Methods are disclosed for assessing the condition of a cartilage in a joint and assessing cartilage loss, particularly in a human knee. A failure diagnosis of a vehicle is performed by comparing a reference value with the time sequence electronic control unit data of a plurality of driving parameters during the occurrence of a failure, the data being stored into a storage device in the ECU of the vehicle when a failure of the vehicle has occurred. Covers may include a plurality of frontal portions separated by a frontal seam or seams that tear open to permit emergence of the cushion between the frontal portions. Various patterns trigger transitions between the finite conditions of the automation. With a voltage drop at the resistor R11, the terminal voltage Vin1 starts decreasing toward an output voltage Vc of the operational amplifier.