Abstract: A stimulation scheduling system includes a control signal generator and a controller, which can form a control loop configured to generate sets of consistent pulse schedules with a controlled degree of difficulty. The control signal generator can generate a set of consistent pulse schedules using a set of corresponding stimulation parameter distributions and provide a detection parameter based on the generation of the set of consistent pulse schedules to a controller. The controller can estimate a difficulty state based on the detection parameter and update the stimulation parameter distributions based on the estimated difficulty state. The controller can model the difficulty of generating sets of consistent pulse schedules using a difficulty distribution. The difficulty state can be a parameter of the difficulty distribution. The controller can balance the difficulty of generating sets of consistent pulse schedules against the fidelity of the generated sets of pulse schedules.

Abstract: An electrostimulation treatment device is provided for performing handheld microcurrent muscle toning treatments in absence of the assistance of another person. The electrostimulation treatment device includes a handle section disposed between a treatment end and an accessories end. The treatment end includes one or more electrodes that are configured to supply an electric microcurrent to the skin and muscles of the user. The electrodes may be being pressed against the skin to manipulate the skin and muscles such that the muscles are forced into a desired form for re-education. The accessories end is adapted to receive one or more accessory connectors and a USB connector. The USB connector is configured to be coupled with an external computing device for operating the electrostimulation treatment device. The accessory connectors facilitate coupling the electrostimulation treatment device with external accessory devices, such as a lip mask, an eye mask, or a conductive glove.

Abstract: A para-aortic blood pump device includes a blood pump, an aortic adapter, a driveline, and a driver. The blood pump includes a blood sac, a pump housing and a pressure sensor, whereas the pressure sensor is installed in the pump housing for monitoring the blood pressure inside the blood pump. The aortic adapter is a T-manifold shaped conduit connected to the blood pump and is used for connecting the blood pump with human aorta to facilitate circulatory support. The driveline allows a pneumatic communication to the blood pump in addition to transmitting the electrical blood pressure signal to the driver. The driver receives and processes the electrical blood pressure signal, decides the timing, speed and duration of blood pump fill and eject actions so as to provide counter-pulsatile circulatory support to assist human circulation.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for use in delivering stimulation to the head of a patient, including examples directed to delivering electrical or other stimulation to the eye of the patient. In some examples eyepieces or eyepatches are configured to deliver electrical or other stimulus to the eye of a patient by being worn on the face of the patient.

Abstract: An implantable medical device for generating electrical stimulations, wherein the medical device is embodied to generate and emit, during a first stimulation phase, at least one first stimulation that has a first amplitude by means of energy from an energy storage element, and wherein the medical device is embodied, during a second stimulation phase following the first stimulation phase, to generate and emit at least one second stimulation that has a second amplitude by means of energy from the energy storage element, wherein the energy storage element is charged at least prior to the generation of the at least one first stimulation and after the generation of the at least one first stimulation, and wherein the medical device is embodied not to completely discharge the energy storage element by generating the at least one first stimulation. The invention furthermore relates to a method for controlling such a device.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for remote monitoring and managing of patients with chronic pain are discussed. A remote monitoring system comprises one or more sensors to sense physiological or functional information from the patient, a cloud-computing device communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, and a remote device. The cloud-computing device receives patient data including physiological or functional information, and provides on-demand cloud-based services including storing the received patient data in a cloud storage, detecting a patient behavior, and generating a sensor operation recommendation based on the detected patient behavior. The remote device can access the cloud storage and the cloud-based services, and adjust operations of the one or more sensors in accordance with the sensor operation recommendation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying surgical instruments, e.g., MIS instruments, including a shaft including a proximal end and a distal end sized for introduction into a patient's body, a tool tip on the distal end including an end effector, and a handpiece or connector on the proximal end. One or more identifier members may be provided on the proximal end and/or distal end of the shaft, on the handpiece, and/or on the tool tip to identify one of a type and a class of the end effector. For example, a set of surgical instruments may be provided that include identifier knobs added onto the shafts to identify different tool tips, the shafts may include different outer shapes and/or textures, or colored and/or luminescent features may be provided on the instruments.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pacing cardiac conductive tissue are described. An embodiment of a medical system includes an electrostimulation circuit to generate His-bundle pacing (HBP) pulses to stimulate a His bundle, and a cardiac event detector to detect a His-bundle activity within a time window following an atrial activity. The cardiac event detector may use a cross-chamber blanking, or an adjustable His-bundle sensing threshold, to avoid or reduce over-sensing of far-field atrial activity and inappropriate inhibition of HBP therapy. The electrostimulation circuit may deliver HBP in the presence of the His-bundle activity. The system may further recognize the detected His-bundle activity as either a FFPW or a valid inhibitory event, and deliver or withhold HBP therapy based on the recognition of the His-bundle activity.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a feedthrough assembly are disclosed. The assembly includes a header and a test fanout layer electrically connected to the header. A first major surface of the test fanout layer faces an inner surface of the header. The assembly further includes a test via extending between the first major surface and a second major surface of the test fanout layer, and a test pad disposed on the first major surface of the test fanout layer and electrically connected to the test via. At least a portion of the test pad is disposed between the outer surface of the header and a perimeter of the test fanout layer as viewed in a plane parallel to the first major surface of the test fanout layer such that the at least a portion of the test pad is exposed.

Abstract: A smart watch comprises a watch head and a watch strap. The watch head comprises: a first electrode for contacting skin of a watch-wearing wrist; a second electrode for contacting skin of a non-watch-wearing wrist, wherein both the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected with a main control unit of the smart watch, so that the main control unit calculates an electrocardiogram according to bioelectric signals detected by the first electrode and the second electrode; and an air bag for contacting the skin of the watch-wearing wrist, wherein the air bag is respectively connected with an air pump and a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is connected with the main control unit, so that the main control unit calculates blood pressure according to a detection signal of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: Modulated light therapy devices for treatment of dermatological disorders of the scalp are provided. An exemplary device includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) supporting at least one light emitting device having an emitter height. The FPCB includes multiple interconnected panels and bending regions defined in and between at least some of the interconnected panels as to allow the FPCB to be configured in a concave shape to cover at least a portion of a cranial vertex of the patient. At least one light-transmissive layer proximate to the FPCB is configured to transmit (e.g., incoherent) light emissions generated by at least one light emitting device. At least one standoff is configured to be arranged between the FPCB and the scalp of the patient, wherein the at least one standoff includes a standoff height that exceeds the emitter height.

Abstract: An integrated catheter placement system for accurately placing a catheter within a patient's vasculature is disclosed. In one embodiment, the integrated system comprises a system console, a tip location sensor for temporary placement on the patient's chest, and an ultrasound probe. The tip location sensor senses a magnetic field of a stylet disposed in a lumen of the catheter when the catheter is disposed in the vasculature. The ultrasound probe ultrasonically images a portion of the vasculature prior to introduction of the catheter. ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance is included in the integrated system to enable guidance of the catheter tip to a desired position with respect to a node of the patient's heart. Iconic representations for depiction on the display of the system and relating to positional and other characteristics of the catheter or medical device are also disclosed.

Abstract: When transducer arrays (i.e., arrays of electrode elements) are used to apply alternating electric fields to a subject's body, the subject may experience electrosensation. This electrosensation can be ameliorated by changing the way the voltage ramps up from zero to its peak when the AC voltage is first applied to any given transducer array, and also when the alternating electric field switches direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods for positioning of an implantable lead in a patient with an integrated EMG and stimulation clinician programmer. The integrated clinician programmer is coupled to the implantable lead, wherein the implantable lead comprises at least four electrodes, and to at least one EMG sensing electrode minimally invasively positioned on a skin surface or within the patient. The method comprises delivering a test stimulation at a stimulation amplitude level from the integrated clinician programmer to a nerve tissue of the patient with a principal electrode of the implantable lead. Test stimulations are delivered at a same stimulation amplitude level for a same period of time sequentially to each of the four electrodes of the implantable lead.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting a signal from a human or animal organism which, during operation, carries out the following steps: detecting a signal from a human or animal organism in a time-dependent manner; subdividing a signal segment into first blocks; determining a total number of the first blocks; determining a measure for a signal swing in each of the first blocks; determining a number of first blocks in which the measure for the signal swing is less than a predeterminable first threshold value; calculating a first quotient from the number of first blocks in which the measure for the signal swing is less than the first threshold value and the total number of first blocks; comparing the first quotient with a second threshold value; classifying a state of the human or animal organism as physiological or as pathophysiological as a function of the previous comparison.

Abstract: An electronic device may include: a first temperature sensor configured to measure a first temperature when an object comes into contact with a contact surface of a main body of the electronic device; a second temperature sensor spaced apart from the first temperature sensor in a direction opposite the contact surface and configured to measure a second temperature; and a processor configured to detect a temperature change due to heat generation inside the main body, and estimate skin surface temperature based on the first temperature, the second temperature, and the temperature change.

Abstract: An exemplary system is configured to maintain data representative a machine learning model for use in a cochlear implant system and train the machine learning model. The training may include applying audio content as a training input to the machine learning model, the machine learning model configured to apply a machine learning heuristic to the audio content to output an electrical signal representative of the audio content; applying the electrical signal to a brain processing model, the brain processing model configured to output synthesized audio content representative of the electrical signal; generating an error metric representative of a difference between the audio content and the synthesized audio content; and feeding back the error metric into the machine learning model, the machine learning model configured to use the error metric to adjust the machine learning heuristic applied to the audio content.

Abstract: This present invention and its embodiments relates to methods for reducing pain during photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis. The present invention also relates to methods of treating actinic keratosis with reduced pain during photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for pacing tissue are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods position a tip section of a catheter adjacent tissue within an anatomical structure. The tip section is attached to a distal end portion of a catheter shaft, has a maximum radial dimension that is larger than a maximum radial dimension of the catheter shaft, and includes a plurality of electrodes spatially distributed about the tip section. The devices, systems, and methods further select one or more groupings of individual ones of the plurality of electrodes and deliver stimulating energy to or through the adjacent tissue via the selected groupings of electrodes. The stimulating energy is sufficient to activate nerve tissue proximate the tip section but is insufficient to ablate the adjacent tissue. In this manner, devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein can be used to locate nerve tissue proximate the tip section.

Abstract: A method and system for managing delivery of a respiration gated defibrillation shock from a subcutaneous implantable medical device (S-IMD) having one or more extra vascular electrodes. The method and system sense cardiac events of a heart. Additionally, the method and system utilize one or more processors to declare a shockable arrhythmia based on the cardiac events, obtain a respiration proxy signal indicative of respiration, track a respiration state related (RSR) characteristic from the respiration proxy signal, gate delivery of a high voltage (HV) shock based on occurrence of a respiration-gated (RG) trigger in connection with the RSR characteristic, and deliver the HV shock along a shocking vector between extra vascular electrodes based on the RG trigger to time delivering of the HV shock to occur during the select state within the respiration cycle.