Abstract: A hearing aid module is shaped for insertion into a tunnel made through the soft tissue that connects the retro-auricular space with the ear canal. The hearing aid module contains a speaker or auditory transducer, a battery or other power source powering the module, signal processing circuitry, a microphone, and a hollow tube which contains a steroid or drug. Telemetry circuitry within the module allows the signal processing circuitry to be programmed with a desired frequency response or signal processing strategy using an external programming unit. A remote control unit permits the user to make simple adjustments, such as volume and/or tone (frequency) control.

Abstract: An atrial, anti-arrhythmia system and method are provided. The system comprises: at least two electrodes attached to the atrium for providing independently controlled stimulus through each electrode; detection circuitry that can sense atrial fibrillation or the cardiac cycle; and stimulus generator that can deliver stimulation through at least two electrodes to stop atrial fibrillation. The method for treating atrial fibrillation has three possible modes: a first mode for detecting ongoing atrial fibrillation and stopping it; a second mode for detecting the cardiac cycle and delivering stimuli to the atrium after it has already begun to contract in order to suppress the onset of atrial fibrillation; and a third mode which applies pacing pulses to the atrium in a timed sequence to pace and contract the atrium faster than the native rate to preempt the initiation of atrial fibrillation.

Abstract: A hearing aid module is shaped for insertion into a tunnel made through the soft tissue that connects the retro-auricular space with the ear canal. The hearing aid module contains a speaker or auditory transducer, a battery or other power source powering the module, signal processing circuitry, and a microphone. Telemetry circuitry within the module allows the signal processing circuitry to be programmed with a desired frequency response or signal processing strategy using an external programming unit. A remote control unit permits the user to make simple adjustments, such as volume and/or tone (frequency) control.

Abstract: A multi-camera capture system includes an audio synchronization marker to provide synchronization marks with the video streams captured by the multi-camera capture system. In one embodiment of the present invention, the audio synchronization marker generate a plurality of substantially similar synchronizing audio signals. Each camera of the multi-camera capture system records a synchronizing audio signal with the video stream captured by the camera. The synchronizing audio signals contain synchronization marks which are used to synchronize the video streams of the cameras.

Abstract: An atrial, anti-arrhythmia system and method are provided. The system comprises: at least two electrodes attached to the atrium for providing independently controlled stimulus through each electrode; detection circuitry that can sense atrial fibrillation or the cardiac cycle; and stimulus generator that can deliver stimulation through at least two electrodes to stop atrial fibrillation. The method for treating atrial fibrillation has three possible modes: a first mode for detecting ongoing atrial fibrillation and stopping it; a second mode for detecting the cardiac cycle and delivering stimuli to the atrium after it has already begun to contract in order to suppress the onset of atrial fibrillation; and a third mode which applies pacing pulses to the atrium in a timed sequence to pace and contract the atrium faster than the native rate to preempt the initiation of atrial fibrillation.

Abstract: A hearing aid module (60) is shaped for insertion into a tunnel (40) made through the soft tissue that connects the retro-auricular space (50) with the ear canal (30). A hollow tube (44) may first be chronically or acutely implanted in such tunnel, and the hearing aid module inserted into the tube. The tube or hearing aid module may have a coating (45) containing a steroid or drug adapted to minimize infection and/or inflammation. The hearing aid module contains a speaker (65), a battery or other power source (66) powering the module, signal processing circuitry (67), and a microphone (63). Telemetry circuitry (69) within the module allows the signal processing circuitry to be programmed with a desired frequency response or signal processing strategy using an external programming unit (74). A remote control unit (75) permits the user to make simple adjustments, such as volume and/or tone control.

Abstract: A hearing aid module (60) is shaped for insertion into a tunnel (40) made through the soft tissue that connects the retro-auricular space (50) with the ear canal (30). A hollow tube (44) may first be chronically or acutely implanted in such tunnel, and the hearing aid module inserted into the tube. The tube or hearing aid module may have a coating (45) containing a steroid or drug adapted to minimize infection and/or inflammation. The hearing aid module contains a speaker (65), a battery or other power source (66) powering the module, signal processing circuitry (67), and a microphone (63). Telemetry circuitry (69) within the module allows the signal processing circuitry to be programmed with a desired frequency response or signal processing strategy using an external programming unit (74). A remote control unit (75) permits the user to make simple adjustments, such as volume and/or tone control.

Abstract: A panoramic imaging system includes multiple cameras and mirrors. The field of view of each camera is directed radially outward from a central axis of the imaging system by one of the mirrors, the target alignment planes for the mirrors being defined by a plurality of planar reference surfaces. Each mirror is mounted in a resilient mounting structure, and is held in place by the mirror contact region of a retaining structure. Each retaining structure also includes a base contact region clamped to one of the planar reference surfaces. The base contact region and the mirror contact region of each retaining structure are coplanar, so that each reflective surface is aligned with a planar reference surface. The properly directed fields of view of the plurality of cameras can be combined to form a panoramic image. According to an embodiment of the invention, the panoramic imaging system comprises an eight-sided camera.

Abstract: A system for aligning the reflective surface of a front surface mirror with a reference surface on a base structure includes a resilient support structure and a retaining structure. The front surface mirror is mounted on the resilient support structure. A contact region of the retaining structure is placed across a portion of both the reference surface and the reflective surface and is clamped to the reference surface. Because the contact region represents a coplanar portion of the retaining structure, and because the resilient support structure holds the reflective surface against the contact region, the reflective surface is aligned with the reference surface. An eight-sided camera according to the invention includes eight mirrors, each mirror being mounted in a resilient mounting structure and being clamped down by a retaining structure having a coplanar contact region spanning a reference surface and the mirror reflective surface.