33816results about How to "Good flexibility" patented technology

Methods and devices are provided for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures. In one embodiment, a surgical device is provided that includes an elongate shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof. The end effector can be configured to be movable between a first configuration in which the end effector is longitudinally aligned with or linear relative to the shaft and a second configuration in which the end effector is articulated at an angle beyond 45 degrees relative to the shaft. With the end effector in the first configuration or in the second configuration, the device can be configured to allow selective actuation of the end effector.

In a semiconductor device, and a method of manufacturing thereof, the device includes a substrate of single-crystal semiconductor material extending in a horizontal direction and a plurality of interlayer dielectric layers on the substrate. A plurality of gate patterns are provided, each gate pattern being between a neighboring lower interlayer dielectric layer and a neighboring upper interlayer dielectric layer. A vertical channel of single-crystal semiconductor material extends in a vertical direction through the plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and the plurality of gate patterns, a gate insulating layer being between each gate pattern and the vertical channel that insulates the gate pattern from the vertical channel.

A replacement valve for implantation centrally within the orifice of a malfunctioning native heart valve. The valve is designed for minimally invasive entry through an intercostal opening in the chest of a patient and an opening in the apex of the human heart. The replacement valve includes either a separate anchor (11, 87, 111) or a combined anchor (67) that folds around the malfunctioning native valve leaflets, sandwiching them in a manner so as to securely anchor the replacement valve in a precise, desired location.

A metal-forming die according to the present invention includes die blades with convoluted opposed side surfaces that correspond to variable-width features on the working surface of the die. The convoluted side surfaces and variable-width working surface features permit the impression left by one die blade to fill space taken from an impression made by a laterally adjacent die blade. Such a die permits formation of working surface shapes not possible with flat-sided die components. The die is manufactured in discrete longitudinally extending components, or blades. Dividing the working surface of the die into longitudinally extending portions, each carried by a die blade allows conventional machining processes to be employed in forming the working surface on each die blade. An additional machining process cuts complementary shapes on the sides of the die blades. The die blades and their corresponding working surfaces interfit, or nest together.

A device for delivering fluid to a person includes a reservoir for containing a fluid to be delivered to the person; a fluid transport device for dispensing fluid from the reservoir to the person, the fluid transport device including a proximal end in fluid communication with the reservoir and a distal end having a penetrating member for piercing the skin of the person to facilitate the delivery of fluid to the person through the fluid transport device; a housing containing the reservoir and the fluid transport device, the housing including an exit port for receiving the distal end of the fluid transport device upon injection of the distal end into the person and means for securing a first wall of the housing to the skin of the person; and an injection activation device including a driving mechanism contacting the fluid transport device for driving the penetrating member from a first position within the housing, through the exit port to a second position, external to the housing and into the skin of the person.

The invention provides methods and systems for introducing a delivery device in the heart at or near the apex of the heart, wherein the delivery device includes a prosthesis, advancing the prosthesis to the target site, and disengaging the prosthesis from the delivery device at the target site for implantation. Specifically, the present invention provides valve replacement systems for delivering a replacement heart valve to a target site in or near a heart. The valve replacement system comprises a trocar or other suitable device to penetrate the heart at or near the apex of the heart, a delivery member that is movably disposed within the trocar, and a replacement cardiac valve disposed on the delivery member. The delivery member may further comprise mechanical or inflatable expanding members to facilitate implantation of the prosthetic valve at the target site.

A device for delivering a fluid to a patient, including an exit port, a dispenser for causing fluid from a reservoir to flow to the exit port, a local processor programmed to cause a flow of fluid to the exit port based on flow instructions from a separate, remote control device, and a wireless receiver connected to the local processor for receiving the flow instructions. The device also includes a housing free of user input components for providing flow instructions to the local processor, in order to reduce the complexity and costs of the device so that the device lends itself to being disposable in nature. A system and a kit are also described that include the fluid delivery device, a separate, remote control device, and accessories for transcutaneous delivery of fluid medications. Methods of utilizing the fluid delivery device to infuse fluid medications are additionally disclosed.

A device for delivering fluid to a person including a reservoir for containing a fluid to be delivered to the person, a fluid transport device for dispensing fluid from said reservoir to the person, said fluid transport device including a proximal end in fluid communication with said reservoir and a distal end having a penetrating member for piercing the skin of the person to facilitate the delivery of fluid to the person through the fluid transport device, a housing containing said reservoir and said fluid transport device, said housing including an exit port for receiving said distal end of said fluid transport device upon injection of said distal end into said person and means for securing a first wall of said housing to the skin of the person, a injection activation device including a driving mechanism contacting said fluid transport device for driving said penetrating member from a first position within said housing, through said exit port to a second position, external to said housing and into the skin of said person, and an electrically driven actuator for activating said driving mechanism.

A high integrity liposome comprising at least one stabile lipid and at least one peptide-like therapeutic agent associated with said liposome, adapted for parenteral administration to an animal, including a human, and method according to manufacture and use. Immunizing dosage forms comprising a liposome and an immunogen, wherein said liposome and immunogen are present in an immunization dose. Additionally, a dosage form, including such form particularly adapted to producing an immune response, comprising a salt according to an organic acid derivative of a sterol and an immunogen wherein said organic acid derivative of a sterol and immunogen are present in an immunization dose, and method according to use is disclosed. Further, a dosage form, including such form particularly adapted to producing an immune response, comprising dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) / cholesterol liposomes, optionally in an aluminum hydroxide gel, and an immunogen wherein said DMPC / cholesterol and immunogen are present in an immunization dose, and method according to use.

The present invention provides systems and methods for the repair, removal, and / or replacement of heart valves. The methods comprise introducing a delivery system into the heart, wherein a prosthesis is disposed on the delivery member attached to the delivery system, advancing the prosthesis to the target site, and disengaging the prosthesis from the delivery member at the target site for implantation. The present invention also provides implant systems for delivering a prosthesis to a target site in or near the heart. In one embodiment of the present invention, the implant system comprises a delivery system, an access system, and a prosthesis.

Stimulation of one or more neurons of the sympathetic nervous system, including the splenic nerve, to attenuate an immune response, including an inflammatory immune response, is discussed. Devices and systems to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system to attenuate an immune response are also discussed. Devices discussed include pulse generators and drug pumps. Systems are described as optionally having one or more sensors and operator instructions. In specific examples, stimulation of the splenic nerve of pigs with a pulse generator is shown to be safe and effective in attenuating a lipopolysaccharide-induced immune response.

A replacement valve for implantation centrally within the orifice of a malfunctioning native heart valve. The valve is designed for minimally invasive entry through an intercostal opening in the chest of a patient and an opening in the apex of the human heart. The replacement valve includes either a separate anchor (11, 87, 111) or a combined anchor (67) that folds around the malfunctioning native valve leaflets, sandwiching them in a manner so as to securely anchor the replacement valve in a precise, desired location.

Stimulation of one or more neurons of the sympathetic nervous system, including the splenic nerve, to attenuate an immune response, including an inflammatory immune response, is discussed. Devices and systems to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system to attenuate an immune response are also discussed. Devices discussed include pulse generators and drug pumps. Systems are described as optionally having one or more sensors and operator instructions. In specific examples, stimulation of the splenic nerve of pigs with a pulse generator is shown to be safe and effective in attenuating a lipopolysaccharide-induced immune response.

A vehicular rain sensor mounting system comprises a module assembly adapted for attachment to an attachment member on the inner surface of a vehicle windshield. The module assembly comprises a first side configured to be generally adjacent the inner surface of the vehicle windshield and a second side generally opposing the first side. A rearview mirror assembly mounting member is provided at the second side. The system further comprises a rearview mirror assembly having a mirror mount adapted for attachment to the rearview mirror assembly mounting member provided at the second side of the module assembly. The module assembly includes a rain sensor having a detecting surface. The detecting surface of the rain sensor contacts the inner surface of the windshield when the module assembly is attached to the attachment member on the inner surface of the vehicle windshield.

An interactive training system capable of generating continuous feedback for physical therapy and training applications based on capturing and analyzing the movement of a user on an interactive surface. The training system captures sophisticated input such as the entire areas in contact with the interactive surface, center of gravity, pressure distribution, velocity, acceleration, direction, orientation etc. The training system also captures and / or calculates and / or estimates the position of a body part while in the air, not touching the interactive surface, and also while sensor input is unavailable. The training system can also provide alerts for predefined events such as a fall or the beginning of a fall.

A physiological sensor device for attachment to a mammalian subject including first and second regions of sensors attachable to a subject in use, which first and second regions of sensors are separated by a flexible web adapted to enable variable separation of the first and second sensor regions from one another in use. The physiological sensor device is manufactured by forming a strip of electrically conductive material on a flexible electrically non-conductive substrate and cutting a slot through both the flexible substrate and conductive strip to define a pair of adjacent edges of conductive material separated by a non-conductive gap thereby also to define adjacent electrode sensors each having one of the pair of adjacent edges formed in the strip of conductive material. The physiological sensor device is attached to the subject for measurement of numerous physiological parameters for a period of time, such as 24 hours, and is then thrown away.

A high polymer resin material is configured into a shoe sole component having a plurality of inwardly extending indentations in one or both of the top and bottom members of the component. The indentations extend into the interval between the members and adjacent to the opposite member to provide support members for the sole component. The sole component can be constructed by molding upper and lower sole component halves wherein the molds are configured to provide indentations in the top and bottom members. The upper and lower sole component halves are then joined to complete the sole component.

A computerized method for representing a data record comprising: querying a data source to obtain data selected from the group consisting of a data element in a record, and metadata concerning the record; presenting in a display a record handle for manipulation of the record; presenting in the display a data item wherein the data item is a list of data items or a reference to another record; and, optionally, presenting on the display the metadata above the data item. In some embodiments, the method includes the step of retrieving one or more heterogeneous records from a plurality of databases for display and manipulation. The invention is also a grid control programmed to implement a disclosed method and is a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a disclosed method. The invention links the grid control of the invention with automatic query generation using hierarchical data schema trees. Both the trees and the grid records represent relational foreign keys as extra reference columns. In the grid control, these reference columns are additional embedded record handles.

Various embodiments of a medical device having a deflecting shaft and related methods of manufacture and use are disclosed. For example, the device may include a proximal handle, a distal assembly for performing a medical procedure, and a wire coil connecting the proximal handle to the distal assembly, wherein actuation of the proximal handle may cause the distal assembly to perform the medical procedure. The wire coil may have a proximal portion comprised of a first wire and a distal portion comprised of a second wire. The second wire may have a diameter less than a diameter of the first wire so that the distal portion of the wire coil may have a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the proximal portion.

A secure music distribution system securely distributes digital products such as music, video, and / or computer software along with related media over a public telecommunications network, such as the Internet, employing a client-server architecture. The digital products are stored and controlled by a content manager computer system and are sold by separate merchant computer systems. The secure music distribution system includes a music distribution center which operates with any number of client systems and with any number of merchant systems. The music distribution center includes a content manager and at least one delivery server. The content manager maintains a media information database, a master media file system, and a transaction database. In addition, the music distribution center interfaces with a media licensing center, which in turn communicates with one or more distributed rights agent servers and the merchant servers. The merchant server executes in a merchant computer system, which also includes an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) server. The merchant servers interface with various payment processing systems. The client systems include a media player and a Web browser. Additional delivery servers and media licensing centers operate independently and externally to the music distribution center and interface with the music distribution center.

A flexible display substrate, a flexible organic light emitting display device, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The flexible display substrate comprises a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area extending from the display area, and a wire formed on the flexible substrate. At least a part of the non-display area of the flexible substrate is formed in a crooked shape in a bending direction, and the wire positioned on at least a part of the non-display area of the flexible substrate includes a plurality of first wire patterns, and a second wire pattern formed on the plurality of first wire patterns and electrically connected with the plurality of first wire patterns.

A multiple mode data communication system and method provides the flexibility to schedule wireless unit transmissions and / or allow the wireless unit to transmit autonomously. In certain embodiments, the wireless units can transmit autonomously and / or use scheduling depending on the data rate, the length of the data packet or the type of data. For example, the wireless units can transmit autonomously at lower data rates and use scheduling at higher data rates. Thus, the multiple mode system enables wireless unit transmissions to be scheduled and / or be transmit autonomously, and wireless units can simultaneously operate in different scheduling and / or autonomous modes. Depending on the embodiment, the system can provide even greater flexibility in operation by permitting wireless units to be scheduled by a single base station, scheduled by a multiplicity of base stations simultaneously or otherwise, via coordination between base stations, scheduled by a multiplicity of base stations in an uncoordinated and asynchronous manner, allowed to transmit autonomously, and / or allowed to transmit autonomously under base station supervision (i.e. rate control / adjustment by the base station). Additionally, a forward and / or reverse link control channel structure is provided which can be used to implement the multiple mode data communication system and / or support various features enabling increased throughput over a shared data channel in a wireless communications system.

A mobile robot system for performing a plurality of separate operations, and including at least one autonomous wheeled mobile robot having at least one wheel-driving motor, an on-board computer, a system for navigation, orientation, and maneuvering in an environment with moving obstacles, a sensor system, a wireless communication system operative to receive and send signals, and a plurality of dockable operation modules and operative to be selectively coupled to the autonomous mobile robot to form an operation unit, wherein the autonomous wheeled mobile robot autonomously docks to the dockable operation modules.

A system for managing allocation of resources based on service level agreements between application owners and cloud operators. Under some service level agreements, the cloud operator may have responsibility for managing allocation of resources to the software application and may manage the allocation such that the software application executes within an agreed performance level. Operating a cloud computing platform according to such a service level agreement may alleviate for the application owners the complexities of managing allocation of resources and may provide greater flexibility to cloud operators in managing their cloud computing platforms.

In a semiconductor device, and a method of manufacturing thereof, the device comprises a substrate of single-crystal semiconductor material extending in a horizontal direction and a plurality of interlayer dielectric layers on the substrate. A plurality of gate patterns are provided, each gate pattern being between a neighboring lower interlayer dielectric layer and a neighboring upper interlayer dielectric layer. A vertical channel of single-crystal semiconductor material extends in a vertical direction through the plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and the plurality of gate patterns, a gate insulating layer being between each gate pattern and the vertical channel that insulates the gate pattern from the vertical channel.

The invention concerns a method for treating a target volume with a particle beam, in particular a proton beam, which consists in generating said particle beam using an accelerator and in producing from said beam a narrow spot directed towards the target volume, characterized in that said spot sweeping speed and the particle beam intensity are simultaneously varied.

Methods and systems that provide enhanced personal video recorder (“PVR”) and interactive television program guide (“IPG”) functionality are provided. An interactive television application (“application”) may be implemented to provide such functionality. The application may be used to display a list of PVR recordings, to schedule recordings to a PVR, to configure recordings, to view a list of scheduled recordings, to configure recording settings, or to select delete priority settings for recordings. The application may integrate pay-per-view and PVR functionality. The application may send user notifications for changes that are to be made to the recording content of a PVR. Live programming may be buffered by the application using a straight buffers that are created for each new program. Parallel buffers for concurrent programs may be implemented using multiple tuners. Straight buffers may be used in managing or controlling the flow of programming. Television content may be automatically paused when a user is engaged in using the application. Multiple IPGs for different users of a PVR may be implemented. Other PVR related features are also provided.