Abstract: An electronic stethoscope includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation, a transducer supported by the housing and configured to sense auscultation signals at a first location, and a headset coupled to the housing and configured to deliver audio corresponding to the auscultation signals through earpieces on the headset. The electronic stethoscope further includes a processor disposed in the housing and configured to convert the auscultation signals to first digital signals representative of the auscultation signals and to wirelessly transmit the first digital signals from the electronic stethoscope via a secure digital network to a second location such that the audio corresponding to the auscultation signals is provided to headsets of one or more additional electronic stethoscopes at the second location in substantial real time with the sensing of the auscultation sounds at the first location.

Abstract: An electronic stethoscope includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation, a transducer supported by the housing and configured to sense auscultation signals at a first location, and a headset coupled to the housing and configured to deliver audio corresponding to the auscultation signals through earpieces on the headset. The electronic stethoscope further includes a processor disposed in the housing and configured to convert the auscultation signals to first digital signals representative of the auscultation signals and to wirelessly transmit the first digital signals from the electronic stethoscope via a secure digital network to a second location such that the audio corresponding to the auscultation signals is provided to headsets of one or more additional electronic stethoscopes at the second location in substantial real time with the sensing of the auscultation sounds at the first location.

Abstract: An electronic stethoscope includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation, a transducer supported by the housing and configured to sense auscultation signals at a first location, and a headset coupled to the housing and configured to deliver audio corresponding to the auscultation signals through earpieces on the headset. The electronic stethoscope further includes a processor disposed in the housing and configured to convert the auscultation signals to first digital signals representative of the auscultation signals and to wirelessly transmit the first digital signals from the electronic stethoscope via a secure digital network to a second location such that the audio corresponding to the auscultation signals is provided to headsets of one or more additional electronic stethoscopes at the second location in substantial real time with the sensing of the auscultation sounds at the first location.

Abstract: A biomedical sensor system. The system can include a sensor adapted to create a signal based on a physiological characteristic from a subject, and a hub adapted to receive the signal from the sensor. The signal can include at least one of an electromagnetic signal, an electrical signal, an acoustic signal, a mechanical signal, a thermal signal, and a chemical signal. The system can further include a connector adapted to couple the sensor and the hub, the connector having a variable length, such that the sensor and the hub can be positioned a variable distance apart by changing the length of the connector. The connector can be adapted to provide a pathway between the sensor and the hub for the signal. A method of applying a biomedical sensor system to a subject can include changing the length of the variable-length connector to provide an appropriate distance between the sensor and the hub, and coupling the sensor to the subject.

Abstract: A stretchable conductive connector. The conductive connector can include a viscoelastic support member having a variable length, and a conductor coupled to the support member. The conductor can include at least one bend to accommodate the variable length of the viscoelastic support member.

Abstract: An electronic stethoscope includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation, a transducer supported by the housing and configured to sense auscultation signals at a first location, and a headset coupled to the housing and configured to deliver audio corresponding to the auscultation signals through earpieces on the headset. The electronic stethoscope further includes a processor disposed in the housing and configured to convert the auscultation signals to first digital signals representative of the auscultation signals and to wirelessly transmit the first digital signals from the electronic stethoscope via a secure digital network to a second location such that the audio corresponding to the auscultation signals is provided to headsets of one or more additional electronic stethoscopes at the second location in substantial real time with the sensing of the auscultation sounds at the first location.

Abstract: An electronic stethoscope includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation, a transducer supported by the housing and configured to sense auscultation signals at a first location, and a headset coupled to the housing and configured to deliver audio corresponding to the auscultation signals through earpieces on the headset. The electronic stethoscope further includes a processor disposed in the housing and configured to convert the auscultation signals to first digital signals representative of the auscultation signals and to wirelessly transmit the first digital signals from the electronic stethoscope via a secure digital network to a second location such that the audio corresponding to the auscultation signals is provided to headsets of one or more additional electronic stethoscopes at the second location in substantial real time with the sensing of the auscultation sounds at the first location.

Abstract: Health care delivery monitoring systems and methods are described herein. The systems and methods may be used to monitor the delivery of health care bundles to one or more patients. The systems and methods may communicate with a health care worker delivering a health care bundle to provide selected information to the health care worker such as, e.g., one or more instructions regarding delivery of the health care bundle. In addition, the systems and methods described herein may further include the collection of compliance data to provide feedback regarding compliance with health care delivery protocols established within a health care facility.

Abstract: Hygiene monitoring systems and methods are described herein. In various embodiments, the systems and methods may be used to monitor cleaning events (e.g., hand washing events, equipment sanitation events, etc.).

Abstract: A biomedical sensor system. The system can include a sensor adapted to create a signal based on a physiological characteristic from a subject, and a hub adapted to receive the signal from the sensor. The signal can include at least one of an electromagnetic signal, an electrical signal, an acoustic signal, a mechanical signal, a thermal signal, and a chemical signal. The system can further include a connector adapted to couple the sensor and the hub, the connector having a variable length, such that the sensor and the hub can be positioned a variable distance apart by changing the length of the connector. The connector can be adapted to provide a pathway between the sensor and the hub for the signal. A method of applying a biomedical sensor system to a subject can include changing the length of the variable-length connector to provide an appropriate distance between the sensor and the hub, and coupling the sensor to the subject.

Abstract: A stretchable conductive connector. The conductive connector can include a viscoelastic support member having a variable length, and a conductor coupled to the support member. The conductor can include at least one bend to accommodate the variable length of the viscoelastic support member.

Abstract: A stethoscope is provided, comprising: a sound receiving member (12) for receiving sounds, the sound receiving member capable of transmitting sound received thereby; a head set coupled to the sound receiving member to receive sound transmitted by the sound receiving member; means for reducing frictional noise, said means associated with the sound receiving member to reduce noise caused by relative movement between a surface and the sound receiving member of the chestpiece in contact with the surface.

Abstract: Techniques are described for analyzing auscultatory sounds to aid a medical professional in diagnosing physiological conditions of a patient. A data analysis system, for example, applies singular value decomposition to auscultatory sounds associated known physiological conditions to define a set of one or more disease regions within a multidimensional space. A diagnostic device, such as an electronic stethoscope or personal digital assistant, applies configuration data from the data analysis system to generate a set of one or more vectors within the multidimensional space representative of auscultatory sounds associated with a patient. The diagnostic device outputs a diagnostic message associated with a physiological condition of the patient based on the orientation of the vectors relative to the disease regions within the multidimensional space.

Abstract: A stethoscope having a binaural and a chestpiece in acoustic communication with that binaural. The chestpiece has at least one microphone in acoustic communication with a hollow stem, with this stem having a slot. The binaural is on the type with a tubing assembly having two lumens, these lumens being separated by a wall. Upon assembly, the tubing assembly engages the stem with the wall disposed within the slot. A method of providing a custom stethoscope is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stethoscope having a binaural and a chestpiece in acoustic communication with that binaural. The chestpiece has at least one microphone in acoustic communication with a hollow stem, with this stem having a slot. The binaural is on the type with a tubing assembly having two lumens, these lumens being separated by a wall. Upon assembly, the tubing assembly engages the stem with the wall disposed within the slot. A method of providing a custom stethoscope is also disclosed.

Abstract: A clamp for a dispersive electrode is disclosed. The clamp includes (a) a housing having an exterior surface, an interior surface being formed within the housing for receiving projecting tabs of the electrode, and a slot in the housing disposed between the exterior surface and the interior surface; (b) a mechanism for releasably engaging the tabs at the interior surface; (c) a reinforcement on the releasably engagement means; and (d) a slot on the exterior surface of the housing having a shape matching the reinforcement.

Abstract: An orthopedic brace to facilitate healing of injuries to the foot, ankle or portions of the leg above the ankle includes a boot having a lower edge section releasably connected to a sole. The width of the boot, as well as the distance between a pair of upright struts located along opposite sides of the boot, may be varied to complementally match the width of the patient's foot. The struts and a section of fastening straps are located between layers of foam pads of the boot to reduce the likelihood that the straps or struts will become ensnarled with other items. The sole has a mirror image configuration on either side of its longitudinal axis, and left and right insoles are provided so that a single boot may be used with either the left or right foot of the patient.

Abstract: An applicator for dispensing hot melt adhesives has a receptacle for storing solid blocks of adhesive, along with a feeding mechanism having a movable arm for advancing a single block of adhesive toward a melting chamber. A coil spring element is connected to the arm and unwraps as the arm is advanced in order to retain any remaining blocks of adhesive in the receptacle. At the end of a dispensing operation, the spring exerts just enough force on the arm in a direction away from the melting chamber to relieve pressure against the advanced block, so that the tendency for unwanted molten material to drip from the applicator nozzle is reduced.

Abstract: A hot melt applicator has a feeding mechanism for advancing a block of solid material toward a melting chamber, and the feeding mechanism includes a retraction device for shifting the block a slight distance in a rearward direction to a retracted position subsequent to the dispensing operation. The feeding mechanism has a release device for enabling the block to float freely after moving to the retracted position in order to provide additional room for molten material in the melting chamber upon thermal expansion of the material.

Abstract: A heater assembly for a hot melt applicator includes a heating block having a melting chamber and two compartments receiving a pair of elongated heating elements along opposite sides of the chamber. The heating elements have respective longitudinal axes that lie in a common plane which extends toward an outlet of the melting chamber at an angle relative to a central axis of the melting chamber. In preferred forms, the longitudinal axes of the heating elements converge toward each other as the outlet of the melting chamber is approached.