Abstract: A computer device such as a smartphone includes at least one processor programmed to monitor a video feed from at least one camera to detect a facial profile of an operating user when a messaging interface is being used, match the detected facial profile against a known facial profile utilizing a facial recognition process to verify an identity of the operating user, determine a plurality of human expressions of the operating user based on the video feed and an expression recognition process, associate the plurality of human expressions with a plurality of contextual tags, generate a user profile in a user profile database based on the plurality of human expressions and the plurality of contextual tags, determine a current activity for the smartphone, associate the determined activity for the smartphone with one of the contextual tags, and update the user profile in the user profile database based on the association.

Abstract: An auricular stimulation device having surface electrodes biased towards each other, and offset from one another, is provided. The stimulation device can be positioned about the ear of a patient with each of the electrodes overlaying auricular ear tissue containing innervation supplied by an auricular branch of the vagus nerve. The electrodes transcutaneously stimulate the auricular branch. Also provided is a method of treating a patient using the auricular stimulation device. The stimulation device can be used for treating patients with conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, high blood glucose level, and tinnitus. Also provided is a diagnostic and therapeutic system having the auricular stimulation device, a smart device and a monitoring device. The smart device controls the auricular stimulation device based on biomarker information received from the monitoring device; and on information related to the patient, such as age, musculoskeletal stability, etc.; and/or on user input.

Abstract: Methods for treating patients receiving a medication are disclosed. A patient is administered a medication with a propensity to cause inflammation or inflammation-related side effects, or actually experiences inflammation or inflammation-related side effects in response to receiving a medication. In response, vagus nerve stimulation is provided to the patient to relieve the inflammation or inflammation-related side-effect(s). The vagus nerve stimulation may be delivered by a transcutaneous system. Any of mechanical, optical, and/or electrical energy, pulses, power, etc. may be used to target the vagus nerve. Some examples deliver the stimulation to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.

Abstract: Computing systems and computer-implemented methods for removing brain stimulation artifacts in neural signals are disclosed. The method makes use of a matching pursuit algorithm to accurately extract the stimulation artifact. The disclosed method removes the stimulation artifact associated with individual stimulation pulses without needing additional information from previous stimulation pulses or other electrodes. The disclosed method is compatible for use with various stimulation frequencies, does not need any filtering, and can recover neural signals almost immediately after stimulation. The disclosed method is compatible for use in has great potential in closed-loop systems used in various neurological diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of providing security and privacy for a message sender. The method can include a messaging application determining that a messaging interface of the computing device is active and is revealing or about to reveal the electronic message. The messaging application can identify a recipient account of a messaging server system that is associated with the electronic message according to the electronic message or the messaging server system. The messaging application can then monitor a data feed from a sensor of the computing device to detect a biometric pattern that matches against a biometric profile model associated with the recipient account utilizing a biometric recognition process. In response to determining that the detected biometric pattern does not match the biometric profile model associated with the recipient account, the messaging application can activate a privacy shield to prevent content of the electronic message from being revealed.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision for systems and methods that employ a multielectrode transdermal spinal stimulation (tSCS) device configured to provide spatiotemporal transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. In some aspects, the predetermined pattern is configured to sequentially activate and recruit individual muscle groups in a sequence configured to assist in the subject's movements such as walking. Among various other aspects a non-invasive brain-spine interface (BSI) system is disclosed that facilitate movements such as leg movements in a subject with a spinal cord injury (SCI). The BSI system includes a wearable EEG array to monitor brain activity, and a computer to identify intended movement by the subject based on the monitored brain activity. In response to the detection of an intended movement by the BSI system, the tSCS device activates the multielectrode transdermal spinal stimulation device to facilitate the intended movement of the subject.

Abstract: A noise-reducing attachment for a surgical suction device having a valve operable by a finger. The attachment includes an airflow redirecting portion configured to overlay at least a portion of the valve; and at least one clip fixing portion configured to removably attach to a valve-housing portion of the surgical suction device. The airflow redirecting portion includes an opening extending from a top face to a bottom face thereof, and an axis extending through the opening is oriented at an acute of 10° to 80° relative to a longitudinal axis of the attachment.

Abstract: A method for mapping functions of a brain includes receiving an MRI data set for a subject comprising fMRI data acquired with the subject lying in MRI scanning equipment in a state of rest, generating a voxel-wise correlation map that identifies, for each of a plurality of voxels of the brain, a measure of the degree of time correlation between spontaneous brain activations at one voxel of the brain as revealed in the resting-state fMRI data and spontaneous brain activations at each of the other voxels of the plurality of bran voxels as revealed in the resting-state fMRI data. The voxel-wise correlation map is input to a trained 3D convolutional neural network based machine learning algorithm to generate a functional connectivity map identifying a location where a predefined brain function is performed within the subject's brain by identifying the voxels involved in performing that predefined brain function.

Abstract: A system for predicting a survival outcome of a brain tumor patient includes a computing device with at least one processor and a non-volatile computer-readable media. The non-volatile computer-readable media contains instructions executable on the processor to: transform a resting-state fMRI dataset obtained from the patient into a functional connectivity matrix comprising a plurality of matrix elements, each matrix element comprising a correlation of resting-state fMRI activities of a first and second region of interest from a plurality of pre-selected regions of interest within the patient's brain, transform the functional connectivity matrix into the predicted survival outcome using a machine learning model, and output the predicted survival outcome.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for guiding surgical tools to a surgical site, and more particularly, to systems and methods for guiding a tool sheath of a delivery system to a surgical site such as a location in a subject's brain and associated surgical procedures.

Abstract: A method for selecting a seed region for use in a seed-based cortical functional mapping method includes providing at least one RSN map of at least one subject, each of the at least one RSN maps comprising a plurality of functional voxels within a brain of each of the at least one subjects, each functional voxel of the plurality of functional voxels associated with a probability of membership in an RSN. A subset of the functional voxels characterizing a contiguous region is selected as the seed region, each functional voxel of the seed region having a probability of membership in the RSN above a threshold value.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of providing security and privacy for a message sender. The method can include a messaging application determining that a messaging interface of the computing device is active and is revealing or about to reveal the electronic message. The messaging application can identify a recipient account of a messaging server system that is associated with the electronic message according to the electronic message or the messaging server system. The messaging application can then monitor a data feed from a sensor of the computing device to detect a biometric pattern that matches against a biometric profile model associated with the recipient account utilizing a biometric recognition process. In response to determining that the detected biometric pattern does not match the biometric profile model associated with the recipient account, the messaging application can activate a privacy shield to prevent content of the electronic message from being revealed.

Abstract: A method for mapping brain function of a subject includes receiving a dataset of resting state fMRI (RS-fMRI) three dimensional (3D) image frames of the subject's brain, and inputting the 3D image frames to a deep learning artificial neural network. For each voxel of each 3D image frame and for each resting state network of a plurality of resting state networks, the deep learning artificial neural network calculates a probability that the voxel belongs to the resting state network. The deep learning artificial neural network is trained beforehand using a plurality of 3D image frames including previously defined resting state networks obtained from a plurality of calibration subjects. The method includes generating one or more functional map of the plurality of resting state networks of the subject's brain using the probabilities calculated by the artificial neural network.

Abstract: A biomarker predictive of a survival outcome of a brain tumor patient is disclosed. The biomarker includes a functional connectivity matrix that includes a plurality of matrix elements. Each matrix element includes a correlation of resting-state fMRI activities of a first and second region of interest from a plurality of regions of interest within the patient's brain. Computing device and systems are disclosed to transform a resting-state fMRI dataset obtained from the patient into the biomarker and to transform the biomarker into a predicted survival outcome using a machine learning model.

Abstract: An example wearable device for placement relative to an ear includes a housing; a first extending structure; a second extending structure, the first and second extending structures are separated by an adjustable distance; a carriage coupled to the second extending structure and being at least partially disposed within the housing, the carriage being configured to move longitudinally along the housing and an adjustment mechanism configured to impart a force to cause longitudinal movement of the carriage to adjust the adjustable distance.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for diagnosing brain cancer. The method can include applying a focused ultrasound to a brain or brain region of a patient, obtaining a biological sample from the patient, measuring one or more diagnostic fragmentomic features of cfDNA in the biological sample, comparing the one or more diagnostic fragmentomic features to one or more thresholds, and diagnosing the patient with brain cancer when the one or more diagnostic fragmentomic features exceed the one or more thresholds. The focused ultrasound can be operable to disrupt a blood brain barrier of the patient and release cfDNA across the blood brain barrier of the patient. The biological sample can include the cfDNA released across the blood brain barrier.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of a noninvasive and localized brain liquid biopsy using focused ultrasound. Briefly, therefore, the present disclosure is directed to methods and systems to identify brain lesion or tumor characteristics without the need for a solid brain biopsy.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a variable stiffness catheter. The catheter may include an inner layer forming an inner lumen, a middle layer surrounding the inner layer, and an outer layer surrounding the middle layer. The middle layer may form a lumen and may include a plurality of strings within the lumen. The catheter may also include a wrapping weaved through the plurality of strings of the middle layer. Applying a vacuum, actuating by applying negative pressure, or evacuating fluid from the lumen of the middle layer alters a frictional force between the inner layer and the outer layer or between elements of the middle layer and thereby changes the catheter's flexural rigidity over a defined region.

Abstract: A computing device for use in a system for mapping brain activity of a subject includes a processor. The processor is programmed to select a plurality of measurements of brain activity that is representative of at least one parameter of a brain of the subject during a resting state. Moreover, the processor is programmed to compare at least one data point from each of the measurements with a corresponding data point from a previously acquired data set from at least one other subject. The processor is also programmed to produce at least one map for each of the measurements based on the comparison of the resting state data point and the corresponding previously acquired data point. The processor may also be programmed to categorize the brain activity in a plurality of networks in the brain based on the map.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for controlling the operation of a focused ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening (FUS-BBBO) device using an individualized closed-loop feedback control method are disclosed. Devices, systems, and methods for performing transcranial cavitation localization using a time difference of arrival method combined with signal processing using differential cavitation are also disclosed. Methods for performing a liquid biopsy to diagnose a brain disorder using a FUS-BBBO method to enhance the release of biomarkers from the brain into CSF and blood are also disclosed.