Abstract: The invention relates to the development of economical camera modules having objectives contained therein with a minimal constructional length and excellent optical properties. It is made possible as a result that camera modules of this type can be used in mobile telephones or minicomputers, such as PDAs (personal digital assistant).

Abstract: System and method of inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a conductive tissue The present invention relates to a system (100) and method of inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a conductive tissue (106). Furthermore the invention relates to a computer program (115) for operating such a system (100).

Abstract: In order to provide a simple and reliable monitoring technique for a number of different parameters of a patient in a bed (2), a system (1) is provided, said system (1) comprising: at least one first sensor device (25) adapted to measure a first force component acting in a first direction (12), said first force component corresponding to a first parameter of the patient, at least one second sensor device (36) adapted to measure a second force component acting in a second direction (13, 14), said second force component corresponding to a second parameter of the patient, and a data device (16) adapted to acquire the measured data from the at least one first sensor device (25) and the at least one second sensor device (36) and to process those data in order to provide information about the number of parameters of the patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a patient monitoring system, a patient monitoring method and a computer program. In order to improve the monitoring of patients, particularly for cardiac monitoring and weight monitoring, a patient monitoring system (1) is provided, the system comprising a number of force sensors (2) assigned to a patient's bed (3), the force sensors (2) being adapted for generating first signals corresponding to a first force component, the force sensors being further adapted for generating second signals corresponding to a second force component, the second force component not running parallel to the first force component, and the system further comprising an analyzing module (4) adapted for deriving from said signals data corresponding to the patient's condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for impedance measurement of an external substance, said apparatus comprising a plurality of resonant circuits with respective coil elements (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and respective capacitive elements (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d), said resonant circuits operating at different resonant frequencies. The signals (S1, S2, S3, S4) from the resonant circuits are detected by an ampere meter (6). The power loss experienced by the resonant circuits due to an electromagnetic interaction with a conductive body is reflected in a change in the magnitude of respective signals. By detecting the signal (S1, S2, S3 or S4), the power loss by the resonant circuit is determined. The resonant circuit is preferably integrated into an insulating fabric carrier (2). The invention further relates to a vital sign measurement system and a method of enabling an impedance measurement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus (1) for inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a user's body. Furthermore the invention relates to a bed (2) comprising said apparatus (1). In order to provide a method and apparatus for spatially resolved inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a user's body without a complex circuitry, an apparatus (1) is suggested for inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a user's body, whereas the apparatus (1) comprises a number of first inductors (4), said first inductors (4) being adapted to induce an alternating magnetic field in the user's body and the apparatus (1) further comprises a number of second inductors (6), said second inductors (6) being adapted to measure a secondary magnetic field in the user's body, characterized in that each of the number of first inductors (4) overlaps at least one of the number of second inductors (6) to form a number of measuring areas (12, 25).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a patient monitoring system for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of capacitive measurement. Further the invention relates to a method for monitoring cardio pulmonary performance or the like by means of a capacitive measurement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital image recognition system having a minimum constructional length of less than one millimetre. The image recognition system hereby comprises a microlens array, a detector array and optionally a pinhole array. The mode of operation of this image recognition system is based on a separate imaging of different solid angle segments of the object space by means of a multiplicity of parallel optical channels. The optical axes of the individual optical channels thereby have different inclinations so that they represent a function of the distance of the optical channel from the centre of the side of the image recognition system orientated towards the image, as a result of which the ratio of the size of the field of view to the image field size can be determined specifically. Detectors are thereby used with such high sensitivity that the detectors have a large pitch with a small active surface area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for carrying out biochemical fluorescence tests by means of which the different biochemical interactions can be detected. With the aid of the invention it shall be allowed for a very large number of individual samples to be detected low costly and with a high sensitivity, and in addition it shall be achieved a high spatial resolution. According to the invention this object is solved with a device by means of which linearly polarized light of a laser diode is directed upon a plate-shaped carrier through an optical arrangement comprising at least one polarization beam splitter, a quarter-wave plate and a focussing optical element. In addition to binary, optically detectable information structures a plurality of fluorophore-marked samples is discretely arranged as well on the carrier rotating about an axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for the detection of biochemical or chemical substances using fluorescent light excitation, and to a process for its production, which can be used in a variety of fields, for example in biotechnology, in molecular medicine, in pharmaceuticals development and for the analysis or various chemical substances. A relatively simple structure is intended to provide the invention with the possibility of being able to carry out the detection of a large number of samples in a very short time with a high degree of accuracy. To that end, a laminar substrate is formed with a locally defined structure in order to detect different samples. Advantageously, on the detector side, a lens array designed according to the structuring can be used to project the fluorescent light from the different samples on to a detector array. It is, however, also possible to place a detector array matched to the structuring of the substrate on the substrate, or arrange it there.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surface plasmon resonance sensor for the simultaneous measurement of a plurality of samples present in fluid form. The aim of the invention is to provide such a sensor which can be arranged into a defined array and where the surface plasmon resonance sensors can be produced using technology which is simpler and more economical than those produced according to the prior art. To this end several strip-like optical wave guides (2) are arranged on a planar support (1) at a defined distance to each other in such a way that their front faces (21, 22) are flush with opposite sides (11, 12) of the planar support (1). Each strip-like optical wave guide (2) in a section which is to be brought into contact with the fluid samples has at least one thin metal layer (3) which permits the excitation of surface plasmons.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor which includes a reference electrode as well as a plurality of sensor elements, each sensor element including a collector electrode and a photoconductor structure which is arranged between the reference electrode and the collector electrodes, as well as a switching element which connects the collector electrode to a read-out lead, the sensor elements being arranged in a matrix of n rows and m columns, where n, m are larger than 1. Correct operation of even the sensor elements in the edge zone of the matrix is achieved, irrespective of the construction of the edge of the photoconductor structure and the reference electrode, in that the matrix is provided with a guard electrode window (9) which is arranged between the read-out lead (5) and the photoconductor structure (6) of the sensor elements (21) constituting the edge of the matrix and extends beyond the edge of the photoconductor structure (6).

Abstract: The invention relates to optical elements comprised of an optical isotropic completely aromatic polyester with a glass transition temperature Tg≧180° C.

Abstract: The so-called memory effect occurring in a device for forming X-ray images by means of an X-ray image converter which includes a photoconductor for converting the X-rays into a charge pattern can be reduced by means of a trapping layer which is provided on at least one of the two sides of the photoconductor and reduces the current of charge carriers injected into the photoconductor from this side.

Abstract: An x-ray examination apparatus comprises an x-ray detector with a sensor matrix for deriving an image signal from an x-ray image. The x-ray detector is provided with a scatter grid having a regular pattern of x-ray attenuating partitions. The spatial resolution of the sensor matrix is such that the size of the smallest detectable detail in the x-ray image is larger than the distance between adjacent partitions. In particular the x-ray detector comprises an x-ray sensitive photoconductor layer for converting x-rays into electric charges, separate sensor elements include respective collecting electrodes and a semiconductor cladding layer being disposed between the photoconductor layer and the collecting electrodes. The semiconductor cladding layer has a substantial lateral electric conductivity. For example, the semiconductor cladding layer is a chlorine doped selenium layer, or a selenium, sulphur or telluride doped lead-oxide layer.

Abstract: The invention concerns optical elements made from polycyanurate resins, wh exhibit a refractive index, at 633 nm, in the range from 1.45 to 1.70 and an optical absorption, at 1.3 or 1.55 .mu.m, in the range from 0.1 to 1.0 dB/cm.

Abstract: An x-ray image sensor (1) with a lead-oxide photoconductor layer (6) positioned between collecting electrodes (3) and a common electrode (2) is provided with a passivation layer (7) which separates the lead-oxide from the metal of the common electrode to counteract degradation of the photoconductor layer due to chemical reactions between then metal of the common electrode and the lead-oxide. A bias layer (8) is provided between the common electrode (2) and the photoconductor layer (6) and a cladding layer (9) is provided between collecting electrodes (3) and the photoconductor layer (6) so as to avoid injection of charges into the photoconductor layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray image detector, comprising a plurality of X-ray-sensitive sensors and having the following features:each sensor comprises a collecting electrode and a switching element which connects the collecting electrode to an output lead;a photoconductor layer is provided between the individual collecting electrodes and a bias electrode;the collecting electrodes form, in conjuction with reference electrodes, capacitances which can be charged by charge carriers generated in the photoconductor. The invention improves the effectiveness of such an X-ray image detector in that either the surface area of the collecting electrodes is increased or the electric field is distorted by a semiconductor layer so that the majority of the charge carriers generated in the photoconductor flow to the collecting electrodes.