Abstract: An apparatus for controlled perforation and aspiration of the inner ear.

Abstract: Systems for use in blood clot removal can comprise a first tube, a second tube slidable within the first tube, and a self-expanding receiver having a membrane and positioned at least partially within the second tube. When the second tube and a proximal portion of the receiver are positioned within a distal end portion of the first tube and the second tube is moved proximally relative to the receiver until a distal end of the second tube is positioned proximally of a proximal end of the receiver, the proximal portion of the receiver can radially expand and make contact with the distal end portion of the first tube and a distal portion of the receiver can radially expand such that it has an inner diameter that is at least 10% larger than an inner diameter of the first tube.

Abstract: A silver coated needle, a medical device comprising the needle and a method for electrochemically detecting penetration through a semi-permeable membrane such as the round window membrane of a subject are described. Penetration through the membrane by the needle can be detected by observing the voltage change as the needle penetrates through the membrane.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlled perforation and aspiration of the inner ear.

Abstract: A cochlear implant device includes a deformable and stretchable flexible strip composed of a biological compatible material and positioned about a longitudinal axis so as to form a spiral. The implant device has a plurality of conductive strips with electrode windows formed so as to expose a segment of each conductive strip. A density of the electrode windows is sufficient to monitor a distance of the flexible strip from a non-conductive tissue of a patient in a 360 degree field of view about the longitudinal axis. A method of inserting a cochlear implant includes providing a multi-joint robot comprised of a series of actuator units, guiding the multi-joint robot into an inner ear of a patient, monitoring the position of the multi-joint robot relative to a non-conductive portion of the patient; and applying current to the multi joint robot so as to adjust the position of the actuator units.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged on the semiconductor substrate to collectively form an image sensor, a plurality of trenches each formed between the photoelectric conversion elements adjacent to each other, and a plurality of impurity diffusion layers each provided at a bottom of the trench at a position deeper than a p-n junction of the photoelectric conversion element.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a first output line, a second output line; and a photoelectric conversion cell. The photoelectric conversion cell further includes, a photoelectric conversion element configured to generate an output current corresponding to an intensity of incident light, a first switch element configured to transmit the first output current to the first output line according to a first control signal, and a second switch element configured to transmit the second output current to second output line according to a second control signal. As a result, the photoelectric conversion device can be provided to generate rapidly the image data with wide dynamic range without the need for complex control outside of the photoelectric conversion device.

Abstract: An optical path switching type optical signal transmission/reception apparatus includes a one-to-seven compatible optically controlled optical path switching apparatus 100 that is connected to a host optical signal transmission/reception apparatus 1 via an optical fiber, a total of seven subordinate optical communication adapters 110 connected via optical fibers, user side devices 160 connected to respective subordinate optical communication adapters via an electric circuit, an optical transmission/reception control circuit provided in each of the total of seven subordinate user side optical communication adapters 110, and including an uplink optical signal transmission mechanism, a downlink optical signal reception mechanism, a control light source that can generate control light to drive the optical path switching apparatus 100, in which a wavelength of the generated control light is different from a wavelength of signal light, and an optical communication oriented transmission/reception mechanism using the

Abstract: A cochlear implant device includes a deformable and stretchable flexible strip composed of a biological compatible material and positioned about a longitudinal axis so as to form a spiral. The implant device has a plurality of conductive strips with electrode windows formed so as to expose a segment of each conductive strip. A density of the electrode windows is sufficient to monitor a distance of the flexible strip from a non-conductive tissue of a patient in a 360 degree field of view about the longitudinal axis. A method of inserting a cochlear implant includes providing a multi-joint robot comprised of a series of actuator units, guiding the multi-joint robot into an inner ear of a patient, monitoring the position of the multi-joint robot relative to a non-conductive portion of the patient; and applying current to the multi joint robot so as to adjust the position of the actuator units.

Abstract: An optical-path-switching apparatus according to the present invention includes a reducing optical system capable of guiding signal light and control light along the direction of gravity into a thermal-lens-forming optical element having an incidence plane positioned to be perpendicular to the direction of gravity in such a way as to differentiate respective convergence points in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. The apparatus further includes a light-receiving unit configured to converge or condense straight-traveling signal light in the absence of irradiation with the control light and signal light whose optical path has been switched due to irradiation with the control light using the same optical element. Further, the apparatus includes a wedge-type prism provided at a passing position of the optical-path-switched signal light to increase the distance between the optical axis of the optical-path-changed signal light and the optical axis of the straight-traveling signal light.

Abstract: A cochlear implant device includes a deformable and stretchable flexible strip composed of a biological compatible material and positioned about a longitudinal axis so as to form a spiral. The implant device has a plurality of conductive strips with electrode windows formed so as to expose a segment of each conductive strip. A density of the electrode windows is sufficient to monitor a distance of the flexible strip from a non-conductive tissue of a patient in a 360 degree field of view about the longitudinal axis. A method of inserting a cochlear implant includes providing a multi-joint robot comprised of a series of actuator units, guiding the multi-joint robot into an inner ear of a patient, monitoring the position of the multi-joint robot relative to a non-conductive portion of the patient; and applying current to the multi-joint robot so as to adjust the position of the actuator units.

Abstract: An optical-path-switching apparatus according to the present invention includes a reducing optical system capable of guiding signal light and control light along the direction of gravity into a thermal-lens-forming optical element having an incidence plane positioned to be perpendicular to the direction of gravity in such a way as to differentiate respective convergence points in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. The apparatus further includes a light-receiving unit configured to converge or condense straight-traveling signal light in the absence of irradiation with the control light and signal light whose optical path has been switched due to irradiation with the control light using the same optical element. Further, the apparatus includes a wedge-type prism provided at a passing position of the optical-path-switched signal light to increase the distance between the optical axis of the optical-path-changed signal light and the optical axis of the straight-traveling signal light.

Abstract: A cochlear implant device includes a deformable and stretchable flexible strip composed of a biological compatible material and positioned about a longitudinal axis so as to form a spiral. The implant device has a plurality of conductive strips with electrode windows formed so as to expose a segment of each conductive strip. A density of the electrode windows is sufficient to monitor a distance of the flexible strip from a non-conductive tissue of a patient in a 360 degree field of view about the longitudinal axis. A method of inserting a cochlear implant includes providing a multi-joint robot comprised of a series of actuator units, guiding the multi-joint robot into an inner ear of a patient, monitoring the position of the multi-joint robot relative to a non-conductive portion of the patient; and applying current to the multi-joint robot so as to adjust the position of the actuator units.

Abstract: A cochlear implant device includes a deformable and stretchable flexible strip composed of a biological compatible material and positioned about a longitudinal axis so as to form a spiral. The implant device has a plurality of conductive strips with electrode windows formed so as to expose a segment of each conductive strip. A density of the electrode windows is sufficient to monitor a distance of the flexible strip from a non-conductive tissue of a patient in a 360 degree field of view about the longitudinal axis. A method of inserting a cochlear implant includes providing a multi-joint robot comprised of a series of actuator units, guiding the multi-joint robot into an inner ear of a patient, monitoring the position of the multi-joint robot relative to a non-conductive portion of the patient; and applying current to the multi-joint robot so as to adjust the position of the actuator units.

Abstract: The present invention provides a MRP generator comprising m MRP generating circuits connected in parallel which are operated at a 1/m clock speed and have a predetermined time relation to each other, wherein the MRP generating circuits are operated on the multiplex basis. The operating speed is improved.

Abstract: An address label preparation processing system for printed matter dispatching, having counter/stackers for preparing printed matter bundles upon receipt of the data on the number of copies per bundle from an address label processing devices, having an address label printing function, for printing on-line address labels for the bundles prepared, and attaching the printed address labels on the bundles as the bundles prepared by the counter/stacker and transported by a conveyor arrive at the system, and characterized in that each of the address label processing devices incorporates therein type fonts and a character enlarging function and has such a construction that address labels can be printed on the basis of the address printing data transmitted from a host computer; the host computer performing control so that the address printing data and the data on the number of copies are allocated sequentially among each of the address label processing devices; the counter/stacker receiving the number of copies per bun