Abstract: Approaches described herein can capture an audio signal using at least one microphone while a user of an electronic device is determined to be asleep. At least one audio frame can be determined from the audio signal. The at least one audio frame represents a spectrum of frequencies detected by the at least one microphone over some period of time. One or more sounds associated with the at least one audio frame can be determined. Sleep-related information can be generated. The information identifies the one or more sounds as potential sources of sleep disruption.

Abstract: A contact lens (318,400,500,600) may include a contact lens body (402), an exterior contact surface (322,404), and an annular bifocal surface (326,408). The contact lens (318,400,500,600) may be configured for use in a contact lens assembly (300) for laser-based ophthalmological surgical treatments. The exterior contact surface (322,404) may be on a first end of the contact lens body (402). The exterior contact surface (322,404) may be configured for direct physical contact with a cornea (102) of an eye (100) of a patient. The annular bifocal surface (326,408) may be on a second end of the contact lens body (402). The second end may be opposite the exterior contact surface (322,404). The annular bifocal surface (326,408) may include a central portion (347,412,502,602). The central portion (347,412,502,602) may include a first focal distance. The annular bifocal surface (326,408) may include an outer portion (349,414,504,604) that surrounds at least a portion of the central portion (347,412,502,602).

Abstract: A surgical tool with cable-based steering assembly and lock assembly. An outer tube is coupled to a handle, and an inner member includes a tissue working member. The inner member may be an inner tube rotatably disposed in the outer tube and including a flexible neck aligned with links coupled to the outer tube. A steering unit is configured to be actuated to simultaneously tension and slacken steering cables to cause relative pivoting of the links so as to provide a bend or curve. The lock assembly is configured to be actuated to place simultaneous tension on the steering cables to compress the links against each other and inhibit further pivoting of the links against side loading from the tissue. The links may be shaped to have a frame that is tube-shaped with the frames of the links have the same inner and outer diameters as the outer tube.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor is configured to maintain data representative of a frequency allocation table that maps frequencies in an upper region of an audible frequency range of a recipient to a plurality of electrodes located within a cochlea of the first ear, direct a cochlear implant to apply standard electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in an audio signal that are within the upper region to the cochlea of the first ear by way of the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the frequency allocation table, and direct the cochlear implant to apply phantom electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in the audio signal that are within a lower region of the audible frequency range to the cochlea of the first ear by way of a most apical electrode and one or more compensating electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes in accordance with a phantom electrode stimulation configuration.

Abstract: A bio-signal measurement apparatus may include a first substrate and a second substrate, an optical sensor mounted in the first substrate, a force sensor disposed on or below the first substrate, and a separation structure interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate so as to prevent transmission of a force between the first substrate and the second substrate. An upper surface of the first substrate and an upper surface of the second substrate may be provided at the same level.

Abstract: Apparatus for medical treatment includes a laser source, which is configured to output a beam of laser radiation. An optical device is configured to direct the laser radiation to impinge on a limbal area of an eye with optical properties chosen so as to apply a desired treatment to a tissue structure associated with a cornea of the eye within the limbal area.

Abstract: A micro-device for corneal cross-linking treatment includes a body including an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer portion is disposed about a periphery of the inner portion. The inner portion is shaped such that, when the body is positioned against a surface of an eye, the outer portion contacts the surface of the eye and the inner portion defines a chamber over a cornea of the eye. The micro-device includes an illumination system including a micro-optical element coupled to the body. The micro-optical element is configured to direct photoactivating light to the cornea of the eye when the body is positioned against the surface of the eye. The photoactivating light generates cross-linking activity with a cross-linking agent applied to the cornea.

Abstract: A controlled stimulation device used either alone or in conjunction with a treatment device to reduce amount of pain a patient may experience during a treatment with the treatment device.

Abstract: An ophthalmological device for surgical treatment of a cornea comprises a laser source, a focusing optical module, a scanner system, and an electronic circuit configured to control the scanner system to move the focus of the pulsed laser beam generated by the laser source to cut inside the cornea a lenticule and a venting channel which comprises an opening incision in a peripheral area of an exterior surface of the cornea, outside a perimeter of the lenticule from a top view perspective onto the cornea, and the venting channel connecting fluidically the posterior lenticule surface and/or the anterior lenticule surface to the opening incision, to enable venting of gas, produced by cutting the lenticule inside the cornea, through the opening incision to the exterior of the cornea.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a risk factor related to dehydration and thermal stress of a subject are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: generate output signals, by one or more sensors worn on a body of a subject, conveying information related to one or more of location of the subject, motion of the subject, temperature of the subject, cardiovascular parameters of the subject; store information related to the subject; obtain the output signals; determine in an ongoing manner, from the output signals, values of a water loss metric that correlates with estimated percentage of bodyweight of the subject lost in water; obtain heat index information for a contextual environment surrounding the subject; determine in an ongoing manner, from the output signals, values of an exertion metric that correlates with exertion of the subject due to work; and determine in an ongoing manner values for an aggregated risk factor of the subject.

Abstract: A blood pump is described that includes an impeller having proximal and distal bushings, at least one helical elongate element, a spring that is disposed inside of the helical elongate element and along an axis around which the helical elongate element winds, and a film of material supported between the helical elongate element and the spring. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A flexible elongate element extends radially from the spring to the helical elongate element, and maintains the helical elongate element within a given distance from the spring, to thereby maintain a gap between an outer edge of a blade of the impeller and an inner surface of the frame, during rotation of the impeller. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising and methods are described including a blood pump that includes an axial shaft, and an impeller disposed on the axial shaft. The impeller is configured to pump blood of the subject by rotating. The impeller and the axial shaft are configured to undergo axial back-and-forth motion during operation of the impeller. A distal tip element is disposed at a distal end of the blood pump. The distal tip element defines an axial-shaft-receiving tube, configured to receive at least a portion of the axial shaft during forward motion of the axial shaft. The distal tip element additionally defines an atraumatic distal tip portion disposed distally of the axial-shaft-receiving tube. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: A treatment system can include a treatment instrument with an operation input element that has a magnet; and a sensor that detects a parameter that changes with a movement of the magnet together with the operation input element based on an operation of the operation input element. The treatment system can also include a control apparatus that can control the supply of electrical energy to the treatment instrument for operation of the treatment instrument. The control apparatus includes a processor that can determine a relationship between a change in a distance between the sensor and the magnet and a change in the parameter, and to set, based on the relationship, a threshold for switching between an ON state and an OFF state of the supply of the electrical energy to the treatment instrument.

Abstract: Pulse oximeter systems are described that detect an oxygen level of a user and/or monitor a user's heart rate. The pulse oximeter systems are configured to provide an alert when a user's detected oxygen level decreases below an established oxygen level, and/or when a user's heart rate decreases below a lower threshold value and/or increases above an upper threshold value. For example, an alert may be provided when a user's detected oxygen level decreases by more than about five percent (5%) of an established oxygen level. In some instances, an operator can set a level at which an alert will be provided.

Abstract: Devices and methods for impinging light on tissue to induce one or more biological effects, and more particularly illumination devices and related methods that may be used for intranasal delivery of irradiation are disclosed. Exemplary illumination devices may include a light guide that is optically coupled with a light source, where the light guide may be configured for insertion along one or more intranasal passageways. In this manner, the light guide may provide irradiation of light to tissues along or near the upper respiratory tract to prevent and/or treat various infections and other tissue conditions thereof. Light guides may include flexible materials with suitable dimensions and/or shapes that allow the light guides to follow variable paths of intranasal passageways during use.

Abstract: An optically stimulating module to be integrated into a probe is implantable into a living being with a view to locally illuminating a region of said living being. The module includes a casing, and a hermetic electronic unit housed in the casing. The hermetic electronic unit includes two luminous diodes connected back-to-back, and at least two electrical contacts for connecting the module to an electrical power source.

Abstract: A system for extracting lens material from an eye including an instrument having a first aspiration pump driven by a drive mechanism having a motor, and an elongate member sized and configured to extend through an anterior chamber to a capsular bag of the eye. The elongate member configured to be oscillated by the drive mechanism includes an inner lumen fluidly coupled to the first aspiration pump and defining at least a portion of an aspiration waste line, and an open distal end having a distal cutting tip. The system can further include a fluid system remote from the surgical instrument including a second aspiration pump and a fluid line configured to deliver background aspiration from the second aspiration pump to the inner lumen of the elongate member to aspirate the lens material from the eye towards the inner lumen. Related devices, systems, and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A joint ring includes a main body part and a pair of protrusion parts protruding from a first surface of the main body part in a direction of a central axis thereof and having spherical surfaces on protruding portions. The main body part includes a pair of engagement holes and a pair of receiving holes. The protrusion parts include engagement parts which are configured to be capable of being inserted into the engagement holes. When the joint rings are arranged in the direction of the central axis and the protrusion parts of a first joint ring enter the receiving holes of a second joint ring, the spherical surfaces come into contact with receiving surfaces inside the receiving holes, and the first joint ring and the second joint ring become rotatable relative to each other with a line segment connecting centers of the respective spherical surfaces as a rotational center.

Abstract: A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft; an end effector element; an articulation at a distal end of the shaft for articulating the end effector element, the articulation comprising a first joint permitting the end effector to adopt a range of configurations relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the first joint being driveable by a first pair of driving elements; and an instrument interface at a proximal end of the shaft, comprising: a chassis formed from the securement of a first chassis portion to a second chassis portion, wherein the first pair of driving elements are secured relative to the chassis, the chassis portions being configured to be secured together by sliding the chassis portions relative to each other in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed is a portable infrared physiotherapy instrument (10), comprising a shell (100), a power source (200), a fan (300), an infrared emission assembly (400) and a guide tube (500). The infrared emission assembly (400) comprises a fixing frame (410), and an electric heating wire (420) wound around the fixing frame (410), the electric heating wire (420) being capable of simultaneously generating visible light and heat after being energized, and the heat heating a rare earth coating on the outer surface of the electric heating wire, thereby changing the frequency range of the visible light so as to obtain infrared rays. The power source (200) drives the fan (300) to rotate so as to drive external air to enter the interior of the shell (100) from an opening of a first end of the shell (100) and form an air flow inside the shell (100), and the infrared rays and the heat are guided to the guide tube (500) under the action of the air flow and are discharged from one end of the guide tube (500).