Abstract: A device for placement in an environment, particularly a humid environment, for delivery of medication to said environment. The device comprises a reservoir (103) having an orifice (104), a conveying unit for conveying a reservoir's content (106) through the orifice (104) and an actuator arrangement for driving the conveying unit. In order to provide a reliable delivery of medication in a humid environment, the conveying unit comprises an auger (110) extending in the reservoir (103).

Abstract: Electronic pill (1, 11, 21) comprising a plurality of medicine reservoirs (2, 12, 22), each of the reservoirs comprising a discharge opening (3, 13, 23) covered by a removable cover (6, 16, 26). The pill comprises at least one actuator responsive to control circuitry for removing the cover from the discharge opening (3, 13, 23). The actuator can for example be a spring loaded piston (4) breaking a foil cover when dispensing the medicament. 5 Alternatively, the cover can be a rotatable disk (16) or cylinder (26) with an opening (17, 27) which can be brought in line with the discharge opening of a reservoir under the action of the actuator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for electrochemical fluid analysis comprises a chamber (1202) having a depth dimension for accommodating a volume of a fluid under test, first and second electrodes (A1) disposed within the chamber and extending along the depth dimension in spaced relation with each other, and a soluble solid, such as an annealed polymer, e.g. EUDRAGIT occupying a lateral gap between the first and second electrodes. The rate of dissolution as monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the soluble solid within the fluid depends on the chemical concentration of a corresponding analyte present in solution in the fluid. In one embodiment a silicon-based integrated circuit device defining an upper margin includes an array of electrodes disposed along said upper margin to permit direct exposure of the electrode array to the fluid under test. The device is constructed using CMOS technology.

Abstract: A localization system to localize an interventional instrument in the body of a patient. The localization system includes an electromagnetic wave source which splits an electromagnetic signal into components propagating along a probe path and a reference path, respectively. The probe path includes a signal outlet for emitting the signal at the point to be located and at least one detector for picking up the emitted signal. A correlator is used to determine the correlation between the signal components that propagated along the probe path and the reference path respectively. Knowing the length of the reference path, the unknown distance between the signal outlet and the detector in the probe path can be estimated based on the correlation information.

Abstract: A device for placement in an environment, particularly a humid environment, for delivery of medication to said environment. The device comprises a reservoir (103) having an orifice (104), a conveying unit for conveying a reservoir's content (106) through the orifice (104) and an actuator arrangement for driving the conveying unit. In order to provide a reliable delivery of medication in a humid environment, the conveying unit comprises an auger (110) extending in the reservoir (103).

Abstract: Electronic pill (1, 11, 21) comprising a plurality of medicine reservoirs (2, 12, 22), each of the reservoirs comprising a discharge opening (3, 13, 23) covered by a removable cover (6, 16, 26). The pill comprises at least one actuator responsive to control circuitry for removing the cover from the discharge opening (3, 13, 23). The actuator can for example be a spring loaded piston (4) breaking a foil cover when dispensing the medicament. 5 Alternatively, the cover can be a rotatable disk (16) or cylinder (26) with an opening (17, 27) which can be brought in line with the discharge opening of a reservoir under the action of the actuator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for electrochemical fluid analysis comprises a chamber (1202) having a depth dimension for accommodating a volume of a fluid under test, first and second electrodes (A1) disposed within the chamber and extending along the depth dimension in spaced relation with each other, and a soluble solid, such as an annealed polymer, e.g. EUDRAGIT occupying a lateral gap between the first and second electrodes. The rate of dissolution as monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the soluble solid within the fluid depends on the chemical concentration of a corresponding analyte present in solution in the fluid. In one embodiment a silicon-based integrated circuit device defining an upper margin includes an array of electrodes disposed along said upper margin to permit direct exposure of the electrode array to the fluid under test. The device is constructed using CMOS technology.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a plurality of openings patterned in the pixel metal layer in the peripheral region of the device exposing the insulating layer beneath, a plurality of light-shielding islands beneath the openings in the pixel metal layer, and a plurality of walls formed on the islands surrounding the openings and extending substantially between the islands and the pixel metal layer. A plurality of spacers are disposed on the exposed portions of the insulating layer in the peripheral region for supporting the transparent (e.g., glass) layer above and providing a space for the liquid crystal material. The structure enhances display uniformity by making the spacers formed in the peripheral area more closely match the spacers formed in the pixel area of the device.

Abstract: A liquid crystal is configured as a photonic crystal by an establishment of a network of biased liquid crystal regions within the liquid crystal. The liquid crystal is situated between a dielectric plane including an electrode plate and a glass plate, and a dielectric plane including a glass plate and a plurality of electrode pixels. The network is established by a selective application of one or more electric potentials between an electrode plate and one or more of the electrode pixels.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a plurality of openings patterned in the pixel metal layer in the peripheral region of the device exposing the insulating layer beneath, a plurality of light-shielding islands beneath the openings in the pixel metal layer, and a plurality of walls formed on the islands surrounding the openings and extending substantially between the islands and the pixel metal layer. A plurality of spacers are disposed on the exposed portions of the insulating layer in the peripheral region for supporting the transparent (e.g., glass) layer above and providing a space for the liquid crystal material. The structure enhances display uniformity by making the spacers formed in the peripheral area more closely match the spacers formed in the pixel area of the device.

Abstract: A column driving arrangement for an RLCD device isolates the source of a ramp voltage corresponding to gray-scale levels from the sample-and-hold gates of the individual columns. Preferably, this isolation is provided by an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) at each column that provides a controlled current for charging the column capacitance to the appropriate gray-scale voltage level. The capacitor effects an integration of the current, thereby providing a noise-filtering effect. Additionally, each column capacitance is individually discharged, thereby obviating the need for a common high-current discharge device.

Abstract: An electro-optic device comprising a matrix array of an LCD display element, the device having shared-source adjacent transistors in contiguous rows, thereby reducing the capacitive loading on drivers providing voltage signals which modulate the display elements. In addition, a method is provided for utilizing a matrix design that incorporates non-contiguous, multi-row addressing and shared-source transistors. The device and method provide a display device with large pixel count, yet with high display definition and performance.

Abstract: A liquid crystal is configured as a photonic crystal by an establishment of a network of biased liquid crystal regions within the liquid crystal. The liquid crystal is situated between a dielectric plane including an electrode plate and a glass plate, and a dielectric plane including a glass plate and a plurality of electrode pixels. The network is established by a selective application of one or more electric potentials between an electrode plate and one or more of the electrode pixels.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a plurality of openings patterned in the pixel metal layer in the peripheral region of the device exposing the insulating layer beneath, a plurality of light-shielding islands beneath the openings in the pixel metal layer, and a plurality of walls formed on the islands surrounding the openings and extending substantially between the islands and the pixel metal layer. A plurality of spacers are disposed on the exposed portions of the insulating layer in the peripheral region for supporting the transparent (e.g., glass) layer above and providing a space for the liquid crystal material. The structure enhances display uniformity by making the spacers formed in the peripheral area more closely match the spacers formed in the pixel area of the device.

Abstract: A method is provided for utilizing an M by N matrix array of electro-optic display elements that uses multi-row addressing, the method reducing row artifacts owing to adjacent row cross-talk and improving display performance. The method permits the use of a display device with large pixel count, yet with high display definition and performance.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a wall substantially extending between a peripheral portion of a first metal layer (pixel metal layer) formed in the peripheral region of the device with a light shield portion of a second metal layer formed in the pixel region of the device. The structure prevents light from reaching the substrate in the peripheral region of the device. Portions of the second metal layer formed in the peripheral region of the device may therefore be used for signal routing.

Abstract: A column driving arrangement for an RLCD device isolates the source of a ramp voltage corresponding to gray-scale levels from the sample-and-hold gates of the individual columns. Preferably, this isolation is provided by an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) at each column that provides a controlled current for charging the column capacitance to the appropriate gray-scale voltage level. The capacitor effects an integration of the current, thereby providing a noise-filtering effect. Additionally, each column capacitance is individually discharged, thereby obviating the need for a common high-current discharge device.

Abstract: A system for generating an image in an RLCD using pulsed current sources instead of pulsed voltage sources to reduce noise and power consumption. The current is provided by a plurality of RAM-driven IDACs having a current output. Each IDAC drives one or more of a plurality of RLCD columns in conjunction with one of a plurality of OTAs. Time-integration of the applied current by the intrinsic column capacitance of the RLCD creates a controlled voltage ramp on the column capacitance. A Look-Up-Table within each RAM holds a plurality of 8-bit digital values that correspond to the time-derivative of the current values.

Abstract: A method is provided for utilizing an M by N matrix array of electro-optic display elements that uses multi-row addressing, the method reducing row artifacts owing to adjacent row cross-talk and improving display performance. The method permits the use of a display device with large pixel count, yet with high display definition and performance.

Abstract: An electro-optic device comprising a matrix array of an LCD display element, the device having shared-source adjacent transistors in contiguous rows, thereby reducing the capacitive loading on drivers providing voltage signals which modulate the display elements. In addition, a method is provided for utilizing a matrix design that incorporates non-contiguous, multi-row addressing and shared-source transistors. The device and method provide a display device with large pixel count, yet with high display definition and performance.