Abstract: Systems and methods are described for controlling acquisition of sensor information, including: one or more physiological sensors and a computing device including a processor programmed to query the physiological sensors to measure one or more physiological parameters of an individual in response to at least one flag indicating a need to measure the one or more physiological parameters; receive a set of sensor values from the physiological sensors; assign a quality value to the set of sensor values received from the physiological sensors; retain the set of sensor values if the assigned quality value of the set of sensor values meets or exceeds a minimum quality value threshold; and update the at least one flag if the assigned quality value of the set of sensor values meets or exceeds the minimum quality value threshold.

Abstract: An outpatient ambulatory patient worn apparatus for managing chronic lung disease includes a plurality of sensors configured to be worn by a patient and to measure a plurality of physiological data. The plurality of sensors includes at least an oximeter, a respiratory rate sensor, and at least one activity or motion sensor. A central monitoring unit (CMU) is worn by the patient in an outpatient setting during activities of daily living. The CMU categorizes each recorded measurement of each of the plurality of sensors stored in a set of time stamped primary data by a predominate activity type to generate a set of activity type stamped data, the predominate activity types include rest, exertion, and sleep. A generate report process provides at least one or more reports. An outpatient ambulatory patient worn long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) apparatus and a method for managing chronic lung disease are also described.

Abstract: A device configured to cut hair using laser light includes a handle portion and a shaving portion. The handle portion includes a battery and a laser light source. The laser light source is coupled to and configured to receive power from the battery. The laser light source is also configured to generate laser light having a wavelength selected to target a predetermined chromophore to effectively cut a hair shaft. The shaving portion includes a support and a single fiber optic supported by the support. The fiber optic has a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall, and a cutting region positioned towards the distal end and extending along a portion of the side wall. The fiber optic is positioned to receive the laser light from the laser light source at the proximal end, conduct the laser light from the proximal end toward the distal end, and emit the light out of the cutting region and toward hair when the cutting region is brought in contact with the hair.

Abstract: A device configured to cut hair using laser light includes a handle portion and a shaving portion. The handle portion includes a battery and a laser light source. The laser light source is coupled to and configured to receive power from the battery. The laser light source is also configured to generate laser light having a wavelength selected to target a predetermined chromophore to effectively cut a hair shaft. The shaving portion includes a support and a single fiber optic supported by the support. The fiber optic has a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall, and a cutting region positioned towards the distal end and extending along a portion of the side wall. The fiber optic is positioned to receive the laser light from the laser light source at the proximal end, conduct the laser light from the proximal end toward the distal end, and emit the light out of the cutting region and toward hair when the cutting region is brought in contact with the hair.

Abstract: Provided is a body-implantable package for processing biosensed-data for wireless communication to an external device. The package includes a tube closed by a cover, therein, a chip with a strained layer affixed thereto to form a flexible laminar circuit. The cover is fitted over an open end of the tube after the laminated chip and strained layer are inserted therein. The chip is constructed of and rolled in one or more turns into a generally cylindrical shape. The strained layer is affixed to a surface of the chip automatically to cause the flexible laminar circuit to curl into a generally cylindrical shape to fit within the tube.

Abstract: A probe tip for communicating and laterally directing electromagnetic radiation comprises a waveguide, a primary capsule, a compressible member and a malleable secondary capsule. The waveguide is configured to communicate electromagnetic radiation and includes a beveled surface at a distal tip for redirecting electromagnetic radiation in a lateral direction. The primary capsule is attached over the distal tip of the waveguide. The compressible member covers a portion of the primary capsule. The malleable secondary capsule is positioned over the primary capsule and the compressible member, and includes a crimp that compresses the compressible member against the primary capsule and secures the secondary capsule to the primary capsule.

Abstract: A method of surgical dissection of tissue with a dissector comprising: an elongate shaft comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion comprises a plurality of segments that articulate with respect to one another and the plurality of segments includes a distal segment having a distal end; and a handle attached to the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the handle comprises controls for articulating the plurality of segments of the distal portion of the shaft with respect to one another, comprising the steps of: positioning the distal end of the dissector in a body; advancing the distal end through the body to dissect tissue; and simultaneously articulating the plurality of segments with respect to one another. A method of surgical dissection of tissue and guiding a second device to a desired physiological location with a first device.

Abstract: An apparatus for ophthalmic procedures contains a source of aiming and treatment laser beams, folded mirrors and lens arrays to cause the formation of a static pupil on a delivery mirror for observation and treatment by an operator of the apparatus.

Abstract: Mechanisms for altering the shape of a cell or chamber of a shaft or an actuation drive of an instrument are provided. The mechanisms may selectively rigidize the shaft of surgical or diagnostic instruments. The shaft assembly includes a shaft operatively connectable to a control member, at least one cell or a set of cells defined within the shaft, a shape altering material contained within the cell or cells, and, an activation link operatively connectable to a source of activation energy for delivering activation energy to each cell for activating the shape altering material to selectively rigidize or unrigidize the shaft. An actuator for producing work is also provided that includes an element within a housing that defines a cell or a set of cells. The shape altering material is contained within the cells, and a source of activation energy operatively connected to each cell for activating the shape altering material to expand or contract the cell.

Abstract: A surgical probe is configured to be inserted into a body cavity and to emit beams of light to ablate tissue within the body cavity. The probe further includes sensors to detect properties of tissue in the body cavity and a source of suction to remove material produced by ablation of tissue within the body cavity. The sensors could be configured to operate in combination with beams of light emitted by the surgical probe to detect the location, geometry, fluorophore content, or other information about tissue in the body cavity. The surgical probe can additionally include suction port(s) to secure portions of tissue relative to the surgical probe to allow ablation of portions of the secured tissue and to allow detection of properties of portions of the secured tissue that are maintained in contact with the surgical probe by the suction port(s).

Abstract: Systems and processes for managing data relating to one or more medical or biological conditions of a plurality of subjects (such as patients) over a wide area network, such as the Internet, may be employed for diabetes subjects or subjects with other medical conditions requiring monitoring and/or treatment over time. Such systems and processes provide various functions for several types of users, including patients or subject-users, healthcare provider-users and payor entity-users and combinations thereof, which allow for improved treatment and medical data management of individual subjects and groups of subjects and which allow collection and analysis of aggregate data from many subject sources, for improving overall healthcare practices of providers and subjects (e.g., patients).

Abstract: An internally sealable wire includes an elongate flexible body having a length and a plurality of electrically conductive strands disposed within an insulation jacket. The body includes an unsealed portion extending along a majority of the length of the body and at least one sealed portion positioned at a point along the length of the body. The unsealed portion includes open internal spaces defined between the strands and the insulation jacket, and the at least one sealed portion includes a filler material disposed within the internal spaces to effect a seal within the body and prevent the passage of fluid through the wire.

Abstract: Provided and described herein are exemplary embodiments of apparatus, system, computer-accessible medium, procedure and method according to the present disclosure which can be used for providing laser steering and focusing for, e.g., incision, excision and/or ablation of tissue in minimally-invasive surgery. For example, an exemplary apparatus is provided that can include at least one optical element which can be configured to refract and/or diffract light provided in a structure which can be configured to be inserted into a body, where at least one of the optical element(s) is structured to receive the light at a first angle and generate a refracted and/or diffracted light at a second angle which can be different from the first angle relative to an optical axis.

Abstract: An ophthalmic laser surgical apparatus includes an XY scan unit, a light guiding optical element, an objective lens, and a Z scan unit. The XY scan unit includes a deflecting device for deflecting the pulsed laser beam, and scans the pulsed laser beam in a direction crossing an optical axis. The light guiding optical element is provided downstream of the deflecting device on the optical path of the pulsed laser beam. The light guiding optical element has refractive power, and guides the pulsed laser beam. The objective lens causes the pulsed laser beam through the XY scan unit and the light guiding optical element to converge in a tissue of a patient's eye. The Z scan unit varies the optical path length between the light guiding optical element and the objective lens while the objective lens is fixed in position on the optical path.

Abstract: A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, a plurality of actuation controls of the handle, a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the housing tube. An actuation of an actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls may gradually curve the housing tube. A gradual curving of the housing tube may gradually curve the optic fiber. An actuation of an actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls may gradually straighten the housing tube. A gradual straightening of the housing tube may gradually straighten the optic fiber.

Abstract: An ophthalmic instrument for the application of laser radiation in a patient's eye, particularly for the examination and/or surgical laser treatment of the cornea and the lens of the eye, includes a femtosecond laser, an objective and optical assemblies. The optical assemblies are arranged in front of the objective, and selectively vary the focus position in the coordinate direction X,Y and Z either within the region of the cornea or within the region of the lens of the eye. The objective or at least one lens group is movable relative to the eye. The variation of the position of the lens group objective shifts the focus position from the cornea to the lens of the eye and vice versa.

Abstract: An operator telerobotically controls tools to perform a procedure on an object at a work site while viewing real-time images of the work site on a display. Tool information is provided in the operator's current gaze area on the display by rendering the tool information over the tool so as not to obscure objects being worked on at the time by the tool nor to require eyes of the user to refocus when looking at the tool information and the image of the tool on a stereo viewer.

Abstract: Ultrasonic actuator device (100) includes actuator arm arrangement (10) including first and second actuator sections (11,12), wherein the first section is arranged for coupling with support structure (50) and the second section is movable relative to the first section, and ultrasonic driver device (20) including at least one ultrasonic driver unit (21-28) coupled with at least one of first and second sections for driving actuator arm arrangement (10) and for providing movement of the second section relative to the first section, and wherein actuator arm arrangement (10) is movable with at least two degrees of freedom and the at least one ultrasonic driver unit includes an array of oscillating elements being arranged for creating an acoustic stream in an adjacent medium in response to application of ultrasound. Furthermore, an operational instrument including at least one ultrasonic actuator device (100) and a method of using the device are described.

Abstract: The embodiments herein provide an LED based vaginal light therapy device for a plurality of bacterial and fungal infections. The device comprises an LED body, a cervix support, a single or a plurality of LEDs, a switch, a tether, microchip and a battery. One end of the device comprises a cervix support to place the device smoothly against the cervix. A plurality of LEDs is provided over the LED body. The LED body comprises one or more LEDs and each LED emits a light having a wavelength in a therapeutic zone of light. The light emitted are in a range of blue light and/or red light. The microchip is housed within the LED body. The microchip connects a battery to the single or plurality of LED's and is further connected to the switch.

Abstract: An activity monitoring device, methods and computer readable media are provided. The activity monitoring device includes a housing configured for attachment to a body part of a user and a display screen attached to the housing. Further included is a first sensor disposed in the housing for capturing motion of the activity monitoring device when attached to the body part of the user and a second sensor disposed in the housing for sampling a heart rate of the user. Memory is disposed in the housing for storing the motion captured by the first sensor and the heart rate sampled by the second sensor. A processor is disposed in the housing and is configured to determine a physical state of the user during a period of time. For motion that is below a threshold the processor identifies the physical state to be a sedentary state and for motion that is at or above the threshold the processor identifies the physical state to be an active state.