Abstract: A system and method for controlling a pulse oximetry sensor. The pulse oximetry sensor is activated and de-activated according to one or more breathing characteristics of a subject's breathing such that the pulse oximetry sensor acquires pulse oximetry data only at times for which the one or more breathing characteristics indicate that oxygen desaturation is likely to occur.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for assisting a user of a wearable biosignal monitoring device (2) in adjusting the device to achieve optimum fit and positioning. The biosignal monitoring devices considered use integrated bio sensors (5) to monitor the user’s physiological activity for various purposes such as tracking daily activity patterns, determining mood, and monitoring sleep stages, among others. It is determined either during device setup or during primary use of the device whether the current fit and positioning of the device (2) enable the bio sensors (5) to properly sense the physiological signals needed for the device to perform its primary function. The user is then informed either after initial device setup whether adjustments need to be made in order to optimize device function during primary use, or is informed after primary use whether adjustments need to be made in order to improve device function during future primary use.

Abstract: A method of acclimating a patient to a therapy and a system for carrying out such method. The method includes providing the patient with an initial step of a therapy set up program for the patient to perform and determining at least one step metric. The at least one step metric determined is: a stress level of the patient while performing the initial step, successful completion of the initial step, the time needed to complete the initial step, and/or the quantity of errors made while carrying out the initial step. The method further includes determining a subsequent step for the patient to perform immediately after the initial step based on the at least one step metric and providing the patient with the subsequent step.

Abstract: An actuator device has a temperature sensing means and a controller adapted to apply a high frequency AC signal to stimulate internal self-heating to thereby maintain a temperature of an actuator member of the device at a certain fixed temperature, this temperature being elevated with respect to an initial temperature of the actuator member. This ensures that thermal drift may be mitigated or eliminated by compensating for any changes in environmental temperature through raising or lowering the level of the heating signal.

Abstract: A monitoring system includes an implantable intra-vascular support device for positioning against a vessel wall and an implantable sensor-actuator mounted to the support device. The sensor-actuator is drivable between a non-deployed position in which it is against the support device and a deployed position in which it is displaced away from the support device. Sensor signals are generated when in the deployed position. This system is able to monitor flow away from the edge of a vessel by deploying the sensor-actuator towards the center of the vessel. When flow monitoring does not need to take place, it can be non-deployed so that it does not present an occlusion to the flow.

Abstract: A field-driven electroactive polymer actuator is provided with a current sensor for sensing a current flowing to the actuator. A control circuit is used for driving the actuator which includes a voltage source. The driving of the actuator is controlled in dependence on the sensed current, thereby to provide a predetermined charge delivery for particular changes in actuation level of the actuator. This provides a combined voltage-based and current-based drive scheme for a voltage-driven EAP actuator, and it enables mechanical movements of the actuator to be more reliably repeated.

Abstract: An ultrasound interface element (10) is for establishing interface with an incident tissue surface (32) for the purpose of transfer of ultrasound waves. An ultrasound-transmissive active layer (14) is provided comprising one or more responsive material elements (16) deformable in response to an electromagnetic stimulus. The one or more elements are controlled to deform in a manner such as to progressively establish with the tissue surface (32) an outwardly expanding interface, starting from an initial point or line of contact and spreading outwards to a wider area.

Abstract: An actuator device has an electroactive polymer actuator (35) and an integrated piezoelectric transformer (30) whose primary side (32) and secondary side (34) are formed from different electroactive polymer materials. At least the secondary side (34) of the transformer shares a piezoelectric electroactive polymer layer (36) with the electroactive polymer actuator, so that lower external voltages can be applied to the device.

Abstract: A flow control device comprises a laminate structure of an electroactive material layer and a non-actuatable layer. An array of orifices is formed in one of the layers wherein the orifices are open in one of the rest state and actuated state and the orifices are closed in the other of the rest state and actuated state. Actuation of the electroactive material layer causes orifices to open and close so that flow control function may be implemented.

Abstract: An electroactive polymer actuator includes an electroactive polymer structure and a driver for providing an actuation drive signal. In one aspect, a first drive level is used to charge the electroactive polymer structure from a non-actuated state to an actuated state. When or after the electroactive polymer structure reaches the actuated state, a lower second drive level is used to hold the electroactive polymer structure at the actuated state. This temporary overdrive scheme improves the speed response without damaging the electroactive polymer structure. In another aspect, a driving method makes use of several different level segments over time, which compensates for the delayed actuation response of the EAP actuator.

Abstract: An actuator device has an ionic electroactive material actuator unit includes a unitary membrane with first and second actuation electrodes on the unitary membrane. A DC drive signal is applied between the actuation electrodes to cause migration of charges from one part of the unitary membrane towards another part of the unitary membrane. In addition, a pair of closely spaced measurement electrodes is provided on the first surface of the unitary membrane. In particular, the measurement electrodes are spaced apart by a spacing which is less than ten times the thickness of the unitary membrane at a location between the measurement electrodes. A local surface-effect impedance change is used as the basis of a signal measurement, for providing feedback relating to the state of actuation of the device.

Abstract: The invention involves providing a reset signal before and or after one or more actuation signals to an electroactive polymer structure of an actuator. The reset signal can cause relaxation of defects such as e.g. trapped charge, dipoles and/or others in the EAP or EAP structure so that upon a subsequent activation using a drive signal, the initial actuation state is defined to be more constant than without use of the reset signal. Hence the actuation 5 output of a device employing the invention is more reproducible. The invention is applicable to actuator devices that have an electroactive polymer structure including an EAP material, where the structure is capable of providing a mechanical actuation upon subjection of at least part of the EAP material to an electrical drive signal.

Abstract: A field driven electroactive polymer actuator which is actuated using an actuation drive having a profiled portion having a start voltage and an end voltage and a duration of at least 25 ms followed by a steady state drive portion based on a steady state voltage. The profiled portion comprises a voltage curve or a set of voltage points which define a first voltage slope at the beginning of the profiled portion which is steeper than a linear ramp between the start voltage and the end voltage, and a second voltage slope at the end of the profiled portion which is shallower than a linear ramp between the start voltage and the end voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to electroactive material actuators (and combined sensor-actuators) having embedded magnetic particles (42) for facilitating enhanced actuation and/or sensing effects.

Abstract: An electroactive material actuator and sensor is actuated with an actuation signal having an activation period for charging the actuator and a de-activation period for discharging the actuator. A parallel resistance of the actuator is determined by sensing a steady state current during the activation period and a series capacitance of the actuator is determined based on a charge flow during charging of the actuator at the beginning of the activation period. A series resistance is obtained by controlling a current through the actuator with an oscillating profile so that a phase relationship of the actuator between current and voltage can be measured. An oscillating current sink is used to enable circuit component measurements, which implement sensing functionality.

Abstract: An actuator device comprises an electroactive polymer actuator (116) and a control circuit for driving the electroactive polymer actuator. The control circuit comprises a voltage boosting circuit including at least a capacitor (114; C11, C12, C13). An electroactive polymer layer (110) forms the electroactive polymer actuator in an active region (112) as well as a dielectric layer of the capacitor in a passive region (111). This provides integration of components to enable cost reductions and miniaturization.

Abstract: A system delivers auditory sleep stimulation. It is able to generate masking sounds for masking external noise as well as sleep stimulation tones for promoting deep sleep. Noise masking sounds are provided in a frequency range including first and second frequency bands, before the onset of sleep. In response to the detection of particular sleep characteristics (such as a particular sleep stage), the noise masking sounds in the second frequency band are stopped. Instead, sleep stimulation tones are provided in the second frequency band. Thus, noise masking continues but the sleep stimulation tones are not masked.

Abstract: An ultrasound device comprises a transducer arrangement and an acoustically transmissive window over said arrangement, said window comprising an elastomer layer having conductive particles dispersed in the elastomer, the elastomer layer having a pressure-sensitive conductivity. An electroactive material actuator is provided for biasing the transducer arrangement towards the transmissive window. The electroactive material actuator is controlled in dependence on a measured pressure-sensitive conductivity. In this way, a feedback system is provided for controlling a contact pressure. The device can be implemented with low cost and with low power consumption.

Abstract: Provided is a combined actuator and sensor device having an electroactive polymer (EAP) structure (22) and a controller for generating drive signals applied to the EAP structure. The controller is adapted to superpose a small high-frequency AC sensing signal (34) on top of a larger actuation drive signal (32), the sensing signal having a frequency which resonates with the mechanical resonance frequency or anti-resonance frequency of the EAP structure. Application of mechanical loads to the device may be identified in changes in the impedance of the EAP structure, caused by damping of the mechanical resonance. In this way the device facilitates simultaneous sensing and actuation. A corresponding method of simultaneous sensing and actuation is also provided.

Abstract: An intravascular Doppler ultrasonic device comprises a tip region forming a fraction of a catheter body at a distal end thereof and carrying an ultrasound probe. The tip region is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction. An actuator is provided in the tip region, which is configured to receive actuation drive power provided through the catheter body and to exert to the tip region a bending moment of a controllable amount. An actuation controller is configured to control actuation drive power delivery to the actuator so as to control the amount of the bending moment. A Doppler spectrum analysis unit is configured to receive Doppler spectrum data and to determine from it a Doppler signal quality measure indicative of a signal quality of the Doppler spectrum. The actuation controller is configured to determine the actuation drive power in dependence on the determined Doppler signal quality measure.