Abstract: Patients may operate a CAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem can be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and system for automatically determining heart rate. The invention can be applied to determining the heart of any animal including humans. The method involves sensing body sounds and transducing them to electrical signals. Digitizing the electrical signals. Emphasizing the heart sound maxima (S1 and S2 signals) relative to noise by filtering, decompression and squaring. Detecting local maxima in the signals as likely S1 signals and generating a threshold amplitude. Selecting maxima that exceed the threshold as surviving likely candidate S1 signals. Screening the surviving candidate S1 against physiologically derived criteria. And, calculating the heart rate from the screened S1.

Abstract: Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem ca be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Abstract: A biophysical sensor including a sound vibration sensing element (12) to produce a sensed output, and two or more separate signal processing paths to process the sensed outputs to produce output signals. The output signals may reflect specific frequency bands within the raw biological signal. In a further aspect the invention concerns an electronic stethoscope in which the sound vibration sensing element (12) is a PVDF membrane, the signal processing involves an operational amplifier (OP amp) (10) connected to the PVDF membrane, and a unity gain buffer amplifier is connected to the output of the OP amp to allow the connection of headphones directly to the sensor output.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and system for automatically determining heart rate. The invention can be applied to determining the heart of any animal including humans. The method involves sensing body sounds and transducing them to electrical signals. Digitizing the electrical signals. Emphasizing the heart sound maxima (S1 and S2 signals) relative to noise by filtering, decompression and squaring. Detecting local maxima in the signals as likely S1 signals and generating a threshold amplitude. Selecting maxima that exceed the threshold as surviving likely candidate S1 signals. Screening the surviving candidate S1 against physiologically derived criteria. And, calculating the heart rate from the screened S1.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in assisting a human heart are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an aortic compression means which may be fully implantable, a fluid reservoir and a pump means adapted to pump a fluid from the reservoir to the aortic compression means so as to actuate the aortic compression means at least partly in counterpulsation with the patient's heart. In addition, the device is adapted to be wholly positioned within the right chest cavity of the patient. The aortic compression means of the device may be curved along its length so as to substantially replicate the curve of the ascending aorta.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in assisting a human heart are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an aortic compression means which may be fully implanatable, a fluid reservoir and a pump means adapted to pump a fluid from the reservoir to the aortic compression means so as to actuate the aortic compression means at least partly in counterpulsation with the patient's heart. In addition, the device is adapted to be wholly positioned within the right chest cavity of the patient. The aortic compression means of the device may be curved along its length so as to substantially replicate the curve of the ascending aorta.

Abstract: Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem ca be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Abstract: A biophysical sensor including a sound vibration sensing element (12) to produce a sensed output, and two or more separate signal processing paths to process the sensed outputs to produce output signals. The output signals may reflect specific frequency bands within the raw biological signal. In a further aspect the invention concerns an electronic stethoscope in which the sound vibration sensing element (12) is a PVDF membrane, the signal processing involves an operational amplifier (OP amp) (10) connected to the PVDF membrane, and a unity gain buffer amplifier is connected to the output of the OP amp to allow the connection of headphones directly to the sensor output.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter is tested and calibrated in situ by measuring the impedance of the drive coil, and the isolation to ground impedance of the coil and of the flowmeter sensor electrodes. Testing is effected by portable field equipment or by a built-in test equipment facility with the flowmeter transmitter.

Abstract: Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem can be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Abstract: An in-tank fuel supply unit has a reservoir mounted on the floor of a fuel tank, and a fuel pump mounted in the reservoir. The fuel level in the reservoir is maintained by means of a jet pump which is supplied with fuel through a passage. The jet pump has a nozzle which directs a flow of fuel upwards into a venturi passage which has a converging section, a parallel section and a diverging section.

Abstract: The present invention discloses both a method of operating CPAP apparatus, and the apparatus itself in which a breathable gas delivery device, or mask (1), is connected to a gas supply pump (14) via a conduit which includes a restriction to gas flow such as a small bore portion (3). A pressure transducer (11) is used to sense the gas pressure at the patient's nose and the transducer output is used to servo-control the pump (14) to maintian the sensed pressure substantially constant.

Abstract: An in-tank fuel supply unit has a reservoir mounted on the floor of a fuel tank, and a fuel pump mounted in the reservoir. The fuel level in the reservoir is maintained by means of a jet pump which is supplied with fuel through a passage. The jet pump has a nozzle which directs a flow of fuel upwards into a venturi passage which has a converging section, a parallel section and a diverging section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating sewage sludge by heating in a sludge pasteurisation process in which small bubbles of steam are injected into a continuous flow of sludge to cause highly turbulent sludge flow conditions during which the steam condenses to heat the sludge. Incoming, untreated sludge is initially pre-heated as required and as available heat sources such as independent power plant or excess capacity of the steam generating boiler. Thus, a suitable treating temperature is more readily achieved. The heated sludge is retained in an insulated tank to allow the pasteurisation process to be completed. Heat dumping may be provided to regulate treatment temperatures.

Abstract: Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem ca be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Abstract: Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem ca be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for attenuating RF noise produced by electronic systems by providing low RF impedance shorting of heat dissipating structures, such as heat sinks, to PCB reference planes. The RF impedance shorting path uses existing package pins with dedicated electrical paths through the package to the bottom surface of the heat sink. Such an arrangement provides very low RF impedance because of the minimal length and resistance of the shorting path, and also provides minimal disruption of the PCB design rules and tolerances by using existing package leads.

Abstract: A device and method for monitoring a foetus over a period of time. The device includes an electrocardiograph for receiving and processing signals generated by the foetal heart and received from an electrode attached to the abdomen of the mother. The device also includes a second signal receiving and processing means for signals generated by a pressure or acceleration detector that is also attached to the abdomen of the pregnant mammalian animal. The pressure detector produces signals representative of the sounds of foetal heartbeat. The device also includes a comparator means to compare the respective sets of signals, and output means to produce an output indicative of the comparison between the two sets of signals.