Abstract: An appliance for electrically stimulating tissue contractions of a living organism has circuitry for applying a stimulation potential to the tissue region to be stimulated and for applying a reference potential circuitry for detecting to the body of the living organism, stimulated tissue contractions. Following stimulation the stimulated tissue contraction is measured by a bipolar electrode between two adjacent tissue regions, the stimulation potential applied being to at least one of these tissue regions for the purpose of stimulating a tissue contraction.

Abstract: A pacemaker has a sensor for deteching inertial and/or rotational movements of a patient in whom the pacemaker is implanted. The sensor has a hollow member with at least one freely moveable member therein, the freely moveable member generating a mechanical vibration upon movement thereof within the hollow member caused by movement or rotation of the patient. A transducer generates an electrical signal corresponding to the mechanical vibrations, the electrical signal being proportional to the movement. This electrical signal is used to vary the rate at which stimulation pulses are supplied to the patient by the pacemaker.