Abstract: An invasive tool with controlled rigidity has a distal portion which supports a controlled rigidity profiled structure to provide a desired profile of rigidity. In one embodiment, the profiled structure is formed by helical winding of a strip of side by side disposed microwires into a sequence of same distally extending sections having the same rigidity. For control of rigidity, selected microwires from chosen sections are terminated. Thereby, the degree of relative rigidity each one of the chosen sections may be reduced to provide a profile of desired rigidity. Construction of the profiled structure uses a wire winding machine, and a laser machine to terminate microwires. Thereafter, the profiled structure is integrated in the distal portion of an invasive tool, as well known in the art, whereby an invasive tool with controlled rigidity is provided.

Abstract: A catheterization apparatus includes a catheter having a steering mechanism for deflecting a distal portion of the catheter by operation of relative bending stiffnesses of a drive tube and of a core wire. The catheter is remotely controlled from a control station via a rotatable actuation device which supports actuators for providing translation and rotation motions. The catheter is looped and rigidly guided in a channel controlling a distal length of the catheter.

Abstract: Interference coordination using over the air data is enabled. A UE receives downlink control information including uplink resource allocation. The UE determines whether it is near a cell edge of its serving cell. If so, the UE echoes at least a subset of the allocation information over the air to one or more neighboring base stations. The echo may use a multi-cluster PUSCH approach or a combined PUSCH, PUCCH approach. One or more neighboring base stations receive the echoed allocation data. With the echoed data, the neighboring base stations engage in interference coordination, thereby avoiding delays inherent in non-idea backhaul connections. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.