The invention provides a system and method for determining a respiratory effort for a subject. The method comprises obtaining a relaxed signal representing a subject breathing in a relaxed manner and a forced signal representing a subject breathing in a forced manner. The relaxed signal is then smoothed over a first averaging window and the forced signal is smoothed over a second averaging window, wherein the first averaging window is longer than the second averaging window. Based on the smoothed relaxed signal and the smoothed forced signal, a respiratory effort can thus be determined.

Embodiments herein relate to devices and methods for assessing pulmonary status using optical oxygenation sensing. In an embodiment, an oxygenation monitoring device can be included having a first optical emitter, wherein the first optical emitter can be configured to emit light at a first wavelength from 100 nanometers (nm) to 2000 nm. The oxygenation monitoring device and further include a first optical detector, wherein the first optical detector can be configured to detect incident light. The device can be configured so that emitted light from the first optical emitter propagates through a lung tissue and detected incident light can be used to determine an oxygenation status of the lung tissue. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Embodiments herein relate to devices and methods for assessing pulmonary congestion using optical sensing techniques. In an embodiment, a pulmonary congestion monitoring device can be included having a first optical emitter, wherein the first optical emitter can be configured to emit light at a first wavelength, such as at a near-infrared wavelength or an ultraviolet wavelength. The monitoring device can also include a first optical detector configured to detect incident light. The first optical emitter and the first optical detector can be separated by a distance of 1 centimeters (cm) to 10 cm. The monitoring device can be configured so that the light from the first optical emitter propagates through at least one of a lung tissue and an airway tissue. The monitoring device can also be configured to use detected incident light to determine a congestion status of the lung tissue. Other embodiments are also included herein.

The present invention relates to a system for real-time determination of a local strain of a lung during artificial ventilation. The system comprises a device for electrical impedance tomography (EIT), which device is configured to capture an electrical impedance distribution along at least one two-dimensional section through a human thorax, and further comprises a device for assigning the captured electrical impedance distribution, which device is configured to divide the captured electrical impedance distribution at different times during the artificial ventilation into a multiplicity of EIT pixels and to assign a specific value of the electrical impedance at a specific time to a specific EIT pixel.

A non-invasive method and system is provided for determining an internal component of respiratory effort of a subject in a respiratory study. Both a thoracic signal (T) and an abdomen signal (A) are obtained, which are indicators of a thoracic component and an abdominal component of the respiratory effort, respectively. A first parameter of a respiratory model is determined from the obtained thoracic signal (T) and the abdomen signal (A). The first parameter is an estimated parameter of the respiratory model that is not directly measured during the study. The internal component of the respiratory effort is determined based at least on the determined first parameter of the respiratory model. The first model parameter is determined based on the thorax signal (T) and the obtained abdomen signal (A) without an invasive measurement.

A system for carbon dioxide (CO2) removal from a circulatory system of a patient includes a medical device providing extracorporeal lung assist (ECLA) treatment to the patient through extracorporeal removal of CO2 from the patient's blood; at least one control unit controlling the operation of the medical device so as to control a degree of CO2 removal obtained by the ECLA treatment; and a bioelectric sensor detecting a bioelectric signal indicative of the patient's efforts to breathe. The at least one control unit is configured to control the operation of the medical device based on the detected bioelectric signal.

Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable systems and devices that can detect respiratory conditions and related parameters. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable device for respiratory monitoring is included having a control circuit, a microphone, and a sensor package. The ear-wearable device can be configured to analyze signals from the microphone and/or the sensor package and detect a respiratory condition and/or parameter based on analysis of the signals. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable system for respiratory monitoring is included having an accessory device and an ear-wearable device. In an embodiment, a method of detecting respiratory conditions and/or parameters with an ear-wearable device system is included. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Disclosed herein are systems and techniques for compensating for insertion of an instrument into a working channel of another instrument in a surgical system. According to one embodiment, a method of compensation includes: detecting insertion of an insertable instrument into a working channel of a flexible instrument; detecting, based on a data signal from at least one sensor, a position change of a distal portion of the flexible instrument from an initial position: generating a control signal based on the detected position change; and adjusting a tensioning of a pull wire based on the control signal to return the distal portion to the initial position.

A computer-based system for receiving, analyzing, processing, managing and sending personal health information, and other information in conjunction with use of one or more personal nebulizer or vaporizing devices and personal breath analysis devices. System devices include a personal nebulizer or vaporizing unit with a mouthpiece, which may be detachable and replaceable. The mouthpiece includes an orifice through which vapor is emitted. The substance to be vaporized is contained in an ampoule inserted into the device, where the substance enters an atomization chamber where vaporization is achieved through piezoelectric transducers or atomizers providing sonic or ultrasonic vibration. The substance includes a variety of therapeutic, homeopathic, or naturopathic formulations, remedies, or serums.

A method for measuring respiratory parameters of a subject using a range imaging sensor, wherein the method includes: receiving from the range imaging sensor at least one raw image of at least one portion of the torso of the subject, wherein each point of the raw image represents the distance between the range imaging sensor and the subject; generating a surface image of at least one portion of a surface of the torso of the subject by surface interpolation of the raw image; estimating a respiratory signal as a function of time calculated as the spatial average, in a given region of interest (ROI) defined on the torso of the subject, of the differences between the depth values of the surface image at a given time and the depth values of a reference surface image; and estimating a lung volume.