Abstract: The present invention is related to a breath pacing device (10) for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject, comprising an output unit (12) for outputting a sequence of output signals, a control unit (16) provided to control the output unit, and an input unit (14) connected to or integrated into the output unit for generating an input signal related to a respiration characteristic of a subject. The control unit is provided to control the length of the sequence at least based on characteristics of the input signal. The invention is further related to a corresponding method for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary positioning device (100, 100?, 100?) comprising a circular magnetic track (110) generating a magnetic field across a circular air gap (113), at least three forcers (120, 121, 122), each including a plurality of coils (1201, 202, 1203) at least partly disposed with the circular air gap (113) and each being operable for generating a levitation force in a levitation direction orthogonal to the circular magnetic track and a drive force in a drive direction along the circular magnetic track, said forcers being arranged at different angular positions along said circular magnetic track, and a controller (140) for providing currents to said forcers for individually controlling the generation of a levitation force and/or a drive force by said forcers for effecting a rotational movement, and/or a tilting movement and/or a translational movement of said circular magnetic track.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary positioning device (100, 100?, 100?) comprising a circular magnetic track (110) generating a magnetic field across a circular air gap (113), at least three forcers (120, 121, 122), each including a plurality of coils (1201, 202, 1203) at least partly disposed with the circular air gap (113) and each being operable for generating a levitation force in a levitation direction orthogonal to the circular magnetic track and a drive force in a drive direction along the circular magnetic track, said forcers being arranged at different angular positions along said circular magnetic track, and a controller (140) for providing currents to said forcers for individually controlling the generation of a levitation force and/or a drive force by said forcers for effecting a rotational movement, and/or a tilting movement and/or a translational movement of said circular magnetic track.

Abstract: A ironless magnetic motor (21-23) employs a magnetic track (30) and a forcer (40). The forcer (40) is orientated in relations to a magnetic field (?) across a linear air gap of the magnetic track (30) to generate a drive force (FX) parallel to the X drive axis and orthogonal to the Z levitation axis in response to a commutation drive current (IX) and to generate a force (FZ, FY) orthogonal to the X drive axis in response to a commutation coil current (IZ, IY) being superimposed on and phase shifted from the commutation drive current (IX). To this end, a set of levitating turns of the coil (41) parallel to the X drive axis and orthogonal to the Z levitation axis may be internal or external to magnetic field (?), and the forcer (40) may be centered or offset from a center X-Z longitudinal axis (CP) of the linear air gap.

Abstract: In summary, the present invention relates to a device, a method and a computer program enabling a rotating and translating movement by means of a single motor. An electric motor (102) for linear and rotary movement can comprise a stator (104) having a multi-phase coil arrangement including a number of coils or coil sets and a rotor (106) being movable along a direction of its rotational axis and having a number of poles respectively comprising at least one permanent magnet. A control unit (108) may determine currents based on at least the number of coils or coil sets, an angle of rotation of the rotor and a parameter depending on an axial position of the rotor, and supply the determined currents to the coils or coil sets.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a breath pacing device (10) for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject, comprising an output unit (12) for outputting a sequence of output signals, a control unit (16) provided to control the output unit, and an input unit (14) connected to or integrated into the output unit for generating an input signal related to a respiration characteristic of a subject. The control unit is provided to control the length of the sequence at least based on characteristics of the input signal. The invention is further related to a corresponding method for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject.

Abstract: In order to provide means for measuring vital signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, pulse forms, that allow accurate and unobtrusive signal acquisition and that are automatically adjusted to varying positions of an area of interest within a pre-determined area, a device, a system and a method for measuring vital signs are provided, wherein electromagnetic signals such as microwave or radar are emitted and reflected electromagnetic signals are sensed with directional sensitivity by a transceiving unit and wherein a direction of interest is determined based on the sensed reflected signals and a primary direction of sensitivity (300) of the transceiving unit is adjusted to the direction of interest by a control unit. Thus, vital signs can be monitored in an unobtrusive and simple way.

Abstract: In summary, the present invention relates to a device, a method and a computer program enabling a rotating and translating movement by means of a single motor. An electric motor (102) for linear and rotary movement can comprise a stator (104) having a multi-phase coil arrangement including a number of coils or coil sets and a rotor (106) being movable along a direction of its rotational axis and having a number of poles respectively comprising at least one permanent magnet. A control unit (108) may determine currents based on at least the number of coils or coil sets, an angle of rotation of the rotor and a parameter depending on an axial position of the rotor, and supply the determined currents to the coils or coil sets.

Abstract: A positioning device (11) comprises a stationary frame (2), and at least two scales (20, 30) for measuring the location of the platform with respect to the frame, the scales having mutually different pitches (P1; P2), and respective scanners (23, 33) providing respective scanner output signals (SM 1, SM2)—A controller (6) receiving both scanner output signals is capable to uniquely calculate the position (X) of the platform with respect to the frame in a measuring range (MR) that is larger than the largest of said two pitches (P1; P2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging system which comprises means for generating a static magnetic field and a gradient coils system for generating a time varying magnetic gradient field by use of a first electrical current and a second electrical current. The gradient coils system is located in the magnetic field and the gradient coils system has a plurality of vibrational modes. Lorentz forces are generated due to the interaction of the first and/or second electrical currents with the superposition of the static magnetic field and the magnetic gradient field. The gradient coils system and/or the first electrical current are adapted so that the integral of the in-products of said Lorentz forces and a vibrational mode of said plurality of vibrational modes is at a value close to zero, wherein said in-products are determined for all points of the gradient coils system, and wherein the integral is determined by summing the in-products determined for all the points.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system (1) with an active vibration control is provided, in that a number of piezo-electric actuators (6) are positioned between at least one element (2, 3, 5, 9, 10) of the MRI system (1) and an associated support surface (8) and being connected in series with each other; and a control unit (11, 11?) is adapted to actively control the displacement of the number of piezo-electric actuators (6) in a way that unintentional mechanical movements of the MRI system (1) are reduced.

Abstract: A panel-acoustic transducer comprises a plate-like actuator (4) and a panel (5). The panel (5) has two substantially perpendicular axes of symmetry (AS,Al). The plate-like actuator (4) is coupled to the panel in such a way that: —the actuator (4) is coupled to the panel substantially symmetrically with respect to both symmetry axes (AS,Al) of the panel (4); the plate-like actuator (4) is so arranged that, in operation, at least the first five odd excitation modes ((1,1), (3,1), (1,3), (3,3), (5,1)), in order of increasing frequency, are actuated with alternating signs. Cusps in the power spectrum of the transducer are thereby prevented.