A system composed of different densities of materials making up a device for the assessment, treatment, diagnosis, advertisement, modelling, or otherwise impacting another object, person, living thing, or material. A method for distributing the centre of mass of a device by placing dense material or materials distal to the handle thereby managing the mechanical advantage of the instrument. The dense material is positioned within the shaft of the instrument, thereby allowing the distal head to be made partially or entirely out of an elastic polymer, organic, or inorganic substance. Modulation of the characteristics of the device allows for modulating of the impulse or striking force elicited by the device. The device may therefore be swung along an axis with resultant torque elicited. This device may be used for medical, industrial, personal, or other purposes.

A hand-held reflex hammer made up of an elastic head with a mass dense distal portion used in the assessment, diagnosis, or other functions with a person, animal, or other living thing. A method of balancing the weight of the reflex hammer and elasticity of the head with the utility of the device to elicit deep tendon reflex responses upon percussion, impulse, or force applied against a tendon or muscle. A dense material is positioned in or outside the shaft of the device, thereby freeing the head to consist of an elastic material while maintaining the normal functional characteristics of a reflex hammer such as modulating the mechanical advantage of the hammer while enabling modulation of the percussion, impulse, or force exerted onto the target area. The reflex hammer may be swung or otherwise accelerated before impacting the target, transferring the momentum of the device onto the target while minimizing risk of pain, injury, or harm towards the recipient or user of the device. This device may be used for medical, veterinary, chiropractic, naturopathic, or other purposes. The shape of the reflex hammer head may be designed in different shapes, including animals, cars, planes, plants, weapons, living things, objects, real, virtual, or imagined.

A hand-held reflex hammer made up of an elastic head with a mass dense distal portion used in the assessment, diagnosis, or other functions with a person, animal, or other living thing. A method of balancing the weight of the reflex hammer and elasticity of the head with the utility of the device to elicit deep tendon reflex responses upon percussion, impulse, or force applied against a tendon or muscle. A dense material is positioned in or outside the shaft of the device, thereby freeing the head to consist of an elastic material while maintaining the normal functional characteristics of a reflex hammer such as modulating the mechanical advantage of the hammer while enabling modulation of the percussion, impulse, or force exerted onto the target area. The reflex hammer may be swung or otherwise accelerated before impacting the target, transferring the momentum of the device onto the target while minimizing risk of pain, injury, or harm towards the recipient or user of the device. This device may be used for medical, veterinary, chiropractic, naturopathic, or other purposes. The shape of the reflex hammer head may be designed in different shapes, including animals, cars, planes, plants, weapons, living things, objects, real, virtual, or imagined.

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for measuring the structural characteristics of an object. The object is subjected to an energy application processes and provides an objective, quantitative measurement of structural characteristics of an object. The system may include a device, for example, a percussion instrument, capable of being reproducibly placed against the object undergoing such measurement for reproducible positioning. The system includes features for adjusting the energy applied to an energy application tool to compensate for the physical characteristics or type of the object, and/or for orientation of the device relative to the horizontal during measurement. The system also includes a disposable feature or assembly for minimizing cross-contamination between tests. The structural characteristics as defined herein may include vibration damping capacities, acoustic damping capacities, structural integrity or structural stability.

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for measuring the structural characteristics of an object. The object is subjected to an energy application processes and provides an objective, quantitative measurement of structural characteristics of an object. The system may include a device, for example, a percussion instrument, capable of being reproducibly placed against the object undergoing such measurement for reproducible positioning. The system includes features for adjusting the energy applied to an energy application tool to compensate for the physical characteristics or type of the object, and/or for orientation of the device relative to the horizontal during measurement. The system also includes a disposable feature or assembly for minimizing cross-contamination between tests. The structural characteristics as defined herein may include vibration damping capacities, acoustic damping capacities, structural integrity or structural stability.

A system includes a first device having a handle, a head coupled to the handle, a bumper supported by a first end of the head and adapted to be used to strike a patient tendon, a force sensor coupled to the bumper and adapted to generate force data in response to force encountered by the bumper and to generate force data, a first accelerometer coupled to generate head acceleration data in response to movement of the head, and first circuitry to capture the force data and acceleration data. The system may further include second device having a housing adapted to be coupled to the patient limb, a second accelerometer supported by the housing to generate limb acceleration data, and second circuitry to capture the acceleration data.

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for measuring the structural characteristics of an object. The object is subjected to an energy application processes and provides an objective, quantitative measurement of structural characteristics of an object. The system may include a device, for example, a percussion instrument, capable of being reproducibly placed against the object undergoing such measurement for reproducible positioning. The system does not include an external on/off switch or any remote on/off switching mechanism. The system also includes a disposable feature or assembly for minimizing cross-contamination between tests. The structural characteristics as defined herein may include vibration damping capacities, acoustic damping capacities, structural integrity or structural stability.

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for measuring the structural characteristics of an object. The object is subjected to an energy application processes and provides an objective, quantitative measurement of structural characteristics of an object. The system may include a device, for example, a percussion instrument, capable of being reproducibly placed against the object undergoing such measurement for reproducible positioning. The system includes features for adjusting the energy applied to an energy application tool to compensate for the physical characteristics or type of the object, and/or for orientation of the device relative to the horizontal during measurement. The system also includes a disposable feature or assembly for minimizing cross-contamination between tests. The structural characteristics as defined herein may include vibration damping capacities, acoustic damping capacities, structural integrity or structural stability.

The present invention relates to sedation assessment. In order to facilitate sedation depth monitoring in an autonomous imaging setting, it is proposed to use the imaging modality itself to measure the response to suitable reflexes in order to determine the depth of sedation wherein suitable reflexes include, but are not limited to, the pupil reflex, so-called superficial reflexes and the withdrawal reflexes. In one embodiment, the pupil reflex may be measured in an MRI system by repeated interleaving of dedicated iris MR imaging with the conventional scan protocol. In another embodiment, superficial reflexes in response to stroking of the skin may be measured. This may involve a dedicated actuator that may be closely integrated with the imaging modality, e.g. an MR receive coil applied to the patient. Alternatively, remote haptic systems may be used. The reflex is then acquired with a suitable diagnostic imaging method. In another embodiment, the withdrawal reflex in response to pain may be measured. This may involve an actuator that induces sudden stitching pain or very local temperature-induced pain and that is closely integrated with the imaging modality, e.g. a pinching device integrated with a patient support or an MR receive coil applied to the patient. The reflex is then acquired with a suitable diagnostic imaging method.

A method of measuring a biomechanical parameter of soft biological tissue is described. The method includes a pre-measurement process wherein an impulse applying device applies a pre-pressure to a surface of the tissue via an end portion contacting the tissue surface. While maintaining the pre-pressure, the device generates at least two impulses separated by a time interval, each impulse causing the end portion to impart to the tissue an action with certain parameters, each action inducing a response of the tissue. A value of a biomechanical parameter of the tissue is determined from each response induced. A determination is made as to whether the determined values of the biomechanical parameter are sufficiently similar to each other to indicate that the pre-pressure, the parameters of the end portion actions and the time interval are acceptable for use in a measurement process to be conducted on the surface of the tissue.