Abstract: The invention provides an ultrasound transducer device comprising an electroactive polymer (EAP) element coupled atop a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) element, wherein the two elements are controlled to vibrate concurrently at a common frequency by application to each of a drive signal of the same AC frequency.

Abstract: An actuator structure includes an electroactive material-based active layer structure which exhibits an intrinsic variation in actuation displacement as a function of temperature. A passive compensator is provided to modify a current or voltage of an electrical stimulation applied to the active layer structure as a function of temperature such as to compensate for the thermally-induced variation in actuation displacement. The passive compensator comprises a multi-layer temperature-dependent capacitor structure, and is formed by layers of a passive carrier layer structure provided coupled to the active layer structure.

Abstract: An ultrasound interface element (10) is for establishing interface with an incident tissue surface (32) for the purpose of transfer of ultrasound waves. An ultrasound-transmissive active layer (14) is provided comprising one or more responsive material elements (16) deformable in response to an electromagnetic stimulus. The one or more elements are controlled to deform in a manner such as to progressively establish with the tissue surface (32) an outwardly expanding interface, starting from an initial point or line of contact and spreading outwards to a wider area.

Abstract: An actuator device is provided having a controllable stiffness profile, wherein an actuator member (12) comprises an electroactive polymer material (16) having light absorbing filler elements (20) embedded therein. The filler elements are adapted to absorb and convert incident light (26) to heat energy to therefore heat surrounding sections of the electroactive material. By selectively controlling an intensity level or spectral composition of a light source (24) directed at the actuator member, a specific degree and spread of heating can be achieved across the member and, as a result, a specific desired stiffness or flexibility profile can be realised across the actuator member.

Abstract: A wearable patch (10) is disclosed comprising an ultrasound transducer (30) mounted on the patch and a fluid reservoir (50) for containing a coupling agent (60) for the ultrasound transducer, said fluid reservoir being delimited by a portion (20) of the patch and a seal ring (40) extending from the patch, said seal ring surrounding the ultrasound transducer and comprising a plurality of fluid conduits (43, 45) extending from the fluid reservoir at least partially through the seal ring. Also disclosed are a wearable patch kit, assembly and application method.

Abstract: An intravascular device (200) comprising an active member (202) for reversibly expanding a radial extension of the intravascular device inside a luminal extension of the vessel and comprising a reversibly deformable active membrane (206) that is arranged and configured to change its shape against a variable intravascular fluid pressure exerted on the active membrane in an inserted state by an intravascular fluid, an intravascular pressure compensation cavity (208), which is fluidicly sealed from the intravascular fluid and which includes a first chamber (208.1) that is covered by the active membrane (206), and a second chamber (208.2) that is covered by a compensation membrane (210), which is reversibly deformable in response to the variable intravascular fluid pressure, wherein the first chamber (208.1) and the second chamber (208.2) are in pressure communication with each other and, via the active membrane (206) and the compensation membrane (210), with the intravascular fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a consumable recognition system for recognizing placement and/or type of consumable containing a food substance for the preparation of a beverage by use of a beverage dispenser. To enable the recognition of placement and/or type of consumable in a simple, foolproof and easily implementable way an embodiment of the system comprises a light source (31, 301, 311, 321, 331, 341) for emitting light (35) to the consumable (4a, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90), a light sensor (32 302, 312, 322, 332, 342) for sensing light (36) reflected from a reflection element (42, 52, 63, 73, 83, 93) of the consumable to obtain a sensor signal, wherein the sensor signal depends on the position, orientation, fluorescence, phosphorescence and/or polarization characteristic of said reflection element, and a signal processor (33) for recognizing placement and/or type of consumable based on said sensor signal.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sensor for measuring a physiological parameter of a subject, wherein the physiological parameter sensor is adapted to be worn by the subject; an actuator comprising an electro-active polymer material, EAP, portion for adjusting the position of the physiological parameter sensor relative to the subject; a feedback sensor for measuring movement of the physiological parameter sensor and/or the subject; a controller configured to process the measurements of the feedback sensor and to adjust the position of the actuator based on information from the feedback sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interventional apparatus comprising an interventional device with a handle (6). The handle comprises a) a first guide (20, 51) guiding an optical fiber, which is also guided within the interventional device, from a first proximal opening (14) of the handle to a distal portion (21) of the handle, wherein the first guide only has radii of curvature being larger than 10 mm, and b) a second guide (22) for guiding an elongated interventional instrument from a second proximal opening (13) of the handle to the distal portion of the handle. Since the first guide is relatively straight, the optical fiber is substantially not bent or only slightly bent and the likelihood that the interventional instrument and the optical fiber press against each other can be significantly reduced. This allows for an improved accuracy of determining the position of the interventional device by optical shape sensing.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interventional instrument like a catheter comprising an ultrasound unit (41) and a rotation unit (5) for rotating the ultrasound unit, wherein the rotation unit comprises an actuation element (8) being an electroactive polymer or a one-way shape memory alloy for actuating the rotation of the ultrasound unit. Since the rotation unit comprises, as an actuation element for actuating the rotation of the ultrasound unit, an electroactive polymer or a one-way shape memory alloy, the rotation unit with the actuation element can be very compact and small.

Abstract: An intravascular Doppler ultrasonic device comprises a tip region forming a fraction of a catheter body at a distal end thereof and carrying an ultrasound probe. The tip region is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction. An actuator is provided in the tip region, which is configured to receive actuation drive power provided through the catheter body and to exert to the tip region a bending moment of a controllable amount. An actuation controller is configured to control actuation drive power delivery to the actuator so as to control the amount of the bending moment. A Doppler spectrum analysis unit is configured to receive Doppler spectrum data and to determine from it a Doppler signal quality measure indicative of a signal quality of the Doppler spectrum. The actuation controller is configured to determine the actuation drive power in dependence on the determined Doppler signal quality measure.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements (20) on a carrier (10), said carrier further carrying an actuator arrangement (30, 30?) of a material having an adjustable shape in response to an electromagnetic stimulus, e.g. an electro active polymer or optically responsive polymer, wherein the material is arranged to change the orientation of said ultrasound transducer elements in response to said stimulus. This facilitates configurable beam shaping and/or body contour matching with the ultrasound array. An ultrasound system (100) comprising such an ultrasound array is also disclosed.

Abstract: A flow control device comprises a laminate structure of an electroactive material layer and a non-actuatable layer. An array of orifices is formed in one of the layers wherein the orifices are open in one of the rest state and actuated state and the orifices are closed in the other of the rest state and actuated state. Actuation of the electroactive material layer causes orifices to open and close so that flow control function may be implemented.

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 ultrasound device is for treatment or imaging of material such as biological tissue, and comprises a transducer arrangement and an acoustic coupling component positioned between the transducer arrangement and the material. The acoustic coupling component comprises an electroactive material actuator which uses an electroactive material composite. It may for example be controlled to implement frequency tuning of the acoustic coupling component. In this way, the acoustic coupling can be optimized for different frequencies of operation.

Abstract: At least two consumables of a set for use in a beverage dispenser wherein each consumable includes a filtering body defining a space containing a food substance, from which the beverage is obtained by use of liquid, and a recognition element representing a surface of the filtering body configured to face a plurality of nozzles of the beverage dispenser that provide a flow of liquid through the consumable. The recognition element has a mechanical property, which is recognizable and/or interpretable by the beverage dispenser when said beverage dispenser obtains a sensor signal by sensing a flow characteristic of the flow of liquid, when the flow of liquid through the consumable is started by the plurality of nozzles. Said mechanical property is different for each type of consumable of the set of consumables so that a characteristic of said sensor signal depends on the mechanical property of the recognition element.

Abstract: A tube for a steerable introduction element like a catheter, an endoscope or a sheath includes composite material of a shape memory alloy material and a non-shape-memory polymer material. The tube is used for making the introduction element steerable in a relatively easy way by modifying the temperature of the tube as required for achieving a preferred bending of the introduction element.

Abstract: An actuator device is provided having a controllable stiffness profile, wherein an actuator member (12) comprises an electroactive polymer material (16) having light absorbing filler elements (20) embedded therein. The filler elements are adapted to absorb and convert incident light (26) to heat energy to therefore heat surrounding sections of the electroactive material. By selectively controlling an intensity level or spectral composition of a light source (24) directed at the actuator member, a specific degree and spread of heating can be achieved across the member and, as a result, a specific desired stiffness or flexibility profile can be realised across the actuator member.

Abstract: A pliable cover (1) for covering an active area of an ultrasound probe (100) comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements (130) is disclosed. The cover comprises a polymer layer (2, 2?) for containing a coupling agent (4) for coupling the ultrasound transducer elements to a body surface and a regular pattern of channels (5) extending through the pliable cover. Also disclosed is an ultrasound probe arrangement including the pliable cover, an ultrasound system and method of positioning the ultrasound probe on a body region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for performing ultrasound and pressure measurements, wherein furthermore a related transducer unit and a related processor unit are concerned. Particularly a system is provided to measure blood pressure and flow in combination with a simple imaging modality, based on a single EAP sensor-actuator. A key aspect of embodiments in this regard is the electronics to switch between the different modalities.