Abstract:
New nanotechnology and other small-scale devices for performing intravenous medical procedures are provided. In some aspect of the invention, a group of encapsulated injectable machines is delivered intravenously into a bloodstream via a syringe. A treatment area within a patient&#39;s body is specified and targeted for action by an external control system, which also monitors blood flow and other environmental. Externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction devices controlled by the control system then trigger the release of encapsulation layers surrounding the injectable machines upon reaching the treatment area. The externally applied magnetic signaling and direction devices then drive the machines into treatment targets within the treatment area, exploiting an overall charge and polarity of the machines distinct from their condition during encapsulation. Pulsed magnetic fields then cause polarized moving parts within the machines to move counter to one another, with opposing angled edges breaking up the treatment target. In some embodiments, the machines may also or alternatively deliver a magnetically- or electrostatically-released medication or device to the treatment target. In still other embodiments, a local control unit within the devices may direct additional, more sophisticated actions, which actions may be directed or triggered by external signaling from the externally-applied magnetic signaling and direction devices, or other aspects of the external control system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/852,122, filed Mar. 15, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. 
     
    
       [0002]    Copyright and Trademark Notice: © Copyright 2013-2014 Christopher V. Beckman. A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Unless otherwise stated, all trademarks disclosed in this patent document and other distinctive names, emblems, and designs associated with product or service descriptions, are subject to trademark rights. Specific notices also accompany the drawings incorporated in this application; the material subject to this notice, however, is not limited to those drawings. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to the medical arts and nanotechnology. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Medical devices for intravenous treatment have been in use or development for several decades, including angioplasty to treat atherosclerosis. In angioplasty, a balloon catheter is guided to a narrowed section of arteries and then expanded to widen the lumen. 
         [0005]    Nanorobotics and other nanotechnologies have also been under development for many years, including machines that are constructed with components on a scale at or near a nanometer scale (10 −9  meters). Somewhat larger-scale machines, including nanorobots of about 10 micrometers in length, height or depth, are often defined as nanotechnology as well. 
         [0006]    It should be understood that the disclosures in this application related to the background of the invention in, but not limited to, this section titled “Background,” are to aid readers in comprehending the invention, and do not set forth prior art or other publicly known aspects affecting the application; instead the disclosures in this application related to the background of the invention comprise details of the inventor&#39;s own discoveries, work and work results, including aspects of the present invention. Nothing in the disclosures related to the background of the invention is or should be construed as an admission related to prior art or the work of others prior to the conception or reduction to practice of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    New nanotechnology and other small-scale devices for performing intravenous medical procedures are provided. In some aspect of the invention, a group of encapsulated injectable machines is delivered intravenously into a bloodstream via a syringe. A treatment area within a patient&#39;s body is specified and targeted for action by an external control system, which also monitors blood flow and other environmental. Externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction devices controlled by the control system then trigger the release of encapsulation layers surrounding the injectable machines upon reaching the treatment area. The externally applied magnetic signaling and direction devices then drive the machines into treatment targets within the treatment area, exploiting an overall charge and polarity of the machines distinct from their condition during encapsulation. Pulsed magnetic fields then cause polarized moving parts within the machines to move counter to one another, with opposing angled edges breaking up the treatment target. In some embodiments, the machines may also or alternatively deliver a magnetically- or electrostatically-released medication or device to the treatment target. In still other embodiments, a local control unit within the devices may direct additional, more sophisticated actions, which actions may be directed or triggered by external signaling from the externally-applied magnetic signaling and direction devices, or other aspects of the external control system. 
         [0008]    Canons of Construction 
         [0009]    Where any term is set forth in a sentence, clause or statement (“statement”), each possible meaning, significance and/or sense of any term used in this application should be read as if separately, conjunctively and/or alternatively set forth in additional statements, as necessary to exhaust the possible meanings of each such term and each such statement. 
         [0010]    It should also be understood that, for convenience and readability, this application may set forth particular pronouns and other linguistic qualifiers of various specific gender and number, but, where this occurs, all other logically possible gender and number alternatives should also be read in as both conjunctive and alternative statements, as if equally, separately set forth therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view depicting an exemplary injectable machine and an external magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device controlling activity of the injected machine, in accordance with aspects of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view depicting aspects of the same exemplary injectable machine and external device depicted in  FIG. 1 , above, but in which the injectable machine has been stripped of a protective capsule for deployment in a treatment area. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of a treatment area, specifically a branched blood vessel with a atherosclerotic plaques, including a group of injected machines, such as the injectable machines set forth in reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , above, and an externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device controlling activity of the injected machines. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another exemplary injectable machine, comprising a new form of contact-driven medicine deployment mechanism. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of aspects of a new form of low-profile injection-opening medical needle, in accordance with aspects of the present invention, shown in a closed (unpressurized) state. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a side view of aspects of the same form of low-profile injection-opening medical needle, in accordance with aspects of the present invention, shown in an open (pressurized) state. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another form of contact-driven medicine deployment mechanism, in accordance with aspects of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a schematic block diagram of some elements of an exemplary control system that may be used in accordance with aspects of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view depicting an exemplary injectable machine  101  and an externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device  102  controlling activity of injectable machine  101 , in accordance with aspects of the present invention. Injectable machine  101  comprises an outer protective capsule  103 , which may be actuated by the application of a magnetic and/or electrostatic field. Specifically, by applying a positive electrostatic charge, or the positive pole of a magnetic dipole, proximate to a negatively charged locus  105  of machine  101 , a slidable cylinder  107  is pulled outward against a negative locus  109  of capsule  103 , as demonstrated by motion arrow  108 . Locking tabs  111  on the inner surface of cylinder-holding shaft  113  (in which cylinder  107  traveled in reaction to the positive field created by external device  102 ) then hold cylinder  107  in a position against locus  109 . Because both locus  109  and  105  are negatively charged, a repulsive force is generated between them. The amount of this force is sufficient to overcome the forces of friction, attractive forces, structural connections, hydrogen bonding, or other forces holding capsule  103  together and, as a result, capsule halves  115  and  117  separate along a joint  118 , and release the remainder of machine  101 , as shown by capsule separation motion arrows  119  and  121 . In some embodiments, an additional, opposing external device applies a similar external electrostatic or magnetic force (but, in some embodiments, with reversed charge or polarity, addressing reversed charges in corresponding loci of the opposing side of machine  101 ). As will be shown in greater detail below, external device  102  preferably is present on the outside of a treatment area, but creates electrostatic or magnetic fields, and field pulses, of sufficient strength to cause the separation, and other machine actuation discussed in this application, for example, in the following figures. In some aspects of the present invention, fixed magnetic and electrostatic dipoles and charges are present in machines such as  101 , and differential charges and dipoles may be present in and between subfeatures, which then may be externally actuable, for example, by an externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device such as  102 . In other embodiments, such charges and dipoles may be influenced by and altered by, or moved by, such external magnetic or electrostatic field-generating devices, and then further controlled by subsequently-generated magnetic or electrostatic fields. In this way, and in other ways discussed in greater detail below, actuation of particular sub-mechanisms of a machine, such as  101 , may be turned on or turned off. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view depicting aspects of the same exemplary injectable machine, now  201 , and external device, now  202 , depicted in  FIG. 1 , above, but in which the injectable machine has been stripped of a protective capsule for deployment in a treatment area. Machine  201  has an overall positive electrostatic charge, or outer positive pole, and, as a result, externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device  202  is able to move machine  201  to desired regions of space within a sufficient proximity to both machine  201  and device  202 . Device  202  does so by creating electrostatic and magnetic fields via separately chargeable regions,  223 . For example, by creating a negative electrostatic or magnetic charge in leftward regions, but a positive charge in rightward regions  223  of device  202 , device  202  may drive the positively-charged arms  225  of machine  201  to the left and turn machine  201  counterclockwise (in the perspective of the figure). To further aid in controlling the location of machine  201 , and driving it into a desired region, a second externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device  204  may also be used. Device  204  may be larger, and able to create greater pulling or pushing force with respect to charged arms  225 , while device  202  is used predominantly for steering machine  201  (or another or a group of other, similar charged machines). The two devices  202  and  204  may also be used to reinforce a magnetic or electrostatic field, or fields, for example, by exerting opposing magnetic or electrostatic dipoles or charges from opposing points surrounding a treatment area. But, in some embodiments, a single such arm is used. 
         [0021]    Devices  202  and  204  may be pulsed or otherwise create waves and other patterns of changing magnetic and/or electrostatic fields to create and power rotary and other actions of tools and toolsets within device  201 . In more detail, two spinning saw disks,  227  and  229  are a able to independently, and opposingly, rotate about an axel  231 , as shown by opposing rotary motion arrows  233  and  235 . For example, each disk  227  and  229  may comprise a drivable dipole  237  that may vary at different areas of each disk. To drive each disk in opposite directions, a wave or other pattern in magnetic fields generated by either or both of devices  202  and  204  (for example, by pulsed magnetic regions  223 ) may vary in opposing directions by distances below the sizes of disks  227  and  229 , or charged features within them. In this way, the waves or other patterns, if strong enough, can override any tendency of the dipoles of disks  227  and  229  to lock with one another. Other local charges or dipoles, for example, dipole  237 , may also oppose the dipoles of one or both disks  227  and  229 , and drive them countering the tendency to lock. In some embodiments, axel  231 , or a surrounding bushing, may be fixed in rotation with one, but not both, of disks  227  or  229 , and may have a dipole opposing the dipole of the disk with which it is fixed, but which dipole is also located closer to the other disk. In this way, a wavefront or other magnetic or electrostatic field feature that reaches the other disk and axel dipole (but not yet the disk fixed to the axel) will drive them to rotate in opposing directions. To drive counter-rotation in a particular direction—for example to push chipping teeth  239  toward a target, as shown by motion arrows  233  and  235 , a magnetic field may generally force machine  201  into a locked position, but strong, temporary waves or sub-currents may still be used to differentially drive the rotation of disks  227  and  229 . In some embodiments, gripping features such as claws  241  may allow machine  201  to first be driven into a target, for example, with a strong negative charge or pole facing arms  225 , and, once fixed in place, a second phase of magnetic waves may drive the counter-rotation of disks  227  and  229 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of a treatment area  350 , specifically a branched blood vessel  351  with a atherosclerotic plaques  353  and  355 , including a group of injected machines  301 , which may be similar in nature to the injectable machines set forth in reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , above.  FIG. 3  also depicts and an externally applied magnetic and/or electrostatic signaling and direction device  302  controlling activity of the injected machines  301 . Vessel  351  contains a stream of blood pulsed in a direction generally depicted by blood flow arrow  357 . Machines  301  have been injected into the lumen of vessel  351  at a position upstream (not pictured) from plaques  353  and  355 . As such, blood flow has brought machines  301  generally into the treatment area. As they are brought into the treatment area by the blood flow, device  302  begins to direct them further, and at a vector that, combined with the force of the blood flow, causes them to arrive by a net vector at a location (and, preferably, at distributed or purposeful cutting locations) of one of plaques  353  or  355 . In the example provided, machines  301  are shown being forced by electrostatic fields created by device  302  into distributed locations about plaque  353 . Device  302  is shown at an external location, nearby the treatment area. In some embodiments, chargeable, directable arms, streamlined for insertion, may also be injected into a patient&#39;s body, to aid in directing machines  301 , but, preferably, device  302  is present entirely outside of the patient&#39;s body in which the treatment area is found, for minimal invasion. To aid in controlling the magnetic and electrostatic machine-directing and actuating fields, a control unit  359  may be connected with, power and control device  302 . In some embodiments, the locations, or concentrations of machines  301  may be detected by the control system, and altered in real time to obtain destinations, and actuation in a more precise location desired. A wide variety of real-time scanning and location hardware both in control unit  359  and within machines  301  (for example, identifiable reflecting beacons within machines  301  transponding with electromagnetic signals from an antenna within control unit  301 ) in conjunction with medical imaging devices, may be used for this tracking purpose. Such imaging devices may also be able to track the progress of effects, such as plaque breakdown, of the use of machines  301 , and arrest their action at a desired time of successful procedure completion. 
         [0023]    Machines  301  may be equipped with a wide variety of tools, in addition to or rather than, capsule  115 / 117 , and rotary chopping disks such as  227  and  229 . For example, in some embodiments, machines  301  may comprise a vector for implantation or injection at a desired site—such as a die, radiotherapy pellets, or other medicines. 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, injectable machines  301  may also comprise a control unit, for example, controlling actuators, tools and communications hardware present within machines  301 . In such embodiments, control unit  359  may issue and receive commands and other communications from and to machines  301 . However, at present, due to the size constraints of control units comprising processors and other computer hardware within injectable machines, the remote signal-induced actuation, powering and control of actuators, as set forth in greater detail in this application, are presently preferred. However, it should be understood that any of the actuation, monitoring and other actions of the present invention may also, alternatively, take place with the assistance of on-board control and communications hardware, sensors and actuators, of the nature found in larger-scale robotics. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another exemplary injectable machine  401 , comprising a new form of contact-driven medicine deployment mechanism  463 . Specifically, medicine deployment mechanism  463  comprises a contact-opening needle  465  and a pressurized fluid container  467 . Initially, and prior to full deployment, machine  401  may be encapsulated by capsule halves  469 . However, when deployed, differential charged regions or dipoles within capsule halves  469  may cause them to open in reaction to an exerted magnetic or electrostatic field, in a manner similar to that discussed with reference to  FIG. 1  and capsule halves  115  and  117 . However, the separation of capsule halves  469  may be temporary, and reversed by, for example, a spring or other force bias tending to close halves  469  when not under the influence of such a magnetic field. 
         [0026]    When closed, halves  469  create a capsule enclosing and protecting needle  465 . When opened, as pictured, needle  465  does not immediately dispense the contents of fluid container  467 . Instead, an elastomeric material  470  comprised in needle  465  causes needle  465  to maintain a seal closing needle hole  471 , and sealing in the contents of fluid container  467 . Needle  465  is especially sharp in this closed condition, however, and comprises at least one thin, stiff structural member  473 , preferable with a sharp point  474 . Thus, with capsule halves  469  spread open (as pictured) and needle  465  exposed, if machine  401  collides with a tissue or other material, such as may be present in the tissue area shown as  475 , needle  465  may pierce tissue in area  475 . As this occurs, the outer surface  476  of the tissue will press against a wide opening lever pad  477 , causing it and a lever  478  within needle  465  to pivot, as shown by pivoting motion arrows  479  and  480 , pulling open elastomeric material  470  and needle hole  471 . At that point, pressurized fluid within container  467  is expelled into the lower pressure of the tissue in area  475 , treating it with that fluid. The fluid present in container  467  may be any of a wide variety of possible medical deliverables, such as, but in no way limited to, small molecule medicines, biologics and tags. 
         [0027]    A wide variety of self-deploying, or contact-deploying mechanisms, in addition to or other than the mechanism set forth with reference to  FIG. 4  may also be used. For example, another such form of contact-deploying medicinal machines is provided below, with reference to  FIG. 7 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a side view of aspects of a new form of low-profile injection-opening hollow medical needle  565 , in accordance with aspects of the present invention, shown in a closed (unpressurized) state. Once again, as discussed in with needle  465  of  FIG. 4 , an elastomeric material  570  is shown in the figure, which tends to hold needle  565  in a closed position (not allowing the release of a pressurized fluid. In the instance of needle  565 , however, bands of elastomeric material, such as the examples shown as  573 , are shown, which close off an inner lumen  575  of needle  565 . Needle  565  may be opened by a wide variety of mechanisms but, preferably, an increase in pressure overcomes the elastomeric inward force of material  570  and bands  573 , causing the expansion of lumen  575 / 675 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , below. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a side view of aspects of the same form of low-profile injection-opening hollow medical needle, now  665 , in accordance with aspects of the present invention, shown in an open (pressurized) state. As mentioned above, if a fluid of sufficient pressure is pushed into the lumen (now  675 ) of needle  665 , the elastomeric material, now  670 , will yield to that pressure and permit the expulsion of the fluid from needle  665 , through an expanded, now higher profile loop  672 , composed of elastomeric material  670 . Thus, showing that expansion and fluid pressure, the present figure depicts fluid flow according to a fluid flow direction arrow  680 , as well as the widened elastomeric material  670 . The great pressure of the fluid being expelled causes a maximum lumen size to be obtained but, preferably, no further due to the stretching limit of material  670  and the elastomeric bands  573  (which virtually disappear from view when material  670  is stretched to its maximum. 
         [0030]    A sharp, rigid inner needle support member  681 , with a sharp tip  682 , allows needle  665  to operate by piercing tissue regardless of whether elastomeric material  570 / 670  is expanded by expelling fluid. In fact, the lower overall size and profile of needle  665  may make its use during piercing less painful by interfering with fewer nerves. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another form of contact-driven medicine deployment mechanism  701 , in accordance with aspects of the present invention. Again a hollow needle  765  is shown, along with a pressurized fluid container  767 . A pressable ring  768  is also present, and, when needle  765  is sufficiently pressed into tissue, is pushed in the direction shown by motion arrow  766 . An attached tab  769  within a sealed slot  770  then also travels downward and, because another end of tab  769  is attached to a stopper  771 , stopper  771  also descends and releases the pressurized fluid from container  767 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a schematic block diagram of some elements of an exemplary control system  800  that may be used in accordance with aspects of the present invention, such as, but not limited to implementing data storage and supplementation. The generic and other components and aspects described herein are not exhaustive of the many different systems and variations, including a number of possible hardware aspects and machine-readable media that might be used, in accordance with the present invention. Rather, the system  800  is described to make clear how aspects may be implemented. Among other components, the system  800  includes an input/output device  801 , a memory device  803 , storage media and/or hard disk recorder and/or cloud storage port or connection device  805 , and a processor or processors  807 . The processor(s)  807  is (are) capable of receiving, interpreting, processing and manipulating signals and executing instructions for further processing and for output, pre-output or storage in and outside of the system. The processor(s)  807  may be general or multipurpose, single- or multi-threaded, and may have a single core or several processor cores, including, but not limited to, microprocessors. Among other things, the processor(s)  807  is/are capable of processing signals and instructions for the input/output device  801 , analog receiver/storage/converter device  819 , analog in/out device  821 , and/or analog/digital or other combination apparatus  823  to cause a display, light-affecting apparatus and/or other user interface with active physical controls, such as indicator buttons and displays, and control actuation monitoring hardware, any of which may be comprised or partially comprised in a GUI, to be provided for use by a user on hardware, such as a specialized personal computer, media console, monitor or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or control unit screen (including, but not limited to, monitors or touch- and gesture-actuable displays) or a terminal monitor with a mouse and keyboard or other input hardware and presentation and input software (as in a software application GUI), and/or other physical controls, such as a button, knob or LEDs for determining appliance conditions or statuses or related circuit or other characteristics. Alternatively, or in addition, the system, using processors  807  and input/output devices  819 ,  821  and/or  823 , may accept and exert passive and other physical (e.g., tactile) user, power supply, appliance operation, user activity, circuit and environmental input (e.g., from sensors) and output. 
         [0033]    For example, and in connection with aspects of the invention discussed in reference to the remaining figures, the system may carry out any aspects of the present invention as necessary with associated hardware and/or using specialized software, including, but not limited to, controlling electric or magnetic fields to direct and actuate nanomachines and other small, injectable machines. The system may also, among many other things described for control systems in this application, respond to user, sensor and other input (for example, by a user-actuated GUI controlled by computer hardware and software or by another physical control) to issue alerts, alter settings, control data storage, correction, augmentation and supplementation, or perform any other aspect of the invention requiring or benefiting from use of a control system. The system  801  may communicate with another control system, similar in nature to system  801 , and control and be controlled by such a control system, and may permit the user and/or system-variation of settings, including but not limited to the affects of user activity and usage history on modes of operation of the system, and send external alerts and other communications (for example, to users or other administrators) via external communication devices, for any control system and control unit aspect that may require or benefit from such external or system-extending communications. 
         [0034]    The processor(s)  807  is/are capable of processing instructions stored in memory devices  803  and/or  805  (and/or ROM or RAM), and may communicate with any of these, and/or any other connected component, via system buses  875 . Input/output device  801  is capable of input/output operations for the system, and may include/communicate with any number of input and/or output hardware, such as a computer mouse, keyboard, entry pad, actuable display, networked or connected second computer or processing device, control unit, other GUI aspects, camera(s) or scanner(s), sensor(s), sensor/motor(s), actuable electronic components (with actuation instruction receiving and following hardware), RF antennas, other radiation or electrical characteristics reading, monitoring, storage and transmission affecting hardware, as discussed in this application, range-finders, GPS systems, receiver(s), transmitter(s), transceiver(s), transflecting transceivers (“transflecters” or “transponders”), antennas, electromagnetic actuator(s), mixing board, reel-to-reel tape recorder, external hard disk recorder (solid state or rotary), additional hardware controls (such as, but not limited to, buttons and switches, and actuators, current or potential applying contacts and other transfer elements, light sources, speakers, additional video and/or sound editing system or gear, filters, computer display screen or touch screen. It is to be understood that the input and output of the system may be in any useable form, including, but not limited to, signals, data, commands/instructions and output for presentation and manipulation by a user in a GUI. Such a GUI hardware unit and other input/output devices could, among other things, implement a user interface created by machine-readable means, such as software, permitting the user to carry out any of the user settings, commands and input/output discussed above, and elsewhere in this application. 
         [0035]      801 ,  803 ,  805 ,  807 ,  819 ,  821  and  823  are connected and able to communicate communications, transmissions and instructions via system busses  875 . Storage media and/or hard disk recorder and/or cloud storage port or connection device  805  is capable of providing mass storage for the system, and may be a computer-readable medium, may be a connected mass storage device (e.g., flash drive or other drive connected to a U.S.B. port or Wi-Fi) may use back-end (with or without middle-ware) or cloud storage over a network (e.g., the internet) as either a memory backup for an internal mass storage device or as a primary memory storage means, and/or may be an internal mass storage device, such as a computer hard drive or optical drive. 
         [0036]    Generally speaking, the system may be implemented as a client/server arrangement, where features of the invention are performed on a remote server, networked to the client and facilitated by software on both the client computer and server computer. Input and output devices may deliver their input and receive output by any known means of communicating and/or transmitting communications, signals, commands and/or data input/output, including, but not limited to, input through the devices illustrated in examples shown as  817 , such as  809 ,  811 ,  813 ,  815 ,  876  and  877  and any other devices, hardware or other input/output generating and receiving aspects—e.g., a PDA networked to control a control unit with the aid of specialized software (a.k.a. a “PDA Application” or “App.”). Any phenomenon that may be sensed may be managed, manipulated and distributed and may be taken or converted as input or output through any sensor or carrier known in the art. In addition, directly carried elements (for example a light stream taken by fiber optics from a view of a scene) may be directly managed, manipulated and distributed in whole or in part to enhance output, and radiation or whole ambient light or other radio frequency (“RF”) information for an environmental region may be taken by a photovoltaic apparatus for battery cell recharging, or sensor(s) dedicated to angles of detection, or an omnidirectional sensor or series of sensors which record direction as well as the presence of electromagnetic or other radiation. While this example is illustrative, it is understood that any form of electromagnetism, compression wave or other sensory phenomenon may become such an “ambient power” source harnessed to power the operations of a control unit and/or control system and/or may include such sensory directional and 3D locational or other operations-identifying information, which may also be made possible by multiple locations of sensing, preferably, in a similar, if not identical, time frame. The system may condition, select all or part of, alter and/or generate composites from all or part of such direct or analog image or other sensory transmissions, including physical samples (such as DNA, fingerprints, iris, and other biometric samples or scans) and may combine them with other forms of data, such as image files, dossiers, appliance-identifying files, or operations-relevant recordings, or metadata, if such direct or data encoded sources are used. 
         [0037]    While the illustrated system example  800  is helpful to understand the implementation of aspects of the invention, it should be understood that any form of computer system may be used to implement many control system and other aspects of the invention—for example, a simpler computer system containing just a processor (datapath and control) for executing instructions from a memory or transmission source. The aspects or features set forth may be implemented with, as alternatives, and/or in any combination, digital electronic circuitry, hardware, software, firmware, or in analog or direct (such as electromagnetic wave-based, physical wave-based or analog electronic, magnetic or direct transmission, without translation and the attendant degradation, of the medium) systems or circuitry or associational storage and transmission, any of which may be aided with enhancing media from external hardware and software, optionally, by wired or wireless networked connection, such as by LAN, WAN or the many connections forming the internet or local networks. The system can be embodied, in part, in a tangibly-stored computer program, as by a machine-readable medium and propagated signal, for execution by a programmable processor. The method steps of the embodiments of the present invention also may be performed by such a programmable processor, executing a program of instructions, operating on input and output, and generating output. A computer program includes instructions for a computer to carry out a particular activity to bring about a particular result, and may be written in any programming language, including compiled and uncompiled, interpreted languages, assembly languages and machine language, and can be deployed in any form, including a complete program, module, component, subroutine, or other suitable routine for a computer program.