Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided switch circuitry (1) for controlling power supplied to a fluid monitoring unit (4). The switch circuitry (1) comprises: a sensor (2) configured to detect fluid derived from the skin of a user and to generate a detection signal in response to detection of fluid; and a controller (3) configured to receive the detection signal, to generate a wake-up signal in accordance with the detection signal, and to supply the wake-up signal to a switch (6) controlling the power supply to the fluid monitoring unit (4) so as to activate the switch (6) and wake the fluid monitoring unit (4), wherein, optionally, the fluid is sweat. According to another aspect, there is provided method of controlling power to a fluid monitoring unit.

Abstract: There is provided a method for operating a personal care device. The method comprises obtaining, using an imaging device, image data relating to a portion of a body of a user; measuring, using the image data, a parameter relating to at least one hair growing from the portion of the body; and determining a position of the portion of the body on the body based on the measured parameter and a predetermined relation between the parameter and the position on the body. A personal care device, a personal care system and a machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a controller for a fluid-detection system, wherein the controller is configured to: determine if a user is interacting with the fluid detection system, wherein the determining comprises at least one of: determining whether a user is within a predetermined distance of the fluid detection system; determining whether a user is in physical contact with the fluid detection system; determining whether a fluid sensor of the fluid detection system is in a mouth of a user; and control the temperature of the fluid sensor of the fluid detection system based on the result of the determination.

Abstract: A power transmitter (101) for wirelessly providing power to a power receiver (105) comprises a retriever (209) retrieving calibration data comprising a set of calibration parameters for each of a plurality of spatial positions of a calibration receiver relative to a calibration transmitter. A test generator (207) generates a test drive signal for a transmitter coil (103) to generate an electromagnetic test signal, and a test processor (213) determines a set of test parameters in response to the test drive signal. A position estimator (207) estimates a position of the power receiver relative to the power transmitter in response to a comparison of the test parameters to the calibration parameters for the plurality of spatial positions. The parameters include a power loss measure, a resonance frequency measure, and a coupling measure. The approach and specific parameters provide a substantially improved position estimation.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided switch circuitry (1) for controlling power supplied to a fluid monitoring unit (4). The switch circuitry (1) comprises: a sensor (2) configured to detect fluid derived from the skin of a user and to generate a detection signal in response to detection of fluid; and a controller (3) configured to receive the detection signal, to generate a wake-up signal in accordance with the detection signal, and to supply the wake-up signal to a switch (6) controlling the power supply to the fluid monitoring unit (4) so as to activate the switch (6) and wake the fluid monitoring unit (4), wherein, optionally, the fluid is sweat. According to another aspect, there is provided method of controlling power to a fluid monitoring unit.

Abstract: An on/in-body communication system (10) is described that may include a peripheral, (such as, for example portable, unit (12)) and body-mountable unit (20). The peripheral unit and body-mountable unit may communicate via body-coupled acoustic signals. This may facilitate secure transmission of a secure key from the peripheral unit to the body-mountable unit. The body-mountable unit may include an array (28) of acoustic sensor elements (30) disposed at a body-coupling surface (32) of the body-mountable unit for receiving a transmitted acoustic signals, the array formation facilitating multi- or omni-directional sensing. A key may be transferred in an initialization procedure which may include establishing communications with an external device (42) via an off-body communication medium, acquiring from the external device a secure key, and/or driving acoustic transmission of the secure key to the body-mountable device via an acoustic signal generator (14).

Abstract: An on-body sensor system (30) comprises at least two skin interface units (32, 34) for coupling signals into and out of the body, with one of the units being for placement at a known location. One unit applies electrical signals to the body and the other senses them at a remote location. By analyzing the sensed signals using a set of pre-determined body-transmission parameters, a position of one of the skin interface units can be determined. This allows accurate placement of one or the units, for instance to allow more accurate monitoring of physiological parameters using the unit. The body transmission parameters can change over time, whereas once the interface units are put in position, their position is stable. Hence the system also includes functionality to re-calibrate the transmission parameters using at least one known stable set of initial positions of the interface units. The re-calibration comprises a process of re-calculating the parameters based on the known positions.

Abstract: A power transmitter (101) for wirelessly providing power to a power receiver (105) comprises a retriever (209) retrieving calibration data comprising a set of calibration parameters for each of a plurality of spatial positions of a calibration receiver relative to a calibration transmitter. A test generator (207) generates a test drive signal for a transmitter coil (103) to generate an electromagnetic test signal, and a test processor (213) determines a set of test parameters in response to the test drive signal. A position estimator (207) estimates a position of the power receiver relative to the power transmitter in response to a comparison of the test parameters to the calibration parameters for the plurality of spatial positions. The parameters include a power loss measure, a resonance frequency measure, and a coupling measure. The approach and specific parameters provide a substantially improved position estimation.

Abstract: An on-body sensing system (30) comprises a plurality of skin interface elements for coupling electrical signals to and from the body. The system is adapted to derive an indication of a position of at least one positionable interface unit (32) based on transmission of signals between the positionable unit and a set of spatially separated reference units (34), the reference units being positioned at a set of known locations on the body. Transmitted signals are sensed at multiple pairs (52) of electrodes on each reference unit and signal characteristics derived for each pair, and based on this a direction of arrival of the signal determined. By collating all of the measured arrival angles, and by reference to a reference dataset containing information indicative of known signal arrival angles when signals are transmitted internally between the reference units themselves, an indication of position of the positionable unit is derived.

Abstract: An on-body sensor system (30) comprises means for determining a position of a skin interface unit (34) based on transmission and receipt of electrical signals to the unit from a known transmitter (32) location, transmitted via electrical channels of the body. By comparing sensed signal characteristics of the received signals with a plurality of sets of pre-determined signal characteristics, each set associated with one of a plurality of different reference positions and/or orientations of the receiver (34) on the body, it is possible to derive an indication of the position of the receiver unit on the body.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining the position of an implanted device (10) in a human or animal body relative to a probe (12). In one device, a reference signal is generated and it is received in the other device. A phase angle or an amplitude attenuation or difference between the reference signal and the received signal is used to determine the proximity the probe to the implanted device. The approach makes use of body channel sensing by which the frequencies at which the body behaves as a waveguide are employed.

Abstract: There is provided a wearable device operable to determine an orientation of the wearable device, when placed on a body. The wearable device comprises a plurality of electrode pairs located at different positions. At least two of the plurality of electrode pairs are configured to receive a signal transmitted from a reference device using the body as a transmission medium. The wearable device also comprises a processor configured to determine a property associated with the signal received at the at least two electrode pairs, compare the determined property to a corresponding reference property and determine, from the comparison, whether the wearable device is in the predetermined orientation on the body. The determined property is indicative of an orientation of the wearable device with respect to the reference device and the corresponding reference property is indicative of a predetermined orientation for the wearable device on the body.

Abstract: There is provided a method of estimating a location and/or orientation of a handheld personal care device with respect to a user of the handheld personal care device. The method includes obtaining measurements of a posture of a part of the body of the user as the user uses the handheld personal care device. The method also includes using the measurements to estimate the location and/or orientation of the handheld personal care device with respect to the user during use of the handheld personal care device based on a predetermined relationship between the location and/or orientation of the handheld personal care device with respect to the user and, exclusively, the posture of the part of the body of the user. A personal care system and a machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a method for operating a personal care device. The method comprises obtaining, using an imaging device, image data relating to a portion of a body of a user; measuring, using the image data, a parameter relating to at least one hair growing from the portion of the body; and determining a position of the portion of the body on the body based on the measured parameter and a predetermined relation between the parameter and the position on the body. A personal care device, a personal care system and a machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus for a wearable or insertable device (100, 200, 400, 600) with microneedles (106, 206, 306, 406, 606) that may be simultaneously used for radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting, communication, and transdermal fluid delivery and collection are disclosed. Such a device may comprise a substrate (102, 202, 302, 402, 602) that may be affixable/insertable into tissue (107, 607) of a patient, radio frequency circuitry (120, 220, 420, 620) disposed on the substrate, that may generate/process a signal with a frequency that may be modulated to carry information, and microneedles (106, 206, 306, 406, 606) extending from at least one surface of the substrate, where one or more microneedles define a micro-fluidic channel (130, 230, 430, 630) that fluidly couples the tissue with a conduit (132) of the substrate, and where one or more microneedles may be electrically coupled with the radio frequency circuitry and radiate/process electromagnetic waves based on the signal.

Abstract: A receiver module (101), transceiver module for body coupled communication devices (100) and a method of waking-up a body coupled receiver of a body coupled communication device (100) are provided. The receiver module (101) of the body coupled communication device (100) comprises couplers (102) for receiving signals via a body transmission channel (160) which follows a body of a user (150). A wake-up receiver (108) and a main receiver (106) of the receiver module (101) are coupled to the couplers (102). The main receiver (106) may operate in a sleep mode and in an operational mode. The wake-up receiver (108) generates a wake-up signal (107) when signals received via the body transmission channel (160) in a predefined spectral range exceed an energy threshold level. The wake-up signal (107) is provided to a circuitry of the body coupled communication device (100) to directly or indirectly configuring the main receiver (106) in the operational mode.

Abstract: A device (10) for converting a movement of a user into a voltage comprises a neck cord (20), a piezoelectric sensor (30) and a printed circuit board (40). The neck cord is coupled to the piezoelectric sensor and provides in use a pulling force that acts on the piezoelectric sensor in a first direction. The printed circuit board is electrically and mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric sensor. The weight of the printed circuit board cause in use a gravity force to act on the piezoelectric sensor in a second direction, which differs from the first direction such that the movement of the user (5) wearing the neck cord causes a change in the shape of the piezoelectric sensor which in response thereto generates the voltage. The voltage may be used as a supply source for an electrical component (41) mounted on the PCB, or may be used as a wake-up signal for an electrical component such as a processor (41) or an accelerometer.

Abstract: A logging system (200) and a method of registering data for enabling monitoring of intake of a product by a user according to an intake plan are provided. The logging system (200) comprises a dispensing device (220) for dispensing the product to the user who operates the dispensing device by manual interaction and a logging device (240). The dispensing device has identification data (ID) which identifies the device itself or identifies the product dispensed by the device. The dispensing device and the logging device are able to communicate via body coupled communication. When the dispensing device and the logging device are both in the close vicinity of the body of the user (110) who carries the logging device during said manual interaction, the identification data is transmitted via body coupled communication to the logging device which subsequently stores the received data in a data storage.

Abstract: A device (10) for converting a movement of a user into a voltage comprises a neck cord (20), a piezoelectric sensor (30) and a printed circuit board (40). The neck cord is coupled to the piezoelectric sensor and provides in use a pulling force that acts on the piezoelectric sensor in a first direction. The printed circuit board is electrically and mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric sensor. The weight of the printed circuit board cause in use a gravity force to act on the piezoelectric sensor in a second direction, which differs from the first direction such that the movement of the user (5) wearing the neck cord causes a change in the shape of the piezoelectric sensor which in response thereto generates the voltage. The voltage may be used as a supply source for an electrical component (41) mounted on the PCB, or may be used as a wake-up signal for an electrical component such as a processor (41) or an accelerometer.

Abstract: A method for broadcasting a beacon message by checking size of the beacon message by a beacon generation device to determine if that is greater than a specific size and then splitting the beacon message into two or more message chunks having a size less than or equal to the specific size, if the size of the beacon message is found to be greater than the specific size. The message chunks are then encoded as per a message format with multiple fields to include a message data field and packet identifiers before transmitting the message chunks sequentially in consecutive time slots through a wireless protocol. The message chunks are reassembled by mobile computing devices listening to the beacon message broadcast to regenerate the beacon message.