Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices that aid a user in ceasing bruxism. The devices may be placed between a user's teeth, such as during sleep, and alert the user when the user clenches his/her teeth. In an aspect, a device includes a housing containing a battery power source, a vibration device, and an electrical contact mechanism having a movable element which closes a circuit to actuate the vibration device. A disk-shaped portion adapted to be emplaced in a person's mouth between a cheek and adjacent teeth is disposed around the housing. A resilient bite portion extends from the housing and is adapted to be emplaced between upper and lower teeth. A compressible element is disposed in the bite portion and causes the movable element of the electrical contact to close to actuate the vibration device in response to compression of the bite portion.

Abstract: This application discloses aspiration/biopsy needle apparatus, devices containing these needle apparatus, and methods using these needle apparatus and devices for aspiration or biopsy of samples, in particular biological samples from mammalian subjects. The novel aspiration/biopsy needle systems can find wide applications in the manufacture of fine needle aspiration (FNA)/biopsy devices for convenient cell harvesting and tissue sampling and analysis.

Abstract: A biopsy device, comprising a flexible coaxial structure, comprising an obturator within a sheath, the obturator being adapted to be displaced with respect to the sheath along the coaxial axis by a force applied at a proximal end; a disruptor, at a distal end of the obturator, adapted to disrupt a tissue surface to free cells therefrom, having a first position covered within the sheath and a second position freely extending beyond the sheath; an element, having a fixed position on the obturator, and a close clearance with respect to an inner surface of the sheath, such that a retraction of the obturator within the sheath causes an associated change in pressure in a space between the obturator distal to the element and the sheath, to thereby draw fluid proximate to an end of the sheath within the sheath.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for measuring a property of a blood sample is shown. The apparatus comprises of a housing having an aperture; a shaft mounted inside the housing; a testing member rotatably mounted on the shaft; an actuating member coupled to the housing and configured to exert a force against the testing member; and a lancet for eliciting a blood sample fixedly coupled to and protruding substantially radially from the testing member and configured to co-rotate with the testing member. The apparatus is further configured such that the lancet is aligned with the aperture in the housing when the testing member is in a first position. The testing member is configured, in the presence of a force exerted against the testing member by the actuator member, to translate to a second position in which the lancet is in a skin penetrating position.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing an integrated analyte sensor and data processing unit assembly is provided.

Abstract: A blood separation and testing system for a blood sample is disclosed. The blood separation and testing system includes a blood sampling transfer device adapted to receive a blood sample, a blood separation device, and a blood testing device. The blood separation device is adapted to receive a portion of the blood sampling transfer device such that with the blood sampling transfer device received within the blood separation device and a rotational force applied to the blood sampling transfer device, a plasma portion of the blood sample is separated from a cellular portion of the blood sample. The blood testing device is adapted to receive a portion of the blood sampling transfer device to analyze the plasma portion of the blood sample and obtain test results.

Abstract: A method for acquiring gait parameters of an individual is disclosed. The method includes capturing calibration images from foot marker placed on feet or shoes of an individual while an individual is standing still, the calibration images are obtained from a camera worn by the individual, capturing subsequent time-varying images from the foot markers while the individual is walking, and comparing the calibration images to the subsequent time-varying images by a processing unit that is coupled to the camera to determine changes between the initial relative image size of the foot markers and the time-varying images of the foot markers as a function of time to analyze gait of the individual.

Abstract: An upper body motion measurement system 1 has a plurality of inertia sensor units 2, each of which incorporating an angular velocity sensor 4 and an acceleration sensor 5. The plurality of the inertia sensor units 2 is attached to places that are different from each other on the upper body of a subject P. Based on the detection outputs of the angular velocity sensor 4 and the acceleration sensor 5, the attitude of each of the inertia sensor units 2 is estimated, and the acceleration thereof is further estimated. The angular acceleration of the upper body of the subject P is estimated based on the estimated accelerations of the plurality of the inertia sensor units 2.

Abstract: A method of re-canalizing a vascular occlusion using a guidewire comprising a core wire which terminates at its distal end in a terminal member. The terminal member tapers to a distal leading edge which is urged through the occlusion.

Abstract: The human body stimulation apparatus comprises a left detection unit, a right detection unit, a determination unit, a control unit, a right stimulation unit and a left stimulation unit. The detection units generate a detection signal according to a walking motion of a human body. The determination unit divides the walking motion of one walking cycle into multiple walking stages on the basis of the detection signal. The determination unit determines that the walking motion is stopped on the basis of at least one duration time of the walking stages. The control unit controls the magnitude of the stimulation that the right stimulation unit and the left stimulation unit apply to the human body on the basis of the determination results of the determination unit.

Abstract: A mechanical IOP (intra ocular pressure) monitor includes a cylinder fitted with an ocular plate attached to the cylinder interior. The cylinder interior comprises a mechanism for transducing pressure, detecting intraocular pressure and a signaling component for indicating when a set intraocular pressure is exceeded.

Abstract: There is provided a system of transmitting partograph information and analyzing the same comprising a client device adapted to receive partograph information as inputs; the inputs transmittable to a partograph processing server via a wireless communication network; wherein the partograph processing server is configured to receive the partograph information; conform the partograph information to a standardized format and disseminate the partograph information to at least one computer device. Preferably, the partograph processing server further comprises an analyzer to analyze the partograph information for one or more abnormality condition and provides an alert to the at least one computer device and the client device. Alternatively, the analyzer is installed in the client device in the form of a software application.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for monitoring and correcting sitting posture of a user and for discouraging sedentary behavior. The system comprises a processor, a portable seat cover with embedded pressure sensors and an angle sensor, a notification device, and a non-transitory storage medium for storing program code. The program code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to initiate an idleness timer to count how long the user has been sitting, monitor the user's sitting posture by receiving real-time sensor measurements; identify a sitting posture by applying a posture identification rule, generate a posture correction notification through the notification device if the identified sitting posture is not ergonomically correct, determine whether a sedentary threshold has been reached and generate a stand notification if the sedentary threshold has been reached.

Abstract: A biopsy system comprises an introducer and a biopsy device. The introducer comprises a cannula and at least two leaves. The cannula comprises an ovular cross-section, an open distal end and an open proximal end. The ovular cross-section defines a lumen extending between the open distal end and the open proximal end. The ovular cross-section of the cannula includes at least two flat sides. The at least two leaves extend distally from the open distal end. At least a portion of each of the at least two leaves extend from a respective flat side of the at least two flat sides of the cannula. The biopsy device comprises a body and an elongate needle. The elongate needle extends distally from the body. The elongate needle includes an ovular cross-section defining two straight sides. The cannula of the introducer is configured to slidably receive the elongate needle of the biopsy device.

Abstract: A dynamic, adjustable annuloplasty ring sizer can include an adjustable ring replica, which can be adjusted through a range of sizes corresponding to available prosthetic annuloplasty repair ring sizes. Actuation of an adjustment trigger on a handle portion of the ring sizer can displace tension wires that extend through a malleable shaft and through a plurality of articulating segments that form the ring replica. Displacement of the tension wires causes flexion of the joints between adjacent articulating segments, thereby reducing the overall size of the ring replica. Releasing the tension wires can allow an elastic extension wire to act on the ring replica, enlarging the ring replica to its maximum, at-rest size. In this manner, the appropriate size of annuloplasty ring prosthesis can be determined with a single device, without requiring a plurality of static ring sizers that require individual insertion and placement for the conventional trial-and-error sizing methods.

Abstract: Diagnostic apparatus (24) includes a sealed case (80), comprising a biocompatible material and configured for implantation within a body of a human subject (22). A dielectrometric probe (26, 50, 63, 66, 70, 102, 160) is connected to the case and includes first and second conductors (40, 42, 54, 56, 64, 67, 68, 72, 74, 162, 164), which are configured to be placed in proximity to a target tissue (34) in the body. A driving circuit (82), which is contained in the case, is coupled to apply a radio-frequency (RF) signal to the probe and to sense the signal returned from the probe. Processing circuitry (84) is configured to evaluate, responsively to the returned signal, a dielectric property of the target tissue.

Abstract: An actively-powered temperature data logger patch with wireless data communication includes a sealed, flexible battery comprising a printed electrochemical cell with an anode and a cathode, and a flexible circuit including a microprocessor, a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a target subject, a wireless communication transceiver and an antenna. In one example, the flexible battery and flexible circuit are arranged in a covering, stacked arrangement between first and second substrate layers, and the patch configured to conform to a curved surface of the target subject. In another example, the patch is used in an actively-powered medical system for monitoring a body temperature of a patient, and includes an adhesive configured to be removably applied to skin of the patient. An external computing device is capable of two way communication with the wireless communication transceiver of the patch via an electromagnetic field.

Abstract: A system for assessing the stability of a person relative to a horizontal surface during an assessment session is provided. The system includes a platform having a stage upon which the person stands. A sensing configuration senses when the person is unbalanced on the stage, and conveys this information to a processor. The processor converts this information into meaningful graphics for viewing on a display.

Abstract: Parameters extracted from high definition manometric measurements of the pharynx and upper esophagus at preidentified locations and times are applied to a supervised learning machine trained using x-ray fluoroscopy data to provide diagnostic information comparable to that of x-ray fluoroscopy without radiation exposure.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for evaluating the integrity of a uterine cavity. A method comprises introducing transcervically a probe into a patient's uterine cavity, providing a flow of a fluid (e.g., CO2) through the probe into the uterine cavity and monitoring the rate of the flow to characterize the uterine cavity as perforated or non-perforated based on a change in the flow rate. If the flow rate drops to zero or close to zero, this indicates that the uterine cavity is intact and not perforated. If the flow rate does not drop to zero or close to zero, this indicates that a fluid flow is leaking through a perforation in the uterine cavity into the uterine cavity or escaping around an occlusion balloon that occludes the cervical canal.