Abstract: Surgical instrument calibration methods, systems, and devices are provided that allow a virtual representation of a surgical instrument to be modified to adjust for any variations in a distal tip of a surgical instrument. For example, an instrument calibration system is provided that can have a surgical instrument, a calibration instrument, and a monitoring system. The surgical instrument can have a distal tip and an orientation element thereon, and the calibration instrument can have a pivot point thereon and a calibration reference element attached thereto. The monitoring system can be configured to record movement of the surgical instrument with respect to the calibration instrument when the tip of the surgical instrument is inserted into the pivot point of the calibration instrument, and to calculate a deviation of the tip of the surgical instrument from a predefined ideal tip based on the recorded movement.

Abstract: Surgical instrument calibration methods, systems, and devices are provided that allow a virtual representation of a surgical instrument to be modified to adjust for any variations in a distal tip of a surgical instrument. For example, an instrument calibration system is provided that can have a surgical instrument, a calibration instrument, and a monitoring system. The surgical instrument can have a distal tip and an orientation element thereon, and the calibration instrument can have a pivot point thereon and a calibration reference element attached thereto. The monitoring system can be configured to record movement of the surgical instrument with respect to the calibration instrument when the tip of the surgical instrument is inserted into the pivot point of the calibration instrument, and to calculate a deviation of the tip of the surgical instrument from a predefined ideal tip based on the recorded movement.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a memory cell device includes at least one memory cell; a first switch connected between the at least one memory cell and a reference potential node; a second switch connected between the at least one memory cell and the reference potential node, and switch driver logic adapted to put the first switch selectively into one of at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a first subcircuit of the switch driver logic, wherein the at least three operating states comprises an on state, an off state, and a conductive state in which an electrical conductivity of the first switch is lower than in the on state and higher than in the off state, and put the second switch selectively into one of the at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a second subcircuit of the switch driver logic.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a memory cell device includes at least one memory cell; a first switch connected between the at least one memory cell and a reference potential node; a second switch connected between the at least one memory cell and the reference potential node, and switch driver logic adapted to put the first switch selectively into one of at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a first subcircuit of the switch driver logic, wherein the at least three operating states comprises an on state, an off state, and a conductive state in which an electrical conductivity of the first switch is lower than in the on state and higher than in the off state, and put the second switch selectively into one of the at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a second subcircuit of the switch driver logic.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a memory cell device includes at least one memory cell; a first switch connected between the at least one memory cell and a reference potential node; a second switch connected between the at least one memory cell and the reference potential node, and switch driver logic adapted to put the first switch selectively into one of at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a first subcircuit of the switch driver logic, wherein the at least three operating states comprises an on state, an off state, and a conductive state in which an electrical conductivity of the first switch is lower than in the on state and higher than in the off state, and put the second switch selectively into one of the at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a second subcircuit of the switch driver logic.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection includes: dividing a voltage between a plurality of circuit nodes using a voltage divider circuit to form a divided voltage; compensating a temperature dependency of the divided voltage to form a temperature compensated divided voltage; monitoring the voltage between the plurality of circuit nodes using a transient detection circuit to form a transient detection signal; and activating a clamp circuit coupled between the plurality of circuit nodes based on the temperature compensated divided voltage and based on the transient detection signal.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection includes: dividing a voltage between a plurality of circuit nodes using a voltage divider circuit to form a divided voltage; compensating a temperature dependency of the divided voltage to form a temperature compensated divided voltage; monitoring the voltage between the plurality of circuit nodes using a transient detection circuit to form a transient detection signal; and activating a clamp circuit coupled between the plurality of circuit nodes based on the temperature compensated divided voltage and based on the transient detection signal.

Abstract: Surgical instrument calibration methods, systems, and devices are provided that allow a virtual representation of a surgical instrument to be modified to adjust for any variations in a distal tip of a surgical instrument. For example, an instrument calibration system is provided that can have a surgical instrument, a calibration instrument, and a monitoring system. The surgical instrument can have a distal tip and an orientation element thereon, and the calibration instrument can have a pivot point thereon and a calibration reference element attached thereto. The monitoring system can be configured to record movement of the surgical instrument with respect to the calibration instrument when the tip of the surgical instrument is inserted into the pivot point of the calibration instrument, and to calculate a deviation of the tip of the surgical instrument from a predefined ideal tip based on the recorded movement.

Abstract: Non-invasive tracking methods and devices are provided that are configured to track at least one selectable internal element within a patient, such as a vertebra, relative to an external point outside of the patient's body, such as a reference point within an operating room. For example, in one embodiment, a patch is provided and is configured to be removably attached to skin of a patient, and to track a distance relative to the patch of at least one selectable element within a patient. The patch can also be configured to be tracked by an external monitoring system that tracks its orientation and location relative to the monitoring system, thereby indicating a position of a vertebra.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a memory cell device includes at least one memory cell; a first switch connected between the at least one memory cell and a reference potential node; a second switch connected between the at least one memory cell and the reference potential node, and switch driver logic adapted to put the first switch selectively into one of at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a first subcircuit of the switch driver logic, wherein the at least three operating states comprises an on state, an off state, and a conductive state in which an electrical conductivity of the first switch is lower than in the on state and higher than in the off state, and put the second switch selectively into one of the at least three operating states by activation or deactivation of a second subcircuit of the switch driver logic.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a phantom, comprising the steps of: arranging a phantom with respect to an object, acquiring at least one image of said object by means of an x-ray apparatus, such that the image contains projections of the object and projections of at least three first calibration fiducials of the phantom, detecting the projections of the at least three first calibration fiducials in said at least one image, and establishing a correspondence between the 2D image coordinates of said projections of the at least three first calibration fiducials and the 3D coordinates of said at least three first calibration fiducials in a local coordinate system of the phantom for computing the projection matrix at least up to a scale factor.

Abstract: The invention relates to Method for detecting a phantom, comprising the steps of: arranging a phantom (20) with respect to an object, the phantom (20) comprising a plurality of first calibration fiducials (Mi1, Mi2, Mi3) in a first plane, acquiring at least one image of said object by means of an x-ray apparatus (3), such that the image contains projections of the object as well as projections (IMi1, IMi2, IMi3) of at least three first calibration fiducials (Mi1, Mi2, Mi3), detecting the projections (IMi1, IMi2, IMi3) of the at least three first calibration fiducials (Mi1, Mi2, Mi3) in said at least one image, and establishing a correspondence between the 2D image coordinates (lx, ly) of said projections (IMi1, IMi2, IMi3) of the at least three first calibration fiducials (Mi1, Mi2, Mi3) and the 3D coordinates (x, y, z) of said at least three first calibration fiducials (Mi1, Mi2, Mi3) in a local coordinate system of the phantom (20) for computing the projection matrix (P) or at least an element of the projec

Abstract: A method of conditioning fruits for subsequent drying for the production of an instant product, with a conditioning solution system used in the method comprising multiple conditioning agents which are permissible under the laws relating to food and drugs, the fruits, as whole and cut fruits in a fresh or frozen condition, being subjected in one or more sequential process steps to a conditioning with calcium ions, pectin esterase, and an oil-in-water emulsion to which an emulsifier in a proportion of more than 1% by weight is added.