Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method for a programmable medical wire that can be preprogrammed, and controlled and reshaped upon command. The system can include a power supply, a controller, and a multilayered wire assembly. The wire assembly includes a core conductor, actuator conductors coupled to the core conductor, selective conductors formed adjacent the core conductor and the actuator conductors, and a protective biocompatible shield around the layers. The selective conductors can be energized to activate the actuator conductors and cause the actuator conductors to bend or twist in a preprogrammed manner. By selectively controlling the direction of movement of the actuator conductors, the wire assembly can be remotely guided through body passageways to the target. Auxiliary equipment such as sensors, micro cameras, detectors, cutters, and other equipment can also be coupled to the wire assembly, and controlled and communicated with through one or more of the selective conductors.

Abstract: A memory device with global redundancy repair architecture and method of employing same. In the memory device containing blocks of normal memory cells, redundant cells are assembled in one block called a special block. One or more sense amplifiers are coupled to each block, including the special block. The sense amplifiers connected to the special block are not shared between the special block and a neighboring normal block or any other normal block. Addresses of defective cells are stored in fuse boxes that assign the defective address to a repair cell within the special block. The fuse boxes can assign any normal cell in the array to a repair cell in the special block. In the method, a selected memory block is operated whether the selected word line needs repair or not without waiting for a comparison signal from the fuse box. The special block is always operated as if it is selected.