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: According to an aspect, there is provided an apparatus for measuring the blood pressure, BP, of a user, the apparatus comprising a volume-clamp BP monitoring device that comprises a first pressure device for applying pressure to a first part of the body of the user, a first photoplethysmogram, PPG, sensor for obtaining a first PPG signal from the first part of the body of the user, and a control unit that is configured to analyse the first PPG signal and to control the pressure of the first pressure device; wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the pressure of the first pressure device to maintain the first PPG signal at a constant level and to determine the BP of the user from the pressure of the first pressure device; and a second sensor, separate from the first PPG sensor, for measuring a physiological characteristic of the user in a second part of the body of the user, wherein the second part of the body is separate from the first part of the body; wherein the apparatus is configured to analyse

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a device for measuring a physiological characteristic of a first subject, the device comprising a first electrode for contacting a part of the body of the first subject; a second electrode for contacting a part of the body of a second subject; and a control unit for obtaining an electrocardiogram, ECG, signal using the electrodes and for processing the ECG signal to determine a measurement of a physiological characteristic of the first subject; wherein the signal comprises a first ECG signal component relating to the first subject and a second ECG signal component relating to the second subject, and the control unit is configured to process the ECG signal obtained from the electrodes to extract the first ECG signal component relating to the first subject and to process the first ECG signal component to determine a measurement of the physiological characteristic of the first subject.

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: When measuring SpO2 in a patient, a nasal oximeter is inserted into the patient's nose and comprises a source pad (14) and a detector pad (18) that are positioned at a predetermined location on either side of the nasal septum. The source pad and detector pad are biased toward each other to provide a clamping force on the nasal septum sufficient to permit SpO2 measurement without causing tissue necrosis. Clamping force is supplied by means of a spring type device, an expandable material, or the like.

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: According to an aspect there is provided a method of determining the health of a subject, the method comprising determining the absolute humidity and volume of air exhaled by the subject over time; and analysing the determined absolute humidity and volume of air exhaled by the subject to determine a characteristic of the air that was above the isothermic saturation boundary, ISB, of the subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and method for noninvasively determining the hematocrit value of a subject. The device comprises a light source (22, 23) for emitting light onto a skin area of the subject, said light comprising first light at a first wavelength in a first wavelength range between 500 and 1000 nm and second light at a second wavelength in a second wavelength range between 1000 and 2000 nm, a reflection detector (24) for detecting light reflected from said skin area of the subject in response to light illumination by said light source, a transmission detector (25) for detecting light transmitted through said skin area of the subject in response to light illumination by said light source, a processing unit (31) for deriving plethysmography, PPG, signals for said first and second wavelengths from the light detected by said reflection detector (24) and said transmission detector (25), and an analysis unit (32) for determining the hematocrit value of the subject from said PPG signals.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for estimating the fluid content in a subject, the apparatus comprising a control unit that is configured to obtain a measurement of the bioimpedance of a first limb of the subject; obtain a measurement of the bioimpedance of a second limb of the subject; obtain a measurement of the bioimpedance of a segment of the body that includes at least the first limb and the second limb; and determine a measure of the fluid content in the first limb using the bioimpedance measurement of the first limb, the bioimpedance measurement of the second limb and the bioimpedance measurement of the segment of the body that includes at least the first limb and the second limb.

Abstract: There is provided a device (100) and method for determining a total probability (Ptot) of Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) during an associated CPR procedure, which is being performed on an associated patient, comprising an input for receiving a set of photoplethysmograpy data (328, 330) having been obtained from the associated patient during the CPR procedure, and a processor (112) being arranged for carrying out one or more processes according to one or more predetermined algorithms (321, 322, 323, 324) so as to calculate the total probability (Ptot) of ROSC based on the one or more parameters, wherein the one or more processes are each, and/or in combination, being arranged for overcoming challenges derived from the CPR process, such as arbitrary signals not related to return of spontaneous circulation. In embodiments, the device and method relies on a plurality of processes in determining the total probability of ROSC.

Abstract: There is provided a measurement apparatus for estimating a value of a physiological characteristic of a subject. The apparatus comprises a radio-frequency (RF) power generating apparatus, a detector, and a controller in communication with the RF power generating apparatus. The RF power generating apparatus comprises a transmit antenna for emitting RF radiation; an RF signal generator; and a transmission line connecting the RF signal generator to the transmit antenna. The detector is arranged to measure the variation of at least one parameter correlated with attenuation of the emitted RF radiation, during the measurement period. The controller is arranged to: cause the RF power generating apparatus to emit RF radiation during a measurement period; receive measurements of the variation of the at least one parameter from the detector; and calculate a value of a physiological characteristic of a subject based on the received measurements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (10) and method for non-invasively measuring a hydration state of a living being (62). To improve with respect to the convenience-to-use, the cost-effectiveness and the accuracy of the delivered results, the proposed device comprises a first light source (14) for emitting light of a first wavelength into a tissue portion (12) of the living being (62), polarization means (18) for polarizing at least part of the emitted light prior to an interaction of the emitted light with the tissue portion (12), a first light detector (26) for detecting polarized light of the first wavelength reflected at the tissue portion (12) and processing means (32) configured to derive a tissue hydration parameter from the detected reflected polarized light and to determine a body hydration index based on said tissue hydration parameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to remote photoplethysmography and in particular to a system (1) and method for determining vital sign information of a subject (100). The system comprises a filter (10) for application to a detection unit, said filter further comprising a first filter area (11) configured to transmit light (A) at a first wavelength and a second filter area (12) configured to transmit light (D) at a second wavelength, the detection unit (22) for detecting radiation received from the first filter area and from the second filter area of the filter, and an analysis unit (6) for determining the vital sign information of the subject from the detected radiation from the first filter area and from the second filter area.