Abstract: A system and method for growing and maintaining biological material including producing a protein associated with the tissue, selecting cells associated with the tissue, expanding the cells, creating at least one tissue bio-ink including the expanded cells, printing the at least one tissue bio-ink in at least one tissue growth medium mixture, growing the tissue from the printed at least one tissue bio-ink, and maintaining viability of the tissue.

Abstract: A portable patient-care kit is disclosed. The kit includes a housing, a plurality of compartments and a touch-screen user interface device. The housing forms a container space. The plurality of compartments is disposed within the container space such that each compartment is configured to retain at least one medical apparatus. The touch-screen user interface device has a transceiver that can communicate via a mobile data network.

Abstract: Fill stations and base stations are provided for personal pump systems. The fill stations may be opened and closed to accept a reservoir and to allow fluid to be introduced into the reservoir for use with personal pump systems. The fill stations may hold the reservoir at a tilt relative to an underlying surface and may discourage overfilling of the reservoir. The filling stations may also include viewing windows having fluid lines marked thereon for indicating volume of fluid within the reservoir.

Abstract: A user control device for a transporter. The user control device can communicate with the transporter via electrical interface(s) that can facilitate communication and data processing among the user interface device and controllers that can control the movement of the transporter. The user control device can perform automated actions based on the environment in which the transporter operates and the user's desired movement of the transporter. External applications can enable monitoring and control of the transporter.

Abstract: A system for electronic patient care includes a hub. The hub is configured to monitor a patient-care device. The sandbox may be configured to control access to at least one of a hardware resource and a software resource. The hub is further configured to identify the patient-care device and execute an application to monitor the patient-care device. The hub executes the application within the sandbox component such that the application accesses the at least one of the hardware resource and the software resource through the sandbox component. The hub may be further configured to control the patient-care device. The hub may be further configured to receive an identification from the patient-care device and download the application from a server associated with the identification. The hub may be further configured to receive an identification from the patient-care device and update the application from a server associated with the identification.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling of a robot including evaluating whether a requestor of control over the robot has a privilege to do so, and if so, then recognizing the authority of the requestor. Disclosed is method of controlling a robot including selecting a point and/or a route for the robot and invoking a control that enables transmitting instructions to which a robot may respond by traveling to the point and/or along the route.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a flow rate of a fluid line is disclosed that includes one or more acts of: capturing an image of a drip chamber using an image sensor; identifying a plurality of pixels of interest within the image; determining a subset of pixels within the plurality of pixels of interest, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is determined to be within the subset of pixels when there is a path to a baseline corresponding to the drip chamber; performing a rotation operation on the subset of pixels; estimating a volume of the drop within the drip chamber by counting a number of pixels within the rotated subset of pixels; and/or adjusting a flow rate of fluid flowing through a fluid line.

Abstract: A method for phoneme identification. The method includes receiving an audio signal from a speaker, performing initial processing comprising filtering the audio signal to remove audio features, the initial processing resulting in a modified audio signal, transmitting the modified audio signal to a phoneme identification method and a phoneme replacement method to further process the modified audio signal, and transmitting the modified audio signal to a speaker. Also, a system for identifying and processing audio signals. The system includes at least one speaker, at least one microphone, and at least one processor, wherein the processor processes audio signals received using a method for phoneme replacement.

Abstract: A protective mechanism for use when gripping a medical device to a rack is provided. A related system and method are also provided. The protective mechanism includes a guide member, a connector, an actuation member configured to have a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the actuation member is pivotally coupled to the guide member. The cover member is pivotally coupled to the guide member and is configured to interact with the actuation member so as to pivot to uncover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a first direction and to pivot to cover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a second direction.

Abstract: A repeater system may control a pump by using a repeater and a user interface. An adhesive patch system may be used for affixing a pump or other object to a human body. Such an adhesive patch system may include two sets of adhesive members, each member including an adhesive material on at least one side so as to attach to the body. The members of the first set are spaced to allow the members of the second set to attach to the body in spaces provided between the members of the first set, and the members of the second set are spaced to allow members of the first set to detach from the body without detaching the members of the second set. Also, fill stations and base stations are provided for personal pump systems.

Abstract: A two-stage infusion set inserter system is disclosed. The inserter system includes an inserter assembly including a housing including a rotatable button assembly comprising ramps and and tab indents and a non-rotatable portion of housing, a sliding component comprising sliding component tabs, a needle carrier connected to an introduction needle, the needle carrier slidably movable from a starting position to an injection position and then to a second ending position, a sliding component spring, and a needle spring, wherein the rotatable button assembly rotates from a locked to an unlocked position, wherein when force is applied onto the rotatable button assembly, the sliding component and needle carrier are forced downward by the sliding component spring, and wherein when the needle carrier reaches the injection position, the needle spring forces the needle carrier upward towards the second ending position.

Abstract: A Stirling cycle machine with a liquid fuel/gaseous fuel burner. The burner may include a preheater to capture the thermal energy of the exhaust. The burner directs the preheated air to each burner head, where it enters a prechamber. Each burner head includes a fuel nozzle that directs liquid or gaseous fuel into the prechamber. The prechamber is fluidically connected to a combustion chamber via a prechamber nozzle that has a smaller opening than the prechamber. The burner head ignites the fuel air mixture in the prechamber with an ignitor located above or within the prechamber. The flame is initially lit as a diffusion flame in the prechamber. The flame is pushed out of the prechamber into the combustion chamber by an increased air flow rate. The liquid fuel from the nozzle now evaporates in the prechamber and forms a prevaporized flame in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A system for electronic patient care includes a hub. The hub is configured to monitor a patient-care device. The sandbox may be configured to control access to at least one of a hardware resource and a software resource. The hub is further configured to identify the patient-care device and execute an application to monitor the patient-care device. The hub executes the application within the sandbox component such that the application accesses the at least one of the hardware resource and the software resource through the sandbox component. The hub may be further configured to control the patient-care device. The hub may be further configured to receive an identification from the patient-care device and download the application from a server associated with the identification. The hub may be further configured to receive an identification from the patient-care device and update the application from a server associated with the identification.

Abstract: A system for delivery of a volume of infusible fluid. The system includes a controller configured to calculate a trajectory for delivering infusible fluid, the trajectory comprising at least one volume of fluid, and determine a schedule for delivering the at least one volume of fluid according to the trajectory, wherein the schedule comprising an interval and a volume of infusible fluid for delivery. The system also includes a volume sensor assembly for determining the at least one volume of fluid delivered, wherein the controller recalculates the trajectory based on the volume of fluid delivered.

Abstract: A wearable infusion pump assembly includes a reservoir for receiving an infusible fluid, and an external infusion set configured to deliver the infusible fluid to a user. A fluid delivery system is configured to deliver the infusible fluid from the reservoir to the external infusion set. The fluid delivery system includes a volume sensor assembly, and a pump assembly for extracting a quantity of infusible fluid from the reservoir and providing the quantity of infusible fluid to the volume sensor assembly. The volume sensor assembly is configured to determine the volume of at least a portion of the quantity of fluid. The fluid delivery system further includes at least one optical sensor assembly configured to sense the movement of the pump assembly, a first valve assembly configured to selectively isolate the pump assembly from the reservoir, and a second valve assembly configured to selectively isolate the volume sensor assembly from the external infusion set.

Abstract: A pump includes a reservoir, a port, and a plunger. The reservoir delivers a liquid by discharging the liquid through the port coupled to the reservoir. A piston of the plunger defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port. The pump also includes a reference-volume assembly and/or a linear position sensor. The reference-volume assembly is coupled to the reservoir at an opposite end of the reservoir relative to the port and includes a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the non-liquid side of the reservoir, a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber, and a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber. The pump estimate the amount of liquid discharged from the reservoir.

Abstract: A fluid vapor distillation system. The system includes a control system for controlling a fluid vapor distillation apparatus including a blow down controller for controlling a blow down valve, a source flow controller for controlling a source flow valve, and a blow down level sensor in communication with a blow down controller and a source flow controller, the blow down level sensor sends signals related to the blow down level to the blow down controller and the source flow controller indicative of the blow down level, wherein the source flow controller actuates the source flow valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, and wherein the blow down controller actuates the blow down valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, whereby the blow down level and the source flow level are maintained using the blow down level sensor signals as input.

Abstract: A system and method for growing and maintaining biological material including producing a protein associated with the tissue, selecting cells associated with the tissue, expanding the cells, creating at least one tissue bio-ink including the expanded cells, printing the at least one tissue bio-ink in at least one tissue growth medium mixture, growing the tissue from the printed at least one tissue bio-ink, and maintaining viability of the tissue.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the volume of fluid dispensed. The apparatus has an acoustic volume sensor that acoustically excites a reference volume and a measurement chamber with a loudspeaker and measures the acoustic response with microphones acoustically coupled to the reference and the measurement chamber. The loudspeaker and sensing microphones are connected to the measurement chamber by separate ports. A detachable dispensing chamber is coupled to the acoustic volume sensor. The volume of the fluid dispensed is determined by a processor based on the acoustic response of the microphones to acoustic excitement by the loudspeaker.

Abstract: A pump for pumping fluid includes a tube platen, a plunger, a bias member, inlet and outlet valves, an actuator mechanism, a position sensor, and a processor. The plunger is configured for actuation toward and away from the infusion-tube when the tube platen is disposed opposite to the plunger. The tube platen can hold an intravenous infusion tube. The bias member is configured to urge the plunger toward the tube platen.