Abstract: An actuator for actuating a shift element in a transmission of a vehicle, particularly of a utility vehicle, includes a sensor device for detecting angular positions of a rotating component, for example, a shaft in an electric drive for a vehicle. The sensor device includes an annular encoder magnet fastened to a support pin supported on a front side of the rotating component so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it such that the annular encoder magnet at least partially surrounds the support pin. The annular encode magnet is mounted on the support pin as a molded encoder magnet component.

Abstract: An electrical impedance tomography system for determining electric properties of an internal body part of a patient comprises an electrode array in electrical contact with the patient, a device for applying current or voltage between electrodes of the array and for measuring voltages or currents between other combinations of the array A computing unit comprises a processor and a storage unit. The storage unit comprises a reconstruction algorithm used by the data processor for reconstructing the measured voltages of the body part into electrical properties or changes thereof. The data processor outputs a representation of the reconstructed electrical properties and generates or processes anatomical models descriptive of the body part The data processor uses biometric data of the patient and, according to the biometric data of the patient, selects an anatomical model for reconstructing the measured electrical voltages of the body part into electrical properties or changes thereof.

Abstract: An electrode sensor kit for establishing electrical contact with skin comprises at least one contact element and a preparation comprising a mixture of water and at least one lipid for enhancing electrical contact properties between said contact element and the skin, wherein said mixture forms an emulsion, in particular a water-in-oil or an oil-in-water emulsion, having a conductivity of less than 3 mS/cm. An electrode assembly for electrical impedance tomography which comprises said kit is characterized in that (a) said at least one contact element forms an electrode or sensor plate, and (b) said at least one contact element comprises a layer of said preparation.

Abstract: In a CO2-based method for estimating shunt of a subject, a first value related to alveolar CO2 of the subject is obtained from CO2 measurements on expiration gas exhaled by said subject, a second value is obtained related to arterial CO2 of the subject, a third value is obtained related to cardiac output [QT] or effective pulmonary perfusion [EPP] of the subject, a fourth value is obtained related to CO2 elimination [VCO2] of the subject, the shunt of the subject is calculated based on said first, second, third and fourth values. The method allows the shunt of the subject to be determined in a non-invasive or minimally-invasive way without requiring determination of the venous or capillary CO2 contents of the subject, which in turn allows the method to be carried out at the bedside, enabling reliable monitoring of shunt in clinical practice.

Abstract: An electrical impedance tomography system for determining electric properties of an internal body part of a patient comprises an electrode array in electrical contact with the patient, a device for applying current or voltage between electrodes of the array and for measuring voltages or currents between other combinations of the array. A computing unit comprises a processor and a storage unit. The storage unit comprises a reconstruction algorithm used by the data processor for reconstructing the measured voltages of the body part into electrical properties or changes thereof. The data processor outputs a representation of the reconstructed electrical properties and generates or processes anatomical models descriptive of the body part. The data processor uses biometric data of the patient and, according to the biometric data of the patient, selects an anatomical model for reconstructing the measured electrical voltages of the body part into electrical properties or changes thereof.

Abstract: Method for providing ventilatory settings with regard to the airway pressure levels of an artificial ventilator, the artificial ventilator is connected to a lung, including the steps of obtaining data samples of a gas concentration of the expired gas over a single breath; selecting a plurality of data samples from the obtained data samples; calculating a tracing value being sensitive to changes of alveolar dead space on the basis of the selected data samples; repeating steps a), b) and c) for obtaining a plurality of tracing values; and changing at least one airway pressure level of the artificial ventilator, wherein from an observation of a resulting course of the plurality of calculated tracing values an airway pressure level at which alveolar opening or lung overdistension or lung open condition or alveolar closing occurs is detected. Apparatus for providing ventilatory settings with regard to the airway pressure levels of an artificial ventilator is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrode sensor kit for establishing electrical contact with skin comprises at least one contact element and a preparation comprising a mixture of water and at least one lipid for enhancing electrical contact properties between said contact element and the skin, wherein said mixture forms an emulsion, in particular a water-in-oil or an oil-in-water emulsion, having a conductivity of less than 3 mS/cm. An electrode assembly for electrical impedance tomography which comprises said kit is characterized in that (a) said at least one contact element forms an electrode or sensor plate, and (b) said at least one contact element comprises a layer of said preparation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for the gentle placement of a patient in a defined position. In order to provide a device for the placement of patients which both allows gentle positioning and at the same time holds the patient in a defined position, the device according to the invention comprises a mattress having a surface able to adopt a flexible state, as a result of being subjected to a first control signal, and a rigid state, as a result of being subjected to a second control signal, a cushion which is filled with a fluid, rests on the mattress and comprises a flexible wall in the region of the patient or the body part of the patient resting on the cushion, and a fluid pump which is connected via a valve to the fluid in the cushion and via which the internal pressure and/or the internal volume of the cushion may be adjusted to a predetermined value.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method and an apparatus for controlling at least one ventilation pressure of an artificial ventilator for ventilating an artificially ventilated lung of a patient in accordance with a plurality of lung positions. In order to improve the potentials of the kinetic rotation therapy, at least one ventilation pressure is controlled in accordance with a defined lung position and in accordance with a lung status information related to said defined lung position.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method and apparatus for changing the concentration of a target gas at the blood compartment of a patient's lung from an actual target gas concentration to a desired target gas concentration during artificial ventilation with an inspiratory gas composition by a respirator being controlled via a set of ventilation parameters. In order to decrease the negative effects of general anaesthesia during artificial ventilation even further, the method according to the invention comprises the following steps: a) ventilating the lung in a first ventilation stage, and b) ventilating the lung in a second ventilation stage in which alveolar recruitment is promoted.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for determining the status of a ventilated lung. For determining the status of a lung ventilated, which enables in real time optimal ventilatory settings for a recruitment maneuver of an ailing lung, the invention comprises a sensor for measuring a gas concentration in the expired gas during a single breath, an analog to digital converter for obtaining data samples of said gas concentration in the time domain, means for selecting a plurality of data samples, means for calculating a mean tracing value being sensitive to changes of alveolar dead space based on said samples, and a data processor which detects during a change of the airway of the ventilator from the resulting course of calculated mean tracing values the peak inspiratory pressure at which alveolar opening or lung overdistension occurs and/or the PEEP at which lung open condition or alveolar closing occurs.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for the regional determination of the alveolar opening and alveolar closing of the lung depending on the respiration pressure, wherein according to the method of electrical impedance tomography, an impedance signal is measured in at least one lung zone depending on the respiration pressure. The alveolar opening or closing of a lung zone is determined, in particular to enable an improved artificial respiration.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for the regional determination of the alveolar opening and alveolar closing of the lung depending on the respiration pressure, wherein according to the method of electrical impedance tomography, an impedance signal is measured in at least one lung zone depending on the respiration pressure. The alveolar opening or closing of a lung zone is determined, in particular to enable an improved artificial respiration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to identify alveolar opening and collapse of a lung. To automatically generate the settings of ventilator parameters in a simple and gentle way, the hemoglobin oxygen saturation and/or the endtidal CO2 concentration and/or the CO2 output are-measured and processed to detect alveolar opening and closing. From the knowledge of the corresponding airway pressures, a central processing unit may generate the settings of ventilation parameters such that gas exchange is maximal while the mechanical stress of the lung tissue is minimal.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for the regional determination of the alveolar opening and alveolar closing of the lung depending on the respiration pressure, wherein according to the method of electrical impedance tomography, an impedance signal is measured in at least one lung zone depending on the respiration pressure. The alveolar opening or closing of a lung zone is determined, in particular to enable an improved artificial respiration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to identify alveolar opening and collapse of a lung. To automatically generate the settings of ventilator parameters in a simple and gentle way, the hemoglobin oxygen saturation and/or the endtidal CO2 concentration and/or the CO2 output are-measured and processed to detect alveolar opening and closing. From the knowledge of the corresponding airway pressures, a central processing unit may generate the settings of ventilation parameters such that gas exchange is maximal while the mechanical stress of the lung tissue is minimal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining when a partially or completely collapsed lung has been opened are based on the fact that in the course of opening an alveolus by supplying a gas pressure, the alveolus will generate a crackle sound. By listening to the crackle sounds via microphones, an apparatus can determine when the lung is completely open. The apparatus has a filter for filtering out the relevant frequencies for the crackle sounds and a determination unit for identifying the crackles and for determining when the lung is open based on the filtered out sounds.

Abstract: In an artificial ventilation system and a method for controlling the artificial ventilation system for obtaining an optimized artificial ventilation of a lung system of a patient, optimal artificial ventilation is obtained when the blood system of the patient is maximally oxygenated and, at the same time, the negative influence on the cardio-pulmonary system is minimized. The ventilation system has a gas delivery unit for delivering controllable inspiration pulses to a patient, a monitoring unit for measuring at least one parameter related to the function of the lung system, such as a blood gas analyser, and a control unit for determining an optimal peak inspiratory pressure and pressure amplitude for the inspiration pulse based on the measured blood gas parameter.

Abstract: An arrangement for determining an opening pressure of a lung has a regulating unit which can deliver inspiration pulses to a patient's lung system, a blood gas analyzer for measuring the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood of the patient's circulatory system, and a control unit for determining an opening pressure based on the measured P.sub.a O.sub.2. When the measured P.sub.a O.sub.2 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the lung have opened sufficiently and a pressure value is correlated to the measured P.sub.a O.sub.2 and defined as the opening pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to identify alveolar opening and collapse of a lung. To automatically generate the settings of ventilator parameters in a simple and gentle way, the hemoglobin oxygen saturation and/or the endtidal CO2 concentration and/or the CO2 output are-measured and processing to detect alveolar opening and closing. From the knowledge of the corresponding airway pressures, a central processing unit may generate the settings of ventilation parameters such that gas exchange is maximal while the mechanical stress of the lung tissue is minimal.