Abstract: A pen format liquid collection device includes an elongate generally tubular housing (12, 112, 212, 312) able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end, and at least one liquid take-up element (30, 130, 230, 330) mounted in the housing so as to be positioned or positionable to project at the opening, the at least one liquid take-up element then further postionable by hand manipulation of the housing to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a sample of the liquid to be analysed. At least one retention element (230a, 330a) is supported in the housing. The at least one liquid take-up element and the at least one retention element are arranged whereby they are relatively movable into contact, and the at least one retention element is adapted on contact to in turn take-up the sample and retain the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing. The liquid take-up element is preferably a capillary.

Abstract: A pen format liquid collection device includes an elongate generally tubular housing (12, 112, 212, 312) able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end, and at least one liquid take-up element (30, 130, 230, 330) mounted in the housing so as to be positioned or positionable to project at the opening, the at least one liquid take-up element then further postionable by hand manipulation of the housing to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a sample of the liquid to be analysed. At least one retention element (230a, 330a) is supported in the housing. The at least one liquid take-up element and the at least one retention element are arranged whereby they are relatively movable into contact, and the at least one retention element is adapted on contact to in turn take-up the sample and retain the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing. The liquid take-up element is preferably a capillary.

Abstract: Examples provided herein relate to hot plugging PCIe cards. For example, a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) communicably coupled to a PCIe bus may detect a new PCIe card physically connected to the PCIe bus. The FPGA may access configuration information stored by the FPGA that is associated with the PCIe bus. The FPGA may determine, based on the accessed configuration information, whether to facilitate connection of the new PCIe card to the PCIe bus. Responsive to determining that connection of the new PCIe card to the PCIe bus should be facilitated, the new PCIe card may be trained to communicate with the PCIe bus and an upstream device communicably coupled to the PCIe bus.

Abstract: A pen format liquid collection device includes an elongate generally tubular housing (12, 112, 212, 312) able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end, and at least one liquid take-up element (30, 130, 230, 330) mounted in the housing so as to be positioned or positionable to project at the opening, the at least one liquid take-up element then further postionable by hand manipulation of the housing to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a sample of the liquid to be analysed. At least one retention element (230a, 330a) is supported in the housing. The at least one liquid take-up element and the at least one retention element are arranged whereby they are relatively movable into contact, and the at least one retention element is adapted on contact to in turn take-up the sample and retain the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing. The liquid take-up element is preferably a capillary.

Abstract: A tracking and tracing method is provided during the life of the pharmaceutical container to improve the safety and efficacy of the pharmaceutical container and its content. An identification code is added to the surface of the pharmaceutical container, which is not visible under ambient light. The identification code contains encrypted information regarding temporal and physical properties of the pharmaceutical container and pharmaceutical fluid content. At multiple stages during the life of the pharmaceutical container the identification code is detected with an optical detection method. Given the material of the identification code, the identification code is only visible by using specific optical detection methods.

Abstract: High-definition particle detection during centrifugation of a pharmaceutical liquid is provided. Centrifugation of fluid containers drives particles to the interior surface of the container if the particles are denser than the fluid and to the middle of the container if the particles are less dense than the fluid. The imager can then be focused directly on the particle itself for rapid identification without the need for computing complex particle trajectories. If the centrifugation of the container is carried out at an angle to the axis of symmetry of the container, particles can be driven to a single line on the interior surface of the container by the centrifugal force, making the identification of the particles even more straightforward than in two dimensions. The particle imager can also be attached to the rotating container to prevent blurring of the particle image due to the relative motion of the container and imager.

Abstract: A quality control method or system for determining a lubricant coverage at the inside surface of a syringe barrel is provided. The timing for the quality control is not intuitive, yet crucial for patient's safety. The pre-fill test is for a pre-filled (empty or no drug solution), yet oil lubricated, barrel. This pre-fill test needs to be performed within a certain time window immediately following the lubrication. The post-fill test is for a post-filled oil lubricated syringe barrel filled with a solution. This post-fill test needs to be performed after a certain time window has passed from the filling with the solution. The quality control methods could lead to a reduction of health-risks or avoid life-threatening situations associated with syringes that are either below or above the desired lubrication coverage.

Abstract: A quality control method or system for determining a lubricant coverage at the inside surface of a syringe barrel is provided. The timing for the quality control is not intuitive, yet crucial for patient's safety. The pre-fill test is for a pre-filled (empty or no drug solution), yet oil lubricated, barrel. This pre-fill test needs to be performed within a certain time window immediately following the lubrication. The post-fill test is for a post-filled oil lubricated syringe barrel filled with a solution. This post-fill test needs to be performed after a certain time window has passed from the filling with the solution. The quality control methods could lead to a reduction of health-risks or avoid life-threatening situations associated with syringes that are either below or above the desired lubrication coverage.

Abstract: A plurality of sensors are coupled to switching devices arranged in a series of switching devices. Each switching device has an upstream port and a downstream port. The series of switching devices is formed by coupling the downstream port of each switching device, except a last switching device in the series of switching devices, to the upstream port of a next switching device in the series of switching devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying movement to the joints of a human patient is provided. The apparatus includes an exoskeleton assembly with segments that can be secured to the patient. One or more motor modules are removably coupled to a supporting structure of the exoskeleton assembly, and each motor module includes multiple motor drives. A plurality of actuating members is operatively connected to each motor module. A first end of each actuating member is connected to one of the motor drives and a second end of each actuating member is coupled to a segment of the exoskeleton assembly. Each actuating member can be driven by a respective motor drive to impart movement in multiple degrees of freedom to individual joints.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating joints of a limb of a patient is provided. The limb comprises a plurality of limb segments, Each limb segment connects one or more joints. The apparatus includes one or more motor modules removably coupled to a supporting structure configured on the limb, each motor module including a plurality of motor drives. The apparatus also includes a manipulating exoskeleton assembly comprising a plurality of exoskeleton segments removably secured on a limb segment. Further, a plurality of actuating members is operatively connected to each motor module of the one or more motor modules. A first end of each actuating member is operatively connected to a motor drive of a motor module and a second end is removably coupled to an exoskeleton segment of the plurality of exoskeleton segments. Each actuating member is driven by a motor drive operatively connected to the each actuating member.

Abstract: A plurality of sensors are coupled to switching devices arranged in a series of switching devices. Each switching device has an upstream port and a downstream port. The series of switching devices is formed by coupling the downstream port of each switching device, except a last switching device in the series of switching devices, to the upstream port of a next switching device in the series of switching devices.

Abstract: A method for automating configuration of devices in a network having a network bus for communicating with the devices, wherein the network is implemented in a physical environment the method comprising detecting a device assembly that is connected to the network bus, wherein the device assembly includes a plurality of devices assembled thereon in a predetermined physical order; upon detecting a device assembly connected to the network bus, determining whether the detected device assembly is of a predetermined first type; upon determining that the detected device assembly is of the first type, reading data from the plurality of devices assembled thereon in an order corresponding to the predetermined physical order of the plurality of devices as assembled on the device assembly; and identifying a physical location in the physical environment of each of the plurality of devices on the first-type device assembly based on the order in which data of the plurality of devices is read from the first-type device assemb