Abstract: A device for monitoring human feet can include: a transmissive sheet configured to bear at least 90 kg supported at a height of no more than 23 cm, and a foot image capture system below the sheet. An optical image sensor can capture a field of view including at least 250 cm2 of the surface of the sheet. The device can have a central reflective element positioned below the sheet directly above the sensor and two outer mirrors such that two fields of view at least 250 cm2 each can be focused onto the sensor by a lens. Foot sole images can be automatically captured when a patient stands on the device. Images can be transmitted to a database and associated with the patient by analyzing the images for a unique predetermined metric.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a device and method for imaging of a human foot including a transmissive sheet with an upper surface configured to accommodate a sole of the foot, a light source positioned below the sheet for emitting light toward the sheet, and an optical path controller in the sheet or coupled to the sheet for altering a path of the light causing internal reflection of the light toward a predetermined region of the foot. The image can be analyzed for a predetermined characteristic associated with a human patient, and determination made whether the characteristic in the image matches the patient. Brightness in the image can be analyzed for tissue moisture information.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a device and method for monitoring of human feet including a transmissive sheet configured to bear at least 90 kg supported at a height of no more than 23 cm and having a foot image capture system below the sheet wherein an optical image sensor can capture a field of view including at least 250 cm2 of the surface of the sheet. The device can have a central reflective element positioned below the sheet directly above the sensor and two outer mirrors such that two fields of view at least 250 cm2 each can be focused onto the sensor by a lens. Foot sole images can be automatically captured when the patient stands on the device. Images can be transmitted to a database and associated with a patient by analyzing the images for a unique predetermined metric.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a device and method for imaging of a human foot including a transmissive sheet with an upper surface configured to accommodate a sole of the foot, a light source positioned below the sheet for emitting light toward the sheet, and an optical path controller in the sheet or coupled to the sheet for altering a path of the light causing internal reflection of the light toward a predetermined region of the foot. The image can be analyzed for a predetermined characteristic associated with a human patient, and determination made whether the characteristic in the image matches the patient. Brightness in the image can be analyzed for tissue moisture information.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold.

Abstract: A tool for nondestructive interrogation of the tissue including a light source emitter and detector which may be mounted directly on the surgical tool in a tissue contacting surface for interrogation or mounted remotely and guided to the surgical field with fiber optic cables. The light source may be broadband and wavelength differentiation can be accomplished at the detector via filters or gratings, or using time, frequency, or space resolved methods. Alternatively, n discrete monochromatic light sources may be provided which are subsequently multiplexed into a single detector by time or by frequency multiplexing. The optical sensing elements can be built into a surgical tool end effector tip such as a tissue grasping tool which has cooperating jaws (bivalve or multi-element).

Abstract: A tool for nondestructive interrogation of the tissue including a light source emitter and detector which may be mounted directly on the surgical tool in a tissue contacting surface for interrogation or mounted remotely and guided to the surgical field with fiber optic cables. The light source may be broadband and wavelength differentiation can be accomplished at the detector via filters or gratings, or using time, frequency, or space resolved methods. Alternatively, n discrete monochromatic light sources may be provided which are subsequently multiplexed into a single detector by time or by frequency multiplexing. The optical sensing elements can be built into a surgical tool end effector tip such as a tissue grasping tool which has cooperating jaws (bivalve or multi-element).

Abstract: A class of novel surgical tools constructed from the surgical tools and a tissue state monitoring device to assess or image changes in the chemical or structural composition of tissue over time, which give feedback to surgeons during dynamic surgical interventions that change the character of tissue, such as tissue welding.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold.

Abstract: A tissue penetrating apparatus including a surgical appliance having a sharp tip for penetrating tissue, a first optical element for emitting one or more selected monochromatic wavelengths of light, and a second optical element for sensing light corresponding to the one or more selected monochromatic wavelengths of light. The first and second optical elements are optical transmission fibers secured to the appliance proximate to the tip so that one fiber passes one or more monochromatic wavelengths of light into the tissue to be penetrated, and the other fiber passes the light sensed to a light detector. A control circuit is used to illuminate the one or more light sources to emit light out one of the first and second optical fibers, and to provide an electrical signal corresponding to the light sensed at the other of the first and second optical fibers. The electrical signal includes sensed light at each of the monochromatic wavelengths of light emitted, and sensed light in the absence of emitted light.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of appropriate delivery point or points in the patient's detected breath flow. The aerosol medication may be administered as one or more pulses having a pulse width, shape, and frequency that will maximize the respirable fraction of the aerosolized compound being administered. The delivery point or points may be predetermined or determined from a prior inspiratory flow for depositing the selected medication at one or more desired locations in the patient's airway. Determined delivery points are recursively lowered for each inspiratory flow that does not satisfy one of the predetermined and previously lowered threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in measuring fetal blood flow characteristics. The apparatus includes a non-invasive pulse oximetry probe that is inserted into the uterus between the fetus and the uterine wall. The probe is deformable and is positively attached to the fetal tissue surface using a vacuum pump which causes the probe to deform from a pre-set curvature to the curvature of the fetal tissue surface and to form a gasket-type seal with the fetal tissue surface. The probe is manually inserted into the uterus using a curved insertion tool, and is shaped to fit through a slightly dilated cervix. In a preferred embodiment, the probe includes fetal and maternal ECG sensors and additional sensing devices, and is provided with apparatus for improving the efficiency of the pulse oximetry optics.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in measuring fetal blood flow characteristics. The apparatus includes a non-invasive pulse oximetry probe that is inserted into the uterus between the fetus and the uterine wall. The probe is deformable and is positively attached to the fetal tissue surface using a vacuum pump which causes the probe to deform from a pre-set curvature to the curvature of the fetal tissue surface and to form a gasket-type seal with the fetal tissue surface. The probe is manually inserted into the uterus using a curved insertion tool, and is shaped to fit through a slightly dilated cervix. In a preferred embodiment, the probe includes fetal and maternal ECG sensors and additional sensing devices, and is provided with apparatus for improving the efficiency of the pulse oximetry optics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the calculation of oxygen saturation and other blood constituents by non-invasive pulse oximeters. The method and apparatus permit more accurate determination of blood flow by collecting time-measures of the absorption signal at two or more wavelengths and processing the collected time-measure to obtain composite pulsatile flow data from which artifacts have been filtered. The processing may occur in the time domain or in the frequency domain. In the preferred time domain embodiment, successive portions of periodic information are weighted and added together in synchrony to obtain the composite pulse information. In the preferred frequency domain embodiment, the time-measure in Fourier transformed into its spectral components to form the composite information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and correlating a patient's heart activity with optical detection of the patient's blood flow. The method and apparatus permit more accurate determination of blood flow characteristics such as oxygen saturation and pulse rate. In a preferred embodiment, the heart activity is detected by monitoring the patient's EKG waveform, and the blood flow is detected by a non-invasive pulse oximeter. The occurrence of the R wave portion of the EKG signal is detected and the time delay by which an arterial pulse follows the R wave is determined to establish a time window in which an arterial is to be expected. The established time window provides the oximeter with a parameter enabling the oximeter to analyze the blood flow only when it is likely to present an arterial blood pulse for waveform analysis. The invention also includes adjusting the polarity of the detected EKG signal to have a preselected uniform upgoing or downgoing polarity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the calculation of oxygen saturation and other blood constituents by non-invasive pulse oximeters. The method and apparatus permit more accurate determination of blood flow by collecting time-measures of the absorption signal at two or more wavelengths and processing the collected time-measure to obtain composite pulsatile flow data from which artifacts have been filtered. The processing may occur in the time domain or in the frequency domain. In the preferred time domain embodiment, successive portions of periodic information are weighted and added together in synchrony to obtain the composite pulse information. In the preferred frequency domain embodiment, the time-measure is Fourier transformed into its spectral components to form the composite information.

Abstract: A sensor for trans-illumination of a blood perfused portion of flesh to measure light extinction during trans-illumination is disclosed. The sensor is preferably mounted on a fingertip but any digit or blood perfused portion of flesh will work. The sensor includes a first end for disposition on one side of the trans-illuminated flesh and a second end for disposition on the opposite and opposed side of the trans-illuminated flesh. A light source is mounted to the first side and a photo-sensor is mounted to the second side. If an elongated flexible strip is used, it is provided with adhesive and is suitably windowed that light is allowed to take an optical path through the finger. If no flexible strip is used, the two ends are aligned and secured to the flesh such that the light emitted takes an optical path through the finger.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the calculation of oxygen saturation and other blood constituents by non-invasive pulse oximeters. The method and apparatus permit more accurate determination of blood flow by collecting time-measures of the absorption signal at two or more wavelengths and processing the collected time-measure to obtain composite pulsatile flow data from which artifacts have been filtered. The processing may occur in the time domain or in the frequency domain. In the preferred time domain embodiment, successive portions of periodic information are weighted and added together in synchrony to obtain the composite pulse information. In the preferred frequency domain embodiment, the time-measure is Fourier transformed into its spectral components to form the composite information.