An implant includes a hollow biocompatible shell, first and second electrodes, filling material, and circuitry. The hollow biocompatible shell is configured to be implanted in an organ of a patient. The first electrode is disposed inside the shell. The second electrode has at least one surface disposed outside the shell. The filling material, which includes carbon nanotubes (CNT), fills the shell and is configured, in response to a rupture occurring in the shell, to change a spatial orientation of the CNT and thus to cause a change in electrical conductivity of the filling material between the first electrode and the rupture. The circuitry is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and is configured to detect the rupture by sensing the change in the electrical conductivity of the CNT, and to produce an output indicative of the detected rupture.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with a blood vessel of a subject. An annular antenna is placed inside the blood vessel such that radial expansion of the antenna is limited by a circumference of the blood vessel. A transmitter generates an inductive current in the antenna, by transmitting RF energy toward the antenna. A control unit measures the inductive current in the antenna, and, in response thereto, determines a physiological parameter of the subject. Other applications are also described.

Programmable timer circuits are disclosed. One timer circuit may include a reference circuit configured to generate a bias current, a current controlled oscillator configured to receive the bias current c, and a frequency divider network configured to divide an output of the oscillator. The timer circuit may be capable of timing for 24 hour period, while using less than 5nA of quiescent current.

A robotic assembly control system is disclosed. The robotic assembly control system includes an exoskeleton apparatus adapted to be worn by a user, at least one robotic assembly, the at least one robotic assembly controlled by the user by way of the exoskeleton, and at least one mobile platform, the at least one mobile platform controlled by the user and wherein the at least one robotic assembly is attached to the at least one mobile platform.

An eye drop bottle storage unit for eye drop administration compliance includes a memory, a processor, and one or a plurality of eye drop bottle pods, where each eye drop bottle pod of the one or said plurality of eye drop bottle pods is configured to hold an eye drop bottle, and comprises one or a plurality of sensors. The memory is configured to store data of an eye drop administration regime of a subject. The processor is configured to receive signals from the one or said plurality of sensors of each eye drop bottle pod, and to determine from the received signals whether the subject administered eye drops into eyes of the subject from each eye drop bottle respectively held in each eye drop bottle pod of the one or said plurality of eye drop bottle pods in accordance with the eye drop administration regime data.

According to an aspect, an inflatable penile prosthesis includes a fluid reservoir configured to hold fluid, an inflatable member, and a pump assembly configured to transfer the fluid between the fluid reservoir and the inflatable member. The pump assembly includes a valve body, a pump bulb, and a deflation mode actuator. The valve body includes a bi-directional valve configured to move from an inflation position to a deflation position in response to an activation of the deflation mode actuator. The bi-directional valve in the inflation position is configured to open a fluid passageway in the valve body to transfer fluid from the pump bulb to the inflatable member. The bi-directional valve in the deflation position is configured to open a fluid passageway in the valve body to transfer fluid from the inflatable member to the fluid reservoir that bypasses the pump bulb.

A robotic assembly control system is disclosed. The robotic assembly control system includes an exoskeleton apparatus adapted to be worn by a user, at least one robotic assembly, the at least one robotic assembly controlled by the user by way of the exoskeleton, and at least one mobile platform, the at least one mobile platform controlled by the user and wherein the at least one robotic assembly is attached to the at least one mobile platform.

A method is provided for rerouting flow through the small intestine of a patient with an implanted artificial sphincter that encircles a portion of the small intestine. The small intestine includes a duodenum, a jejunum extending from the duodenum, and an ileum extending from the jejunum. The method includes providing the artificial sphincter in an open state to thereby permit intestinal flow through the encircled portion of the small intestine such that the intestinal flow passes through the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The method further includes, in response to a user-activated electrical input, transitioning the artificial sphincter to a closed state to constrict the encircled portion of the small intestine and thereby redirect intestinal flow from a first portion of the small intestine to a second portion of the small intestine such that the intestinal flow bypasses at least a portion of the jejunum.

An implant includes a hollow biocompatible shell, first and second electrodes, filling material, and circuitry. The hollow biocompatible shell is configured to be implanted in an organ of a patient. The first electrode is disposed inside the shell. The second electrode has at least one surface disposed outside the shell. The filling material, which includes carbon nanotubes (CNT), fills the shell and is configured, in response to a rupture occurring in the shell, to change a spatial orientation of the CNT and thus to cause a change in electrical conductivity of the filling material between the first electrode and the rupture. The circuitry is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and is configured to detect the rupture by sensing the change in the electrical conductivity of the CNT, and to produce an output indicative of the detected rupture.

The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.