Abstract: A robotic system comprising: a robot having a base and an arm extending from the base to an attachment for an instrument, the arm comprising n joints, where n>1, whereby the configuration of the arm can be altered, the arm having a plurality of configurations for a given relationship between the base and the attachment for the instrument, the robot comprising a driver for each joint configured to drive the joint to move and a joint sensor for each joint for sensing a state of the joint; and a control unit configured to: obtain a desired position of the attachment for the instrument; for each of k joints where k<n, obtain a sensed joint state; compare the obtained k sensed joint states to a set of constraint criteria, the set of constraint criteria being indicative of the arm moving from a first configuration towards a second configuration, where movement of the arm is more constrained in the second configuration than in the first configuration; where the obtained k sensed joint states match the set of c

Abstract: A circuit is for sampling an analog input signal that receives and samples an analog input signal. Sampling circuitry is clocked at a sampling frequency and samples the analog input signal at a rate corresponding to the sampling frequency. The sampling circuitry includes at least one pulse density modulator that includes a comparator configured to be clocked at the sampling frequency, to provide bandpass sampling of the analog input signal at the sampling frequency, and to produce a corresponding pulsed output that is pulse density modulated based on the analog input signal.

Abstract: A modulator circuit includes a plurality of signal processing branches, each branch having a modulator for performing a delta-sigma modulation of a respective data stream portion in order to generate a modulated signal. The modulator circuit receives an input data stream having a carrier frequency; splits the input data stream into a plurality of data stream portions. Delta-sigma modulation is performed in each branch on a respective data stream portion. The respective modulated signals from each branch are combined to form an output signal for outputting at the carrier frequency.

Abstract: A modulator circuit includes a plurality of signal processing branches, each branch having a modulator for performing a delta-sigma modulation of a respective data stream portion in order to generate a modulated signal. The modulator circuit receives an input data stream having a carrier frequency; splits the input data stream into a plurality of data stream portions. Delta-sigma modulation is performed in each branch on a respective data stream portion. The respective modulated signals from each branch are combined to form an output signal for outputting at the carrier frequency.

Abstract: A circuit is for sampling an analog input signal that receives and samples an analog input signal. Sampling circuitry is clocked at a sampling frequency and samples the analog input signal at a rate corresponding to the sampling frequency. The sampling circuitry includes at least one pulse density modulator that includes a comparator configured to be clocked at the sampling frequency, to provide bandpass sampling of the analog input signal at the sampling frequency, and to produce a corresponding pulsed output that is pulse density modulated based on the analog input signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inhaler (1) comprising a capsule housing (2) for containing a medicament capsule (4). The inhaler includes an airflow path (6) through which air flows during an airflow event from at least one air inlet (8) to an outlet (10), the airflow path passing through the capsule housing. There is a first sensor (16), a processor (18) and a power source (20) for powering the processor. The capsule housing is defined by at least one wall (22) and configured such that when a capsule is located in the capsule housing and sufficient air flows along the airflow path through the capsule housing, the capsule moves within the capsule housing. The first sensor is arranged on the inhaler so that it is able to detect the movement of the capsule within the capsule housing and generate a first signal indicative of said movement.

Abstract: An ultra-wideband receiver for processing a received signal comprising two or more diversity signals formed using a spreading technique at a transmitter comprises channel estimation means for estimating the channel over which the signal was transmitted. The receiver comprises inverting means for inverting the channel estimate obtained from the channel estimation means, the inverse of the estimated channel being applied to the received signal to generate a compensated signal. The receiver comprises means fur weighting the compensated signal prior to demodulation using an estimate of noise in each channel, the estimate of the noise in each channel being derived from the inverse of the channel estimation process.

Abstract: Detecting a signal included receiving a modulated waveform, and processing a first quantized signal generated from the waveform to produce a second quantized signal. The second quantized signal is a representation of the first quantized signal with lower resolution that the first quantized signal. The second quantized signal is correlated with a quantized reference signal.