Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (100) for increasing a degree of relaxation of a person (10) using biofeedback. The system (100) comprises a first physiological parameter determining unit (20) for determining a first physiological parameter of the person (10), a reference parameter providing unit (60) for providing a reference parameter, a correlation determining unit (30) for determining a degree of correlation between the first physiological parameter and the reference parameter and a controller (40) for determining a control information based on the determined degree of correlation for controlling a light source unit (50), wherein in a mode of operation of the system the control information is adapted to control the light source unit (50) by dimming the light source unit and/or changing the color of the light from the light source unit to warmer color tones having a lower color temperature when the degree of correlation increases.

Abstract: Respiration of a patient is detected by emitting an electromagnetic signal towards the patient; receiving a reflected electromagnetic signal reflected from the patient; converting the reflected electromagnetic signal, yielding a first signal; phase-shifting the reflected electromagnetic signal and converting the phase-shifted reflected electromagnetic signal, yielding a second signal; determining a first vector being defined by the time derivatives of the first signal and the second signal, for a common first point in time; determining a second vector being defined by the time derivatives of the first signal and the second signal, for a common second point in time; and calculating the scalar product of the normalized first vector and the normalized second vector as an indicator value for a change from expiration to inspiration of the patient or vice versa.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus, system, wearable apparatus and concomitant processing system to detect instants in time at which a cyclically pulsating object within the body of an individual is temporarily quiescent, such an object being the heart, an artery or the lungs. The essence of the invention is the use of a doppler radar motion sensor, normally used for vehicular speed detection or the detection of building occupancy. The doppler radar motion sensor is arranged to transmit electromagnetic signal towards the object and receive reflected electromagnetic signal from the object, and the apparatus is further arranged to identify the instants in time at which the reflected signal indicates the object is temporarily quiescent. The invention is particularly suitable for ambulatory monitoring of the heart.

Abstract: An impedance measurement circuit comprises a current source arrangement, a voltage measurement arrangement and a processor. The circuit is operable in a two-point measurement mode and a four-point measurement mode and the processor is adapted to derive the impedance to be measured by combining the measurement voltages from the two-point and the four-point measurement modes. This combines the results of both two-point and four-point measurement techniques to provide improved accuracy. In particular, the two results enable the effect of the electrode resistance to be cancelled.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating nitric oxide, in particular for therapeutic applications, which comprises the steps of: guiding a process gas into a reaction chamber 3, wherein the process gas comprises nitrogen and oxygen, heating the process gas to a temperature which is sufficiently high to enable a reaction of oxygen and nitrogen to form nitric oxide, thereby forming a gas which comprises nitric oxide, and extracting the nitric oxide comprising gas from the reaction chamber 3, wherein oxygen is present in the process gas in the reaction chamber in an amount of <5 vol-%.

Abstract: A system for positioning electrodes on a patient body includes an image capturing system, a memory device, a processing system and an indicator system. The image capturing system generates an actual image of the patient body. The memory device stores a reference image, the reference image including a reference body and a reference position on the reference body. The processing system compares the actual image and the reference image and for determining an electrode position on the patient body by matching the reference position on the reference body. The indicator system indicates the electrode position on the patient body.

Abstract: The invention relates to an emergency response system. The emergency response system (10) comprises a central station (4) for receiving information about emergencies, whereby position information of a victim is provided and stored in a look-up table (6) of the central station (4). The central station addresses a list (7) of publicly available actuatable emergency response devices and selects a suitable device. The central station (4) transmits a trigger signal by means of a suitable communication network (3) to the selected remote actuatable emergency response device (14), which comprises communication means (13) for activating the signaling means (15) upon receipt of the trigger signal. Also, the actuatable emergency response device (14) comprises storage means (11) arranged to store the position information of the emergency response device and the provided position information of the victim.

Abstract: The invention relates to a waveguide (24) for focusing electromagnetic energy on an area of interest, said waveguide (24) comprising outer walls forming a channel with a width (w) and a height (h) for the propagation of the electromagnetic waves. In order to be able to focus the EM waves on an area of interest, i.e. the chest of a patient (20), so that influences which other moving objects in the environment have on the waves, are shielded away, the channel is provided with a first opening and a second opening wherein said walls are non-metal hollow walls filled with an electrically conductive liquid. The waveguide (24) can be used for example with a computed tomography system (12) CT with a rotating gantry (16) and a patient table (18). The waveguide (24) will not produce artefacts in the CT image by scattering the X-ray, like a metal wall would do it. Nevertheless the conductive liquid makes the construction work as a waveguide for EM waves.

Abstract: A device detects electrical and mechanical cardio-vascular activities of patient, especially early decompensation detection of congestive heart failure patients (CHF). The device includes a transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic signals of a predefined frequency into the chest of the patient, a Doppler radar sensor (1) for detecting a Doppler radar signal reflected in the patient's chest, and an ECG unit (3) for capturing an ECG signal of the patient's heart. This device allows for simultaneous detection of electrical and mechanical cardio-vascular activities of a patient which can be used in an easy and reliable way and which allows for implementation in a hand-held or wearable device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and a kit for stress and relaxation management. A cardiac activity sensor (101) is used for measuring the heart rate variability (HRV) signal of the user and a respiration sensor (102) for measuring the respiratory signal of the user. The system contains a user interaction device (103) having an input unit (104) for receiving user specific data and an output unit for providing information output to the user. A processor (106) is used to assess the stress level of the user by determining a user related stress index. The processor is also used to monitor the user during a relaxation exercise by means of determining a relaxation index based on the measured HRV and respiratory signals, the relaxation index being continuously adapted to the incoming measured signals and based thereon the processor instructs the output unit to provide the user with biofeedback and support messages.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for use in diagnosing the presence of obstructive sleep apnea in a patient, the apparatus comprising a processor configured to receive signals representing measurements of a patient's breathing obtained during a plurality o breathing cycles by the patient while the patient is awake, convert the signals into the frequency domain and to determine a value for at least one parameter based on an analysis of the frequency-domain converted signals in one or more frequency bands covering frequencies below 100 Hz.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method of detecting respiratory information of a user. The method comprises a step of instructing the user to perform on a device a movement reflecting his respiratory action; a step of generating by said device, a signal reflecting said movement; and a step of deriving the user's respiratory information from said signal. By using this method, the respiratory information is easily detected without attaching any sensor on the user's chest.

Abstract: A system (100) for inducing a subject (110) to fall asleep comprises a monitor (120) for monitoring heart rate and breathing rate of the subject (110), a coherence assessing device (130) coupled to the monitor (120) for assessing a degree of coherence between the heart rate and the breathing rate, and an output device (140, 150) coupled to the coherence assessing device (130). The output device (140, 150) may comprise a light pattern generator (140) for generating a light pattern (145) in view of the subject (110) based on the degree of coherence. The output device (140, 150) may alternatively or additionally comprise an instructing system (150) for instructing the subject on a breathing pattern, and wherein the instructions are given based on the degree of coherence.

Abstract: In order to provide means for measuring vital signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, pulse forms, that allow accurate and unobtrusive signal acquisition and that are automatically adjusted to varying positions of an area of interest within a pre-determined area, a device, a system and a method for measuring vital signs are provided, wherein electromagnetic signals such as microwave or radar are emitted and reflected electromagnetic signals are sensed with directional sensitivity by a transceiving unit and wherein a direction of interest is determined based on the sensed reflected signals and a primary direction of sensitivity (300) of the transceiving unit is adjusted to the direction of interest by a control unit. Thus, vital signs can be monitored in an unobtrusive and simple way.

Abstract: An apparatus measures properties of an object such as a heart in a patient (2). The apparatus includes an antenna (3, 4) for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic waves to and/or from the object (2) for measuring a property of the object. The antenna (3, 4) includes an electrically conductive element for functioning as an electrode for measuring a further property of the object. The electromagnetic waves are reflected by the object, causing a Doppler shift. The apparatus uses this shift to provide mechanical information about the object and uses the electrode to provide electrical information about the object, such as an electrocardiogram.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a user's body without complex circuitry. An apparatus is described for inductively measuring the bio-impedance of a user's body, wherein the apparatus includes a number of first inductors being adapted to induce an alternating magnetic field in the user's body and the apparatus further includes a number of second inductors being adapted to measure a secondary magnetic field in the user's body, wherein each of the number of first inductors overlaps at least one of the number of second inductors to form a number of measuring areas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Doppler radar heart sensor comprising a radar signal emitter (102); a radar signal receiver (103); a signal pattern matcher (106); and a transmission power adjuster (108). The signal pattern matcher (106) is connected to the radar signal receiver (102) and arranged to analyze a received radar signal (105), to compare the received radar signal with signal patterns, and to issue a corresponding indication signal upon detection of a sufficiently high similarity between the received radar signal and at least one of the signal patterns. A transmission power adjuster (109) is connected to the radar signal emitter (102) and the signal pattern matcher (106), the transmission power adjuster being arranged to gradually modify a transmission power delivered to the radar signal emitter (102) until the signal pattern matcher issues the indication signal. The invention also relates to a corresponding method and a computer program product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wound care system for treating a wound (14) of a patient comprising: a bathing unit (16) being designed to limit a volume (18) surrounding the wound (14) and sealing said volume (18) against the outer atmosphere, the bathing unit (16) comprising at least one gas inlet (28) and one gas outlet (30) being in fluid communication with said volume (18), a source (20) for nitric oxide being connectable to said gas inlet (28), a vacuum unit (34) being connectable to said gas outlet (30) for creating a negative pressure inside said volume (18), and a sponge (36) being placeable inside said volume (18).

Abstract: In a medical pulse oximetry sensor (10) at least two light emitting diodes (16, 18) are disposed to emit red light and infrared light through a portion of a subject's anatomy with a typically high oxygenated blood throughput. Typically, this area is also relatively narrow, to allow the light to pass through the area with acceptable attenuation, such as a finger or an earlobe. Light emitted from the LEDs (16, 18) is incumbent upon an integrated circuit (22) printed from a single CMOS substrate (21). The integrated circuit (22) includes all preprocessing and post-processing elements needed to convert the detected light signals into a pulse oximetry measurement. These elements include a photodetector (20), a photo pre-amplifier (40), a sampler/holder (42), an analog to digital converter (44), a microprocessor (46) a rangefinder (48), a timing control circuit (50) and an LED control circuit (52).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating nitric oxide, in particular for therapeutic applications, which comprises the steps of: guiding a process gas into a reaction chamber 3, wherein the process gas comprises nitrogen and oxygen, heating the process gas to a temperature which is sufficiently high to enable a reaction of oxygen and nitrogen to form nitric oxide, thereby forming a gas which comprises nitric oxide, and extracting the nitric oxide comprising gas from the reaction chamber 3, wherein oxygen is present in the process gas in the reaction chamber in an amount of <5 vol-%.