Abstract: A device for inducing the brain waves of a user to assume a predetermined frequency including a playback device, stereo earphones, and at least one light mounted on glasses in front of each eye of the user. Three separate control signals are pre-recorded superimposed onto a single control track. This composite signal is read by the playback device and is decomposed into the separate control signals by filters in a decoder/controller. One control signal drives a first LED and another drives a second LED. The number of sinusoids within the first and second control signal determining the light intensity. The third control signal is passed alternately to two speakers, with the switching between the speakers being controlled by the state of the first and second control signal. Conventional earphones and a conventional tape player may be used. The invention also includes the method according to which the control signals are pre-recorded, played back, filtered, and applied to the lights and speakers.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to methods and devices for facilitation of tissue and bone guided regeneration of a bony deficit. A mechanical barrier dimension to cover the deficit is provided as are means for securing the barrier in place.

Abstract: A hand held breath analyzer is energized when a mouthpiece tube is put into position. An ejector mechanism expels the mouthpiece, which de-energizes the system. The insertion of the mouthpiece not only cocks the ejector mechanism but closes a cover on an exhaust manifold of a breath sample passage. The breath sample passage includes a sample chamber with a port to receive a sampling tube fitting, and an auxiliary port. The exhaust manifold is long relative to the length of the sampling chamber and terminates in an orifice by means of which ambient air is drawn across a thermistor. The sampling tube communicates with a fuel cell chamber, into which breath is drawn by a diaphragm pump arranged, in its normal, uncocked condition, to inhibit the entrance of contaminants into the chamber. The diaphragm pump is actuated in response to operation of the thermistor, through a relay-tripped toggle linkage.

Abstract: Electromechanical transducer for implantable hearing aids. The transducer has a hermetically sealed and biocompatible housing, in which a wall is designed as a membrane that can oscillate, and which forms a heteromorphic connecting element together with a piezoelectric ceramic disk. Mechanical oscillations of the housing membrane are coupled to the middle ear or inner ear of the user by a mechanically rigid element attached in the central area of the membrane. This element is configured as a bow, so that in positioning the transducer housing from the direction of the mastoid adjoining the tympanic cavity, it acts as an artificial anvil to which coupling elements can be attached for mechanically transmitting oscillations of this artificial ossicle to the inner ear. Various coupling elements can be used, which correspond to the respective individual pathological situation.

Abstract: An exercise training system for prompting a user for stereo typed exercise and recording the intensity of the exercise, the training system consisting of an electromyographic sensor member which produces a rectified and time averaged signal forming a muscle force signal, the sensor member being provided with at least one electrode that is positioned adjacent to the user's muscle group for indicating muscle force of that muscle group, and a control member having a clock for measuring time intervals, and an alerting member for alerting the user that an exercise period has started as determined by the clock for a predetermined time interval loaded into the control means, whereby the user in response to the alerting member contracts and relaxes a predetermined muscle group and the muscle force used in the exercise is sensed by the electromyographic sensor.

Abstract: A method for interactively entraining a patient's heart rate to a target rate or frequency includes the steps of determining the patient's heart rate through a heart rate monitor and exposing the patient to music having a tempo within approximately one (1) beat of the heart rate. The heart rate is again determined, and if it has changed the tempo of the music is likewise changed in order to be within approximately one (1) beat of the heart rate. The process is continued until the target rate is reached. Vibrational bass tones can be added to enhance the entrainment. Similar methods can be used to entrain respiration rate and fundamental brain wave frequencies, in the latter case using continuous tones of music having repetition frequencies within the entrainment range.

Abstract: A relaxation refreshment apparatus includes a relaxation refreshment chair provided for giving to the user a vibratory stimulus variable in accordance with a detected relaxing degree of the user, an optical stimulus with exterior light shielded at the top part of the chair, a pneumatic stimulus operatively connected to an aromatizer nearby, for giving to the user an aromatic stimulus and an acoustic stimulus with a sound output unit, the apparatus being thus capable of intensively providing to the user various stimuli with an arrangement simplified and effectively realizing a compactness with dimensional minimization.

Abstract: A method for treating electromyographic signals obtained from one or more muscles in the body which are subject to both volitional motion and externally forced motion to provide one or more indices which indicate the relative control signal energy provided to such a muscle or muscles during contractions and lengthenings thereof.

Abstract: Antimicrobial gloves such as those made of natural rubber latex may be manufactured by incorporating an antimicrobially effective amount of a non-ionic, sparingly water soluble antimicrobial agent, such as 2,4,4'-tricloro-2'-hydroxyphenyl ether, into the glove material prior to forming the glove. The antimicrobial agent may be present in amounts ranging from 0.1 to 10% by weight of the antimicrobial agent. The wearer contacting surface of the glove may also be dusted with a powder containing an antimicrobial effective amount of an antimicrobial agent such as chlorhexidine digluconate. The powder may comprise a complex of chlorhexidine digluconate and cyclodextrin.

Abstract: An aid for inducing sleep has a total of four light sources positioned in front of each eye of the user. The light sources are symmetrically arranged with respect to the centers of the eyes of the user, with two light sources at each eye being horizontally aligned and the other two light sources at each eye being vertically aligned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for causing weight loss in obese humans by occupying a segment of the stomach volume using a variable volume bladder filled with fluid. The bladder is inserted into the upper part of the stomach including the fundus through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostony tube, which was non-surgically placed to create a permanent channel to the stomach. The inserted bladder is filled and emptied using a filling system for pumping fluid in and out of the bladder according to a predetermined scheme. The filling system comprises a reversible pump, a two-way valve connected to the filling tube, an electronic control means for automatically controlling the action of the filling system, and a battery. The electronic control means is connected to a plurality of sensors placed on the human body to detect digestion cycle and hemodynamic parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the optimum position of an endotracheal tube while allowing simultaneous ventilation of a patient with the endotracheal tube is disclosed. This apparatus contains a stylet, connecting means for adjustably and removably disposing the stylet within an endotracheal tube, means attached to the stylet for producing magnetic flux, and means for sensing the presence of magnetic flux.

Abstract: A support apparatus (10) for transducer (12) of the type used in ultrasound-guided compression repair of arterial defects such as pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas. The apparatus (10) includes a plurality of articulating arms which are releasably lockable into selected positions. Attached to one end of the arm structure is a base member (32) which supports the arm structure in a free-standing configuration. Located at the other end of the arm structure is a clamp member (16) having a central body which receives and holds the transducer (12). Pressure applied by the transducer is controlled by adjustment of a guide member (20) which is positioned between the arm structure and the clamp member (16).

Abstract: An apparatus for performing stereotactic radiosurgery using a stationary radiation source is comprised of a frame, a platform rotatably connected to the frame about a vertical rotational axis, a patient receiving menas, a means for rotating the platform and a means for adjusting the head of the patient to permit intersection of the radiation beam central axis with the vertical rotational axis at the location of the target site that is the subject of the radiosurgery. A method for performing stereotactic radiosurgery using the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A light emitting relaxation device and method for placing a subject in a relaxed state. The relaxation device includes a portable mask that has a flashing light source. When the mask is positioned on the subject's head a flashing light, have a preselected color, is emitted into the subject's eyes. The color is selected to increase beta endorphins in the bloodstream of the subject. The mask, preferably, is totally self-contained having built-in controls to set the speed, intensity and duration of the flashing light.

Abstract: An infant incubator having a humidifier in which water, used to humidify the air circulated to the hood of the incubator, is supplied to a shallow, heated evaporation tray from a larger unheated water reservoir in regulated amounts. The humidifier is located in the base of the incubator and is arranged such that the reservoir, which is removably carried by a pivotally mounted door, and the evaporation tray, which is slidable into and from the humidifier when the humidifier door is open, can be easily removed for refilling of the reservoir and cleaning or maintenance of the water reservoir, the evaporation tray and other components of the humidifier.

Abstract: A physiological change in the body of a user such as a brain wave or EEG signal is detected by electrodes attached to the scalp of the user. A frequency signal corresponding to a brain wave to be evoked is extracted by a bandpass filter from a signal which indicates the detected physiological change. The frequency signal is then applied to a stimulus generator which converts the frequency signal to a stimulative signal such as a photic stimulus and feeds the stimulative signal back to the user's body. The brain wave to be evoked is strongly synchronized by the stimulative signal applied to the user to place the user quickly into a desired brain wave state. The stimulative signal well matches the user's body since it originates from the signal representing the physiological change in the body of the user.

Abstract: A noninvasive arterial pressure monitor provides calibrated, continuous pressure waveform and beat-by-beat pressure values with no occlusion of an artery during an extended monitoring period. Noninvasive doppler sensors are secured over a major artery. Signals from the sensors are used to mathematically characterize the artery. The time-varying arterial resonant frequency is correlated to blood pressure throughout the cardiac cycle. Doppler sensors provide bi-directional flow velocity waveforms from which arterial resonant frequency may be calculated. A calibration cuff is used infrequently to calibrate the system to units of pressure.

Abstract: A multipolar electrode catheter includes a central and four side electrodes at its distal end. The catheter is actuable from a retracted or collapsed mode wherein the side electrodes are arranged around the tubular catheter outer surface to an expanded mode. A plurality of longitudinal slits in the catheter wall enable radial expansion of the distal end so that the side electrodes are moved to an operative position radially outward from their position in the retracted mode. In the expanded position, the side electrodes lie in the same plane and equally spaced from adjacent electrodes. Electrode leads connected to the electrodes enable the electrodes to be used both for mapping and ablation of endocardial sites.

Abstract: An intelligenet stethoscope for performing auscultation and for automatically diagnosing abnormalities based on body sounds is described in which the body sounds are received, digitized and stored in memory. The body sounds are recorded from a plurality of locations on the body, and all of the sounds are categorized according to specific characteristics to form a matrix of information. The generated matrix is then compared against a plurality of stored matrices using a technique similar to signature analysis. Each of the stored matrices contain information indicative of known abnormalities such as specific heart murmurs, lung abnormalities, etc. When a matrix match is found, the diagnosis is displayed on an LCD display formed in the body of the stethoscope. The LCD display is also capable of displaying a visual representation of the recorded body sounds. The present invention is applicable to heart sounds, lung sounds, and bruits.