Abstract: Several techniques are disclosed for isolating either heart or breath rate data from a photoplethysmograph, which is a time domain signal such as from a pulse oximeter. The techniques involve the use of filtering in the frequency domain, after a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) has been conducted on a given photoplethysmograph also references as a given set of discrete time-domain data. The filtering may be applied to an identified fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics for heart related parameters. The filter may be truncated to the frequency data set and further applied multiple times to improve roll off. After filtering, an Inverse FFT (IFFT) is used to reconstruct the time-domain signal, except with undesirable frequency content eliminated or reduced. Calculation or measurement of parameters is then conducted on this reconstructed time-domain signal.

Abstract: A noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor system for mobile animals such as small rodents, namely rats and mice is useful such as in a laboratory research environment. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor for mobile animals such as small rodents utilizes multiple FFT's in the processing of the phtotoplethysmograophic signal, where each FFT has a different time record of the signals such as a number of points, or a zero padded FFTs. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor for mobile animals provides actigraphy measurements for the animal.

Abstract: A method and system of supplying rodents, such as mice, to medical researchers pre-installs and/or embeds physiologic sensors onto or within the rodents prior to selling the modified rodents to the researchers. The specialty skills, such as small animal surgical and anesthesia skills and sensor placement and testing, are centralized in one organization rather than being spread about a collection of researchers. The subjects with preinstalled, pre-tested hardware, are sold to the researcher as needed. Communication hardware and software will be supplied for the user to convert their desktop computer into a wireless monitoring station. Additionally an external pulse oximeter for small rodents, such as mice, provides measurements on a hand or foot of the rodent with a sensor configured to avoid shunting around the rodent appendage, and configured for high heart rates (200-900 beats per minutes) of the subjects.

Abstract: An integrated blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system includes a blood flow occlusion member configured to selectively occlude blood flow through an appendage of the animal (e.g., the neck or tail); a sensor coupled to the blood flow occlusion member detecting a degree of operation thereof; Light sources coupled to the tail closer to the distal end of the tail than the tail blood flow occlusion member, and selectively directing light of two different wavelengths into the appendage; a light receiver coupled to the appendage and selectively receiving a signal associated with light directed into the appendage from the light sources; and a controller configured to selectively determine blood pressure parameters from the data and pulse oximeter parameters from the data.

Abstract: A full body plethysmographic chamber includes a noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor within the chamber. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor is for mobile animals such as small rodents, namely rats and mice in the full body plethysmographic chamber and is useful in a laboratory research environment. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor may be a neck clip or collar which provides an easily affixed attachment mechanism. The neck location will provide significant blood flow under all conditions and also offers inherent bite resistance to the sensor platform. The system of the present invention provides a commutator for the sensor wires for allowing untwisting of the system wires.

Abstract: A method and system of supplying rodents, such as mice, to medical researchers pre-installs and/or embeds physiologic sensors onto or within the rodents prior to selling the modified rodents to the researchers. The specialty skills, such as small animal surgical and anesthesia skills and sensor placement and testing, are centralized in one organization rather than being spread about a collection of researchers. The subjects with preinstalled, pre-tested hardware, are sold to the researcher as needed. Communication hardware and software will be supplied for the user to convert their desktop computer into a wireless monitoring station. Additionally an external pulse oximeter for small rodents, such as mice, provides measurements on a hand or foot of the rodent with a sensor configured to avoid shunting around the rodent appendage, and configured for high heart rates (200-900 beats per minutes) of the subjects.

Abstract: A noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform for small animals provides a spring biased sensor clip, wherein at least one side of the sensor clip is provided with a saddle faced clip face member. The saddle shape of the clip face member may have a hinge end, toward the hinge of the clip, which is longer in the longitudinal direction of the clip and shorter in depth than the distal end. The shorter distal end side (measured longitudinally) of this saddle shape facilitates the ability to align the transmitted and received light with the bone, while the overall saddle shape of the facing provides a physical grip to capture enough tissue to prevent the clip from relocating over time while it is attached to the limb. The shorter hinge end side (depth-wise) also allows the clip to close when it is fully assembled. The edges of the saddle shaped clip are preferably rounded off to prevent the contusions of the tissue that may result from long-term contact.

Abstract: A blood oxygenation monitoring device may comprise an extracorporeal pulse simulation system including one at least partially transparent blood holding element with a photoplethysmographic sensor coupled to the element and adapted to measure particular gas content of the blood. The system includes a pulse simulation mechanism configured to simulate pulsatile behavior of the blood within the element relative to the photoplethysmographic sensors. The blood holding element may be a reservoir, wherein the pulse simulation mechanism includes a magnetic stirrer and stir bar within the reservoir. The blood holding member may be flexible tubing having blood flow there through, wherein the pulse simulation mechanism is a peristaltic pump coupled to the tubing. The monitoring device can rapidly and accurately form oxygen dissociation curves. The monitoring device can be utilized in conjunction with a heart lung bypass machine or other extra corporeal circuit devices or can be a calibration tool for sensors.

Abstract: A user interface for a pulse oximetry device that calculates physiologic parameters of a subject including at least a subject's heart rate and SpO2, is disclosed wherein the interface comprises a graphical display of at least one raw data signal of the pulse oximetry device that maintains heart and breath rate components and a display of the calculated heart rate and SpO2 of the subject. The interface may further include a user selectable data averaging function in which the interface is configured to selectively obtain and display averages of at least some of the calculated physiologic parameters over a defined period. The interface may further include a user selectable noise suppression function for the displayed data.

Abstract: An efficient, effective, MRI compatible small bore MRI noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor for animals such as small rodents, namely rats and mice. The photoplethysmographic sensor for animals comprising: a non-magnetic sensor coupling attachable to an animal; fiber optic cable coupled to the sensor coupling and configured to deliver a signal to and receive a signal from the animal tissue adjacent the sensor coupling; an opto-electical converter coupled to the fiber optic cable, the converter including a receiver coupled the fiber optic cable portion configured to receive a signal from the animal tissue and including an emitter coupled to the fiber optic portion configured to deliver a signal to the animal tissue; an electronic coupling extending from the opto-electric converter and configured to be coupled to the emitter and the receiver, wherein the electronic coupling is configured to extend outside of the MRI chamber; and a processor coupled to the electronic coupling.

Abstract: A portable modular kiosk based physiologic sensor system for clinical and research applications configured to simultaneously utilize multiple sensors with cross checking and cross calculation of physiologic parameters and configured for continuous monitoring of blood oxygenation and respiratory parameters.

Abstract: A portable modular kiosk based physiologic sensor system for clinical and research applications configured to simultaneously utilize multiple sensors with cross checking and cross calculation of physiologic parameters.

Abstract: A hypoxia, or other bioactive gas, chamber is provided for use in animal research conducted on non-anesthetized small animals with direct physiologic monitoring.

Abstract: A noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform for mobile animals such as small rodents, namely rats and mice is useful such as in a laboratory research environment. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform may be a collar which provides an easily affixed, adjustable attachment mechanism that encircles the animal, such as the neck. The neck of the animal provides several particular advantages as a sensor mounting platform for photoplethysmographic sensors. For pulse oximetry, the neck location will provide significant blood flow under all conditions. For small mammals, such as rats and mice, transmittance pulse oximetry through the neck of the subject remains possible. The neck mounted collar also offers inherent bite resistance to the sensor platform.

Abstract: An integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system includes a tail blood flow occlusion member configured to selectively occlude blood flow through the tail; a sensor coupled to the tail blood flow occlusion member detecting a degree of operation thereof; Light sources coupled to the tail closer to the distal end of the tail than the tail blood flow occlusion member, and selectively directing light of two different wavelengths into the tail; a light receiver coupled to the tail and selectively receiving a signal associated with light directed into the tail from the light sources; and a controller configured to selectively determine blood pressure parameters from the data and pulse oximeter parameters from the data.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying a precise oxygen-nitrogen gas mixture to an animal comprises (i) A source of pressurized oxygen gas, (ii) A source of pressurized nitrogen gas, (iii) A mechanical two-gas blending valve having a first and second gas inlet couplings, and an outlet coupling, the gas blending valve having a manual selector that can incrementally adjust the oxygen-nitrogen gas mixture within a range of mixtures, and a face plate on the blending valve including markings adjacent to the manual selector that are indicative of specific oxygen-nitrogen mixtures, wherein the gas inlets are coupled to the sources of oxygen and nitrogen, respectively, (iv) A gas dispenser coupled to the outlet of the mechanical two gas blending valve; and (v) An animal interface coupling to deliver the gas mixture to the subject animal. The apparatus may be provided for mixtures of air and any gas of interest.

Abstract: A signal processing method of processing a physiologic signal, such as a Photoplethysmography Signal having at least some cardiac components and/or respirator components in the physiologic signal, the processing including the steps of: Identifying a potential cardiac and or respiratory components of a physiologic signal wherein the potential cardiac and or respiratory components have a series of peaks and valleys; Calculating a comparison of the durations of a peak to valley sub-component and a valley to peak sub component of the potential cardiac and or respiratory components; and Utilizing the calculated comparison to evaluate the potential cardiac and or respiratory components.

Abstract: A user interface for a pulse oximetry device that calculates physiologic parameters of a subject including at least a subject's heart rate and SpO2, is disclosed wherein the interface comprises a graphical display of at least one raw data signal of the pulse oximetry device that maintains heart and breath rate components and a display of the calculated heart rate and SpO2 of the subject. The interface may further include a user selectable data averaging function in which the interface is configured to selectively obtain and display averages of at least some of the calculated physiologic parameters over a defined period.

Abstract: A small animal restraining tube comprises a tube configured to receive a small animal therein; a nosecone within the tube and coupled thereto and configured to abut the animal within the tube to confine the animal on one side of the tube; an endplate coupled to the tube and configured to confine a body portion of the animal on a side opposite the nosecone, whereby the body of the animal is confined within the tube between the nosecone and the endplate, the endplate including an opening there through configured to receive a tail of the animal when the animal is confined within the tube; and a tubular loader mechanism selectively coupled to the tube, wherein the loader mechanism is configured to selectively receive the animal therein and configured to transfer the animal to the retraining tube.

Abstract: A restraining tube for small animals (preferably animals with tails) is designed to facilitate physiologic measurements of the animal through an integrated or associated sensor mount. The physiologic sensors include those for the measurement of pulse oximetry and other measurements such as breath rate, heart rate, pulse distention and breath distention, temperature to name a few. A tail engaging sensor mount geometry is provided for a particular pulse oximeter into the back plate of the tube. The immobility of the animal is especially important given the fact that pulse oximetry measurements are extremely susceptible to even the smallest motion artifact.