Abstract: Disclosed are single-use test cartridges, cell analyzer apparatus, and methods for automatically performing microscopic cell analysis tasks, such as counting and analyzing blood cells in biological samples. A small measured quantity of a biological sample, such as whole blood, is placed in a mixing bowl on the test cartridge after being inserted into the analyzer. The analyzer also deposits a known amount of diluent/stain in the bowl and mixes it with the blood. The analyzer takes a measured amount of the mixture and dispenses in a sample cup on the cartridge in fluid communication with an imaging chamber. The geometry of the imaging chamber is chosen to maintain the uniformity of the mixture, and prevent cells from crowding or clumping as it is transferred into the chamber by the analyzer. Images of all of the cellular components within the chamber are counted and analyzed to obtain a complete blood count.

Abstract: An interstitial fluid removal device including a first needle, a second needle, a fluid injector and an interstitial fluid extractor. The first needle is configured for insertion in a tissue of a multicellular organism to provide a fluid inlet channel. The second needle is configured for insertion in a tissue of a multicellular organism to provide an interstitial fluid outlet channel. The fluid injector is arranged in fluid communication with both a fluid source and the first needle and configured to inject a fluid in the tissue of the multicellular organism. The fluid extractor is arranged in fluid communication with the second needle and configured to extract interstitial fluid from the tissue of the multicellular organism. The fluid injector and the fluid extractor are independently and/or simultaneously operable with respect to each other.

Abstract: This disclosure describes single-use test cartridges, cell analyzer apparatus, and methods for automatically performing microscopic cell analysis tasks, such as counting and analyzing blood cells in biological samples. A small measured quantity of a biological sample, such as whole blood, is placed in a mixing bowl on the disposable test cartridge after being inserted into the cell analyzer. The analyzer also deposits a known amount of diluent/stain in the mixing bowl and mixes it with the blood. The analyzer takes a measured amount of the mixture and dispenses in a sample cup on the cartridge in fluid communication with an imaging chamber. The geometry of the imaging chamber is chosen to maintain the uniformity of the mixture, and to prevent cells from crowding or clumping as it is transferred into the imaging chamber by the analyzer. Images of all of the cellular components within the imaging chamber are counted and analyzed to obtain a complete blood count.

Abstract: An electrode array, such as a cochlear implant electrode array, or a retinal prosthesis array, or a vestibular array, comprising a plurality of electrodes and an electrode carrier carrying the plurality of electrodes. The electrodes can be made of platinum, for example, and the carrier can be made of silicone, for example. The electrode carrier includes an artificial muscle component.

Abstract: Technologies disclosed herein can be used to provide power and data to an implantable device implanted in a recipient, such as when the recipient is not wearing an external device. An example system includes a pillow or other headrest configured as a power and data source for an implanted medical device. Disclosed technologies can be configured to continuously provide power and data to an implantable medical devices over a period of time, such as substantially the entire period of time where the recipient is resting their head on the pillow.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one implantable housing containing circuitry and configured to be implanted on and substantially parallel to a bone surface within a recipient. The apparatus further includes at least one electrical conduit in electrical communication with the circuitry and extending from the at least one implantable housing to a region within the recipient. The apparatus further includes at least one magnetic induction antenna in electrical communication with the at least one electrical conduit and spaced from the at least one implantable housing. The at least one magnetic induction antenna extends around an antenna axis. The at least one magnetic induction antenna is configured to be affixed within the region with the antenna axis substantially non-parallel and substantially non-orthogonal to the bone surface.

Abstract: Presented herein are implantable housing arrangements that are configured to receive and retain an implantable magnet therein, while also facilitating both in-plane rotation and out-of-plane rotation of the implantable magnet in the presence of external magnetic, such as that applied with an MRI. That is, the housing arrangements presented herein allow a planar (e.g., conventional/standard) implantable magnet to rotate circumferentially around a central axis of the implantable magnet (in-plane rotation), as well as angularly rotate relative to the central axis (out-of-plane rotation). The in-plane rotation and out-of-plane rotation can reduce torque during an MRI because the magnet is able to rotate so as to more closely align with the applied MRI magnetic field, resulting in less pain and less risk of tissue or device damage.

Abstract: Technologies disclosed herein can be used to provide power and data to an implantable device implanted in a recipient, such as when the recipient is not wearing an external device. An example system includes a pillow or other headrest configured as a power and data source for an implanted medical device. Disclosed technologies can be configured to continuously provide power and data to an implantable medical devices over a period of time, such as substantially the entire period of time where the recipient is resting their head on the pillow.

Abstract: An external portion of an auditory prosthesis includes an external magnet that interacts with an implantable magnet to hold the external portion against the skin. Magnetic force generated by the stray field of these magnets can disturb the operation of a vibrating element of the auditory prosthesis. The technologies described herein utilize additional magnets disposed within portions of the auditory prosthesis to redirect the magnetic flux, which allows the vibrating element to be disposed more closely to the magnets, reducing the overall height profile of the prosthesis.

Abstract: A device, including a housing and a magnet in the housing, wherein the device is an implantable medical device, there is a clearance between an interior of the housing and the magnet in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the housing, the device is configured to independently at least temporarily hold the magnet in direct contact with a portion of the housing and/or a body connected to the portion of the housing, the portion being made of the same material and/or having a configuration and/or structure that is at least similar as a portion of the housing on an opposite side of the housing from the portion of the housing, and the device is configured to enable the magnet to rotate inside the housing when the magnet is subjected to a torque from a magnetic field.

Abstract: A method for filling a hydraulic circuit of an electro-hydrostatic system includes connecting first and third shut-off valves to a discharge valve, and connecting a second shut-off valve to a filling valve, while the second and third shut-off valves are closed, opening the filling valve, the discharge valve and the first shut-off valve and operating a vacuum generator, once a vacuum has been established in the hydraulic circuit, opening the second shut-off valve in order to fill the hydraulic circuit with pressurized hydraulic fluid while the vacuum generator is still in operation, once the hydraulic circuit has been filled with fluid, closing the first shut-off valve and then opening the third shut-off valve in order to bypass the vacuum generator and circulate the fluid through the electro-hydrostatic system until the fluid contained in the hydraulic circuit reaches a predetermined pressure, and closing the discharge valve and the filling valve.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of conduits and a plurality of valves in fluidic communication with the plurality of conduits. The plurality of conduits is configured to receive liquid from at least one liquid reservoir configured to be implanted on or within a recipient. Each conduit of the plurality of conduits has a corresponding flow resistance to the liquid. The plurality of valves is configured to controllably allow flow of the liquid through a selected set of the conduits to be administered internally to the recipient with a selected flow rate.

Abstract: An external portion of an auditory prosthesis includes an external magnet that interacts with an implantable magnet to hold the external portion against the skin. Magnetic force generated by the stray field of these magnets can disturb the operation of a vibrating element of the auditory prosthesis. The technologies described herein utilize additional magnets disposed within portions of the auditory prosthesis to redirect the magnetic flux, which allows the vibrating element to be disposed more closely to the magnets, reducing the overall height profile of the prosthesis.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of conduits and a plurality of valves in fluidic communication with the plurality of conduits. The plurality of conduits is configured to receive liquid from at least one liquid reservoir configured to be implanted on or within a recipient. Each conduit of the plurality of conduits has a corresponding flow resistance to the liquid. The plurality of valves is configured to controllably allow flow of the liquid through a selected set of the conduits to be administered internally to the recipient with a selected flow rate.

Abstract: Disclosed in one aspect is a method for performing a complete blood count (CBC) on a sample of whole blood by metering a predetermined amount of the whole blood and mixing it with a predetermined amount of diluent and stain and transferring a portion thereof to an imaging chamber of fixed dimensions and utilizing an automated microscope with digital camera and cell counting and recognition software to count every white blood cell and red blood corpuscle and platelet in the sample diluent/stain mixture to determine the number of red cells, white cells, and platelets per unit volume, and analyzing the white cells with cell recognition software to classify them.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of synchronising an image sensor with a PWM driver operable to drive an arrangement associated with the image sensor, wherein at least one synchronisation signal produced by the image sensor is used to reset the PWM driver and the at least one synchronisation signal is delayed before being used to reset the PWM driver such that the switching on or off of the at least one synchronisation signal occurs at a defined time in relation to a sensitive period of the image sensor's operation.

Abstract: This disclosure describes single-use test cartridges, cell analyzer apparatus, and methods for automatically performing microscopic cell analysis tasks, such as counting and analyzing blood cells in biological samples. A small measured quantity of a biological sample, such as whole blood, is placed in a mixing bowl on the disposable test cartridge after being inserted into the cell analyzer. The analyzer also deposits a known amount of diluent/stain in the mixing bowl and mixes it with the blood. The analyzer takes a measured amount of the mixture and dispenses in a sample cup on the cartridge in fluid communication with an imaging chamber. The geometry of the imaging chamber is chosen to maintain the uniformity of the mixture, and to prevent cells from crowding or clumping as it is transferred into the imaging chamber by the analyzer. Images of all of the cellular components within the imaging chamber are counted and analyzed to obtain a complete blood count.

Abstract: A monolithic implantable medical device component includes multiple portions on a single substrate. The portions can be electrically connected to an electronics module, which may include output connectors and input connectors to and from the various portions of the substrate. A portion of the monolithic component to be disposed within, attached to, embedded in, or otherwise combined with a magnet retention feature, such as a plate.

Abstract: An implantable medical device, including a magnet and a body encompassing the magnet, wherein the implantable medical device includes structural components in the body configured to move away from one another upon initial rotation of the magnet relative to the body when the magnet is subjected to an externally generated magnetic field, thereby limiting rotation of the magnet beyond the initial rotation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a formulation comprising a copolymer comprising one or more bifunctional high refractive index first monomers comprising a high refractive index aromatic core and further comprising one or more UV- or thermally-reactive groups (A) and one or more second monomers comprising a high refractive index core and further comprising one or more groups capable of reacting to increase the solubility of the copolymer in aqueous media (B), and one or more solvents. The formulation may optionally contain additional components. Further disclosed are methods for forming optical thin films from the formulation and optical devices containing the optical thin films.