Abstract: Apparatus for detecting thermal radiation emanating from two different intracranial depths in a patient includes a transducer having a surface for placement against the patient's cranium. The transducer includes a first antenna with an aperture adjacent that surface the antenna being tuned to a first frequency and producing a first signal indicative of thermal radiation received within an antenna pattern extending a first distance from the surface and a second antenna having a second aperture adjacent to that surface within the first aperture. The second antenna is tuned to a second frequency and produces a second signal indicative of radiation received within an antenna pattern extending a selected second distance from the working surface, the second distance being shorter than the first distance. The two signals are coupled to a receiver/control unit which thereupon monitors and displays the temperature at the two intracranial depths.

Abstract: A lancing device is adapted for use in firing a lancet into the skin of a patient to acquire a blood sample and, subsequent thereto, calculating and displaying the concentration of glucose in the acquired sample. In one embodiment, the device comprises a lancet and a torsion spring coupled to the lancet through a lancet holder. The torsion spring includes inner, middle and outer rings which are concentrically configured, a plurality of activation spring arms which connect the middle and outer rings and a plurality of return spring arms which connect the inner and middle rings. In use, the plurality of activation and return spring arms can be independently transformed between energized and de-energized states using a single, button-shaped mechanism. Rotation of the mechanism is used to energize the activation and return spring arms.

Abstract: A guide wire is heated by application of electricity to change the stiffness of at least a portion of the guide wire. That portion of the guide wire may thus be selectively softened wherever that portion needs to be bent to facilitate routing the guide wire through curves or obstacles in a desired path.

Abstract: According to some exemplary embodiments, a method or system can involve associating a plurality of biokinetographic comparison results with a first specific dysfunction from a group of specific dysfunctions, each of the biokinetographic comparison results obtained from a comparison of a biokinetographic value to a standard for a corresponding biokinetographic variable.

Abstract: A pressure monitoring method and system for warning a patient or caregiver that soft tissue pressure has exceeded some predetermined level that over time would necessitate moving the patient to minimize or prevent soft tissue damage. The method and system entail the use of a pressure-sensitive pad assembly adapted to be applied to a surface of the patient's body and generate electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed at the surface. The system monitors the electrical outputs over a preselected time period and generates a cumulative output signal based on the electrical outputs and corresponding to whether or not the soft tissue pressure has exceeded a predetermined pressure level during the preselected time period. The system generates audible and visual warnings if the cumulative output signal exceeds a predetermined cumulative threshold until the soft tissue pressure drops below the predetermined pressure level.

Abstract: A method for measuring the concentration of a compound in the blood of a part of a subject is provided. An invasive or non-invasive sample of blood may be used for this determination. Also provided is a device for measuring the concentration of a compound in the blood of a subject. The device comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation, a holder, a detector and a processing system.

Abstract: A hand held instrument for evaluation of cutaneous sensory perception includes a body member, a rotatable head, and a testing element such as a monofilament projecting from the head member wherein the head member and the body are rotatably engaged for positioning the head member with its projecting testing element at a substantially right angle from the body and for alternatively positioning the head member with its projecting testing element in a non-testing position with the testing element extending in a protected position within an elongate channel of the body. The instrument further includes a guard member or sleeve in cooperative engagement with the body and head member to cover the elongate channel in a first non-testing position and to uncover the elongate channel in a second testing position.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting motion is described. A data acquisition system is positioned at a desired position by establishing a reference line based on the desired position of the data acquisition system. Further, a field of view of the data acquisition system is partitioned into an upper region and a lower region based on the reference line. Subsequently, motion information corresponding to a person in the field of view is acquired. Additionally, it is determined if the acquired motion information corresponds to the upper region and/or the lower region in the field of view. Moreover, a magnitude of motion and an area of motion of the person are computed using the acquired motion information. Subsequently, a motion event corresponding to the person in the lower region of the field of view is detected based on the determined magnitude of motion and the determined area of motion.

Abstract: The apparatus (2) for early diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, of the type comprising: receiving means which define a receiving zone (8) for receiving a patient's finger, means for measuring the cutaneous sensibility of a finger (10) disposed in said receiving means, comprising a device for determining a sensation threshold of the finger pulp and a device for measuring the innervation density of the finger pulp, each device comprising protruding portions (22) adapted to be brought into contact with the finger (10), is characterized in that the protruding portions (22) of the device for measuring the innervation density are identical with those of the device for determining the sensation threshold.

Abstract: A capacitive touch screen device forms a capacitance between a body part of a user and a sensor layer. The sensor layer of the device includes capacitive sensors that allow a current to flow to the body part from the device when contact is made. The body part contacts the device through a bodily fluid. The current drawn is measured and a value for the bodily fluid is determined. This value is compared against known values to diagnose a possible medical condition or to infer characteristics of the bodily fluid.

Abstract: A tissue cutting device that is especially suited for neurosurgical applications is disclosed and described. The device includes a handpiece and an outer cannula in which a reciprocating inner cannula is disposed. The inner cannula includes a hinge between a body section and a cutting section that allows the cutting section to pivot when the inner cannula reciprocates within the outer cannula. A tissue collector is also provided and is in fluid communication with the lumen of the inner cannula. The outer and inner cannulae are offset from the motor and drive assembly, and the center of gravity of the device is in the forward part of the device, providing an ergonomic design that is particularly suited for neurosurgical applications.

Abstract: A non-reusable device for collecting bodily fluids such as vascular blood from a patient, the device being configured for example to receive a blood collection tube and having a retractable needle attached to a rearwardly biased needle holder that is constrained prior to needle retraction by a rotatably mounted lug ring and that is released during retraction by depressing a trigger pivotably connected to the body of the device to rotate the lug ring, whereby the needle holder is driven into a retraction cavity disposed inside the trigger and the front tip of the needle is retained inside the body of the device.

Abstract: Provided is a system for sampling and pretreating biological fluid. It comprises: a piercing unit having at a lower portion a capillary tip which is to be inserted into skin to a predetermined depth to take biological fluid therethrough; a dropper, connected to an upper portion of the piercing unit, having an injection tube at an upper portion thereof, the injection tube communicating with the capillary tip; and a reagent container, designed to accommodate the piercing unit therein in an airtight manner so as to seal an outer circumference of the piercing unit, functioning to contain a reagent for treating the biological fluid of the capillary tip of the piercing unit. The system allows even a novice to sample and pretreat biological fluid with high accuracy without the use of expensive precision devices. The system employs fewer expendable supplies, thus providing higher convenience for the user.

Abstract: In a method and an implantable medical device for assessing a degree of pulmonary edema of a patient, at least two specific body patients of the patent are detected and at least one impedance sensing session is initiated to sense trans-thoracic impedance signals from the patient when the patient is in one of the at least two specific positions. Impedance values are obtained from the impedance signals, and a relation between respective impedance values at the at least two positions is determined. This relation is then used as a metric of pulmonary edema to assess the degree of pulmonary edema, and is provided as an output.

Abstract: The activity state classification method of the present invention employs a kernel-based modeling technique, and more specifically a set of similarity-based models, which have been created using example data, to process an input observation or set of input observations, each comprising a set of sensor readings or “features” derived there from or other data, to predict the activity state of a person from whom the sensor data was obtained. A model is created for each class of activity. The input data is processed by each model and the resulting predictions are combined to yield a final prediction of which state of activity is represented by the input data.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a device and a method of monitoring and analyzing physiological parameters of a patient. The method includes electrically connecting one or more electrodes with a measurement site of a patient, generating a stimulation signal or signals sufficient to provide multiple stimulation frequencies, multiple waveforms or a combination thereof, measuring a one or more bioimpedance values from the generated signals and analyzing at least one of a fluid bioimpedance contribution, fat bioimpedance contribution or ion bioimpedance contribution within the one or more bioimpedance values sufficient to generate a physiological report.

Abstract: A sensor is mounted to a needle at a location proximate to a tip of the needle. The sensor senses tissue density of tissue in contact with the tip as the needle passes through the tissue. Further, the sensor detects a change in tissue density as the tip passes from one tissue to a target tissue.

Abstract: A method for determining a characteristic axis of a body structure includes generating at least two two-dimensional recordings of an area of the body structure; comparing each of the at least two recordings of the area with a generic model of the area in question, said generic model containing information on the position of the characteristic axis; ascertaining a mapping protocol for mapping the respective generic model onto the respective recording of the area; using the ascertained mapping protocol to map the respective position of the characteristic axis in the respective generic model to obtain the respective position of the characteristic axis in the two-dimensional mapping of the body structure; and using rear projection to determine a three-dimensional position of the characteristic axis from the at least two characteristic axes in the two-dimensional mappings.

Abstract: A tissue cutting device that is especially suited for neurosurgical applications is disclosed and described. The device includes a handpiece and an outer cannula in which a reciprocating inner cannula is disposed. The inner cannula includes a hinge between a body section and a cutting section that allows the cutting section to pivot when the inner cannula reciprocates within the outer cannula. The inner cannula also includes a bending portion between the proximal end of the inner cannula and the hinge which is bendable with the outer cannula. The device is particularly suited for accessing neurosurgical sites that are not accessible along a linear path.

Abstract: A system for mapping a tissue surface includes a probe for mapping a tissue surface, a localization system to measure a location data point indicative of the probe's location, a memory in which to store the location data point, a servo mechanism to move the probe along at least a portion of the tissue surface, a controller to move the probe to a plurality of locations and to record in the memory a plurality of location data points, and a contact-sensing processor to analyze the plurality of location data points and to identify a subset thereof on the tissue surface. A modeling processor generates a model of the tissue surface using the subset of location data points. The contact-sensing processor utilizes probe velocity, or a rate of change in the distance moved by the probe, to determine contact between the probe and the tissue surface.