Abstract: The invention concerns a micro-muscle designed to be immersed in a biological liquid, comprising a deformable chamber whereof one portion at least consists of a semipermeable membrane, said chamber containing a solution capable of osmotic activity. The solution is preferably activated by a product to be injected into the biological liquid.

Abstract: A device for detecting a surgical tool in an image, the surgical tool going through an incision made in a patient's skin or one of his organs, the device including: means for storing shape parameters of the surgical tool, means for determining the position of the projection of the incision in the image plane and means for determining points and/or straight lines characteristic of the projection of the surgical tool on the image based on the shape parameters and on the position of the projection of the incision.

Abstract: An actuator for arrangement in contact with a biological solvent includes a housing with a wall which is permeable to the solvent and not permeable to a first solute and which contains micro-organisms for transforming a second solute into the first solute. The actuator further includes a deformable chamber connected to the housing which can increase in volume due to the solvent entering the housing by osmosis. An engine may make use of the actuator.

Abstract: An actuator comprising an enclosure having a wall impermeable to a first solute and permeable to a solvent and containing, at least temporarily, a catalyst capable of promoting the transformation of at least one second solute into the first solute to vary the osmotic pressure in the enclosure; and a deformable chamber connected to the enclosure, said chambre being capable of increasing in volume under the action of the solvent moving from the enclosure into the chamber by osmosis or said enclosure being designed to be arranged in contact with the solvent, said chamber being capable of increasing in volume under the action of the solvent penetrating into the enclosure by osmosis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medical instrument (20) comprising a lower plate (22); at least one upper plate (24A, 24B) opposite the lower plate; a spacer means (26) which is disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate and used to permanently hold the upper plate is a substantially parallel position in relation to the lower plate and to move the upper plate away from the lower plate, said means being fully contained between the upper and lower plate, the minimal spacing between the outer surfaces of the upper plate and lower plate being less than 10 millimetres; and flexible control means connected to the spacing means

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for positioning with respect to a patient's body an observation and/or intervention device having a portion penetrating into the patient's body comprising a base laid on the patient's body; a means for supporting the device formed of a first portion movably assembled on the base according to a connection with one degree of freedom, and of a second portion movably assembled on the first portion according to a connection with one degree of freedom and connected to the device; and means for actuating the first portion with respect to the base, and the second portion with respect to the first portion, in which the base surrounds at a distance at least partially the device, said device being detachably connected to the second portion to enable removal of the positioning system while leaving in place the device.

Abstract: In order to be able to ascertain the position of the bone in the body without complicated procedures in a process for the preoperative determination of the positioning data of endoprosthetic parts of a central joint relative to the bones forming the central joint, a respective outer articular point is determined by way or movement of the bones about a respective outer joint which is located at the end of the two bones facing away from the central joint. An articular point is determined for each of the two bones in the area of the central joint, and a direction characteristic for each of these bones is determined by way of a straight-line connection of the two articular points obtained in this manner for the two bones. The orientation of the endoprosthetic parts relative to this characteristic direction is then determined. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: A system for positioning with respect to a patient's body an observation and/or intervention device comprising at least a mechanical part and a system for actuating the mechanical part, the actuation system comprising a piston capable of sliding a rod and connected to means for supplying a fluid under pressure; a drive element connected to the mechanical part and comprising dissymmetrical teeth; and a bearing element assembled on the rod and capable, on displacement of the rod along a determined direction, of cooperating with a tooth of the drive element to displace the drive element by a determined distance and/or angle, the bearing element, on displacement of the rod along the direction opposite to the determined direction, exerting a substantially zero force on the drive element to avoid displacing the drive element.

Abstract: A remotely controllable system for positioning on a patient an observation and/or intervention device, including a frame to which the device is bound with a number of degrees of freedom; flexible connection means, each of which is arranged between the frame and a point attached to the patient's support or to the patient himself; remotely controlled means for modifying the length/tension of the binding means; and means for remotely observing the device behavior.

Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator for arrangement in contact with a biological solvent, comprising a housing (12) with a wall which is permeable to the solvent and not permeable to a first solute and which contains micro-organisms for transforming a second solute into the first solute and further comprising a deformable chamber (31) connected to the housing which can increase in volume due to the solvent entering the housing by osmosis. The invention further relates to an engine making use of said actuator.

Abstract: In order to be able to ascertain the position of the bone in the body without complicated procedures in a process for the preoperative determination of the positioning data of endoprosthetic parts of a central joint relative to the bones forming the central joint, a respective outer articular point is determined by way of movement of the bones about a respective outer joint which is located at the end of the two bones facing away from the central joint. An articular point is determined for each of the two bones in the area of the central joint, and a direction characteristic for each of these bones is determined by way of a straight-line connection of the two articular points obtained in this manner for the two bones. The orientation of the endoprosthetic parts relative to this characteristic direction is then determined. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: A method for determining the center of rotation of a bone in a revolute joint, for example, a femur in the iliac bone, including the steps of displacing said bone, locating several ones of its positions, and memorizing them, imposing a constraint to the displacement of said center of rotation without for all this immobilizing it, and searching a point linked to the referential of said bone for which an optimization criterion taking into account said constraint is reached.

Abstract: The invention concerns a micro-muscle designed to be immersed in a biological liquid, comprising a deformable chamber whereof one portion at least consists of a semipermeable membrane, said chamber containing a solution capable of osmotic activity. The solution is preferably activated by a product to be injected into the biological liquid.

Abstract: The invention concerns a pneumatic system for displacing a cable (1) stretched in a loop between at least two pulleys (2, 3). Said system comprises at least an artificial muscle (5) inserted over a portion of the loop, the length of said artificial muscle varying depending on whether or not it is under pressure, means for pressurizing or not the artificial muscle, and means for alternately blocking two of said pulleys in a least one rotating direction.

Abstract: In order to be able to ascertain the position of the bone in the body without complicated procedures in a process for the preoperative determination of the positioning data of endoprosthetic parts of a central joint relative to the bones forming the central joint, a respective outer articular point is determined by way or movement of the bones about a respective outer joint which is located at the end of the two bones facing away from the central joint. An articular point is determined for each of the two bones in the area of the central joint, and a direction characteristic for each of these bones is determined by way of a straight-line connection of the two articular points obtained in this manner for the two bones. The orientation of the endoprosthetic parts relative to this characteristic direction is then determined. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: In order to be able to ascertain the position of the bone in the body without complicated procedures in a process for the preoperative determination of the positioning data of endoprosthetic parts of a central joint relative to the bones forming the central joint, a respective outer articular point is determined by way of movement of the bones about a respective outer joint which is located at the end of the two bones facing away from the central joint. An articular point is determined for each of the two bones in the area of the central joint, and a direction characteristic for each of these bones is determined by way of a straight-line connection of the two articular points obtained in this manner for the two bones. The orientation of the endoprosthetic parts relative to this characteristic direction is then determined. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: In order to be able to ascertain the position of the bone in the body without complicated procedures in a process for the preoperative determination of the positioning data of endoprosthetic parts of a central joint relative to the bones forming the central joint, a respective outer articular point is determined by way of movement of the bones about a respective outer joint which is located at the end of the two bones facing away from the central joint. An articular point is determined for each of the two bones in the area of the central joint, and a direction characteristic for each of these bones is determined by way of a straight-line connection of the two articular points obtained in this manner for the two bones. The orientation of the endoprosthetic parts relative to this characteristic direction is then determined. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: A system for simulating an orthognatic surgery action, including an X-ray scanner, a device of three-dimensional localization of relative positions of dental castings, each associated with a unit locatable in position and orientation by the localization device, and an image processing system for combining tomographic images provided by the scanner with positioning data provided by the localization device to obtain three-dimensional images.

Abstract: A three-dimensional energy distribution device includes a volume reacting to the energy of a predetermined radiation; a plurality of sources of the radiation illuminating the volume according to respective angles; and, placed between each source and the volume, a support that is transparent to the radiation and that includes an image corresponding to a density projection of a real or virtual object examined at the angle the respective source illuminates the volume, the projection having been subjected to an image correction process.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a point F1 of a femur with respect to a point T1 of a tibia such that the distance between F1 and T1 is substantially invariant. The method uses a three-dimensional locating system including triplets of emitting elements especially including a pointer that can be located by the system, and includes the steps of linking a first triplet to the first organ; pointing with the pointer at the position of point T1 and locating this position with respect to the position of the first triplet; pointing with the pointer at the positions of an assembly of second points that are positioned within an area of the femur where the invariant point is likely to be found; calculating the distances separating point from each of points Fi; moving the tibia with respect to the femur add calculating the variations in the distances; and selecting point F1 for which the distance is invariant.