method for intercepting and yawing an errant sailing vessel is disclosed, wherein the vessel might have been hijacked or malfunctioned and in danger of colliding with an object. The method comprises despatching a watercraft (12) to approach the sailing vessel (10) and secures itself to one side of the sailing vessel's hull. Preferably, a second watercraft (14) is secured to the other side of said vessel's hull. At least one of the watercrafts (12, 14) is then operated to direct propulsion thrust to yaw said vessel in a desired direction. Preferably still, the first and second watercrafts are each secured respectively to the right and left sides of the vessel's hull proximate to the stem or bow end. The first (right side) watercraft then operates a fluid propulsion which thrust is directed away from the vessel's right side while the second (left side) watercraft's propulsion is on standby. As a result, the vessel is turn rightward or clockwise. Conversely, the first watercraft may be put on standby while the second watercraft's propulsion is operated such that the thrust is directed away from the vessel's left side, thereby causing the vessel to turn leftward or anti-clockwise.
Abstract:
A device for detecting explosives or bombs in a vehicle comprises movement means (22), an explosive detection sensors suite (24) that includes proximity sensors to assist in the movement of the device and at least one explosive sensor (e.g. air vapour sensor, nuclear quadrupole resonance sensor), a processor (20) for controlling the movement means, a transceiver (25, 26) controlled by the processor to transmit and receive data to and from a remote control station (27), and a power supply (23) to provide power to the device. A method of detecting explosives comprises scanning for explosives at the doors, in the interior and at the rear of a vehicle and alerting a control station (27) if explosives are detected. The invention has application in detecting bomb or an explosive item concealed in a vehicle from a safe distance away and prevents the vehicle from damage while remotely controlled robots scan the vehicle.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for air distributing and containing and the system thereof. The structure of the system comprises a plurality of columns, which are positioned in a desired space. Each column comprises at least one outlet for projecting the conditioned air to at least one direction. By projecting the conditioned air from the outlet of each column to the direction, a macro airflow or/and at least one air wall can be formed by the conditioned air. The directed conditioned air can be boundary barriers to contain the conditioned air within the desired space, and thus minimizing the losses of the conditioned air and providing maximum cooling effectiveness.
Abstract:
A method for transmitting data between first and second nodes in a network comprises (a) the first node sending a start packet to the second node, (b) the first node starting a first counter concurrently with sending the start packet, wherein the first counter starts counting, (c) the second node starting a timer in response to the start packet, (d) the second node starting a second counter in response to the timer running for a predetermined delay time, wherein the second counter starts counting, (e) the first node stopping the first counter and sending a stop packet in response to th first node determining that the number of accumulated first counts corresponds to the data (thereby transmitting the data solely as a time interval between the start and stop packets), the second node stopping the second counter in response to the stop packet (and receiving the transmitted data).
Abstract:
A method for diverting a sailing vessel is disclosed. A watercraft (10) equipped with a harpoon (12) having a hull-piercing head and a tail attached to a cable may swiftly approach the vessel in the aft position. Upon piercing the hull an extraction-preventing means, such as spokes unfolded from the head, latching it in the hull and preventing the harpoon's withdrawal. Via a cable attached to the tail of the harpoon (12) the watercraft (10) may use low-speed high- traction propulsion means such as Voith-Schneider Propulsion (VSP) (16) to pull an divert the vessel at the stern to a desired course. The watercraft (10) may preferably have a combination of lifting hydrofoils (18a, 18b) with propellers (20), and VSP propellers (16) to provide the respective low-traction high-speed and high-traction low-speed modes of o eration.