Abstract: An artificial urinary sphincter can include a cuff configured to surround a portion of a length of a urethra. An actuator is configured to selectively apply a force to the cuff to thereby apply variable amount of pressure to the urethra. A controller is configured to adjust the application of the force by the actuator to cause the cuff to apply the variable amount of pressure to the urethra. A sensor can be in communication with the controller and configured to detect pressure applied against the cuff by the urethra. The controller is configured to cause the cuff to apply a first closing pressure to the urethra. In response to a detection of a threshold pressure increase by the sensor, the controller is configured to cause the cuff to apply a second closing pressure that is greater than the first closing pressure and that prevents urine from exiting the urethra.

Abstract: For improving the functionality and bio-compatibility of dental appliances (2), a novel process is described for making a thermoplastic functional foil (1), from which such dental appliances (2) may be obtained by thermoforming the functional foil (1). A carrier liquid (9) containing an organic and preferably bio-based polymer (6) is enriched with an agent (7) and applied onto a solid thermoplastic core foil (13). After evaporating of a solvent contained in the carrier liquid (9), a uniform and highly homogenous functional coating (5) is obtained on the core foil (13). After thermoforming of the foil (1), the dental appliance (2) thus features an outer protective coating (5) offering enhanced functionality. Moreover, it is possible to reload the agent (7) into the coating (5) of the appliance (2) using a reload-liquid (23).

Abstract: For improving the quality of use of intraoral orthodontic devices (1) such as dental splints (2) to be worn on teeth as well as for increasing their functionality, such devices (1) are fabricated at least in part, but preferably fully from bio-based materials (5). In particular when using a design featuring a cap layer (4) covering an inner stiff core (3) and including a bio-based material (5), which can be additionally chosen such that it can take-up a significant amount of liquid by swelling, both the micro-deformability of the device (1) can be improved—resulting in increased wearing comfort for the patient and less microplastic contamination for the patient through fossil-based plastic abrasions—and novel functions can be realized, for example releasing substances (9) such as drugs or flavor molecules or bio-based antimicrobial or protective agents from the device (1).

Abstract: For exploiting novel use-cases, in particular sophisticated human-machine interaction, with an intraoral electronic tongue monitoring system designed to be worn by a user on the upper or lower jaw and featuring a support sheet bearing a number of intraoral sensors arranged in an array for recording tongue movement and/or tongue pressure, it is proposed that the system comprises at least one extraoral sensor located outside of the oral cavity delimited by the teeth when the system is in place, in particular such that extraoral and/or intraoral and/or interlabial movements of the tongue and/or lip pressure can be recorded with the system and/or such that the system may be used as an input device controlled through tongue movement using a human-machine-interface provided by the system.

Abstract: For improving the sensitivity, lifetime and energy consumption of a dielectric elastomer transducer (1) to be used as a sensor, it is suggested that a dielectric layer (3) enclosed by two electrodes (2) of the transducer (1) includes a nanoscale volume of a fluid (15) such that the dielectric layer (3) is rendered compressible and/or displaceable out of a volume enclosed by the two electrodes (2). The advantage of such a design is that, although the dielectric layer (3) and possible buffer layers (4) separating the electrodes (2) from the dielectric layer (3) may all have thicknesses in the order of a few ?m or even in the sub-?m range, the transducer (1) is rendered highly compliant due to the movability of the fluid (15). In consequence, a large nominal capacitance of the transducer (1) as well as a large relative capacitance change (up to twenty times that of the nominal capacitance) can be achieved in conjunction with a very high sensitivity.

Abstract: An artificial urinary sphincter can include a cuff configured to surround a portion of a length of a urethra. An actuator is configured to selectively apply a force to the cuff to thereby apply variable amount of pressure to the urethra. A controller is configured to adjust the application of the force by the actuator to cause the cuff to apply the variable amount of pressure to the urethra. A sensor can be in communication with the controller and configured to detect pressure applied against the cuff by the urethra. The controller is configured to cause the cuff to apply a first closing pressure to the urethra. In response to a detection of a threshold pressure increase by the sensor, the controller is configured to cause the cuff to apply a second closing pressure that is greater than the first closing pressure and that prevents urine from exiting the urethra.