Abstract: A method and apparatus implementing the method, which is not dependent on monitoring the electrical impedance of the lead, detects imminent structural failure of an electrical lead in an implanted medical device, such as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or a pacemaker. The approach is to monitor directly the mechanical load loss of the lead (a measure of the loss of structural integrity of the lead) rather than, as in the prior art, to infer it from the electrical impedance.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for detecting a crack in a human tooth, especially one covered by a restoration, such as a crown, the approach is to stress the suspect tooth and, by means of acoustic emission techniques, analyze the characteristics of the resultant acoustic emission from the tooth. To aid the identification of a crack from the acoustic emission signal, a baseline may be obtained by performing this procedure at a time when the tooth is known not be cracked, e.g., when a restoration is placed on it. This baseline acoustic emission signature is recorded. This procedure is repeated at intervals. The subsequent measurements are compared with the baseline to identify changes that indicate the initiation and growth of a crack. The invention includes apparatus for implementing the method. The approach is to integrate the acoustic emission pulser and sensor into commercially available dental instruments, e.g., a tooth polisher and a water syringe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus implementing the method, which is not dependent on monitoring the electrical impedance of the lead, detects imminent structural failure of an electrical lead in an implanted medical device, such as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or a pacemaker. The approach is to monitor directly the mechanical load loss of the lead (a measure of the loss of structural integrity of the lead) rather than, as in the prior art, to infer it from the electrical impedance.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for detecting a crack in a human tooth, especially one covered by a restoration, such as a crown, the approach is to stress the suspect tooth and, by means of acoustic emission techniques, analyze the characteristics of the resultant acoustic emission from the tooth. To aid the identification of a crack from the acoustic emission signal, a baseline may be obtained by performing this procedure at a time when the tooth is known not be cracked, e.g., when a restoration is placed on it. This baseline acoustic emission signature is recorded. This procedure is repeated at intervals. The subsequent measurements are compared with the baseline to identify changes that indicate the initiation and growth of a crack. The invention includes apparatus for implementing the method. The approach is to integrate the acoustic emission pulser and sensor into commercially available dental instruments, e.g., a tooth polisher and a water syringe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus implementing the method, which is not dependent on monitoring the electrical impedance of the lead, detects imminent structural failure of an electrical lead in an implanted medical device, such as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or a pacemaker. The approach is to monitor directly the mechanical load loss of the lead (a measure of the loss of structural integrity of the lead) rather than, as in the prior art, to infer it from the electrical impedance.