Abstract: The invention provides a power generation device comprising at least two generating arrangements, each adapted to generate a voltage output through the relative motion of two differently charged generating elements, the generating elements having some separation distance (which may be zero or non-zero). The arrangements are co-operatively configured in such a way that the separation distances between their respective elements are reciprocally related: an increase in one leads to a related decrease in the other. By combining these two signal outputs, a single voltage, current or power output may be provided in a self-regulating manner by the device whose amplitude is substantially independent of any changes or variations in the separation distance between elements of either of the two arrangements.

Abstract: The invention provides an electroactive material (preferably electroactive polymer) sensor system, comprising an electroactive material sensor (22) and a control system (28) for performing measurements relating to the impedance of the electroactive material sensor at at least first and second different frequencies. From these measurements a temperature at the sensor and an external pressure or force applied to the sensor can be determined. The sensor can thus be used as a pressure sensor and as a temperature sensor. When used in combination with actuation, an electroactive material actuator with integrated temperature sensing functionality is able to measure the temperature at the exact actuator position, which is always closer than an external thermocouple.

Abstract: An actuator device comprises an electroactive or photoactive polymer arrangement having an effective length over which expansion or contraction is induced by actuation. The effective length is greater than the maximum linear physical dimension of the space occupied by the polymer arrangement. In this way, a compact design is provided which can support a large actuation displacement.

Abstract: A monitoring system comprises an intra-vascular support device and a sensor mounted to the support device and projecting into the vessel. The sensor generates a signal which is dependent on the level of deformation of a free end. The sensor signal is interpreted to enable detection of changes in the length of a deformable part of the sensor thereby to determine a level of bio-layer formation and also determine a level of flow. The sensor remains able to detect flow even when a bio-layer is formed and it can also detect the presence (and thickness) of the bio-layer, because part of the sensor becomes rigid when constrained by the bio-layer.

Abstract: An actuator device comprises an EAP structure which deforms in response to a drive signal applied to the device, a device output being derived from movement of the EAP structure. A delay arrangement is used such that the mechanical output from the device is not generated for a first range or type of applied drive signals, and said device output is generated for a second range or type of applied drive signals. This device is for example particularly suitable for use in a passive matrix system.

Abstract: A multi-view display includes a view forming arrangement having a first view forming structure spaced by a first distance from a display panel for providing multiple views across a first direction, and a second view forming arrangement spaced by a second distance from the display panel for providing multiple views across a second perpendicular direction. An angular width of the multiple views in the two directions can thus be independently defined.

Abstract: A user device comprises an app that stores and maintains exclusive control of user data, and causes one or more processors to send a request for services according to a trial period to a distributed ledger associated with service providers and anonymously interact with the service providers according to a set of rules maintained in the distributed ledger by passing along a token uniquely associated with the user during for the respective interaction with each service provider without the user data being shared with the service providers.

Abstract: A user device that receives plural strings of data corresponding to physiological data, generated from a training model trained in an unsupervised manner using concurrently implemented loss functions, and using a distance metric, relative to a threshold, applied between the plural strings to provide an indication of authenticity.

Abstract: The invention provides an energy generation system comprising a generator having charged mutually rotating plate elements, and comprising an integrated drive mechanism for precisely controlling a separation distance between the plates. The drive mechanism provides a separation which varies as a function of the speed of rotation, hence assimilating separation control within the natural operation of the device. Embodiments provide plates comprising self-generating bearings, both hydrodynamic gas and fluid bearings and centrifugal regulator solid bearings, the bearings providing a supporting force between the plates of a magnitude which increases as the rotational speed of the plates increases. Methods of energy generation are also provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method that receives at an apparatus a request from a first computing device for access to information related to a first user data set; determines, or receives an indication of a determination, whether the first computing device can access the information based on criteria for sharing information, the criteria based on one or more characteristics of the first user data set and a second user data set accessible by the first computing device; and provide a response based on the determination, the response preserving privacy of a user corresponding to the first user data set.

Abstract: A monitoring system includes an implantable intra-vascular support device for positioning against a vessel wall and an implantable sensor-actuator mounted to the support device. The sensor-actuator is drivable between a non-deployed position in which it is against the support device and a deployed position in which it is displaced away from the support device. Sensor signals are generated when in the deployed position. This system is able to monitor flow away from the edge of a vessel by deploying the sensor-actuator towards the center of the vessel. When flow monitoring does not need to take place, it can be non-deployed so that it does not present an occlusion to the flow.

Abstract: The invention provides an energy generation and/or conversion system and method wherein an electrical power generator is controlled to periodically alternate between a contact-mode, during which elements of the generator are brought into contact to induce a state of charging, and a non-contact mode, during which plates of the generator are separated from one another and electrical energy is generated through electrostatic induction. Timing and duration of contact and non-contact modes are controlled by a controller, or by user commands, in dependence on a charge state of the elements of the generator: In this way elements are controlled to come into contact only when surface charge has fallen below a certain level, and re-charging is necessary; contact time between the elements may hence be minimised—thereby minimising incurred noise and surface wear—whilst still maintaining a given desired threshold power output.

Abstract: The invention provides an energy generation system comprising a generator having charged mutually rotating plate elements, and comprising an integrated drive mechanism for precisely controlling a separation distance between the plates. The drive mechanism provides a separation which varies as a function of the speed of rotation, hence assimilating separation control within the natural operation of the device. Embodiments provide plates comprising self-generating bearings, both hydrodynamic gas and fluid bearings and centrifugal regulator solid bearings, the bearings providing a supporting force between the plates of a magnitude which increases as the rotational speed of the plates increases. Methods of energy generation are also provided.

Abstract: A system for determining a pulse wave velocity comprises a body lumen insertable device with an actuator for providing a pulse in the vicinity of a vessel wall and a sensor for sensing arrival of the pulse. A pulse wave velocity is obtained from the time difference between actuation of the actuator and sensing of the pulse. This system is used to create an artificial pulse which is transmitted along a vessel by a known distance before detection by a sensor.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods and apparatus for leveraging the triboelectric effect to improve fall detection. In various embodiments, fall detection system (100) may include: a triboelectric sensor (102) that is securable to a portion of a person's body or is affixed to clothing worn by the person, wherein the triboelectric sensor includes at least one electrode (103) that defines a surface; readout circuitry (104) that detects charge at the at least one electrode caused by physical contact between the surface of the at least one electrode and at least one other surface; and logic (106) that receives, from the readout circuitry, a first signal indicative of the detected charge at the at least one electrode and, based at least in part on the first signal, provides output indicative of a detected fall.

Abstract: An actuator device has a temperature sensing means and a controller adapted to apply a high frequency AC signal to stimulate internal self-heating to thereby maintain a temperature of an actuator member of the device at a certain fixed temperature, this temperature being elevated with respect to an initial temperature of the actuator member. This ensures that thermal drift may be mitigated or eliminated by compensating for any changes in environmental temperature through raising or lowering the level of the heating signal.

Abstract: A light based skin treatment device (10, 20) is provided, comprising a light source (18) for providing an incident light beam (21) for treating a skin (30) by laser induced optical breakdown (LIOB) of hair or skin tissue, a transparent exit window (14) for allowing the incident light beam (21) to exit the device (10, 20), and an optical system for focusing the incident light beam (21) into a focal spot (221, 222) in the hair or skin tissue outside the skin treatment device (10, 20).

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to wearable or insertable devices that allow for ongoing sampling and analysis of biomarkers and self-cleaning. In various embodiments, an apparatus may include a base (102) defining at least one reservoir (104), and at least one microneedle (106, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706, 806, 906) extending from the base. The at least one microneedle may define an inner lumen (409, 509, 609, 709, 809, 909) that fluidly couples the at least one reservoir with tissue of the patient. A mechanically responsive material (670, 770, 870) on an inner surface of the at least one microneedle defining the inner lumen may be reactive to various stimuli to undergo various mechanical responses, such as one mechanical response that purges fluid from the inner lumen of the at least one microneedle and another mechanical response that draws fluid into the inner lumen of the at least one microneedle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vital sign monitoring system. The system comprises a segmented electrode forming an in-plane electrode array, wherein the electrode comprise a skin contacting skin adhering contact layer mounted on an electrode backing material, a deformation sensor arranged for identifying deformation information of the electrode, a signal processor arranged to receive a vital sign signal from the electrode and process the deformation information to remove artefacts from the vital sign signal, wherein the electrode comprises multiple electrode segments and wherein the signal processor is arranged to select that electrode segment that has a lowest deformation of all electrode segments of the electrode.

Abstract: The invention provides an electroactive polymer actuator comprising a capacitance compensation means adapted to at least partially offset any changes in the capacitance across the member induced by its deformation. In this way, the electronic control of the device is rendered much simpler, since a varying capacitance across the actuator member does not have to be accounted for when driving the actuator to perform a particular deformation.