Abstract: Disclosed is an implant and method of making an implant. The implant having a housing that defines a cavity. The housing includes a sensor comprising a base attached to a diaphragm wherein said base may be positioned within said cavity. The sensor may be a capacitive pressure sensor. The diaphragm may be connected to the housing to hermetically seal said housing. The sensor may include electrical contacts positioned on the diaphragm. The attachment between the base and the diaphragm may define a capacitive gap and at least one discontinuity configured to enhance at least one performance parameter of said implant.

Abstract: A system for treating hydrocephalus in a patient including a valve assembly and an external device. The valve assembly includes a controller that actuates the valve assembly between an open position and a closed position. The valve assembly also includes one or more sensors operatively connected to the controller, where the one or more sensors generate internal sensor data indicating a condition of the patient, and the controller actuates the valve assembly based on the internal sensor data. The external device generates an audible or visual warning, alarm, or notification when an amount of charge in the battery is below a predetermined threshold, when the controller, the external device, or a remote server determine an event occurrence based on the internal sensor data, when a manual override of the valve assembly exceeds a predetermined duration, or when the external device attempts and fails to communicate with the valve assembly.

Abstract: A wireless sensor reader configured to ascertain the resonance frequency of a sensor may comprise a transmit circuit configured to transmit a wireless energizing pulse at a transmit frequency to the sensor, exciting a resonant circuit within the sensor to resonance at a frequency proportional to a measured parameter and a receiver circuit configured to receive a response signal from the sensor, the response signal being a continuous wave at the sensor resonance frequency. The wireless sensor reader may also comprise a circuit for determining the frequency of the sensor response signal, where the reader selects the transmit frequency of the energizing pulse from a plurality of discrete narrowband frequencies, the selection taking place before the determination of the frequency of the sensor response signal.

Abstract: A connector for use with a GFCI receptacle is provided. The connector includes a body, a latch configured to couple the body to the GFCI receptacle, a first blade supported by and extending from the body, a second blade supported by and extending from the body, wherein when the body is coupled to the GFCI receptacle, the first blade is received by a first mating terminal of the GFCI receptacle and the second blade is received by a second mating terminal of the GFCI receptacle to electrically couple the receptacle to a downstream device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an implant and method of making an implant. The implant having a housing that defines a cavity. The housing includes a sensor comprising a base attached to a diaphragm wherein said base may be positioned within said cavity. The sensor may be a capacitive pressure sensor. The diaphragm may be connected to the housing to hermetically seal said housing. The sensor may include electrical contacts positioned on the diaphragm. The attachment between the base and the diaphragm may define a capacitive gap and at least one discontinuity configured to enhance at least one performance parameter of said implant.

Abstract: A cranial shunt implantable into a patient, the cranial shunt may comprise a first catheter, a second catheter and a valve assembly operatively coupled with the first and second catheters, the valve assembly comprising an inlet and a microcontroller, wherein the first catheter transfers cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the inlet. The cranial shunt may also comprise a pressure sensor configured to provide intracranial pressure (ICP) of the patient to the microcontroller, and a tilt sensor configured to provide an angle of orientation relative to gravity of a cranium of the patient to the microcontroller, where the valve assembly passes or blocks the CSF flow to the second catheter based on instructions from the microcontroller.

Abstract: A cooking utensil for reducing the friction between a food contact surface and any food positioned thereon through vibrations to allow the food to more easily be transferred therefrom. The cooking utensil has a food contact member and a handle coupled to the food contact member. An actuator is coupled to the food contact member. A power supply is selectively electrically coupled to the actuator through a switch. When the switch is in a first position, the switch electrically decouples the power supply from the actuator. When the switch is in a second position, the switch electrically couples the power supply to the actuator to activate the actuator and jostling or vibrating the food contact member to reduce the higher static friction to the lower kinetic friction between the food contact member and the food.

Abstract: An apparatus for centralized housing and operation of RFID components for a waste and/or recycling service vehicle is provided. The apparatus centralizes most or all the functional RFID-related components on a waste or recycling service vehicle. The vehicle can be equipped with RFID technology such as readers, antennas, processors, power modules (with or without batteries), cellular modems, and other related components that are bundled into a single RFID hub located on or within the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicle shelf systems having indicators thereon for improving loading and delivery efficiency. Items are scanned for loading, and the indicators on the vehicle shelves identify where to place the item based on the sequence of the delivery point along the delivery route. A mobile computing device alerts a delivery carrier when the delivery vehicle is in proximity to a delivery point when an item is to be delivered.

Abstract: Disclosed is a physiologic monitoring system comprising a central hub in communication with a management portal for communicating physiologic measurements taken from a plurality of peripheral devices on a patient. At least one non-invasive peripheral device may measure physiologic data from a patient and be in communication with said central hub. A system including an invasive peripheral device may be associated with said patient and be in communication with said central hub. The central hub may be scalable to collect and communicate measurements from the non-invasive peripheral device and the invasive peripheral device. The at least one non-invasive peripheral device may include a blood pressure cuff, an oxygen sensor, a weight scale, and an ECG monitor. The invasive peripheral device may include a wireless sensor reader that may be adapted to measure physiologic data from a sensor implant placed within the cardiovascular system of said patient.

Abstract: Disclosed is an implant and method of making an implant. The implant having a housing that defines a cavity. The housing includes a sensor comprising a base attached to a diaphragm wherein said base may be positioned within said cavity. The sensor may be a capacitive pressure sensor. The diaphragm may be connected to the housing to hermetically seal said housing. The sensor may include electrical contacts positioned on the diaphragm. The base may define a capacitive gap and a vent wherein the electrodes may be positioned within said capacitive gap such that at least a portion of the electrical contacts extend through the vent. The implant may include a coil in electric communication with the sensor, said coil may be positioned within said housing. A printed circuit board having at least one component may be attached to the floating base.

Abstract: Vehicle shelf systems having indicators thereon for improving loading and delivery efficiency. Items are scanned for loading, and the indicators on the vehicle shelves identify where to place the item based on the sequence of the delivery point along the delivery route. A mobile computing device alerts a delivery carrier when the delivery vehicle is in proximity to a delivery point when an item is to be delivered.

Abstract: A cranial shunt implantable into a patient, the cranial shunt may comprise a first catheter, a second catheter and a valve assembly operatively coupled with the first and second catheters, the valve assembly comprising an inlet and a microcontroller, wherein the first catheter transfers cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the inlet. The cranial shunt may also comprise a pressure sensor configured to provide intracranial pressure (ICP) of the patient to the microcontroller, and a tilt sensor configured to provide an angle of orientation relative to gravity of a cranium of the patient to the microcontroller, where the valve assembly passes or blocks the CSF flow to the second catheter based on instructions from the microcontroller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a physiologic monitoring system comprising a central hub in communication with a management portal for communicating physiologic measurements taken from a plurality of peripheral devices on a patient. At least one non-invasive peripheral device may measure physiologic data from a patient and be in communication with said central hub. A system including an invasive peripheral device may be associated with said patient and be in communication with said central hub. The central hub may be scalable to collect and communicate measurements from the non-invasive peripheral device and the invasive peripheral device. The at least one non-invasive peripheral device may include a blood pressure cuff, an oxygen sensor, a weight scale, and an ECG monitor. The invasive peripheral device may include a wireless sensor reader that may be adapted to measure physiologic data from a sensor implant placed within the cardiovascular system of said patient.

Abstract: Disclosed is an implant and method of making an implant. The implant having a housing that defines a cavity. The housing includes a sensor comprising a base attached to a diaphragm wherein said base may be positioned within said cavity. The sensor may be a capacitive pressure sensor. The diaphragm may be connected to the housing to hermetically seal said housing. The sensor may include electrical contacts positioned on the diaphragm. The base may define a capacitive gap and a vent wherein the electrodes may be positioned within said capacitive gap such that at least a portion of the electrical contacts extend through the vent. The implant may include a coil in electric communication with the sensor, said coil may be positioned within said housing. A printed circuit board having at least one component may be attached to the floating base.

Abstract: Disclosed are a reader device, system, and method for communicating with a wireless sensor. The reader device may be configured to analyze the strength of a response signal transmitted from the wireless sensor in response to an excitation pulse generated by the reader device. In one embodiment, the reader device may be configured to engage be placed in a plurality of modes to allow the reader to transmit a signal, such as a short pulse of energy or a short burst of radio frequency energy to cause the wireless sensor to output a resonant signal. The reader device may receive the resonant signal from the wireless sensor and evaluate it against predetermined values. The evaluated signals may be used to assess the strength and the proximity of the reader device relative to the wireless sensor as it is implanted in a patient.

Abstract: The present technology relates to surgical drilling devices, and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments. a surgical drilling device includes a drill bit and a drill motor. During operation, the drill bit and the drill motor can generate one or more parameters. The parameters can correspond to the drilling behavior of the drill bit, for example, to a type of tissue or a drill bit penetration depth, such that the parameters can be used to create an automatic stop threshold. In some embodiments, the surgical drilling device can be configured to measure one or more of the parameters, and to automatically stop the drill motor based on a comparison of the measured parameter(s) and the automatic stop threshold.

Abstract: A wireless circuit includes a housing, such as a hermetic housing, and at least one antenna coil wound about a coil axis within the housing. The coil axis may be substantially parallel to at least one wall of the housing, wherein the wall parallel to the coil axis is substantially thinner than other walls of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed are a reader device, system, and method for communicating with a wireless sensor. The reader device may be configured to analyze the strength of a response signal transmitted from the wireless sensor in response to an excitation pulse generated by the reader device. In one embodiment, the reader device may be configured to engage be placed in a plurality of modes to allow the reader to transmit a signal, such as a short pulse of energy or a short burst of radio frequency energy to cause the wireless sensor to output a resonant signal. The reader device may receive the resonant signal from the wireless sensor and evaluate it against predetermined values. The evaluated signals may be used to assess the strength and the proximity of the reader device relative to the wireless sensor as it is implanted in a patient.