Patent Publication Number: US-2023137746-A1

Title: Wearable autotensioning device

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/988,508, filed Mar. 12, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/008,031, filed Apr. 10, 2020, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to wearable devices for automatically controlling tension applied to an object. In some instances, the optimum tension applied to the object may be dependent on movement of the object, movement of the wearable device relative to the object, environmental factors, or aspects of the state of the object itself. In many cases, tension may be set manually such as by tightening a strap, tying a shoe lace, twisting a wire or cable until it is “tight”, applying a locking or crimped cable stay, and the like. Such systems cannot determine an optimum level of tension, and/or cannot automatically adjust tension as needed. This can cause the tension level to be too high, thus damaging the tensioner itself, or damaging the object to be held in place by either applying too much tension, or by not applying enough. 
     SUMMARY 
     Disclosed is a wearable automatic retention apparatus for automatically adjusting tension on an object. The retention member may be separate and distinct from, and positionable around the object. The retention member may be arranged and configured to engage the object to increase or decrease tension on the object. A housing may be included that is optionally separate and distinct from the object, and the retention member may be mounted to the housing. An actuator may be mounted inside the housing that optionally includes a rotating member. The rotating member may be positioned to engage the retention member, and the rotating member may be rotatable around an axis of rotation in a first direction to increase tension on the retention member and in a second direction to decrease tension on the retention member. At least one sensor may be included that is optionally arranged and configured to sense changes in a sense parameter associated with the object. 
     In another aspect, a control circuit may be included that is responsive to input from the sensor and may be configured to control the actuator according to the input from the sensor. The control circuit may be configured to control the actuator to rotate the rotating member in the first or second direction to adjust tension on the retention member based on input from the sensor. 
     In another aspect, the rotating member optionally extends out of the housing to engage the retention member, and the retention member may be adjacent the housing to engage the rotating member accordingly. In another aspect, the rotating member may include a worm gear positioned adjacent to the retention member and optionally arranged and configured to engage holes or grooves defined by the retention member. In another aspect, the retention member is optionally rigid and may be wider than it is thick and may define one or more holes engageable by the worm gear. 
     In another aspect, an engagement portion of the retention member engages the rotating member inside the housing. In another aspect, the rotating member optionally includes a shaft and the engagement portion of the retention member may be configured to wind and unwind around the shaft in order to selectively increase or decrease tension on the object. 
     In another aspect, the retention member optionally includes a flexible substrate that may have a flat state and a curled state, the curled state of the flexible substrate may be suitable for conforming to the object. In another aspect, a first end of the retention member may be mounted to the housing, and a second end of the retention member may be selectively engageable with the rotating member when the flexible substrate is in the curled state. In another aspect, an engagement portion of the retention member may be configured to automatically engage the rotating member when the retention member is in the curled state. In another aspect, the control circuit may be configured to automatically activate the retention apparatus when the retention member is in the curled state. In another aspect, the flexible substrate may include, or be formed primarily of, a metallic bi-stable spring. 
     In another aspect, the automatic retention apparatus may include a frame mounted to the housing, and optionally at least one arm rotatably mounted to the frame. The retention member may be coupled to the arm, and the arm may be arranged and configured to rotate toward the object with increased tension on the retention member, to optionally rotate away from the object with decreased tension on the retention member. In another aspect, the arm may include multiple interconnected segments, and the retention member may be arranged to pass through the segments. The retention member may also be mounted to one of the multiple interconnected segments adjacent an end of the arm. 
     In another aspect, the disclosed retention apparatus may include a biasing element positioned adjacent to the rotating member, and the biasing element may be arranged and configured to bias the rotating member in a direction opposite the tension in the retention member. In another aspect, the biasing element may include a spring, and the element may share a common shaft with the rotating member. 
     In another aspect, the disclosed retention apparatus optionally includes a first rotating member and a second rotating member, and the first rotating member may be positioned to engage the retention member at a first end, and the second rotating member may be positioned to engage the retention member at a second end. The first and second rotating members may be rotatable in a first direction to increase tension on the retention member and/or in a second direction to decrease tension on the retention member. 
     In another aspect, the retained object may be a human or animal appendage, and the sense parameter may be any combination of blood pressure, body temperature, blood oxygen level, or heart rate. In another aspect, the control circuit is optionally configured to increase tension on the retention member when the sense parameter matches a first target criteria, and to optionally decrease tension on the retention member when the sense parameter matches a second target criteria. In another aspect, the disclosed retention apparatus may include an environment sensor arranged and configured to sense changes in an environmental sense parameter associated with the environment surrounding the sensor. The control circuit may be responsive to the environmental sense parameter which may include any combination of speed, angular momentum, velocity, movement, or acceleration. In another aspect, the environment sensor may be positioned in the housing. 
     In another aspect, an automatic retention system is disclosed for automatically adjusting tension on an object that optionally includes a frame, and multiple automatic retention apparatuses mounted to the frame. The multiple automatic retention apparatuses may be configured according to any of the disclosed examples. In another aspect, the automatic retention system of may include a frame with a joint, and at least one of the multiple automatic retention apparatuses may be mounted on one side of the joint, and at least one other of the multiple automatic retention apparatuses may be mounted on another side of the joint. 
     Further forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages, and examples of the present disclosure will become apparent from a detailed description and drawings provided herewith. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a component diagram illustrate one example of components that may be included in an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a component diagram illustrating aspects of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a component diagram illustrating additional aspects of the features illustrated in  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  6    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a cutaway perspective view of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  10    is a partial cutaway perspective view of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  11    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  12    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  13    is a perspective view of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  14    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  15    is a component diagram illustrating alternative configurations for an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  16    is a cross sectional view of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  17    is another cross sectional view of the automatic retention apparatus of  FIG.  16   . 
         FIG.  18    is a component view of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  19    is another component view of the automatic retention apparatus of  FIG.  18   . 
         FIG.  20    is a cutaway perspective view of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  21    is a component diagram illustrating alternative aspects of an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  22    is a perspective diagram illustrating aspects of an automatic retention system of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  23    is component diagram illustrating examples of the positioning and usage of the disclosed automatic retention apparatus. 
         FIG.  24    is a component flow diagram illustrating one example of a control circuit for controlling the automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    illustrates at  100  an example of components that may be included in the automatic retention apparatus of present disclosure. These components, and possibly others mentioned herein elsewhere, may be common to any or all of the disclosed examples of a retention apparatus. 
     An automatic retention apparatus  100  may include a control circuit  101  for processing data and generating commands or instructions to other components in the apparatus to control the operating behavior of the device. Control circuit  101  may include a processor, logic circuits, digital or analog circuitry, or any combination thereof, for accepting input and generating output for controlling operational characteristics of the apparatus  100 . A battery  104  may be included for providing power to the control circuit  101 , and to other components of the apparatus requiring electrical power. In another aspect, an optional external power source  120  may be included for providing power to the apparatus  100 . This external power source  120  may be useful for charging battery  104 , and/or for acting as a primary power source where battery  104  is uncharged or absent. 
     A memory  102  may be included for storing information such as configuration data  105  and historical data  108 . In another aspect, memory  102  may be configured to store data such as time, direction, and extent of the rotation of the rotating member over a predetermined period of time. Data obtained over time from sensor input may also be stored in memory  102  for processing by control circuit  101 , or for processing by other computing devices which may analyze the data to change configuration data  105  to improve the overall performance of the apparatus  100 . Thus memory  102  may also be configured to store data values representing sense parameters detected by sensors  115  that was provided by the sensors as input to the control circuit  101 . Historical data  108  may include dates, times, locations, or other metadata. Configuration data  105  may include parameter values for configuring the operation of the disclosed automatic retention apparatuses. 
     A wireless communication module  107  may be included and may include an antenna  110 , transmitter  113 , and receiver  114 . The antenna may be used by the transmitter and receiver to send and receive wireless communications to a computing device  118  to, for example, send and receive updated configuration data, historical data, and/or control signals, or any combination thereof. Antenna  110  may be configured to resonate according to radio waves carrying signals defining data sent and received by wireless communication module  107 . Transmitter  113  may use antenna  110  to send signals, and receiver  114  may also use antenna  110  to receive signals defining data to be processed by control circuit  101  and/or stored in memory  102 . Signals sent and received by the transmitter and receiver may be sent via any suitable medium such as via radio waves, by modulating visible or invisible light, and the like. 
     A network interface  116  may be included and may implement various communication protocols useful for interacting with remote devices over a communications link that may be connected to a network such as the Internet. Such a communications link may be a wireless communications link implemented using wireless communication module  107 , or a physical communication link implemented using wires, optical fibers, and the like. For example, wireless communication module  107  may transmit and receive signals which may then be processed according to the protocols recognized by network interface  116  in order to implement a communications link. 
     Retention apparatus  100  may include a retention member  111  for applying tension to an object. One or more sensors  115  may be included in or coupled to retention member  111 . Sensors  115  may optionally be included in, or mounted to, retention member  111 , or included in, or mounted to, automatic retention apparatus  100 . In another aspect, sensors  115  may include sensors arranged and configured to sense changes in a sense parameter associated with an object retained by the device  100 . In another aspect, sensors  115  may be included with or responsive to changes in sense parameters associated with the retention member  111 . For example, sensors  115  may detect tension in the retention member thus allowing the control circuit to adjust the tension as needed. 
     In another aspect, sensors  115  may include environmental sensors arranged and configured to sense changes in an environmental sense parameter associated with an environment surrounding the sensor. These environmental sensors may be positioned in the housing  119 , or elsewhere outside the housing. The control circuit  101  may be responsive to the environmental sense parameter as these parameters may represent any suitable environmental aspect such as speed, angular momentum, velocity, movement, acceleration, air pressure, heat or temperature, smoke, fire, humidity or the presence of liquid, depth in a fluid or body of water, altitude, attitude (that is, angle of inclination with respect to earth), or any combination thereof. Sensors  115  may be mounted to other objects interacting with apparatus  100  such as in the case of wireless sensors sending data received as signals  117  by wireless communication module  107  from a remote location. 
     An actuator  103  may be included and configured to act on retention member  111  to increase or decrease tension on the retention member to vary the resulting tension on any or objects to be held in place by retention member  111 . A motor  106  may be included in actuator  103  and coupled to a rotating member  109  such as one ore more gears, cams, pulleys, and the like, or any combination thereof. An optional manual control  112  may be coupled to rotating member  109  to manually adjust the tension on retention member  111  by manually adjusting rotating member  109 . This manual rotation may be performed along with, or as an alternative to, the automatic rotation provided by motor  106 . In another aspect, the manual control  112  may be coupled to the retention member  111  separate from the actuator. Regardless of position, the tension or compression forces provided by the retention member may be manually adjusted using the manual control  112  along with, or as an alternative to, the automatic rotation provided by motor  106 . 
     In another aspect, control circuit  101  may be responsive to input from at least one sensor of sensors  115  and may be configured to control the actuator accordingly. A control circuit may control the actuator instructing it to energize the motor to rotate the rotating member in the first or second direction to adjust automatically adjust tension on an object. For example, control circuit  101  may control the actuator to rotate in the first and second directions with the direction and number of rotations being a function of the input received from sensor  115 . In another aspect, some or all of the components of  100  may be mounted to, or mounted inside, a housing  119 . In another aspect, the control circuit  101  may be configured to increase tension on the retention member when the sense parameter matches a first target criteria, and/or to decrease tension on the retention member when the sense parameter matches a second target criteria. 
       FIG.  2    illustrates additional aspects common to the disclosed automatic retention apparatuses as shown at  200 . A retention member  201  is shown that is separate and distinct from an object  202 . Retention member  201  is optionally positionable around the object  202 , and the retention member arranged  201  is optionally arranged and configured to engage the object to increase or decrease tension on the object. In this example, retention member  201  may be rigid, or semi-rigid and therefore may be movable in the direction of  203 . In this respect, retention member  201  may operate to apply tension by pulling toward the object  202 , or alternatively by pushing toward the object  202 . In another aspect,  201  may be flexible, or semi-flexible, thus allowing retention member  201  to only apply tension to the object by pulling toward the object  202 . 
     In another aspect, retention member  201  may be mounted to a housing  204 . In one example, retention member  201  may be mounted to housing  204  at, or adjacent to, a first end  205 , a second end  206 , or any combination thereof. In another aspect, the retention member  201  may engage an actuator  207  at, or adjacent to, the first or second ends  205  and  206 . In another aspect, actuator  207  may engage retention member  201  at any point along its length. 
     In another aspect, the retention member  201  and the housing  204  together define an opening or empty space  208  within which object  202  may be positioned. For example, object  202  may be positioned such that retention member  201  is substantially perpendicular to the portion of object  202  that is positioned within the opening  208 . However, any suitable orientation of object  202  with respect to the retention member  201  may be used. 
     In one nonlimiting example, object  202  may be a human or animal appendage, and retention member  201  may operate to automatically increase or decrease tension applied to the human or animal appendage. For example, retention apparatus  200  may automatically adjust tension of retention member  201  to increase or decrease pressure applied to the human or animal appendage, such as in the case of controlling a flow of blood or other bodily fluids at or adjacent to a wound. 
     In another aspect, a strain or compression sensor  209  may be included with or coupled to the retention member  201  to measure pressure on the object  202  as applied by the automatic retention apparatus. In another aspect, strain sensor  209  may be one of sensors  115  that is maintained adjacent to the retention member, and optionally separate from a housing or other portion of the apparatus  200 . 
     Another aspect of the automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure is illustrated at  300  in  FIG.  3   . A retention member  304  is shown that is separate and distinct from an object  305 . Retention member  304  is optionally positionable around the object  305 , and the retention member arranged  304  is optionally arranged and configured to engage the object to increase or decrease tension on the object. In this example, retention number  304  may be rigid, or semi-rigid and therefore may be movable in the direction of  308  depending on actuator  303 . In this respect, retention member  304  may operate to apply tension by pulling toward the object  305 , or alternatively by pushing toward the object  305 . In another aspect, retention member  304  may be optionally mounted to an anchoring object  306  at, or adjacent to, a first end  307 . A second end  302  may engage actuator  303  within a housing  301  of the automatic retention apparatus. In this example, retention member  304  may be configured to apply tension to an object  305  where one end of the retention member  304  is acted on by an actuator  303 , and the other end is mounted to an anchor that is separate from the housing  301 . 
     In another aspect, the retention member  309 , anchoring object  306 , and the housing  301  together define an opening  309  within which object  305  may be positioned. For example, object  305  may be positioned such that retention member  304  is substantially perpendicular to the portion of object  305  that is positioned within the opening  309 . 
       FIGS.  5 , and  6    illustrate another example of an automatic retention apparatus  400  of the present disclosure that includes a retention member  403  that includes a flexible substrate  404 . In one example, the flexible metallic substrate is a metallic bi-stable spring. In another example, the retention member  403  is optionally constructed primarily of bi-stable metallic material such as a bi-stable metallic spring. 
     The flexible substrate  404  optionally has a flat state shown in  FIG.  4   , and a curled state shown in  FIG.  5   . The curled state of the flexible substrate shown in  FIG.  5    is optionally suitable for conforming to an object  405 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , the retention member  403  is in the flat state prior to application to object  405 . The retention member  403  may be applied to object  405  by any suitable means, such as by pressing the retention member against the object  405  until the flexible substrate  404  curls about the object  405  as shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     In another example, the retention member  403  is operable to “snap” between the flat and curled states such that when curled, the retention member  403  forms a continuous loop around object  405 . In another example, an anchor portion  406  of the retention member at, or adjacent to, a first end of the retention member, may be mounted to the housing  401 . An engagement portion  407  of the retention member at, or adjacent to, a second end of the retention member  403  may be selectively engageable with an actuator  402  when the flexible substrate is in the curled state. The engagement portion  407  may include indexing elements  408  such as magnets, grooves, projecting hooks, or pins, and the like by which attachment portion  407  may be biased to automatically engage with corresponding gears, pins, magnets, or other elements of the actuator  402 . In this way, the retention member may be easily applied to an object  405  by “slapping” the retention member  403  against the object  405  such that the retention member  403  automatically curls around the object  405  and the engagement portion  407  automatically engages the actuator  402 . 
     In another aspect, the engagement portion  407  of the retention apparatus is optionally configured to automatically engage an optional rotating member  409  of the actuator when the retention member is in the curled state. In another aspect, the automatic retention apparatus  400  may include a control circuit as disclosed herein, and the control circuit may be configured to automatically activate the retention apparatus  401  when the retention member  403  is in the curled state. For example a sensor may be positioned to detect when the engagement portion  407  is adjacent the rotating member  409  and the control circuit may be responsive to this sensor and configured to automatically activate the rotating member  409  accordingly. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates at  600  additional aspects of the disclosed automatic retention apparatus and related concepts. A housing  602  separate and distinct from the object  609  is shown where the retention member  607  optionally passes through the housing  602 , or optionally passes into an out of the housing through an opening defined by the housing. An actuator  603  is optionally mounted inside the housing  602 , and optionally includes a rotating member  606  that may be positioned to engage the retention member  607  at an engagement region  608 . In another aspect, the rotating member  606  optionally engages the retention member  607  inside the housing  602 , such as in the case of where the retention member  607  passes into the housing through an opening. The retention member  607  may pass through one or more holes defined by the housing  602  to enter the housing from the sides, or in another example, in one or more holes defined on the bottom of the housing. 
     A motor  604  may be included and coupled to the rotating member by a connecting member  605  (e.g. a shaft, linkage, belt, chain or other suitable connecting member). In one example, the rotating member  606  may be rotatable around an axis of rotation  610  in a first direction to increase tension on the retention member  607 , and in a second direction to decrease tension on the retention member. In another example, the rotating member  606  is optionally rotatable around an axis of rotation  611  in a first direction to increase tension on the retention member  607 , and in a second direction to decrease tension on the retention member. 
     A manual control  601  is optionally included in the automatic tensioning apparatuses of the present disclosure for manually adjusting tension on the retention member  607 . Rotating the manual control  601  results in rotation of the rotating member  606 , thus allowing for an alternative means of adjusting the rotating member  606  where a motor  604  is absent, or where the motor  604  is malfunctioning. 
     Another example of the disclosed automatic retention apparatus is illustrated at  700  in  FIG.  7   . An actuator  702  may be optionally mounted in a housing  702 , and the actuator may include a motor  704  coupled to a rotating member such as a rotating member  706 . The rotating member  706  may be coupled to motor  704  by any suitable arrangement of devices for transferring torque from the motor  704  to the rotating member  706  such as by shafts, linkages, belts, chains, gears, and the like. In this example, the rotating member  706  extends out of the housing to engage the retention member  707  at an engagement region  708  that is at, or adjacent to, a first end  709  of the retention member. A second end  710  is optionally mounted to the housing. In another aspect, housing  701  and the second end  710  may optionally be fused together, or formed as a single unitary structure. 
     In another example of the disclosed auto-tensioner concept illustrated at  800  in  FIG.  8   , a retention member  801  optionally includes a first end engagement region  803  coupled to a first rotating member  802 , and a second end engagement region  807  optionally coupled to a second rotating member  807 . In this example, the rotating members  802  and  807  are optionally coupled to a drive system  804 , which may include a single motor coupled to both rotating members  802  and  807 , or multiple motors working in concert, each coupled to a different rotating member. Either rotating member  802  or  807 , or both, may extend out of housing  805  on opposite sides of the housing as shown, or on the same side. In this example, either end of the retention member  801  may be engaged and acted on to increase or decrease tension without being mounted to housing  805 . 
       FIG.  9    illustrates other aspects which may be incorporated in the disclosed examples of an automatic retention apparatus. An exemplary automatic retention apparatus  900  is shown for automatically adjusting tension on an object  910 . A retention member  905  may be included that is optionally separate and distinct from object  910 , and may be positioned around the object. The retention member  905  may be arranged and configured to engage the object  910  to increase or decrease tension on the object according to the present disclosure. 
     The retention apparatus  900  may include a housing  901  separate and distinct from the object  910 , and the retention member  905  may be mounted to the housing by any suitable means, one example of which is shown at  911  where the retention member is bonded to the housing. Any suitable bonding technique may be employed such as by fasteners, adhesives, solvents, ultrasonic welding, or chemical bonding to name a few nonlimiting examples. In another aspect, the mounting at  911  may be achieved by forming the housing  901  and the retention member  905 , or a portion thereof, as a single unitary structure. 
     An actuator may be mounted inside the housing  901  that optionally includes a motor  904  coupled to a rotating member  909  that optionally rotates on a shaft  907 . The rotating member  909  may be positioned to engage the retention member  905 . In this example, the rotating member includes a worm gear that optionally extends out of the housing  901  toward the object  910  to engage an engagement portion  906  of the retention member  905  adjacent to the housing. Engagement portion  906  includes one or more grooves or openings  908  defined by the engagement portion  906 . Grooves  908  engage one or more teeth  916  of the rotating member  909 . The rotating member  909  is optionally rotatable around an axis of rotation  903  that may be substantially parallel to the retention member  905  wrapped around the object  910 . 
     In another aspect, using a worm gear for the rotating member  909 , or for other examples of a rotating member of the present disclosure, where the teeth of the gear engage grooves like grooves  908 , may advantageously provide a braking mechanism without additional wear or power usage. Using a worm gear may reduce or eliminate the opportunity for the rotating member to spin backwards thus unintentionally releasing tension on the engagement portion  906  and the retention member  905  in general. 
     The rotating member  909  may be rotated by a motor  904  controlled by a control circuit  902  of the present disclosure. The rotating member  909  may rotate in a first direction  912  to increase tension on the retention member  905 , and in a second different direction  913  to decrease tension on the retention member. 
     The automatic retention apparatus may include at least one sensor  914  and/or  915  of the present disclosure which may be arranged and configured to sense changes in a sense parameter associated with the object  910 . Control circuit  902  may be included that is optionally responsive to input from the sensor(s)  914  and  915 . The control circuit  902  may be configured to control the actuator according to the input from the sensors as disclosed herein, the control circuit being configured to control the motor  904  to actuate the rotating member  909  to rotate it in the first or second direction  912  and  913  respectively to adjust tension on the retention member based on input from the sensor 
     The sense parameters sensed by sensors  914  and  915  may be any parameters of interest in determining when, and to what extent, the tension on retention member  905  should be adjusted. In the case where the object  910  is a human or animal appendage, example sense parameters include, but are not limited to, body temperature, heart rate, nearby blood flow rate, nearby blood pressure, blood oxygen, perspiration, respiration rate, or electrical or chemical impulses related to heart beat, stress, emotion, pain, and the like. 
     In another aspect, sensor  914  may be mounted to object  910  separate from the housing  901 , and may be configured to establish and maintain a communication link between sensor  914  and control circuit  902 . In another aspect, sensor  915  may be mounted to, or included as part of, retention member  905  and may obtain sensor input from object  910  by virtue of close proximity of the retention member  905  to the object  910 . 
     In another aspect, the retention member  905  illustrated in  FIG.  9    is optionally substantially rigid and relatively inflexible. The retention member  905  may also define a width  917  and a thickness  918 , and in some examples, the retention member may be wider than it is thick. That is to say, dimension  917  may be greater than dimension  918  allowing for retention member  905  to optionally be thin and flat relative to its length. 
     In another example shown at  1000  in  FIG.  10   , an automatic retention apparatus of the present disclosure optionally includes a housing  1004  enclosing an actuator that is arranged and configured to rotate a drive gear  1011  to automatically increase or decrease the tension on a retention member  1009 . The actuator mechanism of the present disclosure optionally includes a motor  1003  coupled to an optional reduction transmission at  1001 . Transmission  1001  may include an optional reduction gearbox  1002 . The reduction gear box may include one or more planetary or other gear sets for reducing the rotational speed of motor  1003 , and/or for adjusting the resulting torque from motor  1003 . In another aspect, the motor  1003  and/or transmission  1001  may define a motor axis of rotation  1005 . Axis  1005  may be defined by one or more shafts or gears of motor  1003  and/or reduction gear box  1002 . 
     Transmission  1001  may also include one or more transfer gears  1007  which may, or may not, further change the gear ratio between motor  1004  and drive gear  1011 . Drive gear  1011  is optionally rotating on a separate drive gear axis of rotation  1006  which may be separate or offset from, but optionally parallel to, motor axis of rotation  1005 . 
     Drive gear  1011  may be mounted within housing  1004  adjacent to retention member  1009 . Retention member  1009  may define an engagement portion  1012  that optionally includes multiple grooves, holes, or openings  1010  that may be engaged by drive gear  1011 . In another aspect, some or all of these openings  1010  may be through holes passing through retention member  1009  from an opening on one side to an opening on the opposite side of retention member  1009 . In another aspect, retention member  1009  defines a longitudinal axis  1008  extending along the retention member in a direction generally perpendicular to the object retention member  1009  may be wrapped around. 
     In another example illustrated in  FIG.  11   , an automatic retention apparatus  1100  according to the present disclosure optionally includes and actuator  1101  of the present disclosure arranged and configured to engage a retention member  1109 . The actuator  1101  optionally includes a motor  1106  coupled to a rotating member  1108  such as a worm gear, or other rotating member as disclosed herein. The rotating member  1108  may be mounted on a shaft  1107 , or other suitable mechanical device for transmitting torque from the motor  1106  to the rotating member. The rotating member  1108  may be mechanically coupled to an optional manual tension control  1110  which may be useful to manually adjust the tension of the retention member  1109  by applying torque to the rotating member  1108  in response to input from a user. Manual tension control  1110  may be mechanically coupled to shaft  1107 , or directly to rotating member  1108 . 
     The automatic retention apparatus may include a biasing element  1102  positioned adjacent to the rotating member  1108 , and optionally a second biasing member  1105 . The biasing elements  1102  and/or  1105  may be arranged and configured to bias the rotating member  1108  in a direction opposite the tension in the retention member. A sensor  1103  may be positioned within the housing of the apparatus  1100  to register transverse movement  1104  of the rotating member  1108  as it repositions along the shaft  1107 . This movement may be used to determine the level of tension the retention member is currently experiencing. 
     In another aspect, the biasing members  1102  and/or  1105  may be operable to automatically adjust tension on retention member  1109 . For example, where the motor  1106  is absent, or is inoperable, the optional manual tension control  1110  may be activated to apply tension to retention member  1109 . The biasing elements  1102  and  1105  may thus automatically adjust resulting tension as the rotating member  1108  moves laterally as shown at  1104 . In another aspect, where the motor  1106  is operable and is operable to rotate the rotating member  1108 , the biasing elements  1102  and/or  1105  may automatically adjust tension on retention member  1109  to dampen momentary increases or decreases in tension as the motor  1106  is adjusting tension on the retention member, or after the motor  1106  has stopped turning and the tension has been set, but the object experiences forces acting on it, or from within the object itself, which cause a momentary increase or decrease in tension applied by the automatic retention apparatus. 
     In another aspect, the automatic retention apparatuses of the present disclosure may include a winding mechanism for engaging a retention member. An example of this concept is illustrated in  FIG.  12    where an automatic retention apparatus  1200  is illustrated having a housing  1201  and an engagement portion  1203  of a retention member  1202 . The engagement portion  1203  winds and unwinds around a rotating member  1204  inside the housing. The rotating member  1204  may include a shaft mechanically engaging with an optional gear mechanism  1208  driven by a motor  1206 . Tension may be applied to the retention member  1202  when the rotating member  1204  is rotated in a first direction  1207  thus winding the engagement portion  1203  of the retention member onto rotating member  1204 . Engagement portion  1203  may be a single piece of cable, wire, or any other suitable material, or may comprise multiple pieces such as a separate pieces coupled to rotating member  1204  and extending outwardly to engage retention member  1202 . In another aspect, engagement portion  1203  may enter the housing  1201  at an opening  1209  and/or  1210  which may be in a side of the housing  1201  facing the retention member  1202 , or on in any other suitable location. 
     In another aspect, the gear mechanism  1208  may include a worm gear with teeth engaging teeth of the rotating member  1204 . Such a configuration may advantageously provide a braking mechanism to reduce or eliminate the opportunity for the rotating member to spin backwards and unintentionally release tension on the engagement portion  1203 . In another aspect, the retention member  1202 , and/or the engagement portion  1203  may include elastic elements such as elastic bands, springs, rubber bands, or other similar biasing elements to automatically unwind engagement portion  1203  from rotating member  1204  when the rotating member is actuated to reduce tension. 
     In another example, shown in  FIG.  13   , an automatic retention apparatus  1300  is illustrated having an optional motor  1305  coupled to an optional drive mechanism  1304 . The apparatus  1300  may include a rotating member  1303  for applying tension to a tension member  1307 . A frame  1302  may be included for mounting the rotating member in alignment with the motor  1305  and drive mechanism  1304 . An anchor pin  1306  is optionally provided for anchoring one end of the retention member  1307  so that when rotating member  1303  is actuated by the drive mechanism  1304 , tension is increased or decreased according to the direction of rotation. In one example, rotating member  1303  may be rotated multiple times to increase or decrease tension on the object  1301 . In another example, the rotating member  1303  may be configured to rotating a single revolution, or a specific number of revolutions when the motor  1305  is activated. In another aspect, as mentioned herein elsewhere, the retention member  1307  may include rigid materials such as metal or polymeric materials, or retention member  1307  may alternatively include flexible or elastic materials such as rubber or fabric or other similar materials. In another aspect, object  1301  may be compressible and may define a first expanded shape when not under tension by the automatic retention apparatus  1300 , and may define a second compressed shape when under tension by the automatic retention apparatus. In this way, the fluid, gas, or other contents of the object may be expelled in a controlled way according to actuation of the automatic retention apparatus. 
     In another aspect illustrated in  FIG.  14   , an automatic retention system  1400  according to the present disclosure may include an actuator  1401  with an optional motor  1402  coupled to a rotating member  1403 . The rotating member  1403  may engage a retention member  1405  as disclosed herein to increase or decrease tension on the retention member and apply pressure to an object  1408 . 
     Retention member  1405  may be coupled to an arm  1407  such that when the automatic retention system rotates rotating member  1403 , tension may be applied to the retention member  1405  causing it to move arm  1407  closer to or further away from object  1408  as illustrated at  1409  thus increasing or decreasing the pressure applied to the object. In another aspect, applying tension to the retention member  1405  may cause arm  1407  to swing either toward the object  1408 , or away from it as shown at  1410 , thus selectively increasing or decreasing pressure on the object. In another aspect, the automatic retention system  1400  may be mounted adjacent to, or coupled to, an anchor or support object  1406 . Thus movement of the arm  1407  towards or away from the anchor object  1406  may be initiated by actuation of the retention member  1405  to increase or decrease pressure applied to the object  1408 . 
     In another aspect illustrated in  FIG.  15   , an automatic retention system  1500  according to the present disclosure may include more than one arm. In this example, the system includes an actuator  1501  with an optional motor  1502  coupled to a rotating member  1503 . The rotating member  1503  may engage one or more retention members such as optional retention members  1504  and  1505  as disclosed herein to increase or decrease pressure applied to an object  1509 . 
     Retention members  1504  and  1505  may be coupled to arms  1506  and  1507  respectively and arranged and configured so that when the automatic retention system rotates rotating member  1503 , tension may be applied to the retention members causing them to move arms  1506  and  1507  closer to or further away from object  1509  as illustrated at  1508  and  1511  thus increasing or decreasing the pressure applied to the object. In another aspect, applying tension to the retention members  1504  and  1505  may cause arms  1506  and  1507  to swing either toward the object  1509 , or away from it as shown at  1511  and  1512 , thus selectively increasing or decreasing pressure on the object. 
     In another aspect illustrated in  FIG.  16    and  FIG.  17   , an automatic retention system  1600  is arranged and configured to adjust tension or compression on an object  1610  using two arms  1601  and  1608  that may be mounted to a frame  1605 . Arm  1601  is optionally mounted at a mount point  1612  which provides for rotational motion of arm  1601  in the direction of  1614 . Arm  1608  may also be mounted at a mount point  1607  which provides for rotational motion of arm  1608  in the direction of  1613 . 
     A retention member  1609  like those discussed in the present disclosure engages a rotating member  1603 . The retention member is coupled to the arms  1601  and  1608  adjacent to the mount points  1612  and  1607 , and may also pass adjacent one or more pins or pulleys  1602  and  1606 . Retention member  1609  is optionally coupled to the arms  1601  and  1608 . For example, a first end of the retention member  1609  may be coupled to an arm  1601 , and a second end opposite the first end of the retention member may be coupled to an arm  1608 . The retention member  1609  may also engage rotating member  1603  such that rotation of rotating member  1603  causes tension to be applied to the retention member  1609  causing arms  1601  and  1608  to rotate inward toward the object  1610 . 
     In one aspect, rotating member  1603  is optionally mounted as a rotating cam such that when in the “relaxed” position shown in  FIG.  16   , the retention member  1609  is also at a minimum tension state. When rotated by a motor, or other suitable means, the rotating member  1603  may press against the retention member  1609  as shown in  FIG.  17    where the cam is at maximum displacement causing the maximum available tension on the retention member, and a corresponding maximum level of pressure against the object  1610 . The disclosed control circuit may optionally control the rotation of the rotating member  1603  to interim positions between these two extremes depending on input from the available sensors. 
     Illustrated in  FIG.  18    and  FIG.  19    is another example of the disclosed automatic retention system  1800  configured to adjust tension on an object  1806  using at least one arm shown in  FIG.  18    in the relaxed state, and in  FIG.  19    under tension. Automatic retention system  1800  includes multiple adjacent segments  1807  that are coupled together such by means of linkages, tension members, biasing elements, interlocking joints, or by any other suitable means. A retention member  1805  is coupled to the adjacent segments  1807  such that by applying tension to the retention member  1805 , the adjacent segments tighten around the object  1806 . 
     As discussed elsewhere in the present disclosure, an optional motor  1802  may be coupled to a rotating member  1803  that is arranged and configured to engage the retention member  1805 . Rotating the rotating member  1803  in one direction optionally causes increased tension on the retention member, while retrograde rotation may result in reduced tension. As tension is applied, the arm segments  1807  tighten around the object  1806  causing the end segment  1809  to swing in the direction  1808  toward a frame portion  1804  of the housing  1801 . The retention member  1805  is coupled to the arm  1810 , and the arm is arranged and configured to rotate or otherwise move toward the object  1806  with increased tension on the retention member, and to rotate or move away from the object with decreased tension on the retention member  1805 . 
     In another aspect, the arm  1810  optionally includes multiple interconnected segments  1807 , and the retention member optionally passes through a channel defined by the segments and may be mounted to one of the multiple interconnected segments  1809  adjacent to the end of the arm. In another aspect the housing  1801  may operate as a mount for arm  1810  thus allowing the arm to squeeze and compress the object  1806  between the arm  1810  and the housing  1801 . In another aspect, segments  1807  may be flexible or compressible to aid in providing tension to the object  1806  as the arm  1810  closes around the object, and optionally further compressing after arm  1810  is in place. 
     In another aspect, the engagement end segment  1809  of the retention apparatus is optionally configured to automatically engage frame portion  1804  when the arm  1810  is in the curled or closed state as shown in  FIG.  19   . In another aspect, the automatic retention apparatus  1800  may include a control circuit as disclosed herein, and the control circuit may be configured to automatically activate the retention apparatus  1800  when the arm  1810  is in the curled state. For example a sensor may be positioned to detect when the engagement arm is adjacent the frame portion  1804  and the control circuit may be responsive to this sensor and configured to automatically activate the rotating member  1803  accordingly. 
     The end segment  1809  may optionally include an alignment assembly  1812  coupled to or incorporated in the end segment  1809 , and a corresponding alignment assembly  1811  coupled to or incorporated in frame portion  1804 . As the arm  1810  wraps toward frame portion  1804 , alignment assemblies  1811  and  1812  may be configured to automatically guide end segment  1809  toward frame portion  1804  so that when the end segment is adjacent to the frame, the end segment may also automatically latch or couple or otherwise connect with frame portion  1804  to optionally increase the tension that may be supplied by retention member  1805  and the arm  1810 . Alignment assemblies  1811  and  1812  may include any magnets, hooks, clasps, slots, grooves, indexing members, or other members for aligning end segment  1809  with frame portion  1804 , or any combination thereof. 
     Another example of a an automatic retention apparatus with one or more multi-segment arms is illustrated in  FIG.  20   . Arms  2001  and  2002  may include multiple individual segments  2003  and  2004  respectively. A retention member  2005  optionally passes through the individual arm segments, with one end of the retention member mounted at an end segment  2006  of arm  2001 , and at an end segment  2007  of arm  2002 . 
     A frame  2008  may be included to provide a mount for arms  2001  and  2002 . The frame  2008  may also provide for pins, pulleys, bushings, bearings, or other aspects of the tensioning system. For example, frame  2008  may include pulleys or pins  2009 - 2012  which may be useful for redirecting or amplifying tension forces applied by retention member  2005  to the arms  2001  and  2002 . Retention member  2005  may engage a rotating member  2013  within housing  2014  to increase or decrease the tension on the retention member  2005 . Increasing tension on the retention member  2005  results in the arms rotating or swinging toward one another so as to compress an object held between them. In another aspect, the rotating member  2013  may operate as a cam where a portion of rotation, such as a half rotation, of the rotating member optionally places the retention member  2005  under maximum tension, and where a further portion of a rotation places the retention member under minimum tension. In another aspect, the rotating member  2013  may be configured to engage the retention member  2005  so that multiple rotations are required before maximum tension is achieved. This may be the case where the retention member  2005  winds onto rotating member  2013 , or where rotating member  2013  includes a gear, or set of gears that are configured to engage the retention member  2005 . 
     In another aspect, the individual segments of arms  2001  and  2002  optionally include corresponding projections and recesses, where the projection of one segment may be configured to easily rest within the recess defined by an adjacent arm segment to aid in aligning the segments. In another aspect, the individual arm segments may include interlocking portions or one or more biasing elements configured to keep the segments in proper alignment and adjacent to one another. 
     Another example of the disclosed automatic retention apparatus is illustrated at  2100  in  FIG.  21   . The automatic retention apparatus  2100  includes a housing  2102  which contains the disclosed optional motors, rotating members, drive gears, and other components. A retention member  2103  extends away from the housing, which also includes optional user interface components which all a user to adjust one or more operational aspects of the automatic retention apparatus. For example, the automatic retention apparatus may include a display device  2105  mounted to the housing  2102 . The display device  2105  may include one or more indicia providing information about functional aspects of the device such as the current tension thresholds, the current tension setting, whether the battery is charged, whether the device is malfunctioning, and the like. In another aspect, user interface components may include one or more buttons  2101  for adjusting operational characteristics of the device such as the tension on the retention member  2103 . 
     Any suitable user interface may be used with the disclosed automatic retention apparatuses. In another example, a remote computing device such as a smart phone, tablet, laptop computer, desktop computer, server computer, or other computing device may include a user interface  2107  for display status or other operational aspects of the retention device, and one or more input devices  2108  for accepting input from a user adjusting the behavior of the automatic retention device. In on example, an app may be loaded onto a smart phone and used to adjust operational settings of the automatic retention device  2100 . In another aspect, the remote computing device may communicate with the automatic retention apparatus  2100  by a communications link  2104 , which may be a wired or wireless communications link. In another aspect, the same app executed by the remote computing device  2106  may be useful to control multiple automatic retention apparatuses. 
     Another aspect of the disclosed automatic retention apparatus is illustrated at  2200  in  FIG.  22   . In this example, multiples of the disclosed automatic retention devices may be organized to operate as an automatic retention system for automatically adjusting tension on an object. In  FIG.  22   , automatic retention apparatuses  2202 - 2204  may be mounted to a frame  2201 . The frame  2201  may be substantially rigid, and may include a joint region, such as in the case of a brace which may include a joint region  2205  to provide for the increased mobility of the user. At least one of the multiple automatic retention apparatuses (e.g.  2203 ) may be mounted on one side of the joint region  2205 , and at least one other of the multiple automatic retention apparatuses (e.g.  2204 ) may be mounted on another side of the joint region. The joint region may include multiple rotating elements linked together to provide support and mobility for a human or animal user. The automatic retention system at  2200  may thus be useful as a brace or splint for a leg, knee, elbow, arm, back, or other location on a human or animal in need of additional support or protection. 
     Examples of the disclosed automatic retention apparatuses in use for a human or animal subject are illustrated in  FIG.  23    at  2300 . In one example an automatic retention apparatus  2303  may be positioned on a human or animal appendage such as arm  2306  or leg  2308  of a user  2301 . Upon installation, the automatic retention apparatus may automatically determine from the disclosed sensors that are configured to detect aspects of the environment, or of the object, how much tension to apply to arm  2306  or leg  2308 . For example, a radial artery  2302 , or a femoral artery  2309  may have been injured due to accident, war, natural disaster, and the like, and an automatic retention apparatus  2303  or  2313  may be placed near the affected region to reduce or eliminate an otherwise life threatening loss of bodily fluids. As disclosed herein elsewhere, the automatic retention apparatus  2303  or  2313  may determine from sensing aspects of the object itself (e.g. reduced blood flow in the arm  2306  or leg  2308 ), or of the environment (e.g. ambient temperature, pressure changes, and the like) that tension should be applied immediately to reduce or eliminate the loss of blood from the radial artery  2302  or femoral artery  2309 . 
     In another aspect, a user  2301  may have injuries in both the arm  2306  and the leg  2308 , both of which may require immediate lifesaving care. The disclosed auto retention apparatuses may be quickly deployed as shown at  2300  and put to use at the same time, one on the arm, and one on the leg. This may allow a care giver to advantageously attend to other victims while the automatic retention apparatuses  2303  and  2313  automatically provide the necessary life-saving treatment. In the case of a mass-casualty incident where dozens of victims may be experiencing severe trauma, a single care-giver may thus be able to rapidly apply lifesaving care to multiple victims quickly by deploy multiple devices. In another aspect, the multiple devices for multiple victims may independently communicate data about each patient to one or more remote computing devices thus allowing a few care givers to deploy and monitor lifesaving care rapidly for many victims. 
     In another example, a knee brace  2304  may be installed at a knee  2305  of the user  2301  and may be configured to include an automatic retention system. The three automatic retention devices  2310 - 2312  used here as part of the automatic retention system of knee brace  2304  may automatically sense and apply the proper level of tension at each location along the user&#39;s leg so as to properly maintain the knee brace  2304  in position as the user moves. The disclosed apparatuses may be positioned in any useful location of a human or animal for the purpose of automatically applying pressure or tension. 
     In operation, the control circuit and/or other electronics in the various examples of an automatic retention apparatus disclosed herein is operable to automatically adjust the tension on the retention member. In one operational aspect, the control circuit is programmed to perform a power on process for the data collection and control electronics. The process may begin by receiving a power on command to activate the apparatus including the control circuit and any additional control electronics. The control circuit may initiate communication with an inertial sensor suite via a digital interface, and may also initialize a file system in the memory for recording data and maintaining configuration data such as the configuration data discussed herein. The control circuit may also begin calibration of all available sensors such as any inertial sensors. This may include configuring the resolution of the sensors and the sample rate. It may also include configuring sensor noise filter. 
     The control circuit may also be configured to execute a data collection and control algorithm. The algorithm may include retrieving the available stream of data from any available sensors representing the values of the various sense parameters generated by the sensors. The control circuit may apply/update a digital filter of state data, and/or use an adaptive algorithm such a neural network, or similar algorithm to identify important data features in the time and frequency domain of the incoming data stream. The control circuit may use the resulting data, configuration parameters, and real-time data features to calculate one or more values representing the tension to be applied to the retention member. The control circuit may compare the values to measured device parameters and communicate the tension values to the actuator to adjust the tension accordingly. The data collection and control algorithm may then repeat as necessary. The algorithm may execute multiple times a second such as more than 10 times a second, more than 1000 times a second, or more than a million times a second. 
     One example of circuit components for processing signal input and producing a motor control output is illustrated at  2400  in  FIG.  24   . These components may be used with, or included in components discussed herein elsewhere, particularly with respect to the components illustrated in  FIG.  1    at  100 . The control circuit at  2400  may include multiple sub circuits such as a sensor processing circuit  2414 , a memory card interface  2434 , and high-level control of decision logic circuit  2422 , and external current watchdog circuit  2408 , a low level Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) loop  2426 , and the saturation compensation circuit  2428 . External current watchdog circuit  2408  may include a hardware abort aspect which may operate as a current limiter to avoid overloading motor  2437 . A motor current operational amplifier (or “Op Amp”)  2402  passes signals representing the data value for motor current to a 14-bit Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)  2404 . The sensor processing circuit  2414  may include any suitable sensors like sensors  115  that may include a 3-axis accelerometer 2412 and 3-axis gyro  2416  which may be used to estimate the motion state at  2418  by utilizing such filters as the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), FIR (Finite Impulse Response), and IIR (Infinite Impulse Response). Memory card interface  2434  may include an SPI-bus and SD card reader  2436  with access to update configuration data  2435  which may include user configurable aspects or operating parameters of the automatic retention apparatus. The motion response executive  2420  then reads the motion state and configuration data and passes the result to high-level control decision logic  2422  which may then determine a target tension using target tension generation circuits  2424 . This target tension may be compared to the actual tension calculated from motor current or sensor circuitry comparing aspects such as force, torque or position data. The result is passed to PID loop  2426  and saturation circuitry  2428  producing an output such as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) output  2430  which may be provided to motor  2437  to automatically control tension on the retention member as discussed herein elsewhere. 
     Other disclosed concepts include the following numbered examples: 
     Example 1 
     An automatic retention apparatus for automatically adjusting tension on an object, comprising that includes a retention member that is separate and distinct from and positionable around the object, the retention member arranged and configured to engage the object to adjust tension or compression forces on the object. 
     Example 2 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example including a housing separate and distinct from the object, wherein the retention member is optionally mounted to the housing. 
     Example 3 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example including an actuator that includes a rotating member, wherein the rotating member is positioned to engage the retention member. 
     Example 4 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein a rotating member is rotatable around an axis of rotation in a first direction to increase tension on the retention member and in a second direction to decrease tension on the retention member. 
     Example 5 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example including at least one sensor arranged and configured to sense changes in a sense parameter associated with the object. 
     Example 6 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example including a control circuit responsive to input from a sensor and configured to control an actuator according to the input from the sensor, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the actuator to rotate the rotating member in a first or second direction to adjust tension on the retention member based on input from the sensor. 
     Example 7 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example including a rotating member that optionally extends out of a housing to engage the retention member, and wherein the retention member is optionally adjacent to the housing, and/or the rotating member is optionally mounted inside the housing 
     Example 8 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example including a rotating member that consists of, comprises, or includes a worm gear positioned adjacent to the retention member that is optionally arranged to engage holes, grooves, splines, pins, or through holes defined by the retention member. 
     Example 9 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein the retention member is optionally rigid and wider than it is thick and optionally defines one or more holes engageable by the worm gear. 
     Example 10 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein the retention member is optionally flexible or semi-rigid. 
     Example 11 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein an engagement portion of the retention member engages a rotating member inside a housing, and wherein the housing is optionally fully or partially enclosed, and/or the housing optionally defines through holes through which the retention member may pass from outside the housing in order to engage the rotating member. 
     Example 12 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that comprises a rotating member that includes a shaft, wherein an engagement portion of the retention member winds and unwinds around the shaft to increase or decrease tension on the object. 
     Example 13 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein the retention member includes a flexible substrate having a flat state and a curled state, and wherein the curled state of the flexible substrate is optionally suitable for conforming to the object. 
     Example 14 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein a first end of the retention member is mounted to a housing, and a second end of the retention member is selectively engageable with a rotating member when a flexible substrate of the retention member is in the curled state. 
     Example 15 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein an engagement portion of the retention apparatus is configured to automatically engage a rotating member when the retention member is in a curled state. 
     Example 16 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein a control circuit is configured to automatically activate the retention apparatus to begin applying tension to the retention member when the retention member is in to the curled state, or shortly after the retention member arrives in the curled state. 
     Example 17 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein the retention member includes, or consists of, or is primarily made of a flexible substrate that is optionally a metallic or polymeric bi-stable spring. 
     Example 18 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that includes a frame mounted to a housing, and optionally at least one arm rotatably mounted to the frame or the housing, wherein the retention member is optionally coupled to the at least one arm. 
     Example 20 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein at least one arm is arranged and configured to rotate toward the object with increased tension on the retention member, and wherein the at least one arm is arranged and configured to rotate away from the object with decreased tension on the retention member. 
     Example 21 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein at least one arm is arranged and configured to rotate toward the object with decreased tension on the retention member, and wherein the at least one arm is arranged and configured to rotate away from the object with increased tension on the retention member. 
     Example 22 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that also includes at least one arm that has multiple interconnected segments, and wherein the retention member passes. 
     Example 23 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that also includes at least one arm that has multiple interconnected segments, and wherein the retention member is mounted to one of the multiple interconnected segments adjacent an end of the arm. 
     Example 24 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that also includes a biasing element positioned adjacent to a rotating member, wherein the biasing element is optionally arranged and configured to bias the rotating member in a direction opposite the tension in the retention member, and/or, the biasing element is optionally arranged and configured to bias the rotating member in the same direction as the tension in the retention member. 
     Example 25 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that also includes biasing element that is, comprises, or is primarily made of a spring, and wherein the biasing element engages a rotating member while optionally sharing a common shaft with the rotating member. 
     Example 26 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that includes at least two rotating members, a first and second rotating member, wherein the first rotating member is optionally positioned to engage the retention member at a first end, wherein the second rotating member is optionally positioned to engage the retention member at a second end, and wherein the first and second rotating members are separately or otherwise rotatable in a first direction to increase tension on the retention member and in a second direction to decrease tension on the retention member. 
     Example 27 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein the object is a human or animal appendage, and wherein a sense parameter associated with a sensor of the retention apparatus includes any combination of blood pressure, body temperature, blood oxygen level, or heart rate. 
     Example 28 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein a control circuit is configured to increase tension on the retention member when a sense parameter of a sensor matches a first target criteria, and wherein the control circuit is configured to decrease tension on the retention member when the sense parameter matches a second target criteria. 
     Example 29 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example that includes an environment sensor arranged and configured to sense changes in an environmental sense parameter associated with an environment surrounding the sensor, wherein a control circuit is responsive to the environmental sense parameter, and wherein the sense parameter comprises any combination of speed, angular momentum, velocity, movement, or acceleration. 
     Example 30 
     The automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein an environment sensor is positioned in a housing of the automatic retention apparatus. 
     Example 31 
     An automatic retention system that includes multiple automatic retention apparatuses of any other example, or examples, described herein, the multiple automatic retention apparatuses being optionally mounted to a frame. 
     Example 32 
     An automatic retention system according to any other disclosed example, wherein the system includes a frame that defines a joint, and wherein at least one example of a multiple automatic retention apparatus is mounted on one side of the joint, and at least one example of a multiple automatic retention apparatus is mounted on another side of the joint. 
     Example 33 
     An automatic retention apparatus of any other example that also includes a control circuit that is configured to increase tension on the retention member according to an adaptive algorithm that automatically adjusts control parameters of the control circuit over time. 
     Example 34 
     An automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein a control circuit a neural network algorithm for adaptively determining values for one or more control parameters of the control circuit based on data stored in a memory. 
     Example 35 
     An automatic retention apparatus of any other example wherein the retention member optionally passes through at least a portion of a rotating member of the apparatus. 
     Glossary of Definitions and Alternatives 
     While examples are illustrated in the drawings and described herein, this disclosure is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. The present disclosure is exemplary in nature and all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions as defined in the claims are included. The detailed description is included herein to discuss aspects of the examples illustrated in the drawings for the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the inventions. No limitation of the scope of the inventions is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described examples, and any further applications of the principles described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the inventions relate. Some examples are disclosed in detail, however some features that may not be relevant may have been left out for the sake of clarity. 
     Where there are references to publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein, they are understood to be incorporated by reference as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference and set forth in its entirety herein. 
     Singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, and the like include plural referents unless expressly discussed otherwise. As an illustration, references to “a device” or “the device” include one or more of such devices and equivalents thereof. 
     Directional terms, such as “up”, “down”, “top” “bottom”, “fore”, “aft”, “lateral”, “longitudinal”, “radial”, “circumferential”, etc., are used herein solely for the convenience of the reader in order to aid in the reader&#39;s understanding of the illustrated examples. The use of these directional terms does not in any manner limit the described, illustrated, and/or claimed features to a specific direction and/or orientation. 
     Multiple related items may be illustrated in the drawings with the same part number but differentiated by a letter for separate individual instances. These may be referred to generally by a distinguishable portion of the full name, and/or by the number alone. For example, if multiple “laterally extending elements”  90 A,  90 B,  90 C, and  90 D are illustrated in the drawings, the disclosure may refer to these as “laterally extending elements  90 A- 90 D,” or as “laterally extending elements  90 ,” or by a distinguishable portion of the full name such as “elements  90 ”. 
     The language used in the disclosure are presumed to have only their plain and ordinary meaning, except as explicitly defined below. The words used in the definitions included herein are to only have their plain and ordinary meaning. Such plain and ordinary meaning is inclusive of all consistent dictionary definitions from the most recently published Webster&#39;s and Random House dictionaries. As used herein, the following definitions apply to the following terms or to common variations thereof (e.g., singular/plural forms, past/present tenses, etc.): 
     “About” with reference to numerical values generally refers to plus or minus 10% of the stated value. For example, if the stated value is 4.375, then use of the term “about 4.375” generally means a range between 3.9375 and 4.8125. 
     “Activate” generally is synonymous with “providing power to”, or refers to “enabling a specific function” of a circuit or electronic device that already has power. 
     “Actuator” generally refers to a device for activating or controlling the actions of an actuated device. This may include, but is not limited to, moving or controlling movement. An actuator may be an element or aspect of the actuated device, such as in the case of a valve that includes an actuator for opening and closing the valve. An actuator may actuate operation of the device by direct mechanical linkage, by signals sent to the device via electromagnetic energy traveling over a wire, optical fiber, or through the air, or by actuating an intervening apparatus that causes the desired actuation of the target device. 
     “And/or” is inclusive here, meaning “and” as well as “or”. For example, “P and/or Q” encompasses, P, Q, and P with Q; and, such “P and/or Q” may include other elements as well. 
     “Antenna” or “Antenna system” generally refers to an electrical device, or series of devices, in any suitable configuration, that converts electric power into electromagnetic radiation. Such radiation may be either vertically, horizontally, or circularly polarized at any frequency along the electromagnetic spectrum. Antennas transmitting with circular polarity may have either right-handed or left-handed polarization. 
     In the case of radio waves, an antenna may transmit at frequencies ranging along electromagnetic spectrum from extremely low frequency (ELF) to extremely high frequency (EHF). An antenna or antenna system designed to transmit radio waves may comprise an arrangement of metallic conductors (elements), electrically connected (often through a transmission line) to a receiver or transmitter. An oscillating current of electrons forced through the antenna by a transmitter can create an oscillating magnetic field around the antenna elements, while the charge of the electrons also creates an oscillating electric field along the elements. These time-varying fields radiate away from the antenna into space as a moving transverse electromagnetic field wave. Conversely, during reception, the oscillating electric and magnetic fields of an incoming electromagnetic wave exert force on the electrons in the antenna elements, causing them to move back and forth, creating oscillating currents in the antenna. These currents can then be detected by receivers and processed to retrieve digital or analog signals or data. 
     Antennas can be designed to transmit and receive radio waves substantially equally in all horizontal directions (omnidirectional antennas), or preferentially in a particular direction (directional or high gain antennas). In the latter case, an antenna may also include additional elements or surfaces which may or may not have any physical electrical connection to the transmitter or receiver. For example, parasitic elements, parabolic reflectors or horns, and other such non-energized elements serve to direct the radio waves into a beam or other desired radiation pattern. Thus antennas may be configured to exhibit increased or decreased directionality or “gain” by the placement of these various surfaces or elements. High gain antennas can be configured to direct a substantially large portion of the radiated electromagnetic energy in a given direction that may be vertical horizontal or any combination thereof. 
     Antennas may also be configured to radiate electromagnetic energy within a specific range of vertical angles (i.e. “takeoff angles) relative to the earth in order to focus electromagnetic energy toward an upper layer of the atmosphere such as the ionosphere. By directing electromagnetic energy toward the upper atmosphere at a specific angle, specific skip distances may be achieved at particular times of day by transmitting electromagnetic energy at particular frequencies. 
     Other examples of antennas include emitters and sensors that convert electrical energy into pulses of electromagnetic energy in the visible or invisible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Examples include light emitting diodes, lasers, and the like that are configured to generate electromagnetic energy at frequencies ranging along the electromagnetic spectrum from far infrared to extreme ultraviolet. 
     “Appendage” generally refers to any portion of the human body. Examples include neck, arm, leg, finger, torso, head, foot etc. 
     “Battery” generally refers to an electrical energy storage device or storage system including multiple energy storage devices. A battery may include one or more separate electrochemical cells, each converting stored chemical energy into electrical energy by a chemical reaction to generate an electromotive force (or “EMF” measured in Volts). An individual battery cell may have a positive terminal (cathode) with a higher electrical potential, and a negative terminal (anode) that is at a lower electrical potential than the cathode. Any suitable electrochemical cell may be used that employ any suitable chemical process, including galvanic cells, electrolytic cells, fuel cells, flow cells and voltaic piles. When a battery is connected to an external circuit, electrolytes are able to move as ions within the battery, allowing the chemical reactions to be completed at the separate terminals thus delivering energy to the external circuit. 
     A battery may be a “primary” battery that can produce current immediately upon assembly. Examples of this type include alkaline batteries, nickel oxyhydroxide, lithium-copper, lithium-manganese, lithium-iron, lithium-carbon, lithium-thionyl chloride, mercury oxide, magnesium, zinc-air, zinc-chloride, or zinc-carbon batteries. Such batteries are often referred to as “disposable” insofar as they are generally not rechargeable and are discarded or recycled after discharge. 
     A battery may also be a “secondary” or “rechargeable” battery that can produce little or no current until charged. Examples of this type include lead-acid batteries, valve regulated lead-acid batteries, sealed gel-cell batteries, and various “dry cell” batteries such as nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-zinc (NiZn), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. 
     “Braking mechanism” generally refers to a selectively engageable mechanism configured to reduce or halt the movement or rotation of one object with respect to another. In one example, a braking mechanism uses friction between two surfaces selectively pressed together to convert the kinetic energy of the moving or rotating object into heat, though other methods of energy conversion may be employed. Regenerative braking converts much of the energy to electrical energy, which may be stored for later use. Other methods convert kinetic energy into potential energy in such stored forms as pressurized air or pressurized oil. Eddy current brakes use magnetic fields to convert kinetic energy into electric current in the brake disc, fin, or rail, which is converted into heat. Still other braking methods even transform kinetic energy into different forms, for example by transferring the energy to a rotating flywheel. 
     Another example of a braking mechanism is a ratchet which allows continuous linear or rotary motion in only one direction while preventing motion in the opposite direction. A ratchet may include a series of engagement members such as teeth arranged around a gear or on linear rack. A pivoting, spring-loaded finger called a pawl engages the teeth. The teeth are uniform but asymmetrical, with each tooth having a moderate slope on one edge and a much steeper slope on the other edge. When the teeth are moving in the unrestricted (i.e., forward) direction, the pawl easily slides up and over the gently sloped edges of the teeth, with a biasing element such as a spring forcing it into the depression between the teeth as it passes the tip of each tooth. When the teeth attempt to move in the opposite (backward) direction the pawl catches on the steeply sloped edge of the first tooth it encounters, thereby locking it against the tooth and preventing any further motion in that direction until the pawl is released. 
     “Cable” generally refers to one or more elongate strands of material that has tensile strength but little if any compressive strength. In other words, a cable is a relatively flexible elongate structure of one or more strands that tends to resist being pulled apart or stretched, but is generally unable to resist being compressed together. Examples include wire rope, flexible shafts, Bowden cables, coaxial cable, twisted pair electrical wire, a single strand of wire, as well as non-wire ropes made of natural or synthetic fibers. 
     “Controller” generally refers to a mechanical or electronic device configured to control the behavior of another mechanical or electronic device. A controller may include a “control circuit” configured to provide signals or other electrical impulses that may be received and interpreted by the controlled device to indicate how it should behave. 
     “Computer” generally refers to any computing device configured to compute a result from any number of input values or variables. A computer may include a control circuit for performing calculations to process input or output. A computer may include a memory for storing values to be processed by the processor, or for storing the results of previous processing. 
     A computer may also be configured to accept input and output from a wide array of input and output devices for receiving or sending values. Such devices include other computers, keyboards, mice, visual displays, printers, industrial equipment, and systems or machinery of all types and sizes. For example, a computer can control a network or network interface to perform various network communications upon request. The network interface may be part of the computer, or characterized as separate and remote from the computer. 
     A computer may be a single, physical, computing device such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or may be composed of multiple devices of the same type such as a group of servers operating as one device in a networked cluster, or a heterogeneous combination of different computing devices operating as one computer and linked together by a communication network. The communication network connected to the computer may also be connected to a wider network such as the internet. Thus a computer may include one or more physical processors or other computing devices or circuitry, and may also include any suitable type of memory. 
     A computer may also be a virtual computing platform having an unknown or fluctuating number of physical processors and memories or memory devices. A computer may thus be physically located in one geographical location or physically spread across several widely scattered locations with multiple processors linked together by a communication network to operate as a single computer. 
     The concept of “computer” and “processor” within a computer or computing device also encompasses any such processor or computing device serving to make calculations or comparisons as part of the disclosed system. Processing operations related to threshold comparisons, rules comparisons, calculations, and the like occurring in a computer may occur, for example, on separate servers, the same server with separate processors, or on a virtual computing environment having an unknown number of physical processors as described above. 
     A computer may be optionally coupled to one or more visual displays and/or may include an integrated visual display. Likewise, displays may be of the same type, or a heterogeneous combination of different visual devices. A computer may also include one or more operator input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, laser or infrared pointing device, or gyroscopic pointing device to name just a few representative examples. Also, besides a display, one or more other output devices may be included such as a printer, plotter, industrial manufacturing machine, 3D printer, and the like. As such, various display, input and output device arrangements are possible. 
     Multiple computers or computing devices may be configured to communicate with one another or with other devices over wired or wireless communication links to form a network. Network communications may pass through various computers operating as network appliances such as switches, routers, firewalls or other network devices or interfaces before passing over other larger computer networks such as the internet. Communications can also be passed over the network as wireless data transmissions carried over electromagnetic waves through transmission lines or free space. Such communications include using WiFi or other Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or a cellular transmitter/receiver to transfer data. 
     “Communication Link” generally refers to a connection between two or more communicating entities and may or may not include a communications channel between the communicating entities. The communication between the communicating entities may occur by any suitable means. For example the connection may be implemented as a physical link, an electrical link, an electromagnetic link, a logical link, or any other suitable linkage facilitating communication. 
     In the case of physical link, communicating entities may be physically connected one to another. For example, the physical link directly connected to one entity may be directly connected to another. In the case of an electrical link, the communication link may be composed of one or more electrical conductors electrically connected to the communicating entities to form the communication link. In the case of an electromagnetic link, the communicating entities may be coupled to a communications link by sending or receiving electromagnetic energy at any suitable frequency, thus allowing communications to pass as electromagnetic waves. These electromagnetic waves may or may not pass through a physical medium such as a wire or an optical fiber, or through free space, or any combination thereof. Electromagnetic waves may be passed at any suitable frequency including any frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     In the case of a logical link, the communication link may be a conceptual linkage between the sender and recipient such as a transmission station and receiving station. Logical link may include any combination of physical, electrical, electromagnetic, or other types of communication links. 
     “Coupling device” generally refers to a device for coupling one object to another. Examples include a belt buckle, a zipper, a latch, a padlock, a trailer hitch, a clothing button, an electrical connector, boot bindings for a snow board or snow ski, and foot straps for a water ski, kite board, surf board, wave board, or sail board, to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     “Electrically connected” generally refers to a configuration of two objects that allows electricity to flow between them or through them. In one example, two conductive materials are physically adjacent one another and are sufficiently close together so that electricity can pass between them. In another example, two conductive materials are in physical contact allowing electricity to flow between them. 
     “Gear” generally refers to a machine part having engagement teeth, or cogs, which extend outwardly away from the body of the gear. The teeth are configured to mesh with another part have corresponding similarly spaced teeth or similarly spaced holes that extend at least a portion of the way through the other part. Types of gears include spur, helical, skew, double helical, bevel, spiral bevel, hypoid, crown, worm, non-circular, rack and pinion, epicyclic, sun and planet, harmonic, cage, cycloidal, and magnetic to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     Worm gears resemble screws and mesh with a worm wheel, which looks similar to a spur gear. Worm-and-gear sets are a simple and compact way to achieve a high torque, low speed gear ratio. A worm gear is a species of helical gear, but its helix angle is usually somewhat large (close to 90 degrees) and its body is usually fairly long in the axial direction. These attributes give it screw like qualities. The distinction between a worm and a helical gear is that at least one tooth persists for a full rotation around the helix. A worm gear may be thought of as having a single tooth in the case where the tooth persists for several turns around the helix. A worm gear may also be thought of as having more than one tooth when viewed perpendicular to the long axis of the gear. The reappearing tooth at intervals along the length of the worm may thus be thought of as multiple teeth. 
     In a worm-and-gear set, the worm can always drive the gear. However, if the gear attempts to drive the worm, it may or may not succeed. Particularly if the lead angle is small, the gear&#39;s teeth may simply lock against the worm&#39;s teeth, because the force component circumferential to the worm is not sufficient to overcome friction. In traditional music boxes, however, the gear drives the worm, which has a large helix angle. A worm and gear set may be “self-locking”, as when it is desired to set the position of a mechanism by turning the worm and then have the mechanism hold that position without allowing retrograde rotation. An example is the machine head found on some types of stringed instruments. 
     “Hole” generally refers to a hollowed out area defined by a solid body or surface. A hole may extend into the solid body or surface without passing through such as in the case of an indention, depression, or pit. A hole may also pass through one side of an object to another side, thus passing completely through the object. The second side may be the same as the first, such as in the case of loop inside a solid body. Holes may have any suitable shape such as a circle, rectangle, oval, square, triangle, and the like. 
     “Input” generally refers to something put in, such as a physical substance put in (e.g. increased input of fuel), power or energy put into a machine or system usually with the intent of sizable recovery in the form of output, a component of production (such as land, labor, or raw materials), signals, data, or information fed into a computer, advice or comment, or a stimulus that acts on and is integrated into a bodily system. In the case of information fed into a computer, the input may be generated by a sensor detecting a sense parameter. In this instances, the time-varying values of the sense parameter are at least part of the input. 
     “Memory” generally refers to any storage system or device configured to retain data or information. Each memory may include one or more types of solid-state electronic memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, just to name a few. Memory may use any suitable storage technology, or combination of storage technologies, and may be volatile, nonvolatile, or a hybrid combination of volatile and nonvolatile varieties. By way of nonlimiting example, each memory may include solid-state electronic Random Access Memory (RAM), Sequentially Accessible Memory (SAM) (such as the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) variety or the Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) variety), Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM), Electronically Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), or Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM). 
     Memory can refer to Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) or any variants, including static random access memory (SRAM), Burst SRAM or Synch Burst SRAM (BSRAM), Fast Page Mode DRAM (FPM DRAM), Enhanced DRAM (EDRAM), Extended Data Output RAM (EDO RAM), Extended Data Output DRAM (EDO DRAM), Burst Extended Data Output DRAM (REDO DRAM), Single Data Rate Synchronous DRAM (SDR SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), Direct Rambus DRAM (DRDRAM), or Extreme Data Rate DRAM (XDR DRAM). 
     Memory can also refer to non-volatile storage technologies such as non-volatile read access memory (NVRAM), flash memory, non-volatile static RAM (nvSRAM), Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), Phase-change memory (PRAM), conductive-bridging RAM (CBRAM), Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS), Resistive RAM (RRAM), Domain Wall Memory (DWM) or “Racetrack” memory, Nano-RAM (NRAM), or Millipede memory. Other non-volatile types of memory include optical disc memory (such as a DVD or CD ROM), a magnetically encoded hard disc or hard disc platter, floppy disc, tape, or cartridge media. The concept of a “memory” includes the use of any suitable storage technology or any combination of storage technologies. 
     “Motor” generally refers to a rotating machine that transforms electrical or chemical energy into mechanical energy, such as by a rotating shaft. Examples include electric motors and internal combustion engines. 
     “Movement” generally refers to an act of changing physical a physical property such as position, dimension, posture, angle of incidence, or location to name a few nonlimiting examples. Movement of an object may be caused by the object, by the activities of other objects acting on the object either directly or indirectly, and/or by the actions of environmental forces such as gravity, wind, and the like. 
     “Multiple” as used herein is synonymous with the term “plurality” and refers to more than one, or by extension, two or more. 
     “Network” or “Computer Network” generally refers to a telecommunications network that allows computers to exchange data. Computers can pass data to each other along data connections by transforming data into a collection of datagrams or packets. The connections between computers and the network may be established using either cables, optical fibers, or via electromagnetic transmissions such as for wireless network devices. 
     Computers coupled to a network may be referred to as “nodes” or as “hosts” and may originate, broadcast, route, or accept data from the network. Nodes can include any computing device such as personal computers, phones, servers as well as specialized computers that operate to maintain the flow of data across the network, referred to as “network devices”. Two nodes can be considered “networked together” when one device is able to exchange information with another device, whether or not they have a direct connection to each other. 
     Examples of wired network connections may include Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), coaxial cable lines, or optical fiber lines. The wireless connections may include BLUETOOTH, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), infrared channel or satellite band, or any wireless local area network (Wi-Fi) such as those implemented using the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers&#39; (IEEE) 802.11 standards (e.g. 802.11(a), 802.11(b), 802.11(g), or 802.11(n) to name a few). Wireless links may also include or use any cellular network standards used to communicate among mobile devices including 1G, 2G, 3G, or 4G. The network standards may qualify as 1G, 2G, etc. by fulfilling a specification or standards such as the specifications maintained by International Telecommunication Union (ITU). For example, a network may be referred to as a “3G network” if it meets the criteria in the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specification regardless of what it may otherwise be referred to. A network may be referred to as a “4G network” if it meets the requirements of the International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMTAdvanced) specification. Examples of cellular network or other wireless standards include AMPS, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, LTE Advanced, Mobile WiMAX, and WiMAX-Advanced. 
     Cellular network standards may use various channel access methods such as FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, or SDMA. Different types of data may be transmitted via different links and standards, or the same types of data may be transmitted via different links and standards. 
     The geographical scope of the network may vary widely. Examples include a body area network (BAN), a personal area network (PAN), a low power wireless Personal Area Network using IPv6 (6LoWPAN), a local-area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet. 
     A network may have any suitable network topology defining the number and use of the network connections. The network topology may be of any suitable form and may include point-to-point, bus, star, ring, mesh, or tree. A network may be an overlay network which is virtual and is configured as one or more layers that use or “lay on top of” other networks. 
     A network may utilize different communication protocols or messaging techniques including layers or stacks of protocols. Examples include the Ethernet protocol, the internet protocol suite (TCP/IP), the ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) technique, the SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking) protocol, or the SDE1 (Synchronous Digital Elierarchy) protocol. The TCP/IP internet protocol suite may include application layer, transport layer, internet layer (including, e.g., IPv6), or the link layer. 
     “Optionally” as used herein means discretionary; not required; possible, but not compulsory; left to personal choice. 
     “Personal computing device” generally refers to a computing device configured for use by individual people. Examples include mobile devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, wearable computers installed in items worn on the human body such as in eye glasses, laptop computers, portable music/video players, computers in automobiles, or cellular telephones such as smart phones. Personal computing devices can be devices that are typically not mobile such as desk top computers, game consoles, or server computers. Personal computing devices may include any suitable input/output devices and may be configured to access a network such as through a wireless or wired connection, and/or via other network hardware. 
     “Predominately” as used herein is synonymous with greater than 50%. 
     “Processor” generally refers to one or more electronic components configured to operate as a single unit configured or programmed to process input to generate an output. 
     Alternatively, when of a multi-component form, a processor may have one or more components located remotely relative to the others. One or more components of each processor may be of the electronic variety defining digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or both. In one example, each processor is of a conventional, integrated circuit microprocessor arrangement, such as one or more PENTIUM, i3, i5 or i7 processors supplied by INTEL Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., USA. Other examples of commercially available processors include but are not limited to the X8 and Freescale Coldfire processors made by Motorola Corporation of Schaumburg, Ill., USA; the ARM processor and TEGRA System on a Chip (SoC) processors manufactured by Nvidia of Santa Clara, Calif., USA; the POWER7 processor manufactured by International Business Machines of White Plains, N.Y., USA; any of the FX, Phenom, Athlon, Sempron, or Opteron processors manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices of Sunnyvale, Calif., USA; or the Snapdragon SoC processors manufactured by Qalcomm of San Diego, Calif., USA. 
     A processor also includes Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). An ASIC is an Integrated Circuit (IC) customized to perform a specific series of logical operations is controlling a computer to perform specific tasks or functions. An ASIC is an example of a processor for a special purpose computer, rather than a processor configured for general-purpose use. An application-specific integrated circuit generally is not reprogrammable to perform other functions and may be programmed once when it is manufactured. 
     In another example, a processor may be of the “field programmable” type. Such processors may be programmed multiple times “in the field” to perform various specialized or general functions after they are manufactured. A field-programmable processor may include a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) in an integrated circuit in the processor. FPGA may be programmed to perform a specific series of instructions which may be retained in nonvolatile memory cells in the FPGA. The FPGA may be configured by a customer or a designer using a hardware description language (HDL). In FPGA may be reprogrammed using another computer to reconfigure the FPGA to implement a new set of commands or operating instructions. Such an operation may be executed in any suitable means such as by a firmware upgrade to the processor circuitry. 
     Just as the concept of a computer is not limited to a single physical device in a single location, so also the concept of a “processor” is not limited to a single physical logic circuit or package of circuits but includes one or more such circuits or circuit packages possibly contained within or across multiple computers in numerous physical locations. In a virtual computing environment, an unknown number of physical processors may be actively processing data, the unknown number may automatically change over time as well. 
     The concept of a “processor” includes a device configured or programmed to make threshold comparisons, rules comparisons, calculations, or perform logical operations applying a rule to data yielding a logical result (e.g. “true” or “false”). Processing activities may occur in multiple single processors on separate servers, on multiple processors in a single server with separate processors, or on multiple processors physically remote from one another in separate computing devices. 
     “Portion” means a part of a whole, either separated from or integrated with it. 
     “Retention Member” generally refers to an element, component, part, piece, or assembly configured to retain a first object in relation to a second object, or to generally apply tension or pressure to an object. The second object may be the retention member itself such as in the case of a retention member whose purpose is to hold itself in position relative to the first object. A retention member may be an assembly of multiple interrelated members that together operate as a retention member such as multiple interrelated segments, strands, or other elements intertwined or otherwise coupled together. 
     Examples of retention members include, but are not limited to, elongate structures such as a strap, chain, cable, wire, belt, string, and the like. A retention member may include coupling devices such as a snap, latch, coupler, clasp, or hook. Other examples include fasteners such as a screw, bolt, nail, brad, nut, or staple. 
     “Sense parameter” generally refers to a property of the environment detectable by a sensor. As used herein, sense parameter can be synonymous with an operating condition, environmental factor, sensor parameter, or environmental condition. Sense parameters may include temperature, air pressure, speed, acceleration, tension, weight, force, angle of deflection of an object with respect to another object or with respect to gravity, the presence or intensity of sound or light or other electromagnetic phenomenon, the strength and/or orientation of a magnetic or electrical field, and the like. Other examples include, hear rate, changes in location according to a location service such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), blood pressure, and the like. 
     “Sensor” generally refers to a transducer configured to sense or detect a characteristic of the environment local to the sensor. For example, sensors may be constructed to detect events or changes in quantities or sense parameters providing a corresponding output, generally as an electrical or electromagnetic signal. A sensor&#39;s sensitivity indicates how much the sensor&#39;s output changes when the input quantity being measured changes. 
     “Signal” generally refers to a function or means of representing information. It may be thought of as the output of a transformation or encoding process. The concept generally includes a change in the state of a medium or carrier that conveys the information. The medium can be any suitable medium such as air, water, electricity, magnetism, or electromagnetic energy such as in the case of radio waves, pulses of visible or invisible light, and the like. 
     As used herein, a “signal” implies a representation of meaningful information. Arbitrary or random changes in the state of a carrier medium are generally not considered “signals” and may be considered “noise”. For example, arbitrary binary data streams are not considered as signals. On the other hand, analog and digital signals that are representations of analog physical quantities are examples of signals. A signal is commonly not useful without some way to transmit or send the information, and a receiver responsive to the transmitter for receiving the information. 
     In a communication system, for example, a transmitter encodes a message to a signal, which is carried to a receiver by the communications channel. For example, the words “The time is 12 o&#39;clock” might be the message spoken into a telephone. The telephone transmitter may then convert the sounds into an electrical voltage signal. The signal is transmitted to the receiving telephone by wires, at the receiver it is reconverted into sounds. 
     Signals may be thought of as “discrete” or “continuous.” Discrete-time signals are often referred to as time series in other fields. Continuous-time signals are often referred to as continuous signals even when the signal functions are not continuous, such as in a square-wave signal. 
     Another categorization is signals which are “discrete-valued” and “continuous-valued”. Particularly in digital signal processing a digital signal is sometimes defined as a sequence of discrete values, that may or may not be derived from an underlying continuous-valued physical process. In other contexts, digital signals are defined as the continuous-time waveform signals in a digital system, representing a bit-stream. In the first case, a signal that is generated by means of a digital modulation method may be considered as converted to an analog signal, while it may be considered as a digital signal in the second case. 
     “Surround” as used herein means to “extend around at least a portion of” Implicit is a physical or conceptual perimeter around an object that is at least partially enclosed by another object, or arrangement of multiple objects. This includes to fully envelope, to enclose on all sides, and/or to extend fully around the margin or edge. The term may also contemplates intermittent spacing between placement of objects around a portion of another object, such as in the case of chairs that are said to surround a table, or police officers surrounding a building. The term also may be used in the abstract such as when a person&#39;s activities are surrounded by secrecy.