Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable systems and devices for detecting dehydration and related methods. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable dehydration monitoring system is included having a control circuit, a microphone, a power supply, and a sensor package, wherein the sensor package is in electrical communication with the control circuit. The ear-wearable dehydration monitoring system is configured to process signals of one or more sensors of the sensor package to detect clinical symptoms of dehydration. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable devices. In an embodiment, a system is included having an ear-wearable device having a speaker, a microphone, a first processor, a first non-transitory computer memory, and a first wireless communication device. The system can include a remote-control module having remote-control processor, a remote-control wireless communication device, a pressure switch, a inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a remote-control memory. The remote-control memory stores computer instructions for registering a start position of the IMU at an activation time, detecting a first movement of the IMU, and transmitting a first wireless signal related to the first movement to the first wireless communication device. The first memory stores computer instructions for receiving the first wireless signal at the first wireless communication device, and based on the first wireless signal, changing a first setting of the ear-wearable device. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: An ear-worn electronic device comprises a housing configured to fit at least partially in an ear of a wearer, a power source situated in the housing, and a temperature sensor arrangement situated in or on the housing and coupled to the power source. The temperature sensor arrangement is configured to generate sensor signals in response to heat generated in the wearer's ear and a controller, situated in the housing and coupled to the power source and the temperature sensor arrangement, is configured to assess a fit of the device using the sensor signals.

Abstract: An ear-worn electronic device comprises a housing configured for deployment in, on or about an ear of a wearer and a power source situated in the housing. A sensor is situated in or on the housing and coupled to the power source. The sensor is configured to generate a sensor signal representative of motion of the wearer’s head and relative motion between the sensor and skin of the wearer’s ear resulting from the wearer’s head motion. A controller is situated in the housing and coupled to the power source and the sensor. The controller is configured to assess a fit of the device using the sensor signal.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable devices configured to detect patterns indicative of an occurrence, prodrome or sequelae of an anoxic or hypoxic neurological injury. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable device is included. The ear-wearable device can be configured to monitor signals from a microphone and/or a motion sensor to detect a pattern or patterns indicative of an occurrence of an anoxic or hypoxic neurological injury. In some embodiments, a method of monitoring an ear-wearable device wearer for an occurrence of an anoxic or hypoxic neurological injury is included. The method can include gathering signals from one or more of a microphone, a motion sensor, or another sensor of an ear-wearable device and monitoring the signals to detect a pattern or patterns indicative of an occurrence of an anoxic or hypoxic neurological injury. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable systems and devices for detecting heat stress and related methods. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable heat stress risk assessment system is included having a control circuit, a microphone, and a sensor package. The system is configured to process signals of one or more sensors of the sensor package and/or the microphone, detect dehydration symptoms, environmental conditions, and activity levels of a device wearer based on the processed signals, and determine a heat stress risk level based on detected dehydration symptoms, environmental conditions, and activity levels of the device wearer. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an electronic device configured to measure temperature from within an ear canal having a first bend, a second bend, and a tympanic membrane. The device comprises an enclosure comprising an in-canal section dimensioned for deployment in the ear canal. The in-canal section comprises a trough extending axially along at least a portion of the in-canal section and arranged to be positioned between the first bend and the tympanic membrane when the in-canal section is fully deployed in the ear canal. A temperature sensor is disposed in the trough. The temperature sensor comprises a flexible circuit board, a distal temperature sensor disposed on the flexible circuit board, and a proximal temperature sensor disposed on the flexible circuit board and situated proximal of, and spaced apart from, the distal temperature sensor in an outer ear direction.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable devices and systems that can detect a risk of infection in a device wearer. In a first aspect, an ear-wearable infection sensor device is included having a control circuit, a microphone, a sensor package, and an electroacoustic transducer, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is in electrical communication with the control circuit. The ear-wearable infection sensor device can be configured to analyze data from the sensor package to determine physiological parameters of a device wearer and evaluate the physiological parameters to detect the risk of an infection. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: A system may have a rechargeable hearing instrument with a power source, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor configured to convert received UV light into electrical power and charging circuitry coupled to the UV sensor and to the power source. The charging circuitry may use the electrical power to charge the power source. A charger may have a charging cavity configured to receive the rechargeable hearing instrument. A power source within the charger powers a UV light source located within the charger configured to provide UV light to the UV sensor of the rechargeable hearing instrument when the rechargeable hearing instrument is placed within the charging cavity.

Abstract: An ear-wearable device, such as a hearing aid or earbud, includes a plurality of biometric sensors configured to generate sensor measurements indicative of at least an aspect of contact between the housing of the ear-wearable device and the ear canal of the user, and compares the sensor measurements to a stored profile in order to determine whether an authorized user is wearing the ear-wearable device.

Abstract: An electro-optical physiologic sensor comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) and a light emitter and a photodetector respectively mounted to the PCB. A first sensor element is disposed on the PCB and comprises a first electrode configured to contact tissue of a subject and a first light channel co-located with the first electrode, the first light channel optically coupled to the light emitter and configured to direct light into the subject's tissue. A second sensor element is disposed on the PCB and comprises a second electrode configured to contact the subject's tissue and a second light channel co-located with the second electrode, the second light channel optically coupled to the photodetector and configured to receive light from the tissue of the subject resulting from the light generated by the light emitter.

Abstract: A removable base of a wearable medical monitor includes a mating surface configured to reversibly couple the removable base to a body of the wearable medical monitor. The removable base may also include certain functional features, such as a sensor configured to detect a physiological parameter of a patient and/or a memory configured to store data for identifying characteristics of the sensor or the patient.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to reusable medical sensors. According to certain embodiments, the medical sensor may include a sensor housing, an emitter disposed in the sensor housing, the emitter being configured to direct light through the tissue of a patient, and a detector disposed in the sensor housing, the detector being configured to detect light from the emitter after the light has passed through the tissue of the patient and to convert the detected light to an electrical signal. The sensor may also include a dye disposed in the sensor housing, wherein the dye is configured to exit the sensor housing when the sensor housing is damaged and is within a solution.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices and, more particularly, to medical devices with electrical connectors. In one embodiment, a medical device may include a medical connector having one or more contacts configured to enable communication between the medical device and a medical monitor according to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard. The medical connector may also include an interface region disposed at least partially about the one or more contacts. The interface region may be configured to physically couple to a mating connector of the medical monitor. Additionally, the interface region may include a geometry or a dimension that does not comply with the USB standard.

Abstract: An inflatable balloon cuff may be adapted to seal a patient's trachea when associated with an endotracheal tube. These cuffs may include features that facilitate detection or visualization of the cuff, for example with ultrasound devices, to ensure proper placement of the cuff and the tube. Such surface features may include particular types of materials or shaped or protruding features that may be detected in the environment of the trachea.

Abstract: A surgical system configured for treating tissue is provided. The surgical system includes a laser source and a laser scalpel. The laser scalpel is adapted to couple to the laser source and is operable in two modes of operation, a first mode of operation to analyze tissue of interest and a second mode of operation to treat tissue of interest. The laser scalpel includes a housing having first and second fiber optic cables extending therethrough. Each of the first and second fiber optic cables operable under the first mode of operation to collect information pertaining to at least one optical property of tissue of interest and at least one of the first and second fiber optic cables also operable under the second mode of operation to treat the tissue of interest.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a regional oximetry sensor may include a light emitting element configured to emit light, a light detector configured to receive the light, and a memory device configured to store a baseline. The baseline stored by the memory device enables a regional oximetry monitor to display the baseline on a display of the regional oximetry monitor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to reusable medical sensors. According to certain embodiments, the medical sensor may include a sensor housing, an emitter disposed in the sensor housing, the emitter being configured to direct light through the tissue of a patient, and a detector disposed in the sensor housing, the detector being configured to detect light from the emitter after the light has passed through the tissue of the patient and to convert the detected light to an electrical signal. The sensor may also include a dye disposed in the sensor housing, wherein the dye is configured to exit the sensor housing when the sensor housing is damaged and is within a solution.

Abstract: A method for associating physiological sensors to patients includes acquiring associated physiological data from a first physiological sensor associated with an identified patient. The method also includes acquiring unassociated physiological data from a second physiological sensor associated with an unidentified patient. The method further includes comparing a parameter in the unassociated physiological data to a common or correlated parameter in the associated physiological data to determine if the second physiological sensor is associated with the identified patient.

Abstract: A removable base of a wearable medical monitor includes a mating surface configured to reversibly couple the removable base to a body of the wearable medical monitor. The removable base may also include certain functional features, such as a sensor configured to detect a physiological parameter of a patient and/or a memory configured to store data for identifying characteristics of the sensor or the patient.