Abstract: The present invention relates to an intraocular pressure measuring and/or monitoring device (1) comprising a contact lens (10) presenting an inner surface (101) and an outer surface (102), and a pressure sensor (2) united with said contact lens (10) and located such that it is applied against an eye (8) of a user for sensing the intraocular pressure (IOP) of said eye (8) when said contact lens (10) is worn by said user, characterized in that said contact lens (10) comprises a soft portion (11) and a rigid portion (12), said rigid portion (12) being adapted to at least partially rigidify a central portion of the inner surface (101) of said contact lens (10) so as to maintain said rigidified inner surface (101) with a curvature radius adapted to flatten at least a portion of the eye surface in contact with the pressure sensor (2) so as to reach a pressure equilibrium around the pressure sensor (2) when said contact lens (10) is worn by said user.

Abstract: A cerebrospinal-fluid-pressure-measuring device including a pressure gauge including a hollow cylindrical body for inserting through a skull and having a lower and upper end, and an inner surface, a membrane attached to the lower end and to move under a pressure of cerebrospinal fluid within the skull, and coils including a stationary coil disposed in the cylindrical body and connected to the inner surface so as to remain stationary, and a moving coil disposed in the cylindrical body and connected to the membrane so that the moving coil moves when the membrane moves under the pressure, one of the coils being configured as a transmitting coil and another of the coils being configured as a receiving coil, and a control unit to apply an input signal to the transmitting coil and receive an output signal from the receiving coil, and to generate an indication of the pressure.

Abstract: A cervical cell collection device, kit and method for the collection of cervical cells is provided. In some embodiments, the cervical cell collection device comprises an outer guide assembly having a distal end section with an aperture there through; an inner assembly positioned within the outer guide assembly, the inner assembly having a distal end with a collapsible collection pad secured thereto by a flexible collection support, wherein the inner assembly is movable from a first position where the collection pad is folded inside distal end section of the outer guide assembly to a second position where the collection pad is pushed through the aperture in the distal end of the outer guide assembly where it expands to contact and collect cervical cells.

Abstract: A blood pressure detection device manufactured by a semiconductor process includes a substrate, a microelectromechanical element, a gas-pressure-sensing element, a driving-chip element, an encapsulation layer and a valve layer. The substrate includes inlet apertures. The microelectromechanical element and the gas-pressure-sensing element are stacked and integrally formed on the substrate. The encapsulation layer is encapsulated and positioned on the substrate. A flowing-channel space is formed above the microelectromechanical element and the gas-pressure-sensing element. The encapsulation layer includes an outlet aperture in communication with an airbag. The driving-chip element controls the microelectromechanical element, the gas-pressure-sensing element and valve units to transport gas.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying alterations in a musculoskeletal system of a subject are disclosed. After detecting physical quantities representative of a state of the subject, a biomechanical model for the subject is identified and combined movements of muscles and bones as a function of said physical quantities and of said biomechanical model are determined. The combined movements are converted into a plurality of movement steps of segments and joints. Parameters representative of the alterations are computed, and the parameters are compared with predefined reference values representative of alteration thresholds in the musculoskeletal system. The alterations are identified as a function of a failed matching between the computed parameters and the predefined reference values, and the belonging of this correspondence to one or more groups of musculoskeletal pathologies as a function of said identified alteration is determined.

Abstract: A sphygmomanometer according to the present disclosure includes a main body that is mounted with a pump and is to be disposed on a dorsal surface of a wrist and a cuff that is to be attached around the wrist. The cuff extends along a circumferential direction of the wrist from an ulnar side end portion of the main body to a palmar surface and is set to a length covering an ulnar artery or a length covering a radial artery beyond the ulnar artery of a wrist having a preset maximum wrist circumference. A fluid is supplied from the pump to the cuff to press the wrist. A blood pressure is calculated based on a pressure of the fluid contained in the cuff.

Abstract: Proposed are concepts of identifying physiological stress of a user of a virtual reality environment by displaying to the user a virtual object at an object location within the virtual reality environment and instructing the user to interact with the displayed virtual object. A measure of physiological stress may then be determined based on a detected parameter of the user's movement in response to the instruction, and the measure of physiological stress may be associated with a part of the user's body based on the object location.

Abstract: A tissue property sensing system includes a sensing assembly that is movable along a drive screw and includes an outer shaft, an anvil, a center drive, a piston, and a tension spring. The piston includes a distal arm having a distal portion and a head that extends from the distal portion. The piston is movable within the outer shaft to move the head in relation to the anvil between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein in the closed configuration, the head of the piston and the anvil are positioned to clamp and occlude flow of blood within tissue. The tension spring is coupled to the center drive and to the piston to urge the piston towards the center drive and to urge the head of the piston towards the anvil.

Abstract: The biotelemetry device (100) comprises a microcontroller (101) for generating an electrical setpoint signal (CS); a radio antenna (103) for transmitting an electromagnetic wave (EMS) by converting an incident electrical signal (IS); a radiofrequency circuit (102), interconnected between the microcontroller (101) and the radio antenna (103). The radio antenna (103) is configured such that, when the biotelemetry device (100) is placed in the biological medium (110), it can be impedance-mismatched relative to the radiofrequency circuit (102) so as to generate a reflected electrical signal (RS) by reflecting a fraction of the incident electrical signal at the same time that the radio antenna is transmitting the electromagnetic wave (EMS).

Abstract: A flow-directed guidewire for use in the cerebral vasculature. The flow-directed guidewire includes a guide wire with a floppy distal end (the remainder of the guide wire is sufficiently stiff to be pushable though long segments of the vasculature) and a flow-directed structure disposed on the distal tip of the distal end of the guide wire.

Abstract: A universal, self-contained, self-powered, compact, external vacuum source and cytology or cytology and histology collection, storage, preservation and transport system device may be configured to couple to any suitable generic biopsy or interventional device. Embodiments may comprise structures and functionality for the addition of such a portable, compact, self-contained, self-powered, universal vacuum and cytology/histology collection module to biopsy or interventional devices. Embodiments may be portable, disposable or reusable and may be electrically, mechanically and/or manually powered and operated. Embodiments may additionally provide structures and functionality for use with other vacuum and/or cytology or histology collection systems to which this system may itself be attached.

Abstract: A method of adaptively determining one or more compensation factors in a closed-loop insulin delivery system comprising a continuous glucose level sensor, an insulin pump, and an insulin reservoir, where the system determines an insulin meal bolus taking into account an estimated amount of carbohydrates to be ingested, CHO, a difference between a currently sensed glucose level, G, and a glucose set point, Gsp, and at least one compensation factor, ICR.

Abstract: A system and method for modeling patient-specific spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is disclosed. The system and method acquire impedance and evoked compound action potential (ECAP) signals from a lead positioned proximate to a spinal cord (SC). The lead includes at least one electrode. The system and method determine a patient-specific anatomical model based on the impedance and ECAP signals, and transform a dorsal column (DC) map template based on a DC boundary of the patient-specific anatomical model. Further, the system and method map the transformed DC map template to the patient-specific anatomical model. The system and method may also include the algorithms to solve extracellular and intracellular domain electrical fields and propagation along neurons. The system and method may also include the user interfaces to collect patient responses and compare with the patient-specific anatomical model as well as using the patient-specific anatomical model for guiding SCS programming.

Abstract: One aspect is a medical guidewire including a core wire with a proximal end extending out to a distal end and a resilient portion coupled to the distal end of the core wire at a distal tip section of the guidewire. The resilient portion includes a superelastic material.

Abstract: A needle assembly for sampling fluid from a patient including a needle guard, an insertion needle, and a needle housing. The distal end of the needle guard includes a nose portion and a flexible nose extension defining a fluid collection reservoir. The proximal end of the needle guard includes a push feature. The insertion needle has a sharpened distal tip, a proximal needle end and a shaft defining a lumen extending therebetween. The needle housing is operably coupled to the proximal needle end and is slideably coupled to the needle guard. The needle housing includes a flash chamber including a wall defining a cavity. The cavity is in fluid communication with the lumen of the insertion needle and is sealed at one end by a gas permeable flash plug. The push feature selectively engages the flash plug to divert captured bodily fluids to the fluid collection reservoir for sampling.

Abstract: A filming method of probe and the probe made by the filming method, the method includes following steps: spraying hydrophilic matrix material on the rigid member; injecting liquid polyethylene glycol into an interior, letting the polyethylene glycol coagulate; cutting out the solid polyethylene glycol, letting the cutting surface and the perimeter of the rigid member to be formed in a smooth plane; letting the wedge end of the rigid member insert a liquid latex vertically for immersion, picking up the rigid member and dripping residue, air drying the adhesive layer of the rigid member; upward setting the wedge end of the rigid member, and letting the latex film be heated, melting the solid polyethylene glycol and letting the polyethylene glycol drain away. The method can minimize the nonlinear deviation, simplify the technological process, improves product quality and manufacturing efficiency.

Abstract: A blood measurement device having high bending rigidity and having excellent propulsion properties and rotational force transmission properties in a blood vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a performance metric of a heart includes a housing, a tactile sensor, a finger clamp, a linear actuator, and a controller. The tactile sensor measures blood pressure pulsatility in a digital artery of a finger via applanation tonometry and outputs pulsatility signals indicative of the blood pressure pulsatility. The finger clamp extends from the housing to clamp the finger against the tactile sensor with the digital artery aligned over the tactile sensor. The linear actuator drives the finger clamp with a clamping force directed along a linear path. The controller is coupled to the tactile sensor and the linear actuator to control the clamping force and to generate pulsatility data, based upon the pulsatility signals, from which the performance metric of the heart may be determined.

Abstract: A soft, flexible microtube sensor and associated method of sensing force are described. A liquid metallic alloy is sealed within a microtube as thin as a strand of human hair to form the physical force sensing mechanism. The sensor is hardly distinguishable with the naked eye, and can be used for the continuous biomonitoring of physiological signals, such as unobtrusive pulse monitoring. Also described is a method of fabricating the microtube sensor and wearable devices incorporating one or more microtube sensors.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for monitoring electrical activity within the brain of a person (“brainwaves”) employing electrodes or other sensors placed proximate to portions of the body below the head to develop raw signals without physically touching the body and penetrating hair and clothing. Additionally, apparatus and methods for monitoring electrical activity within the brain of a person (“brainwaves”) employing non-contacting sensors placed proximate to portions of the head to develop raw signals. The raw signals are filtered to produce analysis signals including frequency components relevant to brain electrical activity while attenuating unrelated frequency components. The apparatus and methods can be used for biofeedback-based attention training, human performance training, gaming, biometrics, cognitive state detection, and relaxation training.