Abstract: An atherectomy catheter device includes an elongate body, a drive shaft extending proximally to distally within the elongate body, and a cutter attached to the drive shaft. The cutter includes a serrated annular cutting edge formed on a distal edge of the cutter and a recessed bowl extending radially inwards from the annular cutting edge to a center of the cutter. The recessed bowl has a first curvature. The cutter further includes a plurality of grinding segments extending inwardly from the distal edge within the bowl. Each of the plurality of segments has a second curvature that is different from the first curvature.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a housing and a display in the housing. The display may be used as an anemometer to measure the speed of ambient air in the device's environment. In particular, the display may be monitored by a temperature sensor until it reaches an equilibrium temperature, at which point it may be heated by increasing the brightness of the display or using a separate heater. After heating, a cooling response of the display may be measured, and the ambient air speed may be calculated based on the cooling response of the display. Instead of measuring the air speed using the display, other components, such as a pressure sensor, may be used to measure the air speed by heating the components and measuring a cooling response of the components. Multiple temperature sensors may be incorporated into the device to determine a wind direction in addition to air speed.

Abstract: Various sensors, including particulate matter sensors, are described. One particulate matter sensor includes a self-mixing interferometry sensor and a set of one or more optical elements. The set of one or more optical elements is positioned to receive an optical emission of the self-mixing interferometry sensor, split the optical emission into multiple beams, and direct each beam of the multiple beams in a different direction. The self-mixing interferometry sensor is configured to generate particle speed information for particles passing through respective measurement regions of the multiple beams.

Abstract: A waterproofed environmental sensing device with water detection provisions includes an environmental sensor to sense one or more environmental properties. The device further includes an electronic integrated circuit implemented on a substrate and coupled to the environmental sensor via a wire bonding. An air-permeable cap structure is formed over the environmental sensor, and a protective layer is formed over the wire bonding to protect the wire bonding against damage.

Abstract: An apparatus for particulate matter (PM) measurement includes a first light source to generate a first light beam and a second light source disposed at a first distance from the first light source to generate a second light beam in parallel to the first light beam to illuminate a PM. The apparatus further includes a first light detector to measure a first timing corresponding to a first self-mixing signal resulting from a reflection and/or back-scattering of the first light beam from a PM, and a second light detector to measure a second timing corresponding to a second self-mixing signal resulting from a reflection and/or back-scattering of the second light beam from the PM. A processor can determine a first velocity of the PM based on a spatial separation between centers of the first light beam and the second light beam and a temporal separation between the first timing and the second timing.

Abstract: A portable communication device includes one or more miniature sensors to sense one or more environmental gases. A processor is coupled to the miniature sensors and is configured to enhance location detection by determining a sensor signal transition. The sensor signal transition is caused by subsequent exposures of at least one of the miniature sensors to environmental gases of a first air composition and a second air composition. The first air composition and the second air composition are respectively associated with a first location and a second location.

Abstract: A portable communication device includes an apparatus for environmental sensing. The apparatus includes a housing, one or more environmental sensors and an optical source. The housing includes one or more ports for allowing air flow between the surrounding environment and a cavity of the housing. The environmental sensors are coupled to the housing and can sense an environmental agent included in the air flow. The optical source can illuminate the cavity of the housing to decompose unwanted organic compounds inside the port.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to an apparatus for self-mixing particulate-matter sensing using a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with extrinsic photodiodes. The apparatus includes a dual-emitting light source disposed on a first chip and to generate a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam illuminates a particulate matter (PM), and a light detector extrinsic to the first chip measures the second light beam and variations of the second light beam and generates a self-mixing signal. The variations of the second light beam are caused by a back-scattered light resulting from back-scattering of the first light beam from the PM. The light detector is coupled to the dual-emitting light source. The direction of the second light beam is opposite to the direction of the first light beam, and the second light beam is directed to a sensitive area of the light detector.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with pressure sensors. A pressure sensor in a portable electronic device may include an integrated heater or may be co-operated with an external heater for the pressure sensor. The heater may be operated to heat some or all of the pressure sensor for pressure sensor testing, calibration, or temperature-controlled pressure sensing operations.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to an apparatus for self-mixing particulate-matter sensing using a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with extrinsic photodiodes. The apparatus includes a dual-emitting light source disposed on a first chip and to generate a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam illuminates a particulate matter (PM), and a light detector extrinsic to the first chip measures the second light beam and variations of the second light beam and generates a self-mixing signal. The variations of the second light beam are caused by a back-scattered light resulting from back-scattering of the first light beam from the PM. The light detector is coupled to the dual-emitting light source. The direction of the second light beam is opposite to the direction of the first light beam, and the second light beam is directed to a sensitive area of the light detector.

Abstract: Various sensors, including particulate matter sensors, are described. One particulate matter sensor includes a self-mixing interferometry sensor and a set of one or more optical elements. The set of one or more optical elements is positioned to receive an optical emission of the self-mixing interferometry sensor, split the optical emission into multiple beams, and direct each beam of the multiple beams in a different direction. The self-mixing interferometry sensor is configured to generate particle speed information for particles passing through respective measurement regions of the multiple beams.

Abstract: A portable communication device includes an apparatus for environmental sensing. The apparatus includes a housing, one or more environmental sensors and an optical source. The housing includes one or more ports for allowing air flow between the surrounding environment and a cavity of the housing. The environmental sensors are coupled to the housing and can sense an environmental agent included in the air flow. The optical source can illuminate the cavity of the housing to decompose unwanted organic compounds inside the port.

Abstract: A waterproofed environmental sensing device with water detection provisions includes an environmental sensor to sense one or more environmental properties. The device further includes an electronic integrated circuit implemented on a substrate and coupled to the environmental sensor via a wire bonding. An air-permeable cap structure is formed over the environmental sensor, and a protective layer is formed over the wire bonding to protect the wire bonding against damage.

Abstract: A waterproofed environmental sensing device with water detection provisions includes an environmental sensor to sense one or more environmental properties. The device further includes an electronic integrated circuit implemented on a substrate and coupled to the environmental sensor via a wire bonding. An air-permeable cap structure is formed over the environmental sensor, and a protective layer is formed over the wire bonding to protect the wire bonding against damage.

Abstract: An apparatus for particulate matter (PM) measurement includes a first light source to generate a first light beam and a second light source disposed at a first distance from the first light source to generate a second light beam in parallel to the first light beam to illuminate a PM. The apparatus further includes a first light detector to measure a first timing corresponding to a first self-mixing signal resulting from a reflection and/or back-scattering of the first light beam from a PM, and a second light detector to measure a second timing corresponding to a second self-mixing signal resulting from a reflection and/or back-scattering of the second light beam from the PM. A processor can determine a first velocity of the PM based on a spatial separation between centers of the first light beam and the second light beam and a temporal separation between the first timing and the second timing.

Abstract: A portable communication device includes a transducer enclosed in an enclosure. An opening allows flow of air between the transducer enclosed in the enclosure and a surrounding environment. The enclosure protects the transducer from misreading due to occlusion of environmental aggressors on the transducer. The enclosure is configured to repel the environmental aggressors away from a surface of the transducer and to keep a portion of the opening unclogged to maintain an air flow to the transducer.

Abstract: A miniature gas sensing device includes a silicon-based substrate including an opening. A first membrane is formed over the silicon-based substrate and a first portion of the first membrane covers the opening. A gas sensing layer is formed over a number of electrodes disposed over a first surface of the first portion of the first membrane and one or more heating elements. A permeable enclosure encapsulating the gas sensing layer can maintain thermal energy density over the gas sensing layer at a level sufficient to destroy a target gas to allow measuring a zero baseline.

Abstract: A portable communication device includes one or more miniature sensors to sense one or more environmental gases. A processor is coupled to the miniature sensors and is configured to enhance location detection by determining a sensor signal transition. The sensor signal transition is caused by subsequent exposures of at least one of the miniature sensors to environmental gases of a first air composition and a second air composition. The first air composition and the second air composition are respectively associated with a first location and a second location.

Abstract: A waterproofed environmental sensing device with water detection provisions includes an environmental sensor to sense one or more environmental properties. The device further includes an electronic integrated circuit implemented on a substrate and coupled to the environmental sensor via a wire bonding. An air-permeable cap structure is formed over the environmental sensor, and a protective layer is formed over the wire bonding to protect the wire bonding against damage.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with pressure sensors. A pressure sensor in a portable electronic device may include an integrated heater or may be co-operated with an external heater for the pressure sensor. The heater may be operated to heat some or all of the pressure sensor for pressure sensor testing, calibration, or temperature-controlled pressure sensing operations.