19437results about How to "Easy to measure" patented technology

The invention relates to an instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery. The instrument includes means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element of the instrument to the operating element. These means include at least a first force sensor for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit and a first actuator. On the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor, the control unit controls at least the first actuator in order to control the operating element. Furthermore, the means preferably include a first position sensor for measuring a position of the working element with respect to the frame. The control unit advantageously determines an impedance which the working element is subject to as a result of the presence of a tissue or the like, on the basis of which impedance the control unit controls at least the first actuator.

Methods for performing a scheme that results in a refined measurement pattern within an optical grid are provided. Physically adjusting spacing of elements within an optical grid to achieve enhanced resolution is historically unfeasible, as reduction of the spacing causes light sensors of the optical grid to pick up false signals when reading light beams. Technology introduced by the present invention generates a virtual reduced spacing of the elements within the optical grid by using two signals that are slightly different. These slightly different signals can accomplish, at least, quarter-grid spacing resolution within the optical grid. Additionally, the enhanced resolution derived from the virtual reduced spacing is employed to govern movement of a motor. The motor movement is in response to one or more changes of direction such that the motor is operating in its linear range. Advantageously, the virtual reduced spacing allows for substantial movement in a non-linear phase, while only limited movement in a linear phase is necessary to locate accurately a target within the optical grid.

Guided wave radar (GWR) pulses are launched onto an electromagnetic guide wire using a compact launcher that includes an impedance matching element. The impedance matching element produces reflections that cancel launcher reflections. Short range echoes can be accurately detected after impedance matching. GWR operation in small tanks and in tanks containing low dielectric constant materials, such as propane, can be enhanced with the compact impedance-matched launcher.

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes an array of OLEDs, each OLED having two terminals; a voltage sensing circuit for each OLED including a transistor in each circuit connected to one of the terminals of a corresponding OLED for sensing the voltage across the OLED to produce feedback signals representing the voltage across the OLEDs; and a controller responsive to the feedback signals for calculating a correction signal for each OLED and applying the correction signal to data used to drive each OLED to compensate for the changes in the output of each OLED.

Alignment accuracy between two or more patterned layers is measured using a metrology target comprising substantially overlapping diffraction gratings formed in a test area of the layers being tested. An optical instrument illuminates all or part of the target area and measures the optical response. The instrument can measure transmission, reflectance, and / or ellipsometric parameters as a function of wavelength, polar angle of incidence, azimuthal angle of incidence, and / or polarization of the illumination and detected light. Overlay error or offset between those layers containing the test gratings is determined by a processor programmed to calculate an optical response for a set of parameters that include overlay error, using a model that accounts for diffraction by the gratings and interaction of the gratings with each others' diffracted field. The model parameters might also take account of manufactured asymmetries. The calculation may involve interpolation of pre-computed entries from a database accessible to the processor. The calculated and measured responses are iteratively compared and the model parameters changed to minimize the difference.

The invention relates to an impulse chamber which can be used for expelling an amount of a fluid compound at a high pressure. The impulse chamber comprises a variable-volume impulse chamber adapted for containing a volume of a flowable drug, an outlet nozzle in fluid communication with the impulse chamber and being adapted to be arranged against the skin of a subject, and a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the impulse chamber. The impulse chamber is defined substantially by a deformable chamber portion, such that deformation thereof reduces the volume of the cavity. In an exemplary embodiment the compressible chamber portion is in the form of an elastomeric tube, this providing a simple, yet reliable and cost-effective impulse chamber unit.

An optical system for examination of biological tissue includes a light source, a light detector, optics and electronics. The light source generates a light beam, transmitted to the biological tissue, spaced apart from the source. The light detector is located away (i.e., in a non-contact position) from the examined biological tissue and is constructed to detect light that has migrated in the examined tissue. The electronics controls the light source and the light detector, and a system separates the reflected photons (e.g., directly reflected or scattered from the surface or superficial photons) from the photons that have migrated in the examined tissue. The system prevents detection of the “noise” photons by the light detector or, after detection, eliminates the “noise” photons in the detected optical data used for tissue examination.

The present invention provides tools and methods designed to aid in the placement of facet joint prosthesis at virtually all spinal levels. One aspect of the present invention is a measurement tool for installing a cephalad facet joint prosthesis including a fixation measurement element and a support arm element. This measurement tool assists in the selection and / or configuration of a cephalad facet joint prosthesis for implantation in a patient. Another aspect is a measurement tool for installing a caudal facet joint prosthesis including a stem element and a trial caudal bearing surface element. This measurement tool assists in the selection and / or configuration of a caudal facet joint prosthesis for implantation in a patient. Yet another aspect is a measurement tool holder including a measurement surface connected to a holder element. This tool holder assists in determining the measurements obtained with the caudal facet joint prosthesis measurement tool.

A system and method for using a common subchannel to assess operating characteristics of one of a plurality of transducers that are coupled to said subchannel is disclosed. The plurality of transducers are divided into subsets and each subset is coupled to a subchannel. The system is configured to activate a selected transducer on the subchannel and the subchannel delivers operational information on the activated transducer. The present invention reduces the number of subchannels required to collect information on the plurality of transducers. The present invention may utilize one or more loading conditions to take at least one measurement, which at least one measurement is then used to derive operational information on the transducer. In one configuration, information on the amount of energy being delivered to the transducer is collected simultaneously with information on the operating temperature. In another embodiment only the temperature is measured. The present invention permits a more compact ablation device to be constructed based on the invention's ability to reduce the total number of subchannels required to collect transducer information.

An embodiment method for power control in a multi-hop communications system includes transmitting a power usage pattern for each relay node in a subset of relay nodes served by a communications controller, where the power usage pattern specifies transmit power levels for the relay node while the relay node is operating in a power control mode. The method also includes receiving channel measurements of access links between the relay nodes in the subset of relay nodes and subscriber equipment served by the relay nodes, determining backhaul link transmit power levels and access link transmit power levels based on the channel measurements of access links and channel measurements of backhaul links between the communications controller and the relay nodes, and transmitting the access link power levels to the subset of relay nodes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel having a press detection function, which makes it possible to suppress degradation of visibility of a display unit of a display device even when mounted on an electronic device, and also to improve a pressure measuring precision. For this purpose, the touch panel of the present invention includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed oppose to the first substrate, a pair of electrodes disposed on either one of opposed surfaces of the respective substrates or disposed separately on both of the surfaces, pressure sensitive ink members disposed with a gap from at least one of the pair of electrodes, each of the pressure sensitive ink members having an electrical characteristic varied by a pressing force applied thereto, and a gap retaining member for bonding the first and second substrates to each other and for retaining a gap between each of the pressure sensitive inks and at least one of the pair of electrodes, wherein the pair of electrodes are disposed in a frame shape along an edge portion of the first or second substrate, and the pressure sensitive ink members are scattered along the edge portion of the first or second substrate so that, when the first or second substrate is deformed upon an application of an external force, at least one of them is made in contact with both of the pair of electrodes so as to make the two electrodes conductive to each other.

The state estimator provides parametric estimates for operating states not readily measurable with production powertrain and driveline hardware, such as real-time torque values of axles and dampers. This facilitates implementation of torque oscillation damping control schemes which use multivariable feedback. A control parameter is estimated for a powertrain system having multiple torque-generative devices operably connected to a transmission device having a torque output to a driveline. This includes establishing a plurality of equations operable to estimate the control parameter and other operating parameters based upon torque inputs. The operating parameters comprise operating speeds of the powertrain system and driveline. The operating parameters that comprise operating speeds of the powertrain system and driveline are determined. Coefficients of the plurality of equations are adjusted based upon the operating speeds of the powertrain system.