A prosthesis for monitoring a characteristic of flow includes a first tubular prosthesis having a lumen and a sensor for detecting the characteristic of flow through the lumen. The sensor may be covered with another tubular prosthesis or by a layer of material in order to insulate the sensor from the fluid flow. A pocket may be formed between the tubular prosthesis and the adjacent layer of material or prosthesis and the sensor may be disposed in the pocket.

The present disclosure provides methods of identifying a loosened joint implant by analyzing acoustic emissions from the implant. The present disclosure further provides apparatuses for measuring acoustic data and analyzing acoustic emissions from a joint implant.

A base plate and/or a sensor assembly part for an ostomy appliance is disclosed, the base plate and/or the sensor assembly part comprising a first adhesive layer with a proximal side configured for attachment of the base plate and/or the sensor assembly part to the skin surface of a user, the first adhesive layer having a stomal opening with a center point; and a plurality of electrodes including a ground electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode, the ground electrode comprising a ground connection part, the first electrode comprising a first connection part, and the second electrode comprising a second connection part; wherein the ground electrode forms a ground for the first electrode and the second electrode.

An apparatus includes a frame, a sensor, and an electric stimulator. The frame is removably couplable to a portion of a limb. The sensor is configured to produce a first signal associated with a gait characteristic at a first time, and a second signal associated with the gait characteristic at a second time, after the first time. The electric stimulator is removably coupled to the frame and is in electrical communication with an electrode assembly and the sensor to receive the first signal substantially at the first time and the second signal substantially at the second time. Based in part on the gait characteristic at the first time, the electric stimulator sends a third signal to the electrode assembly to provide an electric stimulation to a portion of a neuromuscular system of the limb substantially during a time period defined between the first time and the second time.

A system for moving or assisting in movement of a body part of a subject, as well as a rehabilitation system including such a movement assistance system, includes a body part interface configured to be secured to the body part, and a motor-actuated assembly connected to the body part interface to move the body part interface to cause flexion or extension movement of the body part. A force sensing module is configured to measure forces applied between the body part interface and the motor-actuated assembly to ascertain at least one of volitional flexion and volitional extension movement of the body part by the subject, among other functions that may be implemented in movement assistance and rehabilitation systems using the disclosed force sensing module designs.

A stimulator substrate device for stimulating nerve cells, and apparatus including same, in particular nerve cells in an extremity, includes a substrate support, in which a plurality of stimulators for emitting stimulation signals to the nerve cells are provided. The plurality of stimulators is provided in a line on the substrate support and the substrate support is tubular.

Proposed is a method of forming, by utilizing a computer, an implant shape for minimizing stress to be applied to an implant, and a method of and an apparatus for recommending an optimal occlusal adjustment region for an implant by utilizing a computer. The method and apparatus also serve the purpose of adjusting force acting on an occlusal adjustment surface of an implant crown in such a manner that a direction of the force is closest to an implanted direction of an implant and of minimizing stress applied to the implant. In the method and apparatus, by utilizing a computer program, an occlusal adjustment surface between an arbitrarily selected crown on a position of a missing tooth and an antagonist tooth is extracted, and then an angle that an external force vector applied by the antagonist tooth to each local portion makes to the implant is minimized.

Inventions herein include at least mostly optically clear orthodontic braces and feet orthotics (collectively referred to as “appliances”) with backscatter based sensors. These two categories of appliances share a common property requiring that the given appliance must be correctly custom manufactured to fit a patient's own particular geometry and dimensions of their teeth and/or feet in order to perform as intended. Incorporating such appliances with backscatter based sensors enables simple, easy, fast, efficient, and cost effective measurements, in real-time or near real-time, of stresses, forces, structural changes, and/or the like in the given appliance; which in turn can aid in determining if adjustments or re-manufacture of the appliance may be needed or desired; and/or wherein such measurements may aid in evaluating performance of the given appliance. In some embodiments, such measurements may also be taken remotely away from a practitioner; and then communicated to a remotely located practitioner.

An orthopedic system to monitor a parameter related to the muscular-skeletal system is disclosed. The orthopedic system includes electronic circuitry, at least one sensor, and a computer to receive measurement data in real-time. The orthopedic system comprises a first plurality of shims of a first type, a second plurality of a second type, a measurement module, and the computer. The measurement module houses the electronic circuitry and at least one sensor. The measurement module is adapted to be used with the first plurality of shims and the second plurality of shims. The measurement module has a medial surface that differs from a lateral surface by shape, size, or contour.

A system is disclosed herein for providing a kinetic assessment and preparation of a prosthetic joint comprising one or more prosthetic components. The system comprises a prosthetic component including sensors and circuitry configured to measure load, position of load on a curved surface, joint stability, range of motion, and impingement. In one embodiment, the system is for a ball and socket joint of a musculoskeletal system. The system further includes a computer having a display configured to graphical display quantitative measurement data to support rapid assimilation of the information. The kinetic assessment measures joint alignment under loading that will be similar to that of a final joint installation. The kinetic assessment can use trial or permanent prosthetic components. Furthermore, adjustments can be made to the applied load magnitude, position of load, and joint alignment by various means to fine-tune an installation.