Abstract: A method of sensing an amplitude and a phase of a varying electrical signal representing an impedance of an electrically conductive tissue through which an AC stimulation current is forced may include measuring a first amplitude value of the varying electrical signal corresponding to an arbitrary initial phase offset value and assuming the first amplitude value corresponds to the amplitude and assuming the arbitrary initial phase offset value corresponds to the phase. The method may include measuring a second amplitude value of the varying electrical signal at a phase offset different from the phase. The method may further include comparing the second amplitude value with the amplitude, and updating the amplitude and the phase to correspond to one of a maximum and a minimum amplitude value and to a corresponding phase offset.

Abstract: A unit for sequencing and guiding items, in which the items are grouped into batches of one or more items; the unit comprises a first conveyor for advancing the items from an input station to an output station, and a sequencing apparatus cooperable with the items to form the batches and to drive them to the output station; the sequencing apparatus comprises a second conveyor comprising a track and plural movable elements independently moved along the track; the track has a work portion parallel to the first conveyor, and the movable elements include respective interacting portions, adapted to protrude over the first conveyor when the movable elements are advanced along the work portion of the track, and cooperating with the items to drive them to the desired positions along the first conveyor to define the batches and to locate the batches at the desired distances from one another.

Abstract: A device for measuring impedance of biological tissue may include electrodes and a voltage-to-current converter coupled to the electrodes to drive an alternating current (AC) through the tissue and sense an AC voltage. The converter may include an amplifier having first and second inputs and an output, a first voltage divider coupled to the first input, a second voltage divider coupled to the second input, a filter capacitor coupled between the output and the second voltage divider, a current limiting resistor coupled between the second input the second voltage divider, and a bypass capacitor coupled to the second input of the amplifier and in parallel with the resistor. A single-ended amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator may demodulate the AC voltage and generate a corresponding baseband voltage representing the impedance. The device may also include an output circuit to generate output signals representative of DC and AC components of the baseband voltage.

Abstract: A device for measuring impedance of biological tissue may include a pair of electrodes for contacting the biological tissue, and a drive circuit coupled to the pair of electrodes and configured to drive an alternating current (AC) through the biological tissue and to sense an AC voltage. The AC voltage is towards a reference voltage on at least one of the pair of electrodes. The device may include at least one single-ended amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator configured to demodulate the AC voltage and to generate a corresponding baseband voltage representing the impedance, and an output circuit configured to generate output signals representative of DC and AC components of the baseband voltage.

Abstract: A device for measuring an electrical impedance of biologic tissue may include electrodes configured to contact the biologic tissue and generate a differential voltage thereon. The device may include a first circuit coupled to the electrodes and configured to force an oscillating input signal therethrough, and a differential amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator coupled to the plurality of electrodes. The differential AM demodulator may be configured to demodulate the differential voltage, and generate a base-band signal representative of the demodulated differential voltage. The device may further include an output circuit downstream from the differential AM demodulator and may be configured to generate an output signal representative of the electrical impedance as a function of the base-band signal.

Abstract: A method of sensing an amplitude and a phase of a varying electrical signal representing an impedance of an electrically conductive tissue through which an AC stimulation current is forced may include measuring a first amplitude value of the varying electrical signal corresponding to an arbitrary initial phase offset value and assuming the first amplitude value corresponds to the amplitude and assuming the arbitrary initial phase offset value corresponds to the phase. The method may include measuring a second amplitude value of the varying electrical signal at a phase offset different from the phase. The method may further include comparing the second amplitude value with the amplitude, and updating the amplitude and the phase to correspond to one of a maximum and a minimum amplitude value and to a corresponding phase offset.

Abstract: A device for measuring impedance of biological tissue may include a pair of electrodes for contacting the biological tissue, and a drive circuit coupled to the pair of electrodes and configured to drive an alternating current (AC) through the biological tissue and to sense an AC voltage. The AC voltage is towards a reference voltage on at least one of the pair of electrodes. The device may include at least one single-ended amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator configured to demodulate the AC voltage and to generate a corresponding baseband voltage representing the impedance, and an output circuit configured to generate output signals representative of DC and AC components of the baseband voltage.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for controlling an electronically adjustable steering damper in a two-wheeled vehicle or motor vehicle, and to an apparatus implementing it, in which the steering damper is able to exert a damping torque on a steering assembly (45) of the two-wheeled vehicle (40) that can be adjusted according to a steering speed (s{dot over (?)}). The control method comprises the steps that consist of determining at least one controlled variable (s{dot over (?)}, s{dot over (?)}) of the two-wheeled vehicle (40) and calculating an instantaneous damping coefficient (cin(t)) of the electronically adjustable steering damper based on the at least one controlled variable (s{dot over (?)}, s{dot over (?)}) and is characterized in that the at least one controlled variable comprises a yaw rate (s{dot over (?)}) of the two-wheeled vehicle.

Abstract: An all-mechanical system for bone-drilling alignment of a blind distal bone-screw hole of an installed intra-medullary nail, wherein the system provides (i) a drill jig that features a longitudinally adjustable nail-contactable contact-rod mounting in the jig and (ii) a drill-guide which can align with the blind distal bone-screw hole for a correct nail-contactable adjustment of the contact rod. The system enables the surgeon to check-out the drill jig in assembled relation to a selected intramedullary nail, prior to nail installation, and to perform an adjustment to compensate for nail diameter when the contact end of the rod engages the nail. He can then either visually satisfy himself of the drill-guide/bolt-hole alignment, or he can use a plug-gage or trocar tool having guidance in the drill guide, and checking for whether the plug gage has entry into the bone-screw hole in the intramedullary nail.

Abstract: An all-mechanical system for bone-drilling alignment of a blind distal bone-screw hole of an installed intramedullary nail, wherein the system provides (i) a drill jig that features a longitudinally adjustable nail-contactable contact-rod mounting in the jig and (ii) a drill-guide which can align with the blind distal bone-screw hole for a correct nail-contactable adjustment of the contact rod. The system enables the surgeon to check-out the drill jig in assembled relation to a selected intramedullary nail, prior to nail installation, and to perform an adjustment to compensate for nail diameter when the contact end of the rod engages the nail. He can then either visually satisfy himself of the drill-guide/bolt-hole alignment, or he can use a plug-gage or trocar tool having guidance in the drill guide, and checking for whether the plug gage has entry into the bone-screw hole in the intramedullary nail.

Abstract: A medullary cavity template has a tubular body adapted to the shape of a medullary nail. The tubular body has one or more x-ray viewable discontinuities in the region of its distal end. The tubular body also has a scale in the region of its proximal end, the scale being on the outside of the body for external viewing to measure axial depth of a medullary cavity.

Abstract: A blind-hole locating system wherein a drill jig, which is to be removably attached to the proximal end of a given intramedullary nail, incorporates outrigger structure for support and orientation of one or more drill guides, such that positioning and alignment with one or more bone-screw holes of the nail can be checked and ascertained as a preliminary step, and such that a precise spacer or stabilizer carried by this jig can be known to contact the nail, on an alignment transverse to the nail and to a geometric plane which includes the nail axis and the axis of at least one of the bone-screw holes of the nail, such stabilizer contact being achieved only for the case of correct drill-guide alignment with one or more bone-screw holes.

Abstract: A jig is detachably secured to the proximal end of an installed intramedullary nail having a transverse bolt hole near the distal end of the nail. The jig comprises an offsetting arm which so mounts the proximal part of hinged elongate template structure as to render the distal part thereof angularly movable in a geometric plane substantially parallel to the nail. One or more spaced guide bores near the distal end of the movable distal part is on an axis perpendicular to the geometric plane. When the jig is chucked to the nail, the axes of the one or more guide bores of the template are parallel to the axes of one or more bolt holes of the nail; and corresponding guide-bore axis and bolt-hole axes are at identical distance from the offsetting arm.

Abstract: A jig is detachably secured to the proximal end of an installed intramedullary nail having a transverse bolt hole near the distal end of the nail. The jig comprises an offsetting arm which so mounts an elongate template as to be movable in a geometric plane substantially parallel to the nail. A guide bore near the distal end of the template is on an axis perpendicular to the geometric plane. When the jig is chucked to the nail, the axis of the guide bore of the template is parallel to the axis of the bolt hole of the nail, and both the guide-bore axis and the bolt-hole axis are at identical distance from the offsetting arm. The distal end of the template is adapted to removably mount a metal-detector establishing a magnetic-field about a directional axis, such that the metal-detector can be selectively moved or positioned on one and then the other side of a central position in which the template is strictly parallel to the nail.