448results about How to "Accurate direction" patented technology

A guide system for use by a user who performs an operation in a defined three-dimensional region is disclosed, the system including a data processing apparatus for generating images of the subject of the operation in co-registration with the subject, a display for displaying the images to the user, a probe having a position which is visible to the user, and a tracking unit for tracking the location of the probe by the system and transmitting that location to the data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus being arranged, upon the user moving the probe to a selection region outside and surrounding the defined region, to generate one or more virtual buttons, each of the buttons being associated with a corresponding instruction to the system, the data processing apparatus being arranged to register a selection by the user of any of the virtual buttons, the selection including positioning of the probe in relation to the apparent position of that virtual button, and to modify the computer-generated image based on the selection.

Ultrasound contrast agents are used to enhance imaging and facilitate HIFU therapy in four different ways. A contrast agent is used: (1) before therapy to locate specific vascular structures for treatment; (2) to determine the focal point of a HIFU therapy transducer while the HIFU therapy transducer is operated at a relatively low power level, so that non-target tissue is not damaged as the HIFU is transducer is properly focused at the target location; (3) to provide a positive feedback mechanism by causing cavitation that generates heat, reducing the level of HIFU energy administered for therapy compared to that required when a contrast agent is not used; and, (4) to shield non-target tissue from damage, by blocking the HIFU energy. Various combinations of these techniques can also be employed in a single therapeutic implementation.

A rotating irradiation apparatus includes a rotating gantry 3 including a front ring 19 and a rear ring 20 and is provided with a beam delivery device 11 and an irradiation device 4. The beam delivery device 11 delivers an ion beam used for particle radiotherapy. Radial support devices 61A and 61B support the front ring 19 and radial support devices 61A and 61B support the rear ring 20. Each radial support device includes a linear guide 41, an upper support structure disposed above the linear guide 41, and a lower support structure disposed below the linear guide 41. The upper support structure is movably mounted on the lower support structure and is movable in the direction of the rotational axis of the rotating gantry 3.

An autostereoscopic multi-user display comprising a sweet-spot unit which is directionally controlled by a tracking and image control device (160), wherein an illumination matrix (120) is provided with separately activatable illuminating elements (11 . . . 56), in addition to an imaging device used to alternatingly image active illuminating elements, for making expanded sweet spots (SRI / SR2) visible to various eye positions (EL1 / ERI, EL2 / ER2) of viewers observing alternating images or a stereoscopic image sequence on a transmissive image matrix (140) with the aid of directed beams (B1R . . . B5L). According to the invention, the imaging device comprises an imaging matrix (110) provided with a plurality of lens elements (111 115) whose focal length is small in order to image the active illuminating elements in an enlarged manner onto the sweet spots (SRI / SR2), and a field lens (171), which follows the imaging matrix (110), in order to keep the distances of the activated illuminating elements between adjacent beams (B1, B2,B4, B5) as constant as possible and in order to assist selection of the directions (D1. . . D5) with the illumination matrix (120) for the beams.

Ultrasound contrast agents are used to enhance imaging and facilitate HIFU therapy in four different ways. A contrast agent is used: (1) before therapy to locate specific vascular structures for treatment; (2) to determine the focal point of a HIFU therapy transducer while the HIFU therapy transducer is operated at a relatively low power level, so that non-target tissue is not damaged as the HIFU is transducer is properly focused at the target location; (3) to provide a positive feedback mechanism by causing cavitation that generates heat, reducing the level of HIFU energy administered for therapy compared to that required when a contrast agent is not used; and, (4) to shield non-target tissue from damage, by blocking the HIFU energy. Various combinations of these techniques can also be employed in a single therapeutic implementation.

Systems and methods are provided that enable searches of social networks by acting as a “compass” that assists users in navigating the social network. Individual user participation is not required in response to queries from other users. The systems and methods offer navigational assistance or information as opposed to a traditional search which returns requested information, thus currently acceptable social mechanisms for arbitrating trust can be exploited. As a result, users do not make their personal information publicly searchable, while at the same time, they are protected from potential misrepresentations of facts.

Micro-regional force application improves the control of the orthodontic movement of teeth in all six degrees of freedom. Micro regional force application utilizes an elastic repositioning appliance, a tooth positioner, a polymeric shell, or preprogrammed series of polymeric shells. The key components of the invention are the envelope of freedom, the force applicators, force couplers, counterpart coupling, vector modifiers, seating guides, decouplers, and forced balance points. Further, computerized finite element analysis determines the center of resistance and the center of rotation for each tooth to be moved. The present invention gently rotates and translates one or more teeth to a desired straight position within a treatment plan.

A pivot assembly that can be used with various appliances. The pivot assembly provides up to three degrees of freedom when positioning the appliance. The pivot may be used, for example, with a fan that is mounted on a base such that direction of the airflow generated can be adjusted about three coordinate axes by manipulating a single rotatable pivot mount. The fan assembly includes a base unit and an arm to which an appliance may be detachably coupled. The opposite end of the arm is provided with a spherical cap which is received by the base unit. Any adjustments to the positioning of the rotatable pivot mount are maintained by the friction within the rotatable pivot mount. Additionally, the pivot mount may include a pivot guide to restrict the degree of rotation about the pivot, thereby increasing stability.

The present invention relates to a plug for the connection of wires, which provides sufficient retaining force for lead-in wires (5, 7) to prevent the lead-in wires (5, 7) from breaking, and provides contact resistance of predetermined value.

A guide system for use by a user who performs an operation in a defined threedimensional region is disclosed, the system including a data processing apparatus for generating images of the subject of the operation in co-registration with the subject, a display for displaying the images to the user, a probe having a position which is visible to the user, and a tracking unit for tracking the location of the probe by the system and transmitting that location to the data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus being arranged, upon the user moving the probe to a selection region outside and surrounding the defined region, to generate one or more virtual buttons, each of the buttons being associated with a corresponding instruction to the system, the data processing apparatus being arranged to register a selection by the user of any of the virtual buttons, the selection including positioning of the probe in relation to the apparent position of that virtual button, and to modify the computer-generated image based on the selection.

A port device for implanting in a patient for subcutaneous access to the vascular system of the patient. The device includes a housing provided with apertures, each for receiving and retaining a needle. The housing is further provided with lock structure for locking catheters to the housing. The housing is configured internally to provide flow paths extending between needles disposed in the apertures and the catheters.

An image sensor is installed in the vicinity of a projection lens. The image sensor images a projected and displayed image and a screen. A projection display area and a screen area are detected from the image imaged by the image sensor. An inputted image data is corrected so that the projection display area matches the screen area. The image to be displayed is automatically displayed in a shape, which matches a display surface of the screen.

An improved optical fiber comprising a waveguide with an input for coupling focused laser energy into the waveguide and communicating electromagnetic radiation in a propagation direction to an internally reflective tip of the waveguide, a tissue contacting surface wherein the light path from the reflecting surface to the transmitting surface in substantially homogenous in refractive index and cooled by fluid flow. In minimizing the variations in refractive index within the lateral light path, while providing active cooling directly below the tissue contact surface, the invention prevents internal reflections and beam distortion and greatly improves the efficiency and durability of the laterally directing probe. Free rotation of the tissue contact surface, about the lateral tip, may be provided and tissue vaporization efficiency may be improved by providing a morcellating tool on the tissue contact surface.

An autostereoscopic multi-user display comprising a sweet-spot unit which is directionally controlled by a tracking and image control device (160), wherein an illumination matrix (120) is provided with separately activatable illuminating elements (11 . . . 56), in addition to an imaging device used to alternatingly image active illuminating elements, for making expanded sweet spots (SR1 / SR2) visible to various eye positions (EL1 / ER1, EL2 / ER2) of viewers observing alternating images or a stereoscopic image sequence on a transmissive image matrix (140) with the aid of directed beams (B1R . . . B5L). According to the invention, the imaging device comprises an imaging matrix (110) provided with a plurality of lens elements (111 115) whose focal length is small in order to image the active illuminating elements in an enlarged manner onto the sweet spots (SR1 / SR2), and a field lens (171), which follows the imaging matrix (110), in order to keep the distances of the activated illuminating elements between adjacent beams (B1, B2,B4, B5) as constant as possible and in order to assist selection of the directions (D1 . . . D5) with the illumination matrix (120) for the beams.

Method and system for monitoring structures such as bridges includes arranging sensors on the structure, obtaining data via the sensors, analyzing the data to determine the presence of a non-optimal condition relating to the integrity of the structure and transmitting the data or a signal indicative of the analysis with an identification or location of the sensors and the structure to a remote monitoring facility. Transmission of the signal may be performed via satellite and / or the Internet to the monitoring facility which can schedule maintenance or repair of the structure. The monitoring facility would receive the identification or location of the structure to know where maintenance is required and the location of the sensor(s) reporting the condition which give rises to the need for maintenance and thus can accurately direct the personnel to the damaged area of the structure.

A displacement measurement method for achieving, at each position of interest, high accuracy measurement of a displacement, a velocity and a strain in an actually generated beam direction by measuring the beam direction angle from ultrasound echo data. The method includes the steps of: generating an ultrasound echo data frame through scanning an object in a lateral direction with an ultrasound steered beam having one steering angle; calculating both a beam direction and a frequency in the beam direction based on an azimuth angle φ=tan−1(fy / fx), a polar angle θ=cos−1[fz / (fx2+fy2+fz2)1 / 2], and a frequency (fx2+fy2+fz2)1 / 2 in the case where first spectral moments calculated from local ultrasound echo data at plural different temporal phases are expressed by a three-dimensional frequency vector (fx, fy, fz); and calculating a displacement component in the beam direction at each position of interest generated between plural different temporal phases.

Presented are methods and apparatus for delivering a surgical instrument to a treatment site within the body of a subject, enabling accurate placement of surgical tools in areas not directly visible to a surgeon during a surgical procedure, while reducing or eliminating need for real-time imaging modalities to guide placement of those surgical tools. A treatment tool is guided to a treatment site by placing a guiding element at a reference site within a body of a subject, the reference site having a known spatial relationship to the treatment site, and utilizing a positioning tool to guide a treatment tool to a locus so positioned with respect to that guiding element that the spatial relationship between that guiding element and that locus is substantially similar to the spatial relationship known to exist between the reference site and the treatment site, thereby positioning the treatment tool substantially at the treatment site. Methods and apparatus for focusing energy at a treatment site, methods and apparatus for treatment of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, and methods and apparatus for performing a saturation biopsy of an organ are also presented.

An electronic device associated with a rotational casing includes a panel with a mount groove being joined to the rotational casing. The casing has a main body, which is composed of a first casing part and a second casing part, and a hinge. The main body has a projection part at a lateral side thereof and is received in the mount groove. The projection part extends outward a lateral side of the mount groove and is received in a locating groove of the panel corresponding to the projection part. The hinge is composed of a first hinge part and a second hinge part. The first hinge part is joined to another lateral side of the main body and an end of the second hinge part extends outward another lateral side of the mount groove and is joined to the panel. The present invention can hide the pivotal components and electrical wires to allow the rotational main body associated with the electronic device providing a sense of integral beauty.

An oscillating inductor has a symmetrical double-E core, which has two geometrically identical core windows, a cuboid center limb and two cuboid outer limbs. The double-E core is designed such that a longitudinal cross sectional area of the center limb is greater than 90 mm2, with a longitudinal cross section being regarded as a cross section which would separate the double-E core into two single E-cores, and the cross section being at right angles to the longitudinal cross section such that the double-E can be identified in the cross section, with the double-E core being located in a component volume of less than 26.5 mm×26.5 mm×15 mm (width×depth×height).

A pressing machine for a liner comprises a programmable logic controller (PLC) control system, a frame, a clamping mechanism, a plugging mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a pushing mechanism and a pressing mechanism. The clamping mechanism is arranged on the upper portion of the frame. A working platform is arranged on the lower portion of the frame. The plugging mechanism is fixedly arranged on the lower end surface of the working platform and corresponding to a positioning hole of the working platform. The pushing mechanism is arranged on a pressing plate of the clamping mechanism. The pressing plate is provided with a transversal linear slide. The feeding mechanism and the pressing mechanism are matched and respectively connected with the pushing mechanism through a mounting plate. The clamping mechanism, the plugging mechanism, the feeding mechanism, the pushing mechanism and the pressing mechanism are all controlled by the PLC control system. The pressing machine is adaptable to assembling of the liner of an oil pump cylinder body of an engine, and capable of realizing automatic operation, improving working efficiency, reducing labor intensity and improving products quality.

An improved optical fiber comprising a waveguide with an input for coupling focused laser energy into the waveguide and communicating electromagnetic radiation in a propagation direction to an internally reflective tip of the waveguide, a tissue contacting surface wherein the light path from the reflecting surface to the transmitting surface in substantially homogenous in refractive index and cooled by fluid flow. In minimizing the variations in refractive index within the lateral light path, while providing active cooling directly below the tissue contact surface, the invention prevents internal reflections and beam distortion and greatly improves the efficiency and durability of the laterally directing probe. Free rotation of the tissue contact surface, about the lateral tip, may be provided and tissue vaporization efficiency may be improved by providing a morcellating tool on the tissue contact surface.

An apparatus comprises a test signal generator (401) which generates an ultrasonic test signal by modulating an audio band test signal on an ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic test signal is radiated from a parametric loudspeaker (403) and is demodulated by non-linearities in the air. A reflected audio signal may arise from reflections of an object, such as a wall. An audio band sensor (405) generates an audio band captured signal which comprises the demodulated reflected audio band signal. A distance circuit (407) then generates a distance estimate for the distance from the parametric loudspeaker (403) to the object in response to a comparison of the audio band captured signal and the audio band test signal. Specifically two signals may be correlated to determine a delay corresponding to the full path length. Based on the distance estimates an audio environment may be estimated and a sound system may be adapted accordingly.

A method for loadbalancing in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a primary create request from an end user for a communications link provided by a network node and communicating a response to the end user in order to establish a communication session. A selected one of a plurality of network nodes is identified to facilitate the communication session based on a number of packet data protocol (PDP) contexts associated with one or more of the network nodes.

The invention discloses a random sampling consistency-based characteristic line detection method for a three-dimensional point cloud. The method comprises the following steps of: detecting a plurality of planes in the point cloud based on random sampling consistency; and applying the random sampling consistency to boundary points, which are taken as candidate points, of each plane parameterization area so as to obtain a final characteristic line. Therefore, the influences of noise, exterior points and data loss are reduced effectively, the detection robustness of the characteristic line is enhanced greatly and time efficiency is improved.

A method for loadbalancing in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a request from an end user for a communication session at a central node. The method further includes identifying a selected one of a plurality of network nodes to facilitate the communication session for the end user based on feedback information provided by the selected network node. The feedback information is communicated from the selected network node and processed before making a decision to establish the communication session between the selected network node and the end user.

A method for measuring one or more characteristics of an earth formation wherebyenergy is emitted circumferentially about a borehole into the formation, and the amount reflected back is detected during a plurality of sample periods. The samples are grouped into two or more groups by the azimuthal sector in which the sample was collected. Within a group, each sample is mathematically weighted according to the standoff of the detector from the borehole wall when the sample was taken. Within a group, the weighted samples are summed to produce a weighted total amount of energy detected within a sector. The weighted total is then transformed into the one or more characteristics.

A retractor and a surgical tool are positioned within a cannula, and a dissection cradle of the retractor is positioned at the distal end of the cannula. The retractor includes a dissection cradle that is resiliently supported along an axis skewed relative to the axis of the cannula. The dissection cradle, in operation, is extended to cradle the target vessel, and the retractor may be fully extended to urge the vessel away from the axis of the cannula to isolate a side branch for exposure to a surgical tool. The retractor includes a hollow support and a spray nozzle disposed in the distal end of the retractor to form an irrigation system and lens washer that can be selectively positioned to direct the spray of irrigation fluid at a remote surgical site or at an endoscopic lens.

The invention provides a method for correcting navigation deviation and a navigation display adopting the same. The method comprises the steps of: matching with a given electronic map through the moving and running directions of the coordinates of a vehicle, pointing out a currently selected road, obtaining matching degrees of candidate road sections by means of a matching degree function by taking the road section and the vehicle running direction as one parameter and taking an Euclidean distance from a measuring point to the candidate road section as the other parameter, and selecting the matching road section with the maximum matching degree. By means of the invention, the deviation of an inertial system, caused by gyro drift, can be eliminated, and errors can be corrected in real time to obtain the accurate running position and direction of the vehicle.

An earphone system, apparatus, and method enables a user to simultaneously receive auditory stimuli from an earphone-based source and at least one secondary source thereby enhancing a user's personal safety while listening to earphone-based auditory stimuli. At least one primary earphone device having a loudspeaker is positioned adjacent the user's ear so as to allow aural perception of other, non-earphone-based auditory information or stimuli. In a preferred embodiment, an earphone device is both removably fastened and adjustable relative to underlying support structure so as to more properly direct earphone-based auditory stimuli toward the user's ear.