Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics

A computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a computing device with a touch screen display comprises: detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display, applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device, and processing the command. The one or more heuristics comprise: a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a one-dimensional vertical screen scrolling command, a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a two-dimensional screen translation command, and a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a command to transition from displaying a respective item in a set of items to displaying a next item in the set of items.

Robotically controlled medical instrument

A medical instrument assembly comprises a shaft, a tool carried by the distal end of the shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient, an end effector, a threaded housing in which the threaded distal shaft end is configured for being screwed, and a first threaded piece disposed in the threaded housing and configured for being moved to actuate the end effector. The assembly further comprises an actuation element extending within the shaft. The actuation element includes a second threaded piece that distally extends from the threaded distal shaft end. The second threaded piece is configured for being screwed to the first threaded piece. A robotic system comprises the assembly, a user interface configured for generating command(s), a drive unit coupled to the actuating element, and an electric controller configured, in response to the command(s), for directing the drive unit to move the actuating element to actuate the tool.

System and method for improving the efficiency, comfort, and/or reliability in Operating Systems, such as for example Windows

Although MS Windows (in its various versions) is at present the most popular OS (Operating System) in personal computers, after years of consecutive improvements there are still various issues which need to be improved, which include for example issues of efficiency, comfort, and/or reliability. The present invention tries to solve the above problems in new ways that include considerable improvements over the prior art. Preferably the system allows for example a “Reset” function, which means that preferably an Image of the state of the OS (including all loaded software) is saved immediately after a successful boot on the disk or other non-volatile memory and is preferably automatically updated when new drivers and/or software that change the state after a boot are added, so that if the system gets stuck it can be instantly restarted as if it has been rebooted. Other features include for example solving the problem that the focus can be grabbed while the user is typing something, allowing the user to easily define or increase or decrease the priority of various processes or open windows, a powerful undo feature that can include preferably even any changes to the hard disk, improved undo features in word processing, improved file comparison features, being able for example to track changes retroactively, improved backup features, and many additional improvements. The application covers also improvements that are related for example to Word processing (since for example in Microsoft Windows, Word behaves like an integral part of the system) and things that are related to the user's Internet surfing experience, including for example improved search experience (This is important since for example in Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer is practically an integral part of the OS). The invention deals also with some preferable improvements in the performance of the hard disk and also with some other smart computerized devices.

Closed system artificial intervertebral disc

An artificial intervertebral disc and disc nucleus are described herein having chambers and dampening members. The dampening members may be within or outside of the main body of the device. The chambers may be filled with a suitable liquid, gas, or both, and separated by valves to regulate flow of fluid between chambers, within a dampening member, between the main body and dampening member, or all of the above. Chambers may be filled with responsive hydrogels, EPAM, or other suitable materials, and the device may have activation plates or members, a strain gauge, a pressure sensor, or other means for detecting changes in the materials and/or triggering desired changes in the materials in order to mimic the behavior of a healthy native disc or disc nucleus. A control system may be in communication with the device for receiving feedback and delivering stimuli to initiate desired changes in the fluids or other materials. Membranes may be of variable permeability and may be metallized to ensure as low permeability as possible. Dampening members may be filled during manufacture with carbon dioxide or other suitable gas which may be in a supercritical state and allowed to return to ambient temperature and gaseous state or by other means. Methods of manufacture, delivery of the artificial disc and related structures, and methods of treatment are also described.

Surgical treatment instrument

A surgical treatment instrument according to the invention includes an insertion portion, an operation portion provided on one end of the insertion portion, a treatment portion provided so as to extend from the other end of the insertion portion, two gripping members provided on the treatment portion, each having a gripping face, an open/close operating member provided on the operation portion to perform opening/closing by at least one of the two griping members being moved, variable angle operating members respectively provided on the operation portion to change the treatment portion to a predetermined angle, a braked member provided within the operation portion and operating in conjunction with the operation of the variable angle operation portion, and a braking member provided within the operation portion to brake the braked member by operating in conjunction with the operation of the open/close operation member, wherein the treatment portion maintains a predetermined angle by the braked member being braked by the braking member.

System and method for altering a display mode

A sensor, such as, for example, a gravity-responsive sensor, provides an output used to select an orientation of a display of a display device. For example, the output may indicate that the orientation of the display should comprise a portrait or landscape orientation, an orientation rotated, such as, for example, ninety degrees (90°), one hundred and eighty degrees (180°), two hundred and seventy degrees (270°), or the like. In addition, one or more manual switches, buttons, or display icons may be actuated or otherwise selected to manually set the orientation of the display.

METHOD OF COMMUNICATING BETWEEN A UTILITY AND ITS CUSTOMER LOCATIONS

A method for communicating between a utility and individual customer locations includes the step of communicating between the utility and customers and between the utility and customer equipment located at each individual customer location via the Internet or via an advanced utility meter. The method of communicating typically includes the additional steps of providing each individual customer location with an advanced utility meter and using each individual utility meter to communicate between the utility and the advanced utility meter, to communicate between the advanced utility meter and the individual customers and to communicate between the advanced utility meter and equipment locator and each individual customer location.

Liquid material vaporization apparatus for semiconductor processing apparatus

A liquid material vaporization apparatus for a semiconductor processing apparatus includes: a vaporization tank; an inner partition wall disposed in the tank for dividing the interior of the tank into a charging compartment and a vaporization compartment which are liquid-communicatable with each other over an upper edge of the inner partition wall. A liquid material charged in the charging compartment overflows over the upper edge of the inner partition wall toward the vaporization compartment to store and vaporize the liquid material in the vaporization compartment.

METHOD FOR FORMING A DIELECTRIC LAYER

The present invention relates to a deposition of a dielectric layer. On a substrate having a structured area a crystallization seed layer for a dielectric layer is deposited via an atomic layer deposition technique employing a first and a second precursor on the structured area of the substrate. The first pre-cursor is a compound having the constitutional formula M1(R1Cp)x(R2)4-x, wherein M1 is one of hafnium and zirconium, Cp is cyclopentadienyl, R1 is independently selected of methyl, ethyl and alkyl, R2 is independently selected of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, alkyl and alkoxyl, and x is one or two. The dielectric layer is deposited on the crystallization seed layer via an atomic layer deposition technique employing a third and a forth precursor wherein the third pre-cursor being a compound having the constitutional formula M2 R3 R4 R5 R6, wherein M2 is one of hafnium or zirconium and R3, R4, R5, and R6 are independently selected of alkyl amines.

Atomic layer deposition system including a plurality of exhaust tubes

An atomic layer deposition system includes a reaction chamber, a plurality of exhaust tubes communicated to the reaction chamber, a plurality of first vacuum gauges for monitoring the degree of vacuum of the respective exhaust tubes, a second vacuum gauge for monitoring the degree of vacuum of the reaction chamber, and control valves for adjusting the exhaust volume of the exhaust tubes independently of one another. The control valves are controlled based on the pressures measured by the first and second control valves for achieving a uniform flow of the vapor phase reactant.