Abstract:
One or more items of apparel have a plurality of sensors (10, 11, and 12) disposed therein (either permanently or temporarily). These sensors sense physical states of the individual wearing the items of apparel and/or of the local environment. In one embodiment, multiple sensors sense, in alternative ways, a parameter that corresponds to a physical state of interest. Information from these alternative sensing approaches is co-processed to yield a resultant parameter value that can be used in various ways. In one embodiment, the parameter value is locally or remotely displayed. In one embodiment, the parameter value is used in comparison against risk thresholds to ascertain a degree of risk to the individual.
Abstract:
A self-healing polymer composition 10 containing a polymer media 12 and a plurality of microcapsules of flowable polymerizable material 16 dispersed in the polymer media 12, where the microcapsules of flowable polymerizable material 16 contain a flowable polymerizable material 15 and have an outer surface 142 upon which at least one polymerization agent 13 is attached. The microcapsules 16 are effective for rupturing with a failure of the polymeric media 12, and the flowable polymerizable material 15 reacts with the polymerization agent 13 when the polymerizable material 15 makes contact with the polymerization agent 13 upon rupture of the microcapsules 14. There is also provided a method of using the self-healing polymeric composition 10 to repair fractures in polymers, as well as articles of manufacture including the self-healing system, and the microencapsulated polymerizable particles 16 themselves.
Abstract:
A semiconductor device comprising organic semiconductor material (14) has one or more barrier layers (16) disposed at least partially thereabout to protect the organic semiconductor material (14) from environment-driven changes that typically lead to inoperability of a corresponding device. If desired, the barrier layer can be comprised of partially permeable material that allows some substances therethrough to thereby effect disabling of the encapsulated organic semiconductor device after a substantially predetermined period of time. Getterers (141) may also be used to protect, at least for a period of time, such organic semiconductor material.