A gas powered heater (1) for use in a chafing trolley comprises a support element (10) defining a hollow interior region (12) for a disposable fuel gas canister (3), which is coupled to the support element (10) by a coupling element (15). Fuel gas from the fuel gas canister (3) is delivered through a pipe (42) to a fuel gas controller (17) and in turn to a fuel gas burner element (18). A lever (36) operates a control valve (45) in the fuel gas controller (17) for controlling the supply of fuel gas to the burner (18). The fuel gas controller is mounted on a mounting platform (28) and extends downwardly into the hollow interior region (12) of the support element (10) and is located offset to one side and spaced apart from the fuel gas canister (3). The location of the fuel gas controller (17) and in turn the fuel gas burner element (18) to one side of the fuel gas canister (3) permits the overall headroom required by the gas powered heater (1) to be minimised, so that the gas powered heater (1) is suitable for use in a chafing trolley.

A method for reversible capture and release of carbon dioxide comprises the steps of providing a solution of a defined tetranuclear complex or mixture thereof, in which absorption sites are provided by coordinated solvent molecules such as water molecules. The solution is exposed to the atmosphere or to a gas stream containing carbon dioxide to sequester carbon dioxide, and the pH of the resultant reaction mixture is adjusted to facilitate the release of carbon dioxide. The solution which is used to sequester carbon dioxide is a solution of a polynuclear transition metal compound having the formula: (I) and the tetranuclear transition metal compound that has sequestered carbon dioxide is of the formula: (II)

A surface NMES stimulation device (1) the device has a control processor (2), a voltage regulator (3) connected to a high voltage supply (102), a bridge (20) of control switches (21 -24), and electrodes (110) or electrode terminals connected in the bridge to receive drive signals via the control switches. The processor (2) directs a drive scheme for the bridge control switches (21 -24) in which charge build-up on a user's skin is allowed to dissipate to ground in an inter-pulse interval. An isolation capacitor (103) isolates the high voltage supply (102) from the electrodes (110), and charging of the capacitor only occurs if a switch ( 104) allows it. Sensors (R1, R2, 30, 107, 106) senses supply voltage and bridge current and the processor (2) monitors there to determine further stimulation and faults.

A monitoring system (1) comprises sensors (102) adapted to be worn by a user, and, a processor (101, 302) linked with the sensor. The processor receives sensor data and processes this data to determine user posture data including data indicative of vertical distance between level of the user's heart and ankle (Δh, Vd 1, Vd2, Vd3). Based on the posture data together with a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency and/or blood density, generate an estimate of user static venous pressure while the user is static, without calf muscle pump activity. The processor (101, 302) also processes the sensor data to determine if there is calf muscle pump activity, and generates an estimate of user active venous pressure according to the static venous pressure estimate, rate of calf muscle activity, and a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency. The processor (101, 302) may generate the venous pressure estimate in real time, and may control an NMES device accordingly.

A monitoring system has biomechanical sensors (206), physiological sensors (205) and a controller (102, 204) which receive sensory inputs from the sensors (101 ) to provide output signals for the output device, and it detects from the sensory inputs risk of a syncopal event The bio-mechanical sensors include sensors (206, 207) arranged to allow the processor to detect a user postures and posture transitions. The processor operates a finite state machine, in which there is a state corresponding to each of a plurality of user physical postures and to each of a plurality of transitions between said postures, and the processor determines a relevant state depending on the sensory inputs. A device output may be muscle stimulation to prevent syncope, and there are stimulation permissions associated with the finite state machine states.

An instrument access device (1) comprises a wound protector and retractor (2), a proximal assembly (3) coupled to the wound protector and retractor (2), and an instrument receiver (5) which can be releasably coupled to the proximal assembly (3). The instrument receiver (5) has a valve assembly (6) through which an instrument (7) is passed and a cannula portion (8) which extends in use through an incision which has been retracted and protected by the retractor (2). The instrument receiver (5) has an insufflation/desufflation port (9). The proximal assembly (3) comprises an inner proximal ring member (40) and an outer proximal ring member (41). The proximal end of the retractor sleeve (25) is located between the proximal ring members (40, 41). The inner proximal ring member (40) has a slot (43) for receiving and releasably engaging with an insufflation port section (45) of the instrument receiver (5). Because the cannula portion (8) extends through the retracted and protected incision there is minimal frictional resistance to the insertion of an instrument through the retracted incision. The distal end of the cannula portion 8 may be located close to the inner surface of the abdominal tissue which minimises restriction on movement of an instrument within the abdomen - the cannula provides minimal obstruction to this internal movement. Curved instruments may be readily inserted.

The invention provides a radio location system consisting of a master transceiver unit worn or attached to an object. A remote transceiver is used to locate the master transceiver unit. The master transceiver unit can be programmed to generate a unique signal, to prevent its output from being received by another transceiver, and therefore communicates to the exclusion of all other transceivers that are operational within the vicinity of the master transceiver unit, the same applies to software. The signal from the master transceiver unit is received by the remote transceiver, thereby indicating height, direction and positioning from which the radio signals emanate. When the remote transceiver is within a predetermined distance of the master transceiver unit, the master transceiver unit alerts the remote transceiver that the object is very close.

A composite insulating panel comprises an external sheet (2), an internal sheet (4), and an insulating body between the external sheet and the internal sheet. There is a photovoltaic solar collector module (10) on the external surface of the external sheet (2) and a connector (80) for interconnecting between the photovoltaic solar collector module (10) and another photovoltaic solar collector module. The panel has a through hole (80) for receiving a housing (81, 82) of the connector.

An electrical isolation apparatus (1) comprises a main housing (5) within which first and second circuit breakers (18,19) are located. First and second operating elements (23,24) are provided for operating the first and second circuit breakers (18,19) between open circuit and closed circuit states. The first operating element (23) comprises a circular first disc element (33) having a recess (36) formed in an outer circumferential periphery (35) thereof. The second operating element (24) comprises a circular second disc element (38) having a projecting lug (40) extending therefrom engageable with the recess (36) in the first disc element (33) when the first and second circuit breakers (18,19) are in the closed circuit state, so that the second circuit breaker (19) must be operated from the closed circuit state to the open circuit state before the first circuit breaker (18) can be operated from the closed circuit state to the open circuit state.

A coupling assembly (1) for coupling a vortex valve (3) to an outlet port (7) from a chamber (5) of a manhole (6) comprises a housing (10) and a carrier element (25) which carries the vortex valve (3). The carrier element (25) is slideable in the main housing (10) along a substantially vertical plane (36) of movement between a first state with first and second inclined abutment surfaces (12,48) of the main housing (10) and the carrier element (25), respectively abutting each other with the vortex valve (3) communicating with the outlet port through a communicating duct (45) in the carrier element (25) and an outlet duct (11) in the main housing (10) and a second state with the first and second abutment surfaces (12,48) spaced apart from each other and with the vortex valve (3) and the carrier element (25) clear of the outlet duct (11) through the main housing (10).