Abstract: A method (400) for providing continuous wireless connectivity for monitoring a patient throughout a healthcare facility, including: providing (402) an in-room access point in a room defined at least in part by shielding walls and an access point outside the room and connecting the in-room access point and the access point; (ii) transmitting (404), by a communication unit of a first source device, information related to the patient; (iii) receiving (406), by the access point outside the room, information from the first source device; (iv) receiving (408), by the in-room access point, additional information from the first source device; (v) combining (410), the information and the additional information from the first source device to generate a digital data stream; and (vi) transmitting (412), by an access point communication unit of the access point system, the digital data stream to an information system of the healthcare facility.

Abstract: A system for acquiring electrocardiogram (ECG) pulses from a subject, comprising: a virtual ground; and a plurality of measurement nodes connectable to a plurality of corresponding ECG electrodes, wherein the plurality of measurement nodes are connected to the virtual ground, and wherein each measurement node comprises: a voltage-to-frequency converter (VFC) configured to convert an ECG signal from the corresponding ECG electrode to a frequency signal; an optical converter configured to convert the frequency signal from the VFC to an optical signal, and to output the optical signal via an output fiber-optic cable; and a DC power converter configured to receive a modulated optical signal via an input fiber-optic cable, to recover DC power from the modulated optical signal, and to supply the DC power to at least the VFC and the optical converter.

Abstract: Electrically-controllable piezo valves comprising independent, dual actuation piezo elements, systems incorporating such valves, and methods of controlling a fluid flow using such valves are described herein. These valves, systems, and methods find particular application in the field of patient care as it relates to magnetic resonance (“MR”) environments, such as environments with strong electromagnetic fields generated by MR imaging machines.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various systems and methods of adaptively taking bio-potential measurements of within a changing environments. Specifically, the systems and methods are directed to adaptive control of a bio-potential measurement device thereby enabling the use of the bio-potential measurement device within environments having different noise sources, such as environments with and without a device generating strong magnetic fields. Through adaptive measures, the systems and methods of the present disclosure improve the usage of a right leg drive by adaptively changing the nature of the drive itself according to its present environment (e.g., MR vs. non-MR environment). In addition to improvements in common mode rejection (CMR), the systems and methods of the present disclosure can reduce the required analog front-end dynamic range.

Abstract: A system for acquiring ECG pulses includes a common node configured to create a virtual ground, measurement nodes connectable to corresponding ECG electrodes attached to a subject, and an ECG module. The measurement nodes are connected to the virtual ground at the common node via short conductive paths. Each measurement node includes an ADC for converting an ECG signal from the corresponding ECG electrode to a digital signal; an optical converter for converting the digital signal to an optical signal output via output fiber-optic cable; a DC power converter for converting modulated light pulses with an embedded clock signal received via input fiber-optic cable into DC power, the DC power being supplied to the ADC and the digital-to-optical converter; and a clock recovery circuit for recovering the embedded clock signal from the modulated light pulses, the recovered clock signal being provided to the ADC and the optical converter for synchronization.

Abstract: Non-magnetic thermally-controlled bimetal valves comprising active and passive members having different coefficients of thermal expansion, and systems incorporating such valves, are described herein. These valves and systems find particular application in the field of patient care as it relates to magnetic resonance (“MR”) environments, such as environments with strong electromagnetic fields generated by MR imaging machines.

Abstract: A method (400) for providing continuous wireless connectivity for monitoring a patient throughout a healthcare facility, including: providing (40) 2) an in-room access point in a room defined at least in part by shielding walls and an access point outside the room and connecting the in-room access point and the access point; (ii) transmitting (404), by a communication unit of a first source device, information related to the patient; (iii) receiving (406), by the access point outside the room, information from the first source device; (iv) receiving (408), by the in-room access point, additional information from the first source device; (v) combining (410), the information and the additional information from the first source device to generate a digital data stream; and (vi) transmitting (412), by an access point communication unit of the access point system, the digital data stream to an information system of the healthcare facility.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting an electrocardiogram (ECG) impacted by the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect are provided. The systems and methods derive patient information from images captured by a camera, and use this information to calculate a T-wave correction factor used to counteract the amplification of the T-wave due to the MHD effect. While the patient undergoes an MRI scan, an ECG monitor captures an ECG signal for the patient, and the camera captures a series of images of the patient. The series of images are provided to the image processing unit (IPU). The IPU processes the images to derive patient information to calculate the T-wave correction factor. The IPU then attenuates the amplitude of the T-wave of the captured ECG signal to generate a corrected ECG signal. This corrected ECG signal is then used by the MRI scanner for more accurate gated imaging.

Abstract: An ECG measurement node for a patient electrode is provided, including an electrode interface and ECG processing circuitry electrically coupled to the electrode interface. The electrode interface is electrically and removably coupled to the patient electrode. The patient electrode is affixed to a patient. The ECG processing circuitry is configured to generate an ECG signal. The ECG measurement node further includes a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the ECG signal or a fiber optic interface configured to transmit the ECG signal via a fiber optic link. An ECG measurement network is also provided, including a first and second ECG measurement node. The first ECG measurement node and the second ECG measurement node are communicatively coupled to a patient monitor. The ECG measurement network may further include a central access point communicatively coupled to the first ECG measurement node, the second ECG measurement node, and the patient monitor.