Abstract: A food and beverage Appliance enables storage and consumption of a food and beverage meal, such as cereal and milk, in a portable form factor allowing consumption of the meal while in motion or during or after travel. The Appliance stores the food and beverage separately, and dispenses the food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously to preserve the crispiness and freshness, and to allow the user to control the size of each portion dispensed. The Appliance prevents leakage of the beverage out it its compartment, whether during filling, storage, traveling, or dispensing, to prevent getting the food soggy prior to dispensing and to prevent messes. The Appliance enables a revolution in healthy snacking and quick and easy mobile meals. Features make the Appliance either reusable or disposable. It also can create a new revenue category for takeout restaurants, and ideal for pre-packaged retail applications.

Abstract: A gas delivery device is described for applying gas to an airway, typically the nasal cavity, to cleanse the mucosa to alleviate symptoms of allergy, congestion, and other ailments related to the anatomy of the nasal cavity and surrounding anatomical structures. The device and method are advantageously a zero-mess treatment, can be self-applied by the user, and can be used with a naturally occurring, benign gas, therefore making it a safe, natural treatment without undesirable pharmacological side effects.

Abstract: A lung simulator is described that models the anatomical structures and physiological functions of the lungs, using realistic and observable physical structures and mechanisms. For example, a diaphragm muscle that is optionally active, a pleural cavity with a visceral pleura viscously coupled to a parietal pleura, a physiologic tidal volume, a dead space volume, and CO2 production/diffusion, are physically modeled within the simulator. Pulmonary and breathing parameters can be set and monitored by the user to simulate the desired clinical situation, such as residual volume, lower airway resistance, CO2 production, expiratory flow limitation, work of breathing, atelectasis, pneumothorax and one-lung ventilation.

Abstract: A food and beverage Appliance enables storage and consumption of a food and beverage meal, such as cereal and milk, in a portable form factor allowing consumption of the meal while in motion or during or after travel. The Appliance stores the food and beverage separately, and dispenses the food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously to preserve the crispiness and freshness, and to allow the user to control the size of each portion dispensed. The Appliance prevents leakage of the beverage out it its compartment, whether during filling, storage, traveling, or dispensing, to prevent getting the food soggy prior to dispensing and to prevent messes. The Appliance enables a revolution in healthy snacking and quick and easy mobile meals. Features make the Appliance either reusable or disposable. It also can create a new revenue category for takeout restaurants, and ideal for pre-packaged retail applications.

Abstract: A food and beverage Appliance enables storage and consumption of a food and beverage snack, such as cereal and milk, in a portable form factor suitable to consume the snack while in motion or during or after traveling. The Appliance stores the food and beverage separately to preserve the crispiness and freshness. It dispenses the food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously to preserve the crispiness and freshness until tasting, and to allow the user to control exactly the size of each portion dispensed. The Appliance prevents leakage of the beverage out it its container, during filling, storage, traveling, or dispensing, to avoid getting the food soggy prior to dispensing and to avoid messes. It is also ideal for a use in and creating a new revenue category for restaurants and for pre-packaged retail applications.

Abstract: A food and beverage Appliance is described which enables storage and consumption of a food and beverage snack, such as cereal and milk, in a portable form factor suitable to consume the snack while in motion or during or after traveling. The Appliance stores the food and beverage separately to preserve the crispiness and freshness. It dispenses the food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously to preserve the crispiness and freshness until tasting, and to allow the user to control exactly the size of each portion dispensed. The Appliance prevents leakage of the beverage out it its container, whether during filling, storage, traveling, or dispensing, to avoid getting the food soggy prior to dispensing and to avoid messes. The Appliance includes unique functional elements to make these uses possible and make its use personal and customizable, practical, desirable, safe, non-messy, easily cleanable, and preferred, thus literally enabling a new revolution in healthy snacking.

Abstract: A wireless remote alarm system is described to allow a mobile caregiver or clinician to track the alarm status of a life-critical medical device and patient while the caregiver or clinician is located away from the patient. The system includes automatic recognition of the medical device's alarm output circuit for universal compatibility, in order to render the system practical, convenient and reliable to deploy, and protocols for signal reliability, security and power management. The system also includes alarm differentiation protocols to assist the caregiver with alarm prioritization, and remote patient management applications via wider-area network connectivity. The system is especially useful in alternate care and homecare settings, and for monitoring patients using a ventilator.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for temporarily or permanently evacuating stagnating air from a diseased lung area, typically for the purpose of treating COPD. Evacuation is accomplished by displacing the stagnant CO2-rich air with a readily diffusible gas using a trans-luminal indwelling catheter specially configured to remain anchored in the targeted area for long term treatment without supervision. Elevated positive gas pressure in the targeted area is then regulated via the catheter and a control unit to force under positive pressure effusion of the diffusible gas out of the area into neighboring areas while inhibiting infusion of other gases thus effecting a gradual gas volume decrease and deflation of the targeted area, thereby reducing volume of ineffective areas, increasing tidal volume of better areas, and improving lung mechanics.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for temporarily or permanently evacuating stagnating air from a diseased lung area, typically for the purpose of treating COPD. Evacuation is accomplished by displacing the stagnant CO2-rich air with a readily diffusible gas using a transluminal indwelling catheter specially configured to remain anchored in the targeted area for long term treatment without supervision. Appropriate elevated positive gas pressure in the targeted area is then regulated via the catheter and a pneumatic control unit to force under positive pressure effusion of the diffusible gas out of the area into neighboring areas while inhibiting infusion of other gases thus effecting a gradual gas volume decrease and deflation of the targeted area.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for new modes of ventilation in which specific lung areas are ventilated with an indwelling trans-tracheobronchial catheter for the purpose of improving ventilation and reducing hyperinflation in that specific lung area, and for redistributing inspired air to other healthier lung areas, for treating respiratory disorders such as COPD, ARDS, SARS, CF, and TB. Trans-Tracheobronchial Segmental Ventilation (TTSV) is performed on either a naturally breathing or a mechanical ventilated patient by placing a uniquely configured indwelling catheter into a bronchus of a poorly ventilated specific lung area and providing direct ventilation to that area. The catheter can be left in place for extended periods without clinician attendance or vigilance. Ventilation includes delivery of respiratory gases, therapeutic gases or agents and evacuation of stagnant gases, mixed gases or waste fluids.