Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Honeywell International Inc.

Advanced Medical Electronics Corporation

Gary David Havey

Steven Alan Lewis

Gregory John Seifert

Dale F Berndt

Jeffrey Norman Schoess

Ronald A Belt

Paul Lorn Gibson

Scott Kalpin

A sensory substitution device according to an embodiment of the invention includes a thermal imaging array for sensing thermal characteristics of an external scene. The device includes a visual prosthesis adapted to receive input based on the scene sensed by the thermal imaging array and to convey information based on the scene to a user of the sensing device. The visual prosthesis is adapted to simultaneously convey to the user different visual information corresponding to portions of the scene having different thermal characteristics. One type of thermal imaging array includes a microbolometer imaging array, and one type of visual prosthesis includes a retinal implant. According to additional embodiments, an apparatus for obtaining thermal data includes a thermal detector adapted to sense thermal characteristics of an environment using a plurality of pixels. The apparatus also includes a pixel translator, operably coupled with the thermal detector, adapted to translate pixel data of the thermal detector to a lower resolution. The apparatus also includes an interface, operably coupled with the pixel translator, adapted to communicate the thermal characteristics of the environment to a user of the apparatus at a lower resolution than sensed by the thermal detector.

Method and apparatus for sensory substitution, vision prosthesis, or low-vision enhancement utilizing thermal sensing

The present invention is a portable electronic video display. The display is configured to be worn on the arm or wrist of a user, or stored in a pocket or backpack. The display is raised to eye level and the user looks through an eyepiece to view the video display. Control buttons are located on the display for generating point and click type commands. The display is meant to be used remotely from a computer. The computer would be worn or carried by the person or simply be free standing, some distance away. The computer is configured to convert video signal into a serial data stream and then transmit that stream via an RF signal. The display then receives that signal and converts it back into a video signal, displaying it on a miniature electronic video display. That image is then magnified through various optics to present a final image to the user. The point and click commands are separately transmitted back to the computer, where they are received and acted upon.

Wireless electronic display

Endoscope apparatus and methods provide measurements of infrared radiation in the 2 to 14 micrometer wavelength range by mounting an array of infrared radiation detecting elements at the distal end of the endoscope, according to aspects of the invention. Sensor packaging techniques and elemental distributions for the sensor array provide additional advantages.

Infrared endoscope with sensor array at the distal tip

The present invention is a portable electronic video display. The display is configured to be worn on the arm or wrist of a user, or stored in a pocket or backpack. The display is raised to eye level and the user looks through an eyepiece to view the video display. Control buttons are located on the display for generating point and click type commands. The display is meant to be used remotely from a computer. The computer could be worn or carried by the person or simply be free standing, some distance away. The computer is configured to convert video signal into a serial data stream and then transmit that stream via an RF signal. The display then receives that signal and converts it back into a video signal, displaying it on a miniature electronic video display. That image is them magnified through various optics to present a final image to the user. The point and click commands are separately transmitted back to the computer, where they are received and acted upon.

The present invention is a fully functional hand held computer having a see through display. An external viewing arrangement, such as a monocular scope, is used to view the operator's immediate surroundings. Optical images from the scope are superimposed with digital images from a miniature computer display. The resultant image allows the operator to look through the device and view his surrounding while simultaneously viewing and operating the software based applications. The entire device is held like a pair of binoculars and mouse like controls are located adjacent the operator's gripping position.

Hand held computer with see-through display

The present invention is a proximity detector for an electronic device. The proximity detector utilizes two capacitors which share a common electrode. The two capacitors are located on the housing of the electronic device. The capacitors are arranged so that when the electronic device is used in its normal orientation, a portion of the operator's body will occlude one of the capacitors, but not the other. The close proximity of the operator's body will change the electric field surrounding the capacitor. Thus, the capacitance of the occluded capacitor will be different than the unencumbered capacitor. A detection circuit is coupled to the capacitors and to the power supply of the device. The circuit uses very little power, and maintains the electronic device in a standby or powered down mode. Only when the circuit detects a difference in the capacitance generated by the two capacitors, will it allow full power to be delivered to the electronic device.

Micropower capacitance-based proximity sensor

A smart fastener having corrosion detection features. Within the fastener is a corrosion detecting array that receives an electrolyte that corrodes sacrificial materials formed on electrodes of the corrosion detecting array. The materials are the same as those materials which are secured, fastened, or attached by the fastener. There is parallel corrosion of the sacrificial materials and the attached materials since the electrolyte which is channeled via capillary tubes into the corrosion detecting array is the same electrolyte that is in the environment of the fastened materials. Other electrodes sense various properties of the electrolyte. Information sensed by the corrosion sensing electrodes of the array is in the form of very small electrical signals which are amplified and stored in an analog storage memory. A clock and addressing device time stamps and address the signals. An interface circuit enables a user to electronically access corrosion and related signals without removing or in any way dismantling the fastener.

Smart fastener

Pairs of cross coupled transistors are configured as a bistable regenerative circuit. Isolation means, such as diodes or transistors, are provided in the cross coupling paths to ensure that if the logic state of one transistor is temporarily changed by radiation striking the circuit, the logic state of the other transistor it is paired with will not change and the logic state of the unchanged transistor will be utilized to maintain the logic state of the other pair of transistors. CML, DTL and SDFL circuits are disclosed as the preferred embodiments.

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Maple Grove, MN, United States of America

Gary David Havey