Abstract: A device to couple a vascular access device to a medical device may include a body, a spring, and a housing. The body may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end. The proximal end of the body may include a connector. The housing may be coupled to a proximal end of the spring and may enclose the connector. A distal end of the spring may be coupled to the body. The housing may include a flap, which may include an antimicrobial compound. When the housing is disposed in a proximal position, the flap may cover the connector, the antimicrobial compound may contact the connector, and the spring may be uncompressed. In response to movement of the housing from the proximal position to a distal position, the spring may be compressed and the flap may open.

Abstract: A device to couple a vascular access device to a medical device may include a body, a spring, and a housing. The body may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end. The proximal end of the body may include a connector. The housing may be coupled to a proximal end of the spring and may enclose the connector. A distal end of the spring may be coupled to the body. The housing may include a flap, which may include an antimicrobial compound. When the housing is disposed in a proximal position, the flap may cover the connector, the antimicrobial compound may contact the connector, and the spring may be uncompressed. In response to movement of the housing from the proximal position to a distal position, the spring may be compressed and the flap may open.

Abstract: A device to couple a vascular access device to a medical device may include a body, a spring, and a housing. The body may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end. The proximal end of the body may include a connector. The housing may be coupled to a proximal end of the spring and may enclose the connector. A distal end of the spring may be coupled to the body. The housing may include a flap, which may include an antimicrobial compound. When the housing is disposed in a proximal position, the flap may cover the connector, the antimicrobial compound may contact the connector, and the spring may be uncompressed. In response to movement of the housing from the proximal position to a distal position, the spring may be compressed and the flap may open.

Abstract: A hearing aid body is provided that contains electronic hearing aid components and that is attachable to the user's body outside the ear canal. A conduit connects the hearing aid body to the flexible plug. The conduit enables sound emitted by the hearing aid to travel via the conduit to the flexible plug so that the user's able to hear a sound that is amplified by the hearing aid and received by the plug via the conduit. The conduit can be a flexible hollow tube or an electronic conduit that transmit electrical signals between the hearing aid and the plug. A stent embedded in the plug is provided, the stent having a first smaller diameter at a temperature below body temperature and being expandable to a second greater diameter when subjected to the user's body temperature, such as the temperature in the ear canal of a user.

Abstract: A hearing aid body is provided that contains electronic hearing aid components and that is attachable to the user's body outside the ear canal. A conduit connects the hearing aid body to the flexible plug. The conduit enables sound emitted by the hearing aid to travel via the conduit to the flexible plug so that the user's able to hear a sound that is amplified by the hearing aid and received by the plug via the conduit. The conduit can be a flexible hollow tube or an electronic conduit that transmit electrical signals between the hearing aid and the plug. A stent embedded in the plug is provided, the stent having a first smaller diameter at a temperature below body temperature and being expandable to a second greater diameter when subjected to the user's body temperature, such as the temperature in the ear canal of a user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a hearing aid provides a housing having a motor drive and speed control. A rotary chamber is mounted to the housing and driven by the motor drive. A drive shaft can be provided connecting the motor drive and the rotary chamber. The rotary chamber has a wall with at least one receptacle for holding a hearing aid. The rotary chamber can have two openings, one for a hearing aid and a second opening for another hearing aid or a counterweight. The rotary chamber can be counterweighted to compensate for the weight of a single hearing aid or any other arrangements of multiple hearing aids. Each receptacle is configured to hold a hearing aid. The motor drive is powered sufficiently to rotate the hearing aid at the speed of between about 2800 and 3200 rpm in order to generate a G-force on the hearing aid of about 270 G's.

Abstract: A method is applied to reduce a range in variation of a target spin speed for a rotatable medium in a data storage device. The method includes rotating the rotatable medium at the target spin speed, determining an initial position of a head relative to a surface of the rotatable medium, determining a target position of the head relative to the surface of the rotatable medium, calculating an adjusted spin speed based on the initial position and the target position, sending a signal to rotate the rotatable medium at the adjusted spin speed, repositioning the head from the initial position to the target position, and sending a signal to rotate the rotatable medium at the target spin speed.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes an adjustable output (linear or switching) voltage regulator including an output terminal that provides an output voltage. A plurality of loads each include a voltage supply terminal that receives the output voltage. A controller dynamically adjusts the output voltage based, e.g., based on which of the loads are active.

Abstract: A soft-solid ear piece is formed to fit the typical human ear canal and will self form to fill the ear cavity by having an internal structure, endoskeleton, or bladder to expand to precisely fit the ear piece securely and comfortably in the ear canal. This self forming ear piece will enable ready-ware and custom molded hearing aids, hearing protectors, audio ear pieces, cell phone ear pieces and assistive listening devices to fit comfortably, securely, and free of acoustic feedback in the external ear canal. It creates an acoustic seal to optimally reduce peripheral leakage and intermodulation distortion delivering excellent acoustic performance while keeping environmental sounds blocked out.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a fixed output voltage regulator including an output terminal that provides a substantially fixed output voltage. A plurality of loads, each includes a voltage supply terminal. A programmable resistor bank which is adapted to selectively provide a plurality of different resistances, is connected in series between the output terminal of the voltage regulator and the voltage supply terminals of the plurality of loads. One of the plurality of different resistances can be selected to adjust a voltage provided to the voltage supply terminals of the plurality of loads.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a fixed output voltage regulator including an output terminal that provides a substantially fixed output voltage. A pluralities of loads are connected in parallel. A resistor is connected in series between the output terminal of the voltage regulator and the plurality of loads. The resistor causes a voltage provided to the plurality of loads to sag, as compared to the substantially fixed output voltage, when current is pulled, by one or more of the loads, through the resistor.

Abstract: Methods and computer program products for determining accurate estimates of coil resistance are provided. A voice coil voltage value and a corresponding voice coil current value are determined during a seek operation. Additionally, a velocity of the voice coil is determined based on servo information read from servo wedges of a disk during the seek operation. Coil resistance is estimated based on the voice coil voltage, the voice coil current and the velocity values.

Abstract: A rotatable media storage device operates using multiple disk spin-speeds, e.g., a reduced spin-speed and a nominal spin-speed. A disk is spun up to a reduced spin-speed and an initial data transfer is began while the disk spins at the reduced spin-speed, if an amount of work that has been requested is below a threshold. The disk is spun up to a further spin-speed (e.g., a nominal spin-speed), which is greater than the reduced spin-speed, and the initial data transfer is began while the disk spins at the further spin-speed, if the amount of work that has been requested is above the threshold. Alternative embodiments using multiple disk spin-speeds are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can provide for reduced power consumption in rotatable media data storage devices. A voice coil motor driver configured to operate as a linear driver can be operated in a quasi-switch mode, for example when idle, or linear mode, for example during read/write operations and seeks, thereby achieving power savings along with accurate current control. Alternatively, a voice coil motor driver configured to operate as a switched driver can be operated at a reduced limit cycle, for example when idle, or a higher limit cycle, for example during read/write operations and seeks, thereby achieving power savings.

Abstract: Methods and systems in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can provide for reduced power consumption in rotatable media data storage devices. A voice coil motor or spindle motor driver configured to operate as a linear driver can be operated in a quasi-switch mode, for example when idle, or linear mode, for example during read/write operations and seeks, thereby achieving power savings along with accurate current control. Alternatively, a voice coil motor or spindle motor driver configured to operate as a switched driver can be operated at a reduced limit cycle, for example when idle, or a higher limit cycle, for example during read/write operations and seeks, thereby achieving power savings.

Abstract: Methods and computer program products for determining accurate estimates of coil resistance are provided. A voice coil voltage value and a corresponding voice coil current value are determined during a seek operation. Additionally, a velocity of the voice coil is determined based on servo information read from servo wedges of a disk during the seek operation. Coil resistance is estimated based on the voice coil voltage, the voice coil current and the velocity values.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a write current-setting for writing servo sectors onto a recording surface through a head in a head disk assembly of a disk drive is disclosed. A preamplifier circuit has an input for receiving a selected control signal set by a current-setting value, the preamplifier circuit causing current to flow through the head with a current magnitude determined by the current-setting value. A multiple-pass process is performed in which a series of current-setting values are set for the control signal for generating a plurality of quality metrics each indicative of a quality of the selected control signal. Each pass in the multiple-pass process includes the steps of providing a data sequence to the preamplifier circuit to cause a test pattern to be written to the recording surface, and reading the test pattern and generating and storing at least one of the plurality of quality metrics.

Abstract: A velocity control method for ramp unloading of heads off of a disk comprises providing a VCM settling period for measuring the VCM velocity, and in response to the measured VCM velocity, controlling an applied VCM current to maintain the VCM velocity between a minimum velocity and a maximum velocity.

Abstract: A disk drive comprising a plurality of recording surfaces and plurality of associated heads is disclosed employing a n-current preamplifier for generating n independently controlled write currents. For example, the n-current preamplifier may be employed during manufacturing of the disk drive to simultaneously write servo sectors to all of the recording surfaces in a “bank servo write” mode. The n-current preamplifier comprises an input for receiving a plurality of current-setting control signals corresponding to the plurality of heads, and a plurality of signal-to-current converters for converting the current-setting control signals into a plurality of write currents for the heads, wherein each write current has a magnitude that is independently controlled by a respective one of the current-setting control signals.

Abstract: A disk drive with a disk having a servo pattern including a special “calibration track” wherein a plurality of staggered calibration burst pairs define null points that are radially shifted from a burst pair centerline by precise, predefined, fractional track amounts to collectively provide accurate information about servo signal values generated as a function of real displacement. The staggered calibration bursts beneficially allows for calibrating the PES signal after the drive is removed from the servowriter during a manufacturing phase called Intelligent Burn-In. The staggered calibration bursts are preferably written in data regions so that they are disposable and may be selectively written over with data to maximize storage space. Some or all of the calibration bursts may alternatively be retained for a subsequent recalibration.