178results about "Microscale sensors" patented technology

Embodiments herein relate to an optical chemical sensor system that is wearable and includes a microneedle array. In one embodiment, the invention includes a chemical sensing device having a set of microneedles and sensor elements. The sensor element may include a first low refractive index gel layer, a second low refractive index gel layer, and a chromogenic ionophore sensing film disposed between the first low refractive index gel layer and the second low refractive index gel layer. In one embodiment, a retardation layer may be disposed between the sensor element and a set of microneedles. An optical emitter may be configured to emit light into the sensor element. An optical detector may be configured to receive light from the sensor element. Other embodiments are also included herein.

A method of providing a channel in nervous tissue filled with an aqueous gel for implantation of a microelectrode or other medical device lacking sufficient physical stability for direct implantation by insertion, comprises providing an apparatus comprising an oblong rigid pin covered by a dry gel forming agent; locating a target in the tissue; defining a straight insertion path a desired tissue insertion point and the target; aligning the pin with its end foremost with the insertion path; inserting the pin into the tissue to a position near or at the target; allowing sufficient time to pass for a gel to be formed around the pin, withdrawing the pin. Also disclosed is a corresponding channel; a method of implantation of a microelectrode or microprobe into nervous tissue via the channel; a corresponding method of implantation of living cells; a corresponding apparatus for forming the channel.

A manometric catheter probe includes a flexible printed circuit, one or more pressure sensor assemblies coupled to the flexible printed circuit along a length of the flexible printed circuit, and a first flexible sleeve. Each pressure sensor assembly includes a body. The body includes a central cavity configured to receive the flexible printed circuit and an annular recess of the body. Each pressure sensor assembly further includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor disposed in the annular recess, an electrical connector configured to electrically couple the MEMS sensor and the flexible printed circuit, and a first flexible sleeve disposed over the annular recess of the body. The first flexible sleeve includes a fluid configured to communicate pressure to the MEMS sensor, and a second sleeve is disposed over the pressure sensor assembly.

A method of monitoring a subject with an opto-physiological sensor system is described herein. The method comprises obtaining a model of the optical properties of at least one body tissue type to be monitored, wherein the model of the optical properties comprises a definition of static (DC) and dynamic (AC) components of transmitted optical power and a definition of a source-detector separation related to a normalised path length for an illumination source of the opto-physiological sensor: obtaining an indication of at least one physiological property of the subject from a wearable device worn by the subject: obtaining an indication of at least one physical variable from the wearable device worn by the subject; determining, using the opto-physiological model, how the at least one physical variable affects the at least one physiological property; and determining a corrected value for the physiological property based on the determination of how the at least one physical variable affects the at least one physiological property.

Aspects relate to mechanisms to control the effective optical path length through skin tissue for non-invasive optical spectroscopy measurements. An apparatus can include a path length control part configured to control the effective optical path length of diffusely scattered light transmitted through skin tissue to produce a target effective optical path length. The apparatus may further include a spectral sensor, a detector, and a light source configured to produce input light directed towards the path length control part or the spectral sensor. The detector is configured to obtain a spectrum of an analyte under test based on the diffusely scattered light. The spectral sensor is configured to either receive the input light, produce modulated light based on the input light, and direct the modulated light to the skin tissue, or to receive the diffusely scattered light from the skin tissue and obtain the spectrum using the detector.

A device for measuring a pressure differential comprises a tube, at least one pressure sensor and a processor. The tube comprises a closed insertion portion for insertion into a body, the insertion portion having an insertion end and an internal bore in communication with ambient pressure via an opening in the tube. The sensor is located in or on the insertion portion and comprises an internally facing region in communication with the bore and an externally facing region in communication with an exterior of the tube. The processor is configured to provide a stimulus, which may be an electrical stimulus, to the pressure sensor so that when the stimulus is provided, the pressure sensor provides a measurable response wherein the processor correlates the response with the pressure differential between the exterior of the tube and the bore. The measurable response may be indicative of a change in pressure differential between the exterior of the tube and the bore. There may be a plurality of pressure sensors, in which case at least two of the sensors may have different resonant frequencies at the same pressure differential. The insertion portion may comprise at least one aperture sealed by at least one pressure sensor. The pressure sensor may comprise an electromechanical or micro-electromechanical material and may comprises a piezoelectric and / or electrocapacitive sensor. The externally facing region of the pressure sensor may comprise a coating, which may be electrically insulative.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure can include flexible catheter tip. The flexible catheter tip can include an inboard understructure that defines a tip longitudinal axis, wherein the inboard understructure can be formed from a first continuous element that includes a first rectangular cross-section. An intermediate inboard covering can be disposed about the first continuous element that forms a distal portion of the inboard understructure. An outboard understructure can extend along the tip longitudinal axis, wherein the outboard understructure can be formed from a second continuous element that includes a second rectangular cross-section. An intermediate outboard covering can be disposed about the second continuous element that forms a distal portion of the outboard understructure.

A system for monitoring anxiety of an individual includes a chair having at least a seat and a back, a base supporting the chair, and a first sensor disposed in at least one of the seat or the back. The first sensor is configured to, without being in direct contact with the individual, continuously obtain data related to a first physical characteristic from the individual seated in the chair. The first physical characteristic is one of respiration or pulse rate. The system further includes a display and a controller. The controller is configured to receive, in real-time, the data related to the first physical characteristic from the first sensor and compile a first metric from the received data. The first metric is configured to visually represent a change in the first physical characteristic. The controller is further configured to output the first metric to the display in realtime.

Measurements are performed on biological subjects by using microstructures to penetrate the functional barriers of the target. [Solution] A system for performing measurements on a biological object, comprising: at least one substrate 511 including a plurality of plate microstructures 512.1, 512.2 configured to penetrate the stratum corneum of the object; at least one sensor operably connected to at least one microstructure and configured to measure a response signal from at least one microstructure; and one or more electronic processing devices configured to perform at least one of the following: determine the measured response signal, provide an output based on the measured response signal, perform an analysis using at least part of the measured response signal, and store data indicating at least part of the measured response signal.

An implantable cardiovascular pressure sensing system can be used to measure blood pressure accurately and safely without any patient intervention. It can include a pressure sensor that makes blood pressure measurements, circuitry for processing and storing the blood pressure measurements, and an antenna for transmitting the processed measurements to an external device (i.e., a device not implanted in the patient). The circuitry can average blood pressure measurements and / or remove artefacts caused by patient motion that is sensed with an accelerometer integrated into implantable cardiovascular pressure sensing system. A multilayer ceramic / polymer coating forms a hermetic seal around the components, preventing leakage or contamination. The implantable cardiovascular pressure sensing system is very versatile: it can be implanted in a blood vessel, next to a blood vessel, in an aneurysm sac, or integrated with another medical implant, such as an Amplatzer septal occluder, and implanted into or next to another vascular structure.

The present application belongs to the technical field of neural interfaces, and specifically, to a neural interface having an auxiliary structure. The neural interface includes at least one flexible electrode and at least one auxiliary structure, and the flexible electrode is assembled to one side of the auxiliary structure. The present application provides a neural interface, in which the auxiliary structure has rigidity, and the flexible electrode is detachably assembled to the auxiliary structure, so that the flexible electrode can be easily implanted into neural tissue with the assistance of the auxiliary structure, and then the auxiliary structure can be removed to leave only the flexible electrode in the brain tissue. The flexible electrode can adaptively deform according to the expansion and contraction state of a blood vessel, thereby reducing damage caused by implantation.

A system for monitoring quantitative health data of a user, the system includes a stationary sensor device for monitoring a first set of quantitative health data of the user when the user is resting in bed; and a wearable tracker for monitoring a second set of quantitative health data of the user when the user is resting; wherein the wearable tracker is worn by the user; the first set and second set are sequential in time to obtain around-the-clock monitoring of the quantitative health data of the user.

Systems and methods are provided for determining an acceleration at a location of interest within one of a user's head and neck. At least one of linear acceleration data, angular acceleration data, angular velocity data, and orientation data is produced using at least one sensing device substantially rigidly attached to an ambient-accessible surface of the user's head. The location of interest is represented relative to a position of the at least one sensing device as a time-varying function. An acceleration at the location of interest is calculated as a function of the data produced at the sensing device and the time-varying function representing the location of interest. The calculated acceleration at the location of interest is provided to at least one of the user and an observer in a human-perceptible form.

Disclosed is a minimally-invasive sensing device for measuring or estimating respiratory biomarkers. The device contacts a target body fluid detects for at least one target analyte and outputs a signal representative of a concentration of the analyte, from which biomarker information is determined. The present disclosure also relates to methods and systems using measurements or estimations of respiratory biomarkers to assess patient respiratory state, and / or assist in providing respiratory therapy to a patient.

A system and method for monitoring body chemistry of a user, the system comprising: a housing supporting: a microsensor comprising a first and second working electrode, a reference electrode, and a counter electrode, and configured to access interstitial fluid of the user, and an electronics subsystem comprising a signal conditioning module that receives a signal stream, from the microsensor, wherein the electronics subsystem is configured to detect an impedance signal derived from two of the first working electrode, the second working electrode, the reference electrode, and the counter electrode; and a processing subsystem comprising: a first module configured to generate an analysis indicative of an analyte parameter of the user and derived from the signal stream and the impedance signal, and a second module configured to transmit information derived from the analysis to the user, thereby facilitating monitoring of body chemistry of the user.

A sensing system includes a microprobe, the microprobe including: a layered structure including: a sensing unit comprising a sensor including a working electrode, wherein the sensing unit has a first perimeter when viewed along a layering direction, includes a first material having a first toughness, and including a first side and a second side; a deformable layer configured to deform under stress and positioned on the first side of the sensing unit; a ductile layer positioned on the deformable layer opposite the sensing unit and having a second perimeter when viewed along the layering direction, the first perimeter being within the second perimeter, the ductile layer including a second material having a second toughness greater than the first toughness; a sensor-interface layer positioned on the second side of the sensing unit; and an encapsulant partially encapsulating the layered structure and mechanically isolating the layered structure from a surrounding environment.

This invention relates to a method and system for non-invasively monitoring central venous pressure, using a set of microneedles and micro-electromechanical systems, e.g., in heart failure. Herein, the microneedle-based sensor attaches to the skin at the neck of a subject to monitor central venous pressure, as it is a direct representative of filling pressures causing skin sub-surface strain.

An electrochemical sensor apparatus for introducing a needle electrode into the skin of a subject to contact a biological fluid or a tissue in the subject and detect a target analyte, and methods of producing the apparatus. The apparatus has a movable portion which urges the needle electrode in the subject's skin and at least two needle electrodes are selected from a library to provide the apparatus with a multiplexing capacity.

A medical device can comprise a catheter shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter shaft defining a catheter shaft longitudinal axis. A flexible tip portion can be located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft, the flexible tip portion comprising a flexible framework. A plurality of curved microelectrodes can be disposed on the flexible framework and can form a flexible array of curved microelectrodes adapted to conform to tissue.

A microsensor and method of manufacture for a microsensor, comprising an array of filaments, wherein each filament of the array of filaments comprises a substrate and a conductive layer coupled to the substrate and configured to facilitate analyte detection. Each filament of the array of filaments can further comprise an insulating layer configured to isolate regions defined by the conductive layer for analyte detection, a sensing layer coupled to the conductive layer, configured to enable transduction, and a selective coating coupled to the sensing layer, configured to facilitate detection of specific target analytes / ions. The microsensor facilitates detection of at least one analyte present in a body fluid of a user interfacing with the microsensor.

This invention provides an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device includes a control unit and a digital pressure sensor. The digital pressure sensor is configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured. The control unit or digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or based on the state of the aerosol delivery device or the state of its user determined by the corresponding signal. Control of the at least one functional element includes an output displaying the pressure or status.

Disclosed is an implant and method of making an implant. The implant having a housing that defines a cavity. The housing includes a sensor comprising a base attached to a diaphragm wherein said base may be positioned within said cavity. The sensor may be a capacitive pressure sensor. The diaphragm may be connected to the housing to hermetically seal said housing. The sensor may include electrical contacts positioned on the diaphragm. The attachment between the base and the diaphragm may define a capacitive gap and at least one discontinuity configured to enhance at least one performance parameter of said implant.

[Problem] To provide a low-cost means that makes it possible to monitor the state of the heart of a subject such as a patient with less invasion than in the prior art, without impairing the reliability of acquiring heart sounds. [Solution] In a wearable device (2) used by being worn on the wrist of a subject, a sound receiving unit having a rubber material (623) for acquiring the heart sound of the subject is disposed on an upper surface (201), and a user interface unit (65) for the subject to operate is disposed on a side surface (204) along the longitudinal direction of the arm of the subject when worn on the wrist of the subject.

The application provides a macro-micro combined electrode based on MEMS technology and a preparation method thereof. The macro-micro combined electrode based on MEMS technology comprises a deep brain stimulation (DBS) macro electrode, a non-metal support sleeve and at least one metal stimulation contact, the metal stimulation contact is arranged on the surface of the first end of the non-metal support sleeve, and the first end is an end penetrating into the deep brain; a flexible micro-nano electrode array based on MEMS technology, which comprises a plurality of detection units arranged in parallel, each detection unit comprises a detection site and a wire, the detection site is attached to the surface of the first end, each detection site is used for detecting an electric signal of the deep brain, each wire is connected to the corresponding detection site, and each wire extends away from the first end along the non-metal support sleeve in the form of being attached to the surface of the non-metal support sleeve or penetrating into the non-metal support sleeve.

A device for generating a sequence of images configured to represent in 3D a continuous series of aligned moving bone elements belonging to a subject. The device includes a plurality of inertial units intended to be arranged facing a plurality of measuring points, chosen by a practitioner, on the continuous series of aligned bone elements of the subject to cyclically take measurements. It also includes at least one first treatment unit configured to receive the measurement data from the respective inertial units and transform them into orientations of the inertial units. The device further includes a second treatment unit configured to receive the orientations of the inertial units; to update the orientations and the positions of the measuring points facing the inertial units on the basis of the orientations of the inertial units as and when the second treatment unit receives them; and then to form a curve representing the continuous series of bone elements using the positions of the thus-obtained measuring points and the interpolations between the positions of the measuring points. The second treatment unit is configured to allow the practitioner to input anatomical data or observation data used to correct the curve. The device is used to reconstruct a realistic image of a continuous series of aligned moving bone elements on the basis of a minimum amount of data. The device is used to establish reliable diagnoses from the obtained images and remotely assist a patient with exercises.

Embodiments herein relate to optical chemical sensor systems that can be wearable and include microneedle arrays. In an embodiment, a chemical sensing device is included having a set of microneedles and a sensor element. The sensor element can include a first low-index gel layer, a second low-index gel layer, and a chromoionophore sensing film disposed between the first low-index gel layer and the second low-index gel layer. In an embodiment, a delay layer can be disposed between the sensor element and the set of microneedles. An optical emitter can be configured to emit light into the sensor element. An optical detector can be configured to receive light from the sensor element. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Compositions and cross-linked polymer networks including at least one soft fluoropolymer segment and at least one hard fluorinated polymer segment which are covalently bonded through a linking moiety are provided. Methods of making the compositions and networks, and devices that incorporate them are also provided. The polymer networks may be designed to exhibit specific mechanical or physical properties which are tunable through by synthetic techniques including variation in the number and / or identity of the hard fluorinated polymer segments and soft fluoropolymer segments.

The present invention discloses a dry electrode comprising: an electrical connector with a second major portion comprising an electrode plate portion and a first major portion comprising a head portion; and a discontinuous layer of electrically conductive particles in electrical contact with the second major portion of the electrical connector, and wherein the electrically conductive particles comprise non-compressive ceramic shaped particles with at least one point and with a conductive metal coating wherein at least one dimension of the shaped particles is 100-1,500 micrometers.

A miniature vein enhancer includes: a housing, one or more movable mirrors, photo detector, and apparatus for transmitting a beam of light that includes a first and second wavelengths in the infrared and the visible spectrum, respectively. The one or more movable mirrors scan the beam onto the target surface. The photo detector is responsive to the first wavelength of light, and thereby receives a contrasted image formed of reflected light at the first wavelength from the target surface. The photo detector outputs an analog signal representing the contrasted image, which is used by the apparatus for transmitting a beam of light to project the contrasted image in combination with the one or more movable mirrors, onto the target surface. A plurality of protruding bars positioned in proximity to an exit window of the housing thereby prevent a user from placing an eye proximate to the optical path.