Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to ultrashort-echo-time (UTE) imaging. In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring UTE imaging data associated with an area of interest of a subject. The acquiring comprises applying an imaging pulse sequence with a three-dimensional (3D) spiral acquisition and a nonselective excitation pulse. The method also includes reconstructing at least one image of the area of interest from the acquired UTE imaging data.

A tension mechanism for a robotically-controlled medical device measures the tension applied to an actuation tendon to provide feedback to a robotic controller. In one embodiment, the device comprises an elongated instrument, an elongated member, and a base. The elongated member is coupled to the distal end of the elongated instrument, configured to actuate the distal end of the elongated instrument in response to tension in the elongated member. The base is located at the proximal end of the elongated instrument, and comprises a first redirect surface that redirects the elongated member. The first redirect surface is coupled to a lever element that is configured to exert a reactive force on a sensor in response to tension in the elongated member.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

A wrist-worn computer interface including a sensor for measuring wrist tendon forces corresponding to specific finger motions including a linear array of cantilevered piezoelectric sensors configured to emit electric currents upon pressure from the wrist tendons on the tip of the piezoelectric sensors, a processing module configured for converting the electric currents generated upon pressure from wrist tendons into signals and for processing the signals to identify one or more specific finger motions, and a flexible PCB connecting the piezoelectric sensors to the processing module. A controller module is configured to cause one or more computing devices to automatically execute one or more specific commands corresponding to one or more of the specific finger motions.

The invention is measurement of two categories of medical attributes that proceed the causes previously measured to cause lower musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries including stress fractures. The innovation is the measurement of increase in the risk for lower musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries, including stress fractures, due to genetic factors that cause disease (pre-cursors of the disease) as an independent cause for an increase in the risk of MSK injuries, and the diseased states themselves as a cause of increased risk for lower MSK injuries. The method to be used for this measurement will be through statistical and quasi-experimental design. The innovation of measuring the genetic pre-cursor of diseases and these diseases themselves includes them as antecedents for the previously measured causes of stress fractures; such as biomechanical and anatomical factors; muscle power; muscle, ligament and tendon flexibility; equipment used; nutritional; bone mineral density; smoking; amenorrhea; estrogen, among others.

Techniques for obtaining materials science properties of soft tissue for use in a damage model for ameliorating injuries in an individual performing a process are presented. The techniques can include obtaining physical parameters characterizing the soft tissue of the individual under each of a plurality of loading conditions, fitting a soft tissue damage model based on the parameters, and ameliorating injury in performing the process by implementing guidelines based on the soft tissue damage model.

Techniques for analyzing ordered tissue to calculate an orientation-independent order parameter S that is sensitive to the collagen microstructural integrity in cartilage are provided. An magnetic resonance image of ordered tissue may be acquired, and based on the image, an R.sub.1ρ dispersion of the ordered tissue may be measured. R.sub.2.sup.a(α) and τ.sub.b(α) values for the ordered tissue may be derived based on the measured R.sub.1ρ dispersion of the ordered tissue. An orientation-independent order parameter S may be calculated for the ordered tissue using the following equation:

[00001]$S=\sqrt{\frac{2}{3d^2}\frac{R_2^a\left(\alpha \right)}{{\tau }_b\left(\alpha \right)}}.$

The level of degeneration of the ordered tissue may be determined based on the orientation-independent order parameter S for the ordered tissue. In order to derive this valuable order parameter efficiently and reliably in clinical studies, an optimized spin-lock preparation strategy was introduced, including a novel fully-refocused spin-locking pulse sequence and a constant R.sub.1ρ weighting with both spin-lock duration and strength being altered simultaneously.

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.

Specialized ultrasound imaging systems and methods provide metrics related to objective and consistent quantification of scar tissue volume that strongly correlate with tendon healing and range of motion. Automated acquisition of ultrasound images of fingers helps assess tendon healing in a non-invasive, quantitative fashion and can be used to guide clinical decision-making, management of post-operative tendon repair patients, and employment and insurance considerations.

A brace configured for attachment to a joint of a subject is provided. The brace includes a first arm having a first end and a second end. The brace includes a second arm having a first end and a second end. The brace includes a hinge assembly coupling the first end of the first arm with the first end of the second arm such that the first arm and the second arm are movable to different relative angular orientations. The brace includes a potentiometer coupled to the hinge assembly. A method of monitoring a relative angular orientation of a first arm of a brace relative to a second arm of the brace is also provided. The method includes monitoring an output of a potentiometer coupled to one of the first arm and the second arm.