Abstract: The system of the present invention includes a heat exchange catheter for warming flowing blood within a blood vessel. The heat exchange catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end with electrodes. The electrodes generate an electric field that radiates heat to the flowing blood. The electrodes comprise discrete bands that serially align and are spaced apart from each other. Each electrode has a polarity, and for each electrode there is an adjacent electrode having an opposite polarity. A support centrally aligns the catheter body within the blood vessel.

Abstract: The system of the present invention includes a heat exchange catheter for warming flowing blood within a blood vessel. The heat exchange catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end with electrodes. The electrodes generate an electric field that radiates heat to the flowing blood. The electrodes comprise discrete bands that serially align and are spaced apart from each other. Each electrode has a polarity, and for each electrode there is an adjacent electrode having an opposite polarity. A support centrally aligns the catheter body within the blood vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for visualizing a scene in the form of image rays projecting along a path includes a plurality of charge coupled device detectors disposed along the path to receive the image rays and to collect data. This data includes both noise data which is collected at a generally constant rate, and image data which is collected when the image rays are present along the path. A clock which facilitates discharge of the data from the image array has a first state wherein the data is retained in the detectors, and a second state wherein the data is discharged from the detectors. An event detector including a plurality of charge coupled device detectors forms an event array which places the clock in the first state when the image rays are present along the path and places the clock in the second state when the image rays are absent from the path.

Abstract: A power supply for an incandescent lamp by which sufficient power is supplied to the lamp to enable the lamp to reach its desired color temperature without exceeding the break over voltage of its filament even though the peaks of the alternating current voltage applied to the power supply exceed the break-over voltage of the filament of the lamp. This is achieved in a preferred embodiment by full-wave rectification of the alternating current voltage applied to the power supply to produced an unfiltered voltage comprising a series of half-cycle sine waves of a particular polarity. This voltage is applied to the lamp. However, when the voltage of each half cycle is above the breakover voltage of the lamp, the lamp is switched out of the circuit, so that only those portions at the beginning and end of each half cycle which are below a particular voltage are actually applied to the lamp.

Abstract: A laser heating system projects a beam of optical radiation on a region to be heated. A sensor detects changes in temperature of the region by sensing the black body radiation of the heated region. A control circuit then controls the intensity of the beam as a function of the sensed black body radiation. In another embodiment, the beam is moved among the region and the light intensity of the beam is dynamically controlled.