Abstract: A method of predicting future blood glucose concentrations of an individual patient includes: identifying an individualized linear black box model of glucose-insulin by estimating a plurality of impulse response functions each accounting for an input-output relation of a plurality of individualized patient data sets, the impulse response functions being functions in a Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS); and applying a linear predicting technique to the selected model using the identified impulse response functions to obtain a predicted blood glucose concentration of the individual patient at a future time.

Abstract: Provided are method and device for non-invasive detection of central arterial pressure and other intraluminal large arterial pressures. Blood flow and vascular elasticity are the main factors affecting pulse waveform acquisition. A midstream airbag strap can be positioned at the same level as an intraluminal large artery in a human body, and an upstream signal channel can be positioned close to the trunk of the human body and thus is very close to the intraluminal large artery so that the influence of the vascular elasticity is minimized. On the basis of the relationship between the pressure in a blood vessel and the pressure of the airbag strap outside the blood vessel under the condition that the width of the midstream airbag strap is sufficient.

Abstract: A guide wire that is durable against twisting stress includes a first shaft and a second shaft having a distal end joined to a proximal end of the first shaft. The second shaft is formed of a material exhibiting an elastic modulus higher than that of a material forming the first shaft. The second shaft includes a variable hardness portion including a first portion having a hardness that gradually decreases from a distal end to a proximal end of the first portion, and a second portion arranged proximally of the first portion, and exhibiting a hardness lower than the hardness of the distal end of the first portion. The length of the variable hardness portion in the axial direction of the guide wire is longer than the diameter of the second shaft.

Abstract: A muscle relaxation monitoring device monitors the state of muscle relaxation without placing an excessive burden on the patient. The muscle relaxation monitoring device has a current stimulator to supply a stimulating current to muscles of a patient, a reaction detector to detect a stimulus response of the muscle stimulated by the current stimulator. The stimulating current supplied to the muscles of the patient before the application of the muscle relaxant and the stimulating response corresponding to the stimulating current value are recorded in a memory, and when the stimulating response is saturated, the stimulating current value immediately before saturation is used as the optimum current value to be supplied to the patient after administration of the muscle relaxant.

Abstract: Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) including catheter assemblies and methods thereof are disclosed. A catheter assembly can include an introducer catheter, an introducer needle, and a RICC. The introducer needle can be disposed in an introducer-catheter lumen of the introducer catheter forming an introducer combination. The RICC can include a catheter tube including an introducing lumen with a number of lumens and a side opening through a side of the catheter tube. The introducing lumen extends from a proximal end of the catheter tube to a distal end of the catheter tube. The side opening opens into the introducing lumen in a distal-end portion of the catheter tube. The introducer combination can be disposed through the side opening, along the distal-end portion of the catheter tube within the introducing lumen, and through the distal end of the catheter tube for introducing the RICC into a blood vessel of a patient.

Abstract: Provided are a wearable device, as well as a heart rate tracking method and a heart rate tracking apparatus thereof. The method includes obtaining a photo pethysmo graphic (PPG) signal of the wearable device within a preset time, obtaining a frequency spectrum corresponding to the PPG signal by a short-time Fourier transformation of the PPG signal, generating a curve cluster according to the frequency spectrum, and in response to determining a curve that meets a preset condition in the curve cluster, acquiring a jumped heart rate according to the curve that meets the preset condition to track the heart rate.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein provide techniques for analyzing gait and posture of a subject with respect to control data. The systems and methods, in some embodiments, processes video data, identifies keypoints representing body parts, determines metrics data at a stride level, and compares the metrics data to control data.

Abstract: The field of the invention generally relates to sample collection, for example of a sample being an exhaled breath. In particular, an integrated device is disclosed herein comprising a silicon chip for sampling particulate matter from a sample and for analysis, preferably by a protocol using thermocycling, of the particulate matter as collected from the sample. Further, point-of-care (PoC) and self-use analysis systems compatible with the integrated device, and methods related to sample collection and/or analysis using the same, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the percent fill of a blood sampling capillary includes a chamber for receiving a sample capillary containing a blood sample, an illuminator arranged to illuminate the sample capillary, an imaging lens aligned with the chamber and the sample capillary, an image sensor aligned with the imaging lens wherein the image sensor receives an image of the blood in the sample capillary from the imaging lens and converts the image to image data, a micro-controller circuit electrically coupled to the image sensor, and at least one of a host computer or a user interface electrically coupled to the micro-controller unit where the micro-controller circuit processes the image data into a percent fill result where the percent fill result is passed to the at least one of the host computer or the user interface.

Abstract: A biosensor apparatus comprises a biosensor device and a cover that is configured to attach to the biosensor device. The biosensor device includes a surface section that is disposed above the user's skin and an implantable section that is injected into the user's skin. The implantable section includes a bending detector and sensing circuitry. The sensing circuitry includes one or multiples of a biomarker sensor array, a control biomarker sensor array, a temperature sensor, and/or a biofouling detector.

Abstract: A blood pressure detection method is provided. The method comprising: obtaining wrist circumference data, wrist fat thickness data, and blood pressure data and correcting the blood pressure data based on the wrist circumference data and the wrist fat thickness data.

Abstract: A system and related methods for displaying a ventilation distribution of a patient. The system may include a measuring system for measuring the ventilation distribution of the patient and a display device. The system may further include a controller operably coupled to the measuring system and the display device configured to cause the measuring system to measure the ventilation distribution of the patient at a time interval and plot an element representing the measured ventilation distribution of the patient within a Cartesian coordinate system of a graphical user interface of the display device. The element may be plotted with a higher intensity relative to other elements representing previously measured ventilation distributions of the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus including a cylinder with a first end and a second end, a passive check valve with a first end and a second end, wherein the passive check valve is positioned at at least one of the first end and the second end of the cylinder, and a harvesting member coupled to the first end of the cylinder. A harvesting system includes an apparatus and a removal attachment coupled to the apparatus. Surgical methods for harvesting tissue from a patient using the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting a nasal specimen includes a device body with a nozzle at a distal end of the device body. The nozzle is configured to interface with a nasal cavity. The apparatus further includes an irrigation path and a collection path within the device body. The collection path may be separate from the irrigation path. The irrigation path is configured to direct a fluid from an irrigation chamber into the nasal cavity in order to dislodge a sample from the nasal cavity. When the fluid flows back out of the nasal cavity, the collection path is configured to direct at least a portion of the fluid and the sample dislodged from the nasal cavity into a collection chamber.

Abstract: A bio-impedance measurement device includes a signal generator, configured to input a probing signal having a first frequency and an over-sampling pattern into a bio-impedance; a receiver, configured to receive a first response signal related to the probing signal from the bio-impedance; a demodulation circuit, coupled to the receiver, configured to generate a first in-phase signal and a first quadrature-phase signal according to the first response signal; and a processor, coupled to the signal generator and the demodulation circuit, configured to analyze the probing signal, the first in-phase signal and the first quadrature-phase signal to determine a bio-impedance value of the bio-impedance.

Abstract: Apparatuses and associated techniques for fall detection and prevention via wearable devices are provided. In one aspect, a wearable device is provided including one or more pressure sensors arranged on a bottom portion of the wearable device to collect pressure data from a bottom of a foot of a user, a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled with the one or more pressure sensors, and a power source coupled with the wireless transmitter.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a guidewire slack take-up module (STUM) that engages a guidewire, by a retractor module (RM), to displace the guidewire in a proximal direction (D1) in response to a tensioning command signal (TCS) and maintains a predetermined biasing force (PBF) in D1 when the RM is not engaged. In an illustrative example, the STUM may include a connection module (CM) disposed at a proximal end of a control member (CM). The CM may have its distal end fixedly attached to a distal end of a flexible shaft. The RM may, in response to the TCS, engage the CM to displace the proximal end of the CM in D1. A biasing member may apply the PBF to the CM in D1 when the RM is not engaging the CM. Various embodiments may advantageously reduce or eliminate slack in a guidewire of a steerable catheter.

Abstract: A handheld vascular state measurement device includes a shell, a coil set, and a control module. The shell has a probe part and a handheld part. The coil set is arranged on a measurement surface of the probe part and includes a plurality of coils. The control module is coupled to the coil set. The control module is configured to drive the plurality of coils of the coil set to perform an eddy current induction measurement on a target vessel to derive a plurality of sensing signals corresponding to the plurality of coils. Two of the plurality of sensing signals have a signal characteristic difference. The control module evaluates at least one vascular state of the target vessel based on the signal characteristic difference.

Abstract: A system comprising a body wearable unit, with one or more cameras, a control system, and an electrical power source and a method for generating wearer data using the system, wherein the method comprises monitoring with one or more cameras a user wearing the wearable unit and providing a related camera signal; generating wearer data based on the related camera signal, wherein the wearer data comprise one or more of (i) wearer posture related data and (ii) wearer movement related data.

Abstract: A device for non-invasively evaluating or monitoring an intra-abdominal pressure and/or abdominal wall deformations and/or a risk of incisional hernia of a subject at a preventive stage and/or a pre-operative stage and/or a post-operative stage, the device includes an adjustable and flexible frame, the frame comprising a central area, a left lateral area and a right lateral area; a network of main sensors suitable for measuring local deformations and/or local forces on the surface of the abdomen of the subject, the network of main sensors being assembled to the frame, wherein at least one main sensor is located in each area of the frame; connecting means adapted for connecting the network of main sensors to a treatment unit; and possibly positioning means adapted for positioning the device on the abdomen and/or adjustment means adapted for adjusting the device on the abdomen.