A textile contractible band for use in a wearable garment for applying pressure to a subject body part includes a shape memory material, in particular a shape memory alloy, or shape memory polymer, part and a textile part, said parts being successively coupled to form said contractible band, wherein the shape memory material part has an electrically-contractible shape memory material and a spring arranged to reverse the contraction of the shape memory material, and wherein the textile part has an elastic fabric band and an optical fiber strain sensor arranged to sense the fabric band strain. The sensor can be a lossy optical fiber arranged in meandering layout such that variation of band extension causes variation of transmitted light. The contractual band can be used for lymphedema or venous return.

A system for accurately measuring compression garments in laboratory and manufacturing environments provides measurements for industry-standard sizes and individually customized garments and can use the measurements to modify the programming of a manufacturing system to alter the compression parameters of subsequently manufactured garments. The system includes a support structure and a plurality of sensor units at intervals along the support structure with each sensor unit extended circumferentially around the support structure to define a three-dimensional simulated anatomical form circumferentially stretching the compression garment upon insertion of the assembly. Each sensor unit has a pressure sensor measuring the pressure exerted by the compression garment on the sensor unit after insertion.

A compression device has improved cooling capability. The device includes a wicking layer adapted to move moisture. A portion of the wicking layer is exposed from under bladder material defining a bladder. In use, the wicking layer wicks moisture from the patient's limb and the wicked moisture is able to evaporate through the device at the portion of the wicking layer that is exposed.

An oxygen supply apparatus is configured to directly supply oxygen-containing gas to an user for inhalation while facilitating blood circulation of a specific portion of the user. The oxygen supply apparatus includes a power supply; an oxygen-containing gas source for providing the oxygen-containing gas; a gas catheter having one end thereof connected to the oxygen-containing gas source; an inhalator connected to the other end of the gas catheter; and a circulation facilitating device at least partially attached to the specific portion of the user. The circulation facilitating device includes a sonic oscillation circuit and a housing. The sonic oscillation circuit is configured to produce oscillation at a frequency ranging from 20 Hz to 10 MHz, and the housing encloses the sonic oscillation circuit in a watertight manner

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to electronic textiles and more specifically to self-sustaining, interactive electronic textiles, to systems incorporating such electronic textiles, and to uses thereof. In an embodiment, a system to assist with an intended motion of a user is provided. The system includes one or more processors, and an electronic textile. The electronic textile includes a textile substrate, an actuator coupled to the textile substrate, a sensor coupled to the textile substrate, and a battery coupled to the textile substrate, the battery electrically coupled to a conductive yarn, the conductive yarn further electrically coupled to the actuator and the sensor. Embodiments also include a system to assist with blood circulation of a user and a method of assisting blood circulation of a user.

A method and related systems for treating and/or preventing spasticity in a patient using negative pressure therapy. The negative pressure therapy may include intermittent application of negative pressure to a limb or portion of a body, such as alternating between periods of negative pressure and ambient pressure. The negative pressure therapy may be applied on a regular basis for a predetermined period, such that an effective amount of negative pressure for treating spasticity and other symptoms of neurogenerative diseases is administered. The negative pressure therapy may be applied to cause intermittent activation of the venous arterial reflex in the body for a sustained period, such that symptoms of neurogenerative diseases are alleviated or prevented.

A wearable health management system includes a flexible member configured to be worn on an affected area by a patient. At least one actuator is operably coupled to the flexible member. The at least one actuator is configured to be adjusted between a deployed state and a non-deployed state. At least one of a photoplethysmogram sensor and a bioimpedance sensor is coupled to the flexible member to obtain one or more health metrics from the patient. A controller is in communication with the at least one actuator. The controller is configured to adjust the at least one actuator to the deployed state to provide a selected pressure to the affected area.

A garment for providing circulatory-related disorder therapy includes a skin contacting layer, a backing layer, and a coupling. The backing layer is coupled to the skin contacting layer such that the skin contacting layer and the backing layer form a plurality of macro-chambers. A first one of the plurality of macro-chambers is partitioned into a plurality of micro-chambers. Each of the plurality of micro-chambers is in direct fluid communication with at least one other of the plurality of micro-chambers. The coupling is coupled to the backing layer and is configured to supply pressurized air directly into the first macro-chamber such that the pressurized air is delivered to a first one of the plurality of micro-chambers of the first macro-chamber.

A compression garment having one or more flex frames that can be shortened or lengthened to apply or release a compressive force to the limb or other anatomical feature of a user. The compression garment can have a wire made of shape memory material (shape memory alloy). A controller of the compression garment can supply an electrical input to the wire, generating heat that can cause the wire to contract such that the flex frame deflects to a shorter length to apply a compressive force to the limb or other anatomical feature of the user. The one or more flex frames can be contracted in unison or in sequence to direct the flow of bodily fluids in the limb or other anatomical feature of the user.

A device for applying compression to a patient's limb includes a sleeve and a control unit configured to supply pressurized fluid to the sleeve using the following inflation/deflation process: inflating the at least one chamber from an initial pressure to a first pressure; maintaining the at least one chamber at the first pressure for a first predetermined amount of time; changing the pressure in the at least one chamber from the first pressure to a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is greater than the initial pressure; maintaining the at least one chamber at the second pressure for a second predetermined amount of time; changing the pressure in the at least one chamber from the second pressure to the first pressure or a third pressure greater than the second pressure; maintaining the at least one chamber at the first pressure or the third pressure for a third predetermined amount of time; and deflating the at least one chamber to zero pressure or a fourth pressure.