39865 results about "Electric signal" patented technology

A blood glucose monitoring system is disclosed which provides for inducing an active pulse in the blood volume of a patient. The induction of an active pulse results in a cyclic, and periodic change in the flow of blood through a fleshy medium under test. By actively inducing a change of the blood volume, modulation of the volume of blood can be obtained to provide a greater signal to noise ratio. This allows for the detection of constituents in blood at concentration levels below those previously detectable in a non-invasive system. Radiation which passes through the fleshy medium is detected by a detector which generates a signal indicative of the intensity of the detected radiation. Signal processing is performed on the electrical signal to isolate those optical characteristics of the electrical signal due to the optical characteristics of the blood.

A system for long-term remote medical monitoring is especially suitable for the medical supervision of astronauts onboard a space station. The system includes at least one autonomous sensor unit (SU) with a sensor (1) and transmit/receive electrodes (2) connected to a microchip (3) and mounted on a carrier (4) in the form of an adhesive bandage that can easily be applied to the skin of the subject astronaut (11). The system further includes a body transceiver (10) that is worn on the body of the subject and acts as a centralized transmitting and receiving unit, and a portable data logger (12). Medical data such as the pulse rate and the like, as well as environmental data such as the ambient surrounding air temperature, are sensed by respective allocated sensor units (SU) and transmitted from the sensor units as electrical signals via the skin and other body tissues of the subject (11) to the body transceiver (10). From the body transceiver (10), the data signals are further transmitted, for example by a radio or infrared transmission, to the data logger (12), where the data can be recorded, displayed, processed, or further transmitted via a satellite (14) to a base station (13) or a ground-based facility such as a hospital (15). Polling signals are also transmitted from the body transceiver (10) to the sensor units (SU) in a wireless manner through the skin and other body tissues of the subject.

An method and method for generating an electrical signal for use in biomedical applications, including two timing-interval generators, each optionally driving a multistep sequencer; analog, digital or hybrid means for combining the resulting timed signals into a complex electrical signal; optional filtering means for blocking direct current, removing selected frequency components from the resulting signal, and/or providing voltage step-up if needed; and conductive means for coupling the resulting signal to a human or animal body, food, beverage or other liquid, cell or tissue culture, or pharmaceutical material, in order to relieve pain, stimulate healing or growth, enhance the production of specific biochemicals, or devitalize selected types of organisms.

An implantable medical device is provided for subcutaneous implantation within a human being. The implantable medical device includes a pair of electrodes for sensing electrical signals from the human being's heart. Electronic circuitry having digital memory is provided with the electronic circuitry designed to record the electrical signals from the heart. The electronics of the electronic circuitry are housed in a case having a tapered shape to facilitate implantation and removal of the implantable medical device.

A proximity sensor system includes a sensor matrix array having a characteristic capacitance on horizontal and vertical conductors connected to sensor pads. The capacitance changes as a function of the proximity of an object or objects to the sensor matrix. The change in capacitance of each node in both the X and Y directions of the matrix due to the approach of an object is converted to a set of voltages in the X and Y directions. These voltages are processed by digital circuitry to develop electrical signals representative of the centroid of the profile of the object, i.e, its position in the X and Y dimensions. Noise reduction and background level setting techniques inherently available in the architecture are employed.

The invention relates to a medical probe signal generator. More particularly, it relates to a medical probe signal generator architecture. The present invention further relates to a medical probe signal generator having an automatic probe type detector, a user interface and operational parameter settings automatically configured according to a type of medical probe connected to the generator.

A resonant antenna circuit for a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader generates an electrical signal for activating a passive identification tag. The identification tag in turn generates a coded electrical signal that is detected by the reader. The electrical characteristics of the resonant circuit are dynamically altered so that the antenna performs more optimally as a transmitter and receiver for different types of transponders. The resonant circuit uses only passive components and the instantaneous resonant frequency tuning point is determined by the state of the activation signal transmitter.

A two-component monitoring device and system for monitoring blood pressure from a patient is disclosed herein. The two-component monitoring device includes a disposable component and a main component. The disposable component features: i) a backing structure having a first aperture; and ii) first and second electrodes, each electrode connected to the backing structure and including an electrical lead and a conductive electrode material, and configured to generate an electrical signal that passes through the electrical lead when the conductive electrode material contacts the patient. The main component includes: i) first and second connectors configured to connect to the first and second electrical leads to receive the first and second electrical signals; and ii) an optical component comprising a light source that generates optical radiation and a photodetector that detects the optical radiation. The optical component inserts into the first aperture of the disposable component. The main component optionally includes an acoustic sensor. The system utilizes a processing device, connected to the monitoring device by a cable which receives and processes a plurality of signals to determine real-time blood-pressure values for the patient.

A method and an apparatus are disclosed for determining the position of a stimulus in two axes on a surface. The apparatus includes: a transparent waveguide panel with parallel top and a bottom surfaces and at least one edge that is perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces; a light source that is directed to the edge of the waveguide to produce light that is contained within the waveguide by Total Internal Reflection and a light detector for producing an electrical signal that is representative of an image of the light emitted by the waveguide. The light detector is positioned to receive light emitted by Frustrated Total Internal Reflection from the transparent wave guide when a physical stimulus is placed in contact with the top surface of the transparent waveguide.

An apparatus for monitoring an electrical signal from a patient's body includes a disposable electrode patch having a thin flexible housing with an adhesive exterior, a power source, a printed circuit board, a plurality of electrodes, a converter for converting a detected electrical signal from the patient's body to a digital signal, a processor for processing the digital signal, and a transmitter connected for transmitting the processed digital signal as a wireless signal. A monitoring unit communicating with the electrode patch includes a power source, a transceiver, a global positioning receiver, a processor, at least one communication port for external communications, and a display. A system of the invention includes a plurality of patients having medical monitors wirelessly communicating biometric information to a central processor for archiving and accessing.

An apparatus includes an optical transmission unit which irradiates a subject to be examined with light containing a specific wavelength component, an electroacoustic conversion unit which receives acoustic waves generated inside the subject by the light radiated by the optical transmission unit and converts them into electrical signals, an image data generating unit which generates first image data on the basis of the reception signals obtained by the electroacoustic conversion unit, an electroacoustic conversion unit which receives ultrasonic reflection signals obtained by transmitting ultrasonic waves to the subject and converts them into electrical signals, an image data generating unit which generates second image data on the basis of the reception signals obtained by the electroacoustic conversion unit, and a display unit which combines the first and second image data and displays the resultant data.

A “Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller” includes a plurality of Electromyography (EMG) sensors and provides a wired or wireless human-computer interface (HCl) for interacting with computing systems and attached devices via electrical signals generated by specific movement of the user's muscles. Following initial automated self-calibration and positional localization processes, measurement and interpretation of muscle generated electrical signals is accomplished by sampling signals from the EMG sensors of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. In operation, the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller is donned by the user and placed into a coarsely approximate position on the surface of the user's skin. Automated cues or instructions are then provided to the user for fine-tuning placement of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. Examples of Wearable Electromyography-Based Controllers include articles of manufacture, such as an armband, wristwatch, or article of clothing having a plurality of integrated EMG-based sensor nodes and associated electronics.

A device is disclosed for treating sleep and breathing disorders of a patient, along with the method of using the device. The device includes a processor for receiving sensor inputs, processing the received sensor inputs, and generating commands through output devices. A first sensor is positionable for receiving breathing sound information emitted from one of the mouth and nose of a patient. The second sensor is positionable on a patient for receiving breathing sounds information from a patient's chest cavity. A third sensor is positionable for receiving information relating to the amount of chest expansion of a patient. A first output device is provided that is capable of providing an auditory signal to a patient. A second output device is capable of providing an electrical signal to a muscle group of a patient that simulates a human touching event. The first, second and third sensors, and the first and second output devices are operatively coupled to the processor to permit the processor to receive information input from the sensors, process the input information to the detect the existence of a sleep-breathing disorder event, and to generate command to at least one of the first and second output devices. The command is capable of directing the at least one output device to provide a series of progressively intrusive stimuli designed to condition the patient to terminate the sleep breathing disorder event, and ultimately, return to a more normal sleep pattern.

An image capturing device may be combined with a touch screen to generate a tactile map of an environment. The image capturing device captures an image of the environment which is then processed and used to correlate a point of user contact on a touch screen to a particular tactile sensation. The touch screen may then generate an electric signal (i.e., tactile feedback) corresponding to the tactile sensation which is felt by a user contacting the touch screen. By using the electrical signal as tactile feedback (e.g., electrovibration), the user may determine relative spatial locations of the objects in the environment, the objects' physical characteristics, the distance from the objects to the image capturing device, and the like.

An audio system to calibrate an audio signal based on a wirelessly received signal, and a signal calibration method are provided. The audio system includes a sound output unit to output a sound corresponding to a received audio signal. A transceiver is connected to an external device to enable wireless communication between a main unit and the external device. The external device converts the sound output from the sound output unit into an electric signal to generate a calibration audio signal. The main unit performs calibration on an audio signal to be played back through the sound output unit using the calibration audio signal.

The present invention provides a vacuum processing apparatus which is small-sized and requires a small installation area. The vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum container which has a processing chamber inside thereof, wherein the pressure inside the processing chamber is reduced and plasma used for processing a sample is formed inside the processing chamber, a bed portion which is arranged below the vacuum container and stores a device for supplying electricity and electric signals used for processing inside the vacuum container, and a transport chamber which is connected with the vacuum container and includes a transport device for transporting the sample inside thereof. The vacuum processing apparatus further includes a connector portion which is mounted on the bed portion in a state that the connector portion faces a lower portion of the transport chamber, wherein the bed portion is configured to be detachably mounted on the vacuum processing apparatus in a state that the bed portion performs the connection and the disconnection at the connector portion.

An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject includes a disposable portion and a reusable portion. The disposable portion includes a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes. The disposable portion also includes a flow pathway operable to receive and pass inhaled and exhaled gases, having a first end in fluid communication with the respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases. The disposable portion is disposed within the reusable portion, which includes a flow meter, a component gas concentration sensor, and a computation unit. The flow meter generates a signal as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of respiratory gases passing through the flow pathway and the component gas concentration sensor generates a signal as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases. The computation unit receives the electrical signals from the flow meter and the concentration sensor and calculates at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter.