Abstract: A wearable patch (10) comprising an ultrasound transducer (30) mounted on the patch, the ultrasound transducer comprising a major surface for contacting the skin of a wearer of the patch, said major surface being covered by a layer (33) of a soluble adhesive precursor, the wearable patch further comprising a seal ring (40) extending from the patch, said seal ring surrounding the ultrasound transducer. Also disclosed are a wearable patch kit, assembly and application method.

Abstract: A light transmissive optical component includes an electroactive material layer structure having a controlled deformation. When actuating the component, different relative thickness changes are implemented at different regions of the electroactive material layer thereby providing a non-uniform change in an optical function between those different regions.

Abstract: An intraluminal ultrasound imaging device includes a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion. The device includes an ultrasound scanner assembly disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The ultrasound scanner assembly includes a flexible substrate comprising a longitudinal width extending from an inner edge to an outer edge; a control region embedded in the flexible substrate; a transducer region embedded in the flexible substrate; and a window region disposed between the outer edge of the flexible substrate and the transducer region, and wherein the window region, the transducer region, and the control region are radially arranged relative to one another. Associated devices, systems, and methods are also described.

Abstract: An invasive medical device (10) is disclosed comprising a device portion (15) for inserting into a patient, said device portion including a functional module (20); an electrically conductive path (40) extending through the invasive medical device and connecting to the functional module; and a deformable switch (30) within the device portion arranged to alter the electrical impedance of said conductive path as a function of a degree of deformation of the switch, said deformation being caused by a blood parameter of the patient's blood that varies during the cardiac cycle of said patient.

Abstract: A light transmissive optical component comprising an electroactive material layer structure having a controlled deformation. When actuating the component, different relative thickness changes are implemented at different regions of the electroactive material layer thereby providing a non-uniform change in an optical function between those different regions.

Abstract: An intraluminal ultrasound imaging device includes a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient. An ultrasound imaging assembly is disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The ultrasound imaging assembly includes a plurality of acoustic elements and an acoustically-transparent window disposed over the plurality of acoustic elements. The acoustically-transparent window comprising a plurality of layers formed on top of one another. The plurality of layers includes an innermost layer directly contacting the plurality of acoustic elements, an outermost layer opposite the innermost layer, and an adhesive layer. The outermost layer includes a tubing. A hardness of the innermost layer is less than hardnesses of every other layer of the plurality of layers. A hardness of the outermost layer is greater than the hardnesses of every other layer of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: A deflectable device (100) comprising an elongate body (110) and a folded elongate member (120) is configured to change an orientation of the distal portion (114) of the elongate body (110) with respect to the proximal portion (112) of the elongate body (110) upon an electrical current flowing through the folded elongate member (120) causing a change of a length of the folded elongate member (120).

Abstract: An acoustic coupling layer (20) is disclosed for acoustically coupling an ultrasound transducer (30, 60) to a body region (1), the acoustic coupling layer comprising a polar liquid absorbent polymer (24) embedded in an elastomer (22). Also disclosed are an ultrasound transducer, wearable patch and interface patch including such an acoustic coupling layer.

Abstract: An acoustical lens (20) for an ultrasound probe (14) is disclosed. The acoustical lens comprises an inner surface (26) for facing an emission surface (46) of an ultrasound transducer (40) and for receiving ultrasound waves from the ultrasound transducer. The acoustical lens further comprises an outer surface (24) for emitting the ultrasound waves received at the inner surface, wherein the inner surface is formed as a convexly curved surface and wherein at least one recess (34) is associated to an edge of the inner surface for capturing mold material.

Abstract: A monitoring system comprises an intra-vascular support device and a sensor mounted to the support device and projecting into the vessel. The sensor generates a signal which is dependent on the level of deformation of a free end. The sensor signal is interpreted to enable detection of changes in the length of a deformable part of the sensor thereby to determine a level of bio-layer formation and also determine a level of flow. The sensor remains able to detect flow even when a bio-layer is formed and it can also detect the presence (and thickness) of the bio-layer, because part of the sensor becomes rigid when constrained by the bio-layer.

Abstract: A monitoring system includes an implantable intra-vascular support device for positioning against a vessel wall and an implantable sensor-actuator mounted to the support device. The sensor-actuator is drivable between a non-deployed position in which it is against the support device and a deployed position in which it is displaced away from the support device. Sensor signals are generated when in the deployed position. This system is able to monitor flow away from the edge of a vessel by deploying the sensor-actuator towards the center of the vessel. When flow monitoring does not need to take place, it can be non-deployed so that it does not present an occlusion to the flow.

Abstract: The presence of the pull wire ring in the distal end portion leads to limited functionality of the distal end of a steerable medical device. A steerable medical device (1) includes a pull wire ring (100a-e) for imparting a bending movement on the steerable medical device. By providing the pull wire ring (100a-e) with an eccentric recess (105a-f) which defines a passage between a first end face (101) and a second end face (105) of the ring, it becomes possible to guide ancillary elements such as electrical lines, data cables and fiber optics past the pull wire ring (100a-e) further towards the distal end of the steerable medical device. By this measure, functionality of the distal end of the medical device is enhanced without obstructing a main lumen of the device.

Abstract: An actuator device has a temperature sensing means and a controller adapted to apply a high frequency AC signal to stimulate internal self-heating to thereby maintain a temperature of an actuator member of the device at a certain fixed temperature, this temperature being elevated with respect to an initial temperature of the actuator member. This ensures that thermal drift may be mitigated or eliminated by compensating for any changes in environmental temperature through raising or lowering the level of the heating signal.

Abstract: A bending actuator device or sensor device for sensing bending comprises a stack of electroactive polymer units. The adjacent electroactive polymer units in the stack are slidable relatively to each other. This means that, for an actuator for example, an increased actuation force is enabled without requiring increased driving voltage, and it also avoids the problems of stress build up by allowing sliding between the units.

Abstract: An invasive medical device (10) is disclosed comprising a flexible sheath (11) enveloping at least one lumen (17, 17?) comprising an electrically conductive wire (20) including a deformable actuator (21) for deforming a section of the invasive medical device in response to an electric current provided through the electrically conductive wire, wherein the flexible sheath comprises a set of apertures (31) extending through the flexible sheath to the at least one lumen, said apertures being filled with an adhesive (33) anchoring the deformable actuator to the flexible sheath. A manufacturing method for such an invasive medical device (10) is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wearable patch (10) comprising an ultrasound transducer (30) mounted on the patch, the ultrasound transducer comprising a major surface for contacting the skin of a wearer of the patch, said major surface being covered by a layer (33) of a soluble adhesive precursor, the wearable patch further comprising a seal ring (40) extending from the patch, said seal ring surrounding the ultrasound transducer. Also disclosed are a wearable patch kit, assembly and application method.

Abstract: An oral cleaning device comprises a body which carries a set of projections. An actuator device is associated with one or more of the projections in the form of an electroactive polymer structure for adjusting a position of the associated one or more projections. This enables dynamic control of the cleaning function.

Abstract: An internal probe device for insertion into the body of a patient, comprises an elongate body with a plurality of EAP actuators mounted at the surface of the body. The EAP actuators are made to vibrate so that their position becomes visible in a Doppler ultrasound image. The use of EAP actuators to provide vibrations enables individual locations to be identified. In particular, the movement of the EAP actuator may be largely isolated from the main body of the probe. Furthermore, EAP actuators can be thin, lightweight and have a small form factor suitable for application to or within the surface of a probe, such as a catheter, needle or endoscope.

Abstract: An acoustic window layer for an ultrasound array, which layer has an inner surface arranged to face the array and an outer surface arranged to face a patient, and comprising an outer layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer selected from a polyolefin family (TPO) and an elastomer selected from the polyolefin family (POE) blended therein, wherein the outer layer located at the outer surface of the acoustic window layer. In a preferred embodiment the blend comprises a copolymer of ethylene-octene and polymethylpentene. The thermoplastic polyolefin provides the blend with mechanical, chemical stability and low acoustic wave attenuation; whilst the polyolefin elastomer provides a possibility to tune the acoustic impedance of the blend and to further improve its acoustic wave propagation properties.

Abstract: An actuator member has a body formed of a composite material of electroactive material (EAM) particles and a compliant matrix material. The composite material of the body is materially structured such that it incorporates one or more continuous material paths extending between a first and second major surface of the actuator body, each path including at least one EAM particle, and wherein all material of the path has an electrical resistivity equal to or less than that of the EAM particle(s).