Abstract: A system and method that facilitates stimulating neural pathways, e.g., muscles and/or associated nerves, of a patient's body for the purpose of therapeutic medical treatment by rehabilitating weakened muscles and using neuroplasticity to retrain sequential muscle movements and/or to provide the ability to directly deliver functional motor movements. Use of the present invention is of particular value for treating a patient following a stroke. More particularly, such systems are characterized by a plurality of discrete devices, preferably battery powered but may alternatively include RF-powered devices as well or in combination, configured for implanting within a patient's body via injection, each device being configured to affect a parameter, e.g., via nerve and/or muscle stimulation and/or to sense a body parameter, e.g., temperature, O2 content, physical position, electrical potential, etc.

Abstract: A safety switch apparatus for disabling the operation of a hand-held appliance, e.g., a hair dryer, during periods of nonuse such as when the appliance is put down on a prescribed surface or placed in a non-functional position such as being held under a user's arm. In a first implementation, a sensor is coupled to control circuitry within the appliance to remove power from portions of the device, e.g., its motor and/or heater, when the appliance is proximate to an externally-provided magnetic field preferably provided from a magnetic element typically contained within a pad placeable on a work surface, within the work surface, or a wearable piece of clothing. In a second implementation, the converse occurs, i.e., a sensor is used to sense the presence of a user and to disable operation when the user is no longer present.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device which determines stimulation based upon the patient's body position and activity level while eliminating special implantation or calibration procedures. To eliminate such special implantation and calibration procedures, the stimulation device correlates the patient's body position using a multi-axis DC accelerometer or other sensor during times of high activity and determines a patient's standing position value. During other times, the stimulation device compares the signals from the accelerometer to the standing position value to determine the patient's current body position. Based upon the current body position and the activity level, the stimulation device determines the necessary stimulation to deliver to the patient.

Abstract: A safety switch apparatus for disabling the operation of a hand-held appliance, e.g., a hair dryer, during periods of nonuse such as when the appliance is put down on a prescribed surface or placed in a non-functional position such as being held under a user's arm. In a first implementation, a sensor is coupled to control circuitry within the appliance to remove power from portions of the device, e.g., its motor and/or heater, when the appliance is proximate to an externally-provided magnetic field preferably provided from a magnetic element typically contained within a pad placeable on a work surface, within the work surface, or a wearable piece of clothing. In a second implementation, the converse occurs, i.e., a sensor is used to sense the presence of a user and to disable operation when the user is no longer present.

Abstract: A safety switch apparatus for disabling operation of a hand-carried appliance, e.g., a hair dryer, during periods of nonuse such as when the appliance is put down on a prescribed surface or placed in a non-functional position such as being held under a user's arm. In preferred embodiments, a sensor, e.g., a hall effect sensor, a magnetoresistive sensor, a reed switch, or the like, is coupled to control circuitry within the appliance to remove power from portions of the device, e.g., its motor and/or heater, when the appliance is proximate to an externally-provided magnetic field preferably provided from a magnetic element typically contained within a pad placeable on a work surface, within the work surface, or a wearable piece of clothing. In a further feature of a preferred embodiment, power is restored when the apparatus is removed from the magnetic field. However after a sustained detection period, operation ceases.

Abstract: A safety switch apparatus for disabling the operation of a hand-held appliance, e.g., a hair dryer, during periods of nonuse such as when the appliance is put down on a prescribed surface or placed in a non-functional position such as being held under a user's arm. In a first class of preferred embodiments, a sensor is coupled to control circuitry within the appliance to remove power from portions of the device, e.g., its motor and/or heater, when the appliance is proximate to an externally-provided magnetic field preferably provided from a magnetic element typically contained within a pad placeable on a work surface, within the work surface, or a wearable piece of clothing. In a second class of preferred embodiments, the converse occurs, i.e., a sensor is used to sense the presence of a user and to disable operation when the user is no longer present.

Abstract: A safety switch apparatus for disabling operation of a hand-carried appliance, e.g., a hair dryer, during periods of nonuse such as when the appliance is put down on a prescribed surface or placed in a non-functional position such as being held under a user's arm. In preferred embodiments, a sensor, e.g., a hall effect sensor, a magnetoresistive sensor, a reed switch, or the like, is coupled to control circuitry within the appliance to remove power from portions of the device, e.g., its motor and/or heater, when the appliance is proximate to an externally-provided magnetic field preferably provided from a magnetic element typically contained within a pad placeable on a work surface, within the work surface, or a wearable piece of clothing. In a further feature of a preferred embodiment, power is restored when the apparatus is removed from the magnetic field. However after a sustained detection period, operation ceases.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device which determines stimulation based upon the patient's body position and activity level while eliminating special implantation or calibration procedures. To eliminate such special implantation and calibration procedures, the stimulation device correlates the patient's body position using a multi-axis DC accelerometer or other sensor during times of high activity and determines a patient's standing position value. During other times, the stimulation device compares the signals from the accelerometer to the standing position value to determine the patient's current body position. Based upon the current body position and the activity level, the stimulation device determines the necessary stimulation to deliver to the patient.

Abstract: Novel prostheses, particularly femoral prostheses, are provided. The subject devices are characterized by the presence of a curvilinear collar. Also provided are methods of implanting a prosthesis in a manner sufficient to provide for a pressure profile at the collar interface in which the pressure increases from the endosteal to the periosteal surface of the bone.