1588 results about "Image stabilization" patented technology

A spinal stabilization system may include a pair of structural members coupled to at least a portion of a human vertebra with connectors. Connectors may couple structural members to spinous processes. Some embodiments of a spinal stabilization system may include fasteners that couple structural members to vertebrae. In some embodiments, a spinal stabilization system provides three points of fixation for a single vertebral level. A fastener may fixate a facet joint between adjacent vertebrae and couple a stabilization structural member to a vertebra. Connectors may couple the structural members to the spinous processes of the vertebrae. Use of a spinal stabilization system may improve the stability of a weakened or damaged portion of a spine. When used in conjunction with an implant or other device, the spinal stabilization system may immobilize vertebrae and allow for fusion of the implant or other device with vertebrae.

There are many inventions described herein. Some aspects are directed to methods and/or apparatus to provide relative movement between optics, or portion(s) thereof, and sensors, or portion(s) thereof, in a digital camera. The relative movement may be in any of various directions. In some aspects, relative movement between an optics portion, or portion(s) thereof, and a sensor portion, or portion(s) thereof, are used in providing any of various features and/or in the various applications disclosed herein, including, for example, but not limited to, increasing resolution, optical and electronic zoom, image stabilization, channel alignment, channel-channel alignment, image alignment, lens alignment, masking, image discrimination, range finding, 3D imaging, auto focus, mechanical shutter, mechanical iris, multi and hyperspectral imaging, and/or combinations thereof. In some aspects, movement is provided by actuators, for example, but not limited to MEMS actuators, and by applying appropriate control signal thereto.

An AF unit of a lens holder driving device includes a lens holder, a focusing coil, a permanent magnet having a plurality of permanent magnet pieces having first surfaces opposed to the focusing coil, a magnet holder holding the permanent magnet, and first and second leaf springs supporting the lens holder in a direction of an optical axis shiftably. An image stabilizer portion includes a fixed portion disposed near the second leaf spring, a supporting member swingably supporting the AF unit with respect to the fixed portion, an image stabilizer coil having a plurality of image stabilizer coil portions disposed so as to oppose to second surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnet pieces that are perpendicular to the first surfaces, and a plurality of Hall elements. Each Hall element is disposed at a position where the image stabilizer coil portion is separated into a plurality of coil parts.

An apparatus is disclosed for connecting first and second elongated spaced apart spinal rods to one another which includes an elongated body portion, a clamp portion depending from the body portion for engaging a spinal rod, the clamp portion defining a deformable clamp body having opposed clamp arms configured for movement between a first position wherein a spinal rod is received between the opposed clamp arms of the clamp body and a second position wherein the spinal rod is securely engaged by the opposed clamp arms of the clamp body, and structure operatively associated with the clamp body which is configured to effectuate movement of the opposed clamp arms of the clamp body between the first and second positions.

A spinal stabilization system generally comprises first and second anchor members configured to be secured to first and second vertebrae within a patient's body, a flexible element secured to the first anchor member, and a rigid element secured to the second anchor member. An end portion of the rigid element is coupled to an end portion of the flexible so that the system is able to provide both rigid and dynamic stabilization. The coupling is maintained even if the flexible element relaxes after a period of time within the patient's body.

A surgical method and apparatus for implanting a spinal fusion implant includes a rigid centering guide having a distal end sized to be inserted into the disc space with the guide extending along a longitudinal axis from a distal end to a proximal end. The guide includes a first external guide surface which extends at least partially between the distal end and the proximal end. The external guide surface is shaped complimentary to an external guided surface of a drill guide. The external guide surface and the guided surface are nested such that the guided surface slides against the external guide surface along a path of travel parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Real time, high-speed image stabilization with a retinal tracking scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TSLO) enables new approaches to established diagnostics. Large frequency range (DC to 19 kHz), wide-field (40-deg) stabilized Doppler flowmetry imaging is described for human subjects. The fundus imaging method is a quasi-confocal line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (LSLO). The retinal tracking system uses a confocal reflectometer with a closed loop optical servo system to lock onto features in the ocular fundus and automatically re-lock after blinks. By performing a slow scan with the laser line imager, frequency-resolved retinal perfusion and vascular flow images can be obtained free of eye motion artifacts.

In one embodiment, a spinal stabilization apparatus includes a vertebral anchor having a head portion and a bone attachment portion. An elongate, flexible guide is removably coupled to the head portion of the vertebral anchor and has a channel extending longitudinally thereof and communicating with a slot in the head portion of the anchor. An elongate cord may be received within the channel to facilitate inserting and securing a spacer between pairs of anchors installed into adjacent vertebrae of a person's spine.

Instruments and methods for spinal stabilization are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the invention provides greater stabilization of vertebral bodies through methods including combinations of external fixation systems and intervertebral implants to provide greater fusion stability, greater motion segment stability, faster fusion, reduced pain, reduced chance of migration, reduced chance of subsidence, etc.

A camera module (170) includes a miniature scanning mirror (120), lens elements (163a to 163d) corresponding to thin lateral lens slices, and a short, wide imaging sensor (165). As the scanning mirror (120) pivots to scan a scene, the imaging sensor (165) captures successive image segments. Multiple image segments are stitched together by software running on a digital processor to provide a complete image. The assembly of lens elements (163a to 163d) may include moveable elements to allow variable focus, variable magnification and image stabilization, and may utilize refraction, reflection, diffraction and/or planar optical elements. The camera module (170) may be less than 5 millimeters thick while allowing long focal length lenses and increased light collecting area. Other embodiments include a switchable scan mirror with two apertures and a dual-camera system that provides binocular images and video.

A method of controlling a liquid lens in an imaging device, the liquid lens including a liquid-liquid interface between first and second immiscible liquids deformable by electrowetting; a chamber containing the first and second liquids, the first liquid being an insulating liquid and the second liquid being a conducting liquid; and a first electrode in contact with the second liquid and at least one second electrode insulated from the second liquid by an insulating layer, the first and second electrodes being arranged to allow a plurality of voltages levels to be applied between the first and second electrodes to control the curvature of the liquid-liquid interface, the method including: determining motion data representative of a movement of the imaging device; determining focusing data representative of a desired focus of the imaging device; determining the plurality of voltage levels to be applied between the first and second electrodes, wherein each of the voltage levels is a function of the motion data, the focusing data and at least one parameter relating to the liquid lens and preliminary determined in a calibration phase.

An occipitocervical fixation system includes a plate for securing to the occiput and at least one pre-bent rod. The plate includes holes for receiving bone fasteners, and at least one clamping assembly for retaining a portion of a rod. The clamping assembly is selectively pivotable and lockable in place to fix the position of the rod.

An alignment guide for placing an intervertebral spinal implant into a disc space includes a body and a pair of parallel pins spaced at a predetermined distance from one another. The body may be x-ray transparent while the pins are made of material that is visible to x-ray, allowing the guide assembly to imaged in the spine using x-ray.

An apparatus for persuading an orthopedic rod into position in an orthopedic device such as an implant or coupling element is disclosed. The apparatus includes a body, a pusher member and a trigger slidingly coupling the pusher member to the body. The pusher member includes a slide and sleeve attached to the slide. The sleeve includes at least one pusher bar. A ratchet controls the translation of the pusher member along the body to urge the rod into position in the orthopedic device. The pusher member and body define a cannula so that a fastener may be inserted once the rod is in position. The apparatus is operable via a single hand. In addition, a method of urging an orthopedic rod into a recess of an orthopedic device using the rod persuader is provided.

A sensor mounting system for enabling image stabilization in a digital camera is described. An electronic array light sensor is moved in relation to other parts of the camera in response to camera motion. In one embodiment, the sensor is moved by at least one linear motor having a ferrofluid in a gap of the linear motor. Other aspects of the system are described, including methods of heat sinking the sensor, a suspension system, methods of compensating for an effect of temperature on the ferrofluid, and a compact magnet configuration for forming the linear motor and providing feedback as to the position of the sensor.

The invention regards spinal stabilization. It may include a spinal support system having spinal anchors and a bridge coupled to the anchors wherein the bridge has a length with a more flexible section and a less-flexible section. The less flexible section may be at an end of the bridge and the more flexible section may be off centered between the two spinal anchors. It may also include a kit having some or all of these components as well as spacers. It may further include a method of designing a spinal stabilization system this method may include identifying three-dimensional loads placed at a location of a spinal column, identifying three-dimensional ranges of motion for that location of the spinal column, quantifying the forces associated with the identified loads, and designing a spring bridge to transfer some but not all of the loads for at least one of the axes from one end of the spring bridge to another end of the spring bridge, the load not transferred being absorbed at least partially by flexure of the spring bridge.

In an auto image stabilization system, a driving member formed as a wire of shape memory alloy (SMA) is retained by a projection of an image capturing unit. A distance Lb from the rotation center of an elastic deforming part to center of gravity (point of application) of the image capturing unit is longer than a distance La from the rotation center of the elastic deforming part to the projection (power point). In the configuration, equivalent mass (apparent mass) of the image capturing unit becomes (Lb/La) times, and it causes deterioration in response. Consequently, the driving member having an ellipse-shaped section in which a value obtained by dividing the width in the longer direction of the section by the width in the shorter direction is 1.3 or larger is employed. As a result, heat dissipation of the driving member increases, so that response in the SMA actuator can be properly improved.

A lens holder driving device includes an auto-focusing lens holder driving portion moving a lens holder holding a lens barrel along an optical axis, and an image stabilizer portion stabilizing image blurred by moving the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in first and second directions which are orthogonal to the optical axis and which are perpendicular to each other. The image stabilizer portion includes: a fixed portion disposed apart from the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in the direction of the optical axis; a plurality of suspension wires having first end portions fixed to the fixed portion at outer regions thereof, extending along the optical axis, having second end portions fixed to the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion, and swingably supporting the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in the first direction and the second direction; and a fracture preventing member preventing the suspension wires from fracturing.