3143 results about "Thumb" patented technology

A surgical staple-clip including a clip component and a securing member is used in a wide range of surgical procedures. The staple-clip may be introduced to a surgical site in an un-assembled condition through a small port or trocar. An applier for the staple-clip comprising a pair of opposed jaw-like channels is provided to position and apply the clip component and the securing member. The clip component is positioned around a target tissue and is compressed or clamped upon the tissue using only the force required for a specific surgical procedure such as occlusion, ligation or fixation. When the clip component is properly applied, the securing member is urged forward and over the clip component to secure the staple-clip. The clip component may include traction enhancement features such as surface interruptions, bumps, valleys and ridges. With the staple-clip of the invention, the force required to constrict or occlude the tissue is separate from the force required to secure and maintain the staple-clip in position and, as a result, the body tissue is not over-compressed and nourishment to the body tissue is maintained. Other aspects of the invention include thumb actuated clip appliers for use in hand assisted laparoscopy (HAL). In one embodiment, a clip applier includes a handle and a thumb actuated mechanism that is used to slidably release clips onto a body tissue or vessel by sliding the thumb actuated mechanism forward and backward using only one hand. In another aspect of the invention, a two-stage clip is disclosed having a clip component and a staple component for securing the clip after it has been properly positioned.

Specific ambient and user behaviour sensing systems and methods are presented to improve friendliness and usability of electronic handheld devices, in particular cellular phones, PDAs, multimedia players and similar.

The improvements and special functions include following components:

• • a. The keypad is locked/unlocked (disabled/enabled) and/or the display activated based on the device inclination relative to its longitudinal and/or lateral axes.
  • b. The keypad is locked if objects are detected above the display (for example the boundary of a bag or pursue).
  • c. The keypad is locked/unlocked (disabled/enabled) and/or the display activated based on electric field displacement or bio-field sensing systems recognizing the user hand in any position behind the handheld device.
  • d. The electric response signal generated by an electric field through the user hand in contact with a receiver plate is used to identify the user and in negative case lock the device.
  • e. Connection with incoming calls is automatically opened as soon as a hand is detected behind the device and the device is put close to the ear (proximity sensor).
  • f. The profile (ring-tone mode, volume and silent mode) can be changed just putting the device in a specific verse (upside up or upside down).
  • g. Has a lateral curved touchpad with tactile markings over more surfaces to control a mouse pointer/cursor or selection with the thumb finger.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing. compliant, and flexible multi-touch surface. The surface consists of compressible cushion, dielectric, electrode, and circuitry layers. A simple proximity transduction circuit is placed under each electrode to maximize signal-to-noise ratio and to reduce wiring complexity. Such distributed transduction circuitry is economical for large surfaces when implemented with thin-film transistor techniques. Scanning and signal offset removal on an electrode array produces low-noise proximity images. Segmentation processing of each proximity image constructs a group of electrodes corresponding to each distinguishable contact and extracts shape, position and surface proximity features for each group. Groups in successive images which correspond to the same hand contact are linked by a persistent path tracker which also detects individual contact touchdown and liftoff. Combinatorial optimization modules associate each contact's path with a particular fingertip, thumb, or palm of either hand on the basis of biomechanical constraints and contact features. Classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.

The selective rejection of touch contacts in an edge region of a touch sensor panel is disclosed. In addition, by providing certain exceptions to the rejection of edge contacts, the functionality of the touch sensor panel can be maximized. Contacts in edge bands around the perimeter of a touch sensor panel can be ignored. However, if a contact in the edge band moves beyond a threshold distance or speed, it can be recognized as part of a gesture. To accommodate different finger sizes, the size of the edge band can be modified based on the identification of the finger or thumb. Furthermore, if contacts in the center region of a touch sensor panel track the movement of contacts in the edge band, the contacts in the edge band can be recognized as part of a gesture.

A hand-held information processing device, such as a mobile phone, has a thumb wheel that lets the user scan a circular array of options. Each respective one of the options is represented by a respective audio output that gets played out when the wheel is turned a notch up or down. This enables the user to select an option with one hand and without having to look at the device. It also allows for a form factor smaller than that of a conventional mobile phones since a keypad is not needed for entering digits to make a call from a personalized directory.

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system has operational modes and the GUI has corresponding icons, tabs, and menu items image and information fields. The User Interface (UI) provides several types of graphical elements with intelligent behavior, such as being context sensitive and adaptive, called active objects, for example, tabs, menus, icons, windows of user interaction and data display and an alphanumeric keyboard. In addition the UI may also be voice activated. The UI further provides for a touchscreen for direct selection of displayed active objects. In an embodiment, the UI is for a medical ultrasound handheld imaging instrument. The UI provides a limited set of hard and soft keys with adaptive functionality that can be used with only one hand and potentially with only one thumb.

A computer pointing device including: a base portion with a lower surface adapted for sliding across a work surface, a spine portion, projecting substantially upward from said base portion and having a thumb-engaging surface on a first lateral side of the spine and at least fingertip-engaging surface on a second lateral side of the spine opposing said first lateral side. A keyboard with an altered arrangement of function of keys, such as an enlarged or truncated appearance in accordance with keys being re-mapped to sensors on a pointing device. A keyboard with a virtual screen display, which may be made semi-transparent by activating a sensor on a pointing device. A computer with a recess capable of accommodating a mouse device. A locked scrolling or zooming means, using any pointing device, in which scrolling or zooming in a defined direction is proportional to the distance travelled by the device, irrespective of direction of movement of the device.

The present invention provides a technique for continuous measurement of blood pressure based on pulse transit time and which does not require any external calibration. This technique, referred to herein as the ‘Composite Method’, is carried out with a body-worn monitor that measures blood pressure and other vital signs, and wirelessly transmits them to a remote monitor. A network of body-worn sensors, typically placed on the patient's right arm and chest, connect to the body-worn monitor and measure time-dependent ECG, PPG, accelerometer, and pressure waveforms. The disposable sensors can include a cuff that features an inflatable bladder coupled to a pressure sensor, three or more electrical sensors (e.g. electrodes), three or more accelerometers, a temperature sensor, and an optical sensor (e.g., a light source and photodiode) attached to the patient's thumb.

Disclosed is a manual character input device, such as a keyboard or electronic write pad, designed for removable mounting and operation on the front of a bag computer. A keyboard may be ten full size keys wide with thumb keys for missing keys to right and left, may have tactile finger guides and actuating keys adapted for vertical use. The input device attaches by its back or pivotally by one edge. Edge mounts may be a channel, clip, half hinge axle or bearing or clamp and may include a hinge means for non-pivoting bag front mounts. Alignment structures may be included and may form a cover to protect the bag computer/display. Electrical connection to the computer may lead from the input device's back or edge and may be a wire and plug or may be built into the attachments. Alternatively, the input device may have a wireless electrical connection.

A sign language recognition apparatus and method is provided for translating hand gestures into speech or written text. The apparatus includes a number of sensors on the hand, arm and shoulder to measure dynamic and static gestures. The sensors are connected to a microprocessor to search a library of gestures and generate output signals that can then be used to produce a synthesized voice or written text. The apparatus includes sensors such as accelerometers on the fingers and thumb and two accelerometers on the back of the hand to detect motion and orientation of the hand. Sensors are also provided on the back of the hand or wrist to detect forearm rotation, an angle sensor to detect flexing of the elbow, two sensors on the upper arm to detect arm elevation and rotation, and a sensor on the upper arm to detect arm twist. The sensors transmit the data to the microprocessor to determine the shape, position and orientation of the hand relative to the body of the user.

A small sensor surface designed to control a smart phone or Mobile Internet Device (MID). The sensor surface may be mounted on the side of the proposed device in a position where a user's thumb or finger naturally falls when holding the device in his/her hand. The sensor surface is simultaneously convex and concave, providing both visual and physical cues for the use of the sensor surface. The sensor may include capacitive sensing, optical sensing and pressure sensing capabilities to interpret thumb gestures into device control.

The present invention provides a safety control system for a vehicle with controls located on the vehicle steering wheel. The controls may be arranged in a cluster on one or both sides of the upper half of the steering wheel or on a special flange mounted to the steering wheel. The contours are easily recognizable and accessible while driving without any distraction to the driver. The controls can be enhanced by varied coloring, shape, size, and texture to make them easily identifiable. The controls can be used with portable telematics devices, in a multi-modal process in conjunction with thumb gesture interpretation or speech recognition. A universal portable device docking station may be used in conjunction with the control system.

The application of a watershed algorithm to pixels and their touch values obtained from a scan of a touch sensor panel to determine patches corresponding to images of touch is disclosed. Prior to applying the watershed algorithm, background pixels having little or no touch values can be eliminated. A primary merge algorithm can then merge adjacent patches together when the saddle point between them is shallow as compared to the peak represented by the patches. However, if two candidate patches for merging have a total number of pixels below a certain threshold, these two patches may not be merged under the assumption that the patches might have been caused by different fingertips. Conversely, if two candidate patches for merging have a total number of pixels above a certain threshold, these two patches can be merged under the assumption that the patches were caused by a single thumb or palm.

The invention provides a wheel driving robot finger device, belonging to a robot technical field which comprises a base, a motor, a reducer, a first gear, a second gear, a close joint shaft, a middle part finger, a far joint shaft and a terminal finger section as well as a driver, a transmission part, a driven wheel, a spring part. The middle part finger is sleeved on the close joint shaft. Two terminals of the spring part are respectively connected with the middle and the terminal finger sections. The device uses a pair of wheel mechanisms to sleeve a plurality of active middle part fingers with the decoupling effect of the spring part comprehensively to realize the special effect that the double joints drive the finger to bend so as to catch the objects. With simple structure, reliability, low cost, convenient installation and maintenance, small volume and light weight, the wheel driving robot finger device similar to human fingers is especially suitable for being used as a thumb of the hand of the humanoid robot or a part of other fingers that uses fewer drivers to drive more rotation joints to automatically adjust to catch the objects of different shapes and sizes.

A system and apparatus for securing an item using a biometric lock where a matching fingerprint allows a user access to the item secured. In one embodiment, the item is a container with an aperture. More specifically, the container is a handbag, luggage, briefcase, computer bag, storage container, shipping container or gun holster. In one embodiment, the biometric lock apparatus is self contained and is applied to the item being secured. More specifically, the self contained biometric lock is a padlock, bicycle lock, or an independent lock with a shackle applied to an item. In one embodiment, the biometric lock is divided into multiple components, one component being a biometric key containing a sensor where a user inserts the key into another component of the lock and applies a finger to the sensor to read a matching fingerprint and unlock the mechanism. In one embodiment, the systems and apparatuses include utilizing an unlocking apparatus that contains a generator whereby the swiping of a fingerprint over a sensor simultaneously moves a thumb roller which activates the generator to power the device, and a fingerprint is initially installed through the use of an external computer and a secondary power source.

The invention provides a body-worn system that continuously measures pulse oximetry and blood pressure, along with motion, posture, and activity level, from an ambulatory patient. The system features an oximetry probe that comfortably clips to the base of the patient's thumb, thereby freeing up their fingers for conventional activities in a hospital, such as reading and eating. The probe secures to the thumb and measures time-dependent signals corresponding to LEDs operating near 660 and 905 nm. Analog versions of these signals pass through a low-profile cable to a wrist-worn transceiver that encloses a processing unit. Also within the wrist-worn transceiver is an accelerometer, a wireless system that sends information through a network to a remote receiver, e.g. a computer located in a central nursing station.