Abstract: A hearing assistance device for use with respect to a mastoid cavity and an ear canal with a tympanic membrane, external ear canal bone, incudo-stapedial joint of an ossicular chain and a cochlea having a round window membrane. The device includes a removable unit with a microphone to convert a received sound into electrical sound signals, and includes a digital audio signal processor to process the electrical sound signals into envelopes of the electrical sound signals, and includes an infrared transmitter to transmit the envelopes of sound signals as packages of infrared light pulses. The hearing assistance device also includes an implant unit with a photovoltaic cell to receive the packages of light pulses and demodulate the packages of light pulses into electrical signals, and at least one active electrode that delivers the demodulated electrical signals to the cochlea.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for destroying syringe needles. The apparatus has an incinerator unit (16) into which a syringe needle may be inserted, crimped by a crimper (30), the needle measured between its tip and the sealing crimp, burned by passing an electric current corresponding to its measured length between the needle tip and the sealing crimp, and the burned needle severed by a cutting blade (36).

Abstract: A heater 10 for warming blood, plasma and other solutions flowing through an intravenous tube prior to its entry into a patient. The heater has a housing that has an elongated channel 17 which extends from one end of the housing to the other and which is sized to receive and releasably hold in intimate contact an elongated portion of an intravenous tube. The channel is formed with an elongated slot 18 against which is mounted a heating element H controlled by a control circuit 30 and powered by batteries B. The control circuit may energize the heating element continuously or cyclically with a regulated pulse width modulator U1 in response to sensed temperatures.