Abstract: Apparatus and methods for electrosurgery are disclosed. In one arrangement, an electrosurgical element and a control system are provided. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a first electrical driving mode. The first electrical driving mode is such as to cause heating of human or animal tissue by the electrosurgical element. The heating contributes to modification or cutting of tissue by the electrosurgical element. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a second electrical driving mode. An electrical response of the electrosurgical element is measured during the electrical driving of the electrosurgical element in the second electrical driving mode.

Abstract: A device for controlling the flow of a fluid through a conduit from an upstream side of the device to a downstream side of the device. The device includes a valve housing having defined therein a valve aperture, a valve member movably mounted relative to the valve aperture. The valve member is arranged to be displaced reciprocally in a direction to selectively open and close the valve aperture. The device also includes a magnet mounted on or relative to the valve member, with the magnet being displaced by displacement of the valve member. A plurality of magnetic field sensors are mounted on the valve housing.

Abstract: The present application provides a muffler-heat exchanger (15) for an engine exhaust. The muffler-heat exchanger comprises a chamber (16) having an inlet (17) and an outlet (18) arranged such that during use exhaust gases flow through from the inlet to the outlet through the chamber. The muffler-heat exchanger also has at least one heat exchange baffle (25) disposed in the chamber to recover heat energy from the exhaust gases during use. The at least one heat exchange baffle is configured to reflect acoustic waves in the exhaust gases towards the inlet to generate destructive interference and impede incoming acoustic waves at the inlet. The present application also provides an exhaust system and an engine system.

Abstract: A probe comprises a resistive element configured to be brought into thermal contact with an entity to be sensed. A measurement system applies a plurality of heating pulses to the resistive element by driving an electrical current through the resistive in element and measures an electrical response of the resistive element to the heating pulses in order to determine information about either or both of the composition and state of the entity. The measurement system generates an output signal using the measured electrical response, wherein the output signal is generated by progressively offsetting the measured electrical response such that, in the event of an average temperature of the resistive element changing between different heating pulses due to a drift in the average temperature of a portion of the entity being sensed, a variance over the plurality of heating pulses of a value of the output signal at a predetermined common reference point within each heating pulse is reduced.

Abstract: A bladder pressure measurement device comprises a conduit for receiving a flow of urine, a valve actuatable between a first open configuration and a second restricted configuration, a pressure sensor, upstream of the valve and arranged to measure the pressure of the flow of urine through the conduit, and a data recorder and/or a data transmitter. The pressure sensor obtains a first measurement when the valve is in the first open configuration and a second measurement when the valve is in the second restricted configuration. The data recorder and/or transmitter records or transmits data representative of the first and second measurements.

Abstract: A device for controlling the flow of a fluid through a conduit from an upstream side of the device to a downstream side of the device. The device includes a valve housing having defined therein a valve aperture, a valve member movably mounted relative to the valve aperture. The valve member is arranged to be displaced reciprocally in a direction to selectively open and close the valve aperture. The device also includes a magnet mounted on or relative to the valve member, with the magnet being displaced by displacement of the valve member. A plurality of magnetic field sensors are mounted on the valve housing.

Abstract: An energy recovery system and a method of recovering energy are disclosed. In one arrangement, an exhaust gas conduit system guides a flow of exhaust gas generated by a combustion process. A heat exchange fluid circuit guides a flow of a heat exchange fluid. An electrical generator generates electrical power from the flow of heat exchange fluid. The heat exchange fluid circuit is configured so that heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the heat exchange fluid while the exhaust gas is flowing through the exhaust gas conduit system.

Abstract: A sensor element (4) is used to apply a heating pulse to a pharmaceutical product (6). Chemical or structural information about the pharmaceutical product is determined by measuring a response of the sensor element (4) during the heating pulse. The response is dependent on a heat transfer characteristic of the pharmaceutical product (6).

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for electrosurgery are disclosed. In one arrangement, an electrosurgical element and a control system are provided. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a first electrical driving mode. The first electrical driving mode is such as to cause heating of human or animal tissue by the electrosurgical element. The heating contributes to modification or cutting of tissue by the electrosurgical element. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a second electrical driving mode. An electrical response of the electrosurgical element is measured during the electrical driving of the electrosurgical element in the second electrical driving mode.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a method for testing a sample, with a sensor element (4) comprising a first conductor (301), a second conductor (302) and a third conductor (303) in series. The first conductor (301) is connected to the second conductor (302) at a first sensing junction (316A) and the second conductor (302) is connected to the third conductor (303) at a second sensing junction (316B). Heating is applied to a sample via Joule heating in the second conductor (303). A thermal response is measured (12) via a potential difference between the first conductor and the third conductor generated by the Seebeck effect.

Abstract: An energy recovery system and a method of recovering energy are disclosed. In one arrangement, an exhaust gas conduit system guides a flow of exhaust gas generated by a combustion process. A heat exchange fluid circuit guides a flow of a heat exchange fluid. An electrical generator generates electrical power from the flow of heat exchange fluid. The heat exchange fluid circuit is configured so that heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the heat exchange fluid while the exhaust gas is flowing through the exhaust gas conduit system.

Abstract: A probe comprises a resistive element configured to be brought into thermal contact with an entity to be sensed. A measurement system applies a plurality of heating pulses to the resistive element by driving an electrical current through the resistive element and measures an electrical response of the resistive element to the heating pulses in order to determine information about either or both of the composition and state of the entity. The measurement system generates an output signal using the measured electrical response, wherein the output signal is generated by progressively offsetting the measured electrical response such that, in the event of an average temperature of the resistive element changing between different heating pulses due to a drift in the average temperature of a portion of the entity being sensed, a variance over the plurality of heating pulses of a value of the output signal at a predetermined common reference point within each heating pulse is reduced.

Abstract: A sensor element (4) is used to apply a heating pulse to a pharmaceutical product (6). Chemical or structural information about the pharmaceutical product is determined by measuring a response of the sensor element (4) during the heating pulse. The response is dependent on a heat transfer characteristic of the pharmaceutical product (6).