Abstract: Apparatus and method comprising an ultrasound transmitter, for placement at a first location on the body of a subject, to emit an ultrasound pulse; an ultrasound receiver, for placement at a second location on the body, to detect an emitted ultrasound pulse; and a controller in communication with the transmitter and receiver. The controller causes an ultrasound pulse to be emitted by the transmitter; receives a measurement signal from the receiver; determines, based on the received measurement signal, a time of arrival at the receiver, T1 s of a first part of the emitted ultrasound pulse; determines, based on the received measurement signal, a time of arrival at the receiver, T2, of a second part of the ultrasound pulse; and calculates, using T1 and T2, a flow velocity of blood in a blood vessel between the first location and the second location.

Abstract: There is provided a hydration state indicator. The hydration state indicator comprises a watertight shell; a semi-permeable membrane configured to permit the passage of water molecules and to block the passage of molecules of at least one solute; a water-absorbent indicator layer enclosed by the shell and the membrane; and output means configured to provide an output. The water-absorbent indicator layer has a predetermined osmotic strength. The volume of at least one part of the indicator layer is variable in dependence on the water content of the indicator layer. The output is variable in dependence on the volume of the at least one part of the indicator layer.

Abstract: A gas sensor system is for use in, or in the vicinity of, a toilet, for detecting a target gas. A gas sensor detects a concentration of at least the target gas and a further, reference, gas which is received from a controlled gas release device. These concentrations are processed to obtain a concentration of the target gas relative to the concentration of the further gas by combining a change in the detected concentration of the target gas, a change in the detected concentration of the further gas, the sensitivity of the gas sensor system to the target gas and the sensitivity of the gas sensor system to the further gas. This approach avoids the need for extensive calibration operations to tune the sensor response to the environment in which it is used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for optically determining the concentration of a gas. The method includes using at least two luminescent dyes, the first being in-sensitive to the concentration of a gas with respect to the luminescence response (reference dye) and the second being sensitive to the concentration of a gas with respect to the luminescence response (indicator dye) the dyes show different luminescence decay times so that the resultant phase angle is indicative for the concentration of a gas, wherein the detected luminescent amplitude of the reference dye at a first moment in time is utilized to correct for sensitivity changes after the first moment.

Abstract: An optical sensor unit (10) for measuring a concentration of a gas is provided, comprising at least one sensing layer (122) adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation; at least one gas-permeable layer (121) adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer (122) and adapted to pass gas which concentration is to be measured through the gas-permeable layer (121) towards the sensing layer (122); a removable protective layer (150) covering at least the gas-permeable layer (121) and adapted to be removed before use of the optical sensor unit (10), wherein the optical sensor unit (10) is adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer (122), which optical response depends on the concentration of the gas.

Abstract: An apparatus and method (4,5,6,7,2) for capacitive measurement of electrophysiological signals (1) suppresses or reduces motion artifacts by providing a feedback mechanism. An average voltage between a capacitive sensor electrode (1) and the body (3) is controlled so as to reduce or minimize motion-induced signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemo-optical sensor unit for transcutaneous measurement of a concentration of a gas, comprising: at least one gas-permeable sensing layer adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation; and at least a first gas-permeable layer adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer, adapted to pass gas whose concentration is to be measured through the gas-permeable layer towards the sensing layer; at least one volatile acid and/or base binding layer in the gas-pathway from the skin to the sensing layer; adapted to pass gas whose concentration is to be measured through the volatile acid and/or base binding layer towards the sensing layer; wherein said chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to operate with a contact medium between the chemo-optical sensor unit and the skin and wherein the chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer, whose optical response depends on the concentration of the gas.

Abstract: A method includes generating at least first and second histograms respectively for at least first and second sets of vital sign measurements using at least first and second predetermined bins. The first and second sets of the vital sign measurements each include at least two measurements acquired at different times, and the first and second vital sign are different vital signs. The method further includes generating a first score distribution for the first vital sign by mapping each bin of the first predetermined bins to a corresponding predetermined score. The method further includes generating a second score distribution for the second vital sign by mapping each bin of the second predetermined bins to a corresponding predetermined score. The method further includes generating a compound score distribution for the first and second vital signs based on the first and second score distributions, the compound score distribution indicates a patient's health state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemo-optical sensor unit for transcutaneous measurement of a concentration of a gas, comprising: at least one sensing layer adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation; and at least one gas-permeable layer adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer, adapted to pass gas whose concentration is to be measured through the gas-permeable layer towards the sensing layer; wherein said chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to operate with a contact medium between the gas-permeable layer and the skin, wherein said contact medium comprises a first compound other than water; wherein said chemo-optical sensor unit is characterized in that said at least one gas-permeable layer and said at least one sensing layer are permeable to said first compound; and wherein the chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer, whose optical response depends on the concentration of the gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for optically determining the concentration of a gas, using at least two luminescent dyes, the first being in-sensitive to the concentration of a gas with respect to the luminescence response (reference dye) and the second being sensitive to the concentration of a gas with respect to the luminescence response (indicator dye), wherein said dyes show different luminescence decay times so that the resultant phase angle is indicative for the concentration of a gas, characterized in that the detected luminescent amplitude of the reference dye at a first moment in time is utilized to correct for sensitivity changes after said moment. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method for quality assessment of the measurement of an optical sensor for determining the concentration of a gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemo-optical sensor unit for transcutaneous measurement of a concentration of a gas, comprising: at least one sensing layer adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation; and at least one gas-permeable layer adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer, adapted to pass gas whose concentration is to be measured through the gas-permeable layer towards the sensing layer; wherein said chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to operate with a contact medium between the gas-permeable layer and the skin, wherein said contact medium comprises a barrier layer which is gas- permeable and impermeable to water and ions; and wherein the chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer, whose optical response depends on the concentration of the gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sensor unit (10) for measuring gas concentration, comprising: sensor means (12, 13) and first thermal insulation means (14, 16) at least partially surrounding said sensor means (12, 13). The sensor means (12,13) includes at least one sensing layer (12) adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation (100), and at least one gas-permeable layer (13) adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer (12) and adapted to pass gas, which concentration is to measured, through the gas-permeable layer (13) towards the at least one sensing layer (12). The optical sensor unit (10) is adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer (12), which optical response depends on the gas concentration.

Abstract: A main memory (10) comprises a plurality of physical blocks of memory locations. The main memory (10) supports erasing of at least a physical block at a time. Pointer information is stored in a subset (40, 42) of the blocks for use to identify respective ones of the physical blocks that are assigned to respective functions. Successive versions of the pointing information are stored at mutually different memory locations initially in a first block (40) in the subset (40, 42). A subsequent version of the pointing information that is more recent than the successive versions is stored in a second block (42) of the subset (40, 42) at least after the first block (40) has been filled. The first block (40) is erased after storing the subsequent version. On start up of the main memory the pointing information is recovered by testing which of the blocks of the subset (40, 42) contains a most recent version of the pointing information.

Abstract: A system (202) generates patient alarms using a stepped alarm scheme. The system (202) includes one or more processors (220) programmed to receive physiological scores and/or physiological parameter values; compare the physiological scores and/or the physiological parameter values to a plurality of alarm levels; in response to a physiological score and/or physiological parameter value falling within an uninhibited zone of the alarm levels, issue an alarm; and set a first inhibition period for the uninhibited alarm level after issuing the alarm.

Abstract: An optical sensor unit (10) for measuring a concentration of a gas is provided, comprising at least one sensing layer (122) adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation; at least one gas-permeable layer (121) adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer (122) and adapted to pass gas which concentration is to be measured through the gas-permeable layer (121) towards the sensing layer (122); a removable protective layer (150) covering at least the gas-permeable layer (121) and adapted to be removed before use of the optical sensor unit (10), wherein the optical sensor unit (10) is adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer (122), which optical response depends on the concentration of the gas.

Abstract: A method for automatically monitoring consciousness of a person and triggering an alarm if the monitored person is not in a state of full consciousness is provided. The method comprises the steps: monitoring at least one aspect of the behavior of the person (S1); analyzing whether the monitored behavior of the person corresponds to an expected behavior for a state of full consciousness or not (S2, S2?); triggering an alarm if the analysis results in that the detected behavior does not correspond to the expected behavior (S3).

Abstract: The invention relates to method and a system of interpreting angular orientation data. It is determined, whether the angular deviation of a current angular orientation (C) of a sensor device (12) from a last extreme angular orientation (L) currently decreases after having increased before up to a provisional new extreme angular orientation (P), thereby determining that the provisional new extreme angular orientation (P) is a new extreme angular orientation. Information relating to a new extreme angular orientation, such as an angular range of motion, may be output to a user.

Abstract: A controller for a display device includes a processor configured to receive an indication of the orientation of a user of the display device; receive an indication of the orientation of the display device; and generate a graphical representation of a user of the display device using the received indications, such that the orientation of the graphical representation of the user is adapted based on the orientation of the display device.

Abstract: A system (202) generates patient alarms using a stepped alarm scheme. The system (202) includes one or more processors (220) programmed to receive physiological scores and/or physiological parameter values; compare the physiological scores and/or the physiological parameter values to a plurality of alarm levels; in response to a physiological score and/or physiological parameter value falling within an uninhibited zone of the alarm levels, issue an alarm; and set a first inhibition period for the uninhibited alarm level after issuing the alarm.

Abstract: There is therefore provided a user feedback engine, comprising a message generation module for generating messages for a user; a queue management module for managing a queue of the generated messages; wherein each message includes respective values for a plurality of parameters including a priority, a period of validity and a non-repeat time; and wherein the queue management module manages the messages in the queue in accordance with the respective values.