Abstract: A sensor for sensing in a gas stream a vapor of a liquid. The sensor includes a micropore and a wet temperature sensor. The micropore has an evaporation end and has a lumen to conduct liquid from a supply of the liquid for evaporation at the evaporation end. The wet temperature sensor has a heat sensitive part in contact with the liquid in the micropore. The heat sensitive part circumscribes the micropore and forms part of the lumen. Heat loss due to evaporation of the liquid when the wet temperature sensor wet with the liquid is placed in the gas stream will result in the temperature sensed by the wet temperature sensor being lower than the non-evaporative temperature of the gas stream. This lowering in temperature can be measured to determine the concentration of the vapor in the gas stream. An example of such a sensor has a thermocouple junction having micropores passing through the thermocouple junction.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing in a gas stream a vapor of a liquid. The sensor includes a micropore and a wet temperature sensor. The micropore has an evaporation end and has a lumen to conduct liquid from a supply of the liquid for evaporation at the evaporation end. The wet temperature sensor has a heat sensitive part in contact with the liquid in the micropore. The heat sensitive part circumscribes the micropore and forms part of the lumen. Heat loss due to evaporation of the liquid when the wet temperature sensor wet with the liquid is placed in the gas stream will result in the temperature sensed by the wet temperature sensor being lower than the non-evaporative temperature of the gas stream. This lowering in temperature can be measured to determine the concentration of the vapor in the gas stream. An example of such a sensor has a thermocouple junction having micropores passing through the thermocouple junction.

Abstract: A technique for efficiently sampling blood from body tissue by reducing pressure on the body tissue. In the present technique a body tissue is placed under reduced pressure to improve perfusion of blood in the body tissue before lancing. An embodiment of this apparatus includes a lancet carried by a piston slidable in a housing, a mechanism for transmitting mechanical energy internally in the apparatus for creating the reduced pressure on the body tissue. The apparatus also includes a driver that drives the lancet for lancing. The apparatus has a head in the housing for contacting the body tissue in an air-tight manner against suction forces. In the head facing the body tissue is a channel in which the air pressure can be reduced.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing in a gas stream a vapor of a liquid. The sensor includes a micropore and a wet temperature sensor. The micropore has an evaporation end and has a lumen to conduct liquid from a supply of the liquid for evaporation at the evaporation end. The wet temperature sensor has a heat sensitive part in contact with the liquid in the micropore. The heat sensitive part circumscribes the micropore and forms part of the lumen. Heat loss due to evaporation of the liquid when the wet temperature sensor wet with the liquid is placed in the gas stream will result in the temperature sensed by the wet temperature sensor being lower than the non-evaporative temperature of the gas stream. This lowering in temperature can be measured to determine the concentration of the vapor in the gas stream. An example of such a sensor has a thermocouple junction having micropores passing through the thermocouple junction.

Abstract: A multi-shaft apparatus for incising a substrate of soft resilient material such as a body tissue. The incising apparatus includes two or more incision shafts each having a distal edge. The shafts are not affixed to each other and are allowed to slide against each other to drive the distal edges alternately against the substrate to incise the substrate. In the case of incising a body tissue, such alternate motion would result in less pain to the patient than a puncture resulting from a sharp jab by a sharp shaft of similar size to the shafts.

Abstract: A multi-shaft apparatus for incising a substrate of soft resilient material such as a body tissue. The incising apparatus includes two or more incision shafts each having a distal edge. The shafts are not affixed to each other and are allowed to slide against each other to drive the distal edges alternately against the substrate to incise the substrate. In the case of incising a body tissue, such alternate motion would result in less pain to the patient than a puncture resulting from a sharp jab by a sharp shaft of similar size to the shafts.

Abstract: A multi-shaft apparatus for incising a substrate of soft resilient material such as a body tissue. The incising apparatus includes two or more incision shafts each having a distal edge. The shafts are not affixed to each other and are allowed to slide against each other to drive the distal edges alternately against the substrate to incise the substrate. In the case of incising a body tissue, such alternate motion would result in less pain to the patient than a puncture resulting from a sharp jab by a sharp shaft of similar size to the shafts.

Abstract: A noninvasive blood chemistry measurement method and system isolate measurement contributions due to a patient's blood to accurately measure blood chemistry. In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention a noninvasive blood chemistry measurement method decreases the blood volume within a patient's body part relative to the normal blood volume in the body part and performs a baseline measurement. Blood volume is then increased and a second measurement is performed. Comparison of the second measurement to the baseline measurement isolates the measurement attributes of the patient's blood. In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention a noninvasive blood chemistry measurement system decreases blood volume by applying mechanical pressure to a body part. In accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, blood volume in the body part is decreased using a pressure cuff.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing the concentration of a vapor of a volatile liquid in a gas is disclosed. The sensor has a dry-transducer temperature sensor and a wet-transducer temperature sensor. The wet transducer-temperature sensor is covered by a non-woven, non-flaking, liquid-permeable material to allow the liquid to pass from a source to about the wet-transducer temperature sensor and vaporize when the gas is not saturated with the vapor. The vaporization of the volatile liquid causes the temperature at the wet-transducer temperature sensor to have a steady-state temperature lower than the reference temperature measured by the dry-transducer temperature sensor. The difference in the temperature measured by the two temperature sensors being determinable to determine the concentration of the vapor in the gas. In an embodiment, the non-woven, non-flaking, liquid-permeable material is a porous membrane. In another embodiment, it is a gel.

Abstract: A noninvasive blood chemistry measurement method and system isolate measurement contributions due to a patient's blood to accurately measure blood chemistry. In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention a noninvasive blood chemistry measurement method decreases the blood volume within a patient's body part relative to the normal blood volume in the body part and performs a baseline measurement. Blood volume is then increased and a second measurement is performed. Comparison of the second measurement to the baseline measurement isolates the measurement attributes of the patient's blood. In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention a noninvasive blood chemistry measurement system decreases blood volume by applying mechanical pressure to a body part. In accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, blood volume in the body part is decreased using a pressure cuff.

Abstract: A gas analysis apparatus for analysis of sample gas wherein the apparatus has a mechanism for cleaning optical elements such as reflectors and windows in the apparatus is provided. The gas analysis apparatus includes a light source for emitting light, a body having an isolated cavity in which the light emitted by the light source propagates, a detector for analyzing light scattered by the sample gas in the isolated cavity, and a spraying system connected to the body to spray a sublimable substance. The isolated cavity has one or more optical elements each with a surface. The spray of the sublimable substance is directed onto such a surface for in situ removal of contaminants. The body has a sample inlet port for introducing the sample gas into the cavity and an outlet port for venting gas from the cavity.

Abstract: A chemical sensor having a sheath, an optical fiber bundle, a mirror, and a mechanism associated with the optical fiber bundle for detecting light interaction, wherein the optical fiber means or the mirror is slidably disposed in the sheath, is provided. At least a portion of the sheath is permeable to a fluid suspected of containing a target chemical. The optical fiber bundle has a portion disposed in the sheath for emitting light to cause optical interaction with the target chemical surrounded by the sheath. The mirror is disposed in the sheath to reflect light emitted by the optical fiber bundle.

Abstract: A sensor (10) is provided for detecting the concentration of potassium ions which comprises a molecule which selectively complexes potassium ions. The molecule, e.g., 2,2-bis[3,4-(15-crown-5)-2-nitrophenylcarbamoxymethyl]tetradecanol-14, has at least one binding site and is provided with a fluorophore group, e.g., Rhodamine-B, at that site. The molecule is one that expands upon complexation of potassium ions, such that the intensity of fluorescence increases. The change in fluorescent intensity is a direct measure of the concentration of potassium ions. A detector employing the sensor is also provided.

Abstract: A gas sensor using optical fiber technology to measure gas concentration in a test volume. In one embodiment, the sensor incorporates a gas enriching polymer which absorbs and concentrates carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) from the test volume surrounding the sensor. The polymer is wrapped around the core of an optical fiber which guides radiation with first selected wavelengths to the polymer. The radiation propagates into the polymer and reacts with the carbon dioxide in the polymer. Determination of CO.sub.2 concentration in the test volume is made by measuring the amount of attenuation of the radiation after reacting with the carbon dioxide in the polymer. In another embodiment, the polymer is capable of absorbing oxygen from the test volume and oxygen concentration is measured using fluorescence quenching.

Abstract: An optical fiber is used in conjunction with a sensor capable of sensing more than one analyte. A first fiber optic sensor cell is used for measuring any combination of ionic species and a second fiber optic sensor cell is used for measuring all gaseous species. In one embodiment, a doped polymer is formed utilizing a hydrophilic polymer which immobilizes a pH sensitive dye and a potassium sensitive fluorescence dye, allowing pH to be measured by detecting the color change of the pH sensitive dye, and the potassium ion concentration to be measured by the change in fluorescence intensity of the potassium sensitive dye. In an alternative embodiment, a doped polymer is formed utilizing a hydrophilic polymer which immobilizes a calcium or sodium ion sensitive fluorescence dye in order to form either a combined pH/calcium sensor or a combined pH/sodium sensor, respectively.

Abstract: A sensor (10) is provided for detecting the concentration of potassium ions which comprises a molecule which selectively complexes potassium ions. The molecule, e.g., 2,2-bis(3,4-(15-crown-5)-2-nitrophenylcarbamoxymethyl)tetradecanol-14, has at least one binding site and is provided with a fluorophore group, e.g., Rhodamine-B, at that site. The molecule is one that expands upon complexation of potassium ions, such that the intensity of fluorescence increases. The change in fluorescent intensity is a direct measure of the concentration of potassium ions. A detector employing the sensor is also provided.

Abstract: A fiber optic pressure sensor suitable for use in measuring, for example, arterial blood pressure, is taught. A catheter tip is formed utilizing the phenomena of collision quenching or Foerster energy transfer quenching of fluorescence in order to measure the pressure exerted by the medium in which the sensors are placed. When utilizing a collision-quenching type of sensor, the change in concentration of a quencher is measured, the quencher being enclosed in the sensor tip, which is in hydrodynamic equilibrium with its ambient environment. Foerster-quenching type sensors measure the change in distance between the quencher and the fluorophore, which in turn are caused by pressure changes caused by the ambient environment in which the sensor is placed.