Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring the heart motion of a subject employ a probe which can be coupled to a portion of the anatomy of the subject, such as the thyroid cartilage of the subject. The probe is mounted on a lever supported by an elastic fulcrum. The probe is biased toward the subject by the elastic fulcrum. The probe detects movements caused by the heart motion. Such movement may be amplified by the lever arm which is pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the elastic fulcrum. A motion sensing apparatus may be provided at or near a distal end of the lever arm to monitor motions of the heart of the subject.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring the heart motion of a subject employ a probe which can be coupled to a portion of the anatomy of a subject such as the aortic arch or the thyroid cartilage. The probe is biased into contact with the subject. The probe detects movements caused by the heart motion. The apparatus may display accelerations and displacements caused by the heart motion. Waveforms from multiple anatomic sites may be acquired, normalized in time and amplitude, and combined to produce resultant waveforms. Combining the waveforms may involve addition or subtraction.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for monitoring the heart motion of a subject employ a probe which can be coupled to the aortic arch or to the thyroid cartilage of the subject for detecting movements caused by the heart motion and displaying the accelerations and displacement of the heart motion on an acceleration display and a displacement display. A mechanical motion amplifier amplifies the acceleration and an optical amplifier amplifies the displacement to counteract noise.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring the heart motion of a subject employ a probe which can be coupled to a portion of the anatomy of a subject such as the aortic arch or the thyroid cartilage. The probe is biased into contact with the subject. The probe detects movements caused by the heart motion. The apparatus may display accelerations and displacements caused by the heart motion. Waveforms from multiple anatomic sites may be acquired, normalized in time and amplitude, and combined to produce resultant waveforms. Combining the waveforms may involve addition or subtraction.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for monitoring the heart motion of a subject employ a probe which can be coupled to the aortic arch or to the thyroid cartilage of the subject for detecting movements caused by the heart motion and displaying the accelerations and displacement of the heart motion on an acceleration display and a displacement display. A mechanical motion amplifier amplifies the acceleration and an optical amplifier amplifies the displacement to counteract noise.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to assess cardiac function in a subject involves supporting a probe in the trachea for transmitting movement of the trachea in response to heart function. The transmitted movement is detected by a sensor which generates a waveform signal. The waveform signal is displayed and assessed to determine cardiac function. By directly engaging the trachea, the apparatus and method of the present invention are sensitive to very small accelerations, velocities or displacements of the trachea to permit accurate measurement of cardiac function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to assess cardiac function in a subject involves supporting a probe in the trachea for transmitting movement of the trachea in response to heart function. The transmitted movement is detected by a sensor which generates a waveform signal. The waveform signal is displayed and assessed to determine cardiac function. By directly engaging the trachea, the apparatus and method of the present invention are sensitive to very small accelerations, velocities or displacements of the trachea to permit accurate measurement of cardiac function.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to assess cardiac function in a human has a sensing mechanism to be positioned on the thyroid cartilage in the neck against the trachea. The sensing mechanism is able to sense a response of the thyroid cartilage to heart function. The apparatus includes a restraining system to hold the sensing mechanism in position. The method of determining cardiac function comprises sensing the response of the thyroid and trachea to heart function.

Abstract: An apparatus to separate two immiscible liquids of different densities that form a two phase mixture comprising an upper layer (10) and a lower layer (12) when together. The apparatus has a main body (14) to receive the two liquids. The main body has a base and an open top. There is an outlet (20) adjacent the base of the main body, arranged tangentially. A pump (22) pumps liquid from the main body through the outlet (20). A jet (24) generally adjacent the center of the main body (14) directs liquid upwardly from the body. The liquid is supplied to the jet (24) by pump (22). Floats (30) allow floating of the apparatus in a mixture of the two liquids. The fluid driven from the outlet (22) draws the two liquids into the body and the liquid from the jet (24) forces the upper layer (10) of liquid upwardly to separate the two liquids.

Abstract: An actuator able to move along a track. The actuator has an elastic coupling member that surrounds the track. The coupling member has a regularly grooved internal surface. There are pairs of piezo electric transducers surround the coupling member. These transducers are polarized with each member of a pair being polarized in a direction different from the other member of the pair. There is an insulator between neighbouring pairs of transducers and absorber means at each end of the actuator. Voltage can be applied to the transducers whereby the application of voltage expands and contracts the transducers, generating waves in the coupling member causing it to move along the track.