Abstract: A directional position system for use in facilities having rooms, hallways, and other areas can include a plurality of portable units carried or worn by selected users in the facility; a plurality of stationary units mounted in each of a number of locations within the facility; and an administrative unit. At least one of the portable units can include at least one button for sending a signal, when pressed, for a type of emergency. At least one of the stationary units can include a display for indicating a direction to move during an emergency. The administrative unit can be configured to be monitored by security personnel and can be configured to receive any signal transmitted from any of the plurality of portable units or any of the plurality of stationary units. The plurality of portable units, the plurality of stationary units, and the administrative unit can form a mesh network.

Abstract: An item of wearable jewelry, such as a bracelet, includes a support having an energizable indicator. A sensor detects a triggering event, and a control unit energizes the indicator to generate a default indicating condition by default, and to change the default indicating condition in response to detection of the triggering event.

Abstract: An access system and device having a needle injector pivotally attached to an ultrasound transceiver is operated to place a sterilizable needle or needle/cannula unit within a blood vessel by a single user-device operator in which the blood vessel is made visible in a monitor image by ultrasound insonification. A guidance template having an expected path trajectory is overlapped on at least one of a transverse short axis, a longitudinal long axis, or a three-dimensionally imaged blood vessel that illustrates the predicted path of the needle or needle with overlapping cannula when it undergoes movement implemented by a controller located on the needle injector. In alternate embodiments the needle injector, ultrasound transceiver, and needle or needle/cannula unit may be contained within a flexible sheath that is capable of being sterilized.

Abstract: A cartridge for use with a blood vessel access system and device. The cartridge includes a slideable needle mount and a slideable cannula mount, the slideable needle mount having a needle in slideable connection with a lumen of a cannula held by the needle mount. The slideable needle mount and the slideable cannula mount are removeably attachable with separate moveable platforms of a needle injector that is pivotally attached to a handheld ultrasound transceiver in signal communication with a computer processing unit connected with a monitor. Upon insonification of a patient's vasculature using the handheld ultrasound transceiver pressed against the surface of the patient, needle injection and subsequent cannulation of a targeted blood vessel appearing on the monitor is accomplished by deploying the needle and cannula from the cartridge via motorization of the moveable platforms that is initiated by the user operating a controller on the device's needle injector.

Abstract: A neuro-vasculature access system and device for placing a cannula adjacent to a nerve. The neuro-vasculature access system and device includes a needle injector pivotally attached to an ultrasound transceiver which is operated to place a sterilizable needle or needle/cannula unit within the neuro-vasculature of a patient by a single user-device operator in which the neuro-vasculature is made visible in a monitor image by ultrasound insonification. A guidance template having an expected path trajectory is overlaid on at least one of a transverse short axis, a longitudinal long axis, or a three-dimensional image of the neuro-vasculature and predicts path of the needle or needle with overlapping cannula when it undergoes movement implemented by a controller located on the needle injector. The needle injector, ultrasound transceiver, and needle or needle/cannula unit may be contained within a flexible sheath capable of being sterilized.

Abstract: A device having a needle injector pivotally attached to an ultrasound transceiver is operated to place a sterilizable needle or needle/cannula unit within a blood vessel by a single user-device operator in which the blood vessel is made visible in a monitor image by ultrasound insonification. A guidance template is overlapped on at least one of a transverse, longitudinal, or three-dimensionally imaged blood vessel that illustrates a predicted path of the needle when it undergoes movement implemented by a controller. In alternate embodiments the needle injector, ultrasound transceiver, and needle or needle/cannula unit may be contained within a flexible sheath that is capable of being sterilized.

Abstract: This specification discloses various improvements in the field of SPR sensing systems. One improvement relates to a portable SPR sensing system, e.g., a system contained within a suitcase that can be hand-carried to a monitoring site. Another improvement relates to a portable, cartridge-based SPR sensing system. In this system, selected portions of the system's electrical and fluidics systems are allocated between a base unit and a removable/disposable cartridge. Other improvements relate to methods or protocols for operating an SPR sensing system. Such methods provide for the elimination of false positives and increased sensitivity, e.g., by using secondary antibodies with specificity for different target epitopes and by sensor element redundancy. In addition, protocols are provided for the detection of small molecules.

Abstract: A surface plasmon resonance imaging system (40) and method is provided. The system (40) includes a light source (42) comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) array that is positioned at the focal point of a collimating lens (44). The light source (42) and collimating lens (44) are used to illuminate the substrate surface (50) at a range of angles dependent upon which one or more LEDs are lit. The substrate surface (50) receives light from the collimated lens (44) at a selected incident angle, which can be varied by selective illumination of one or more of the LEDs in the LED array. The system (40) further includes a detector (60) that is positioned such that it is capable of detecting an image reflected from the substrate surface (50).