According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for monitoring hemodynamics, comprising the steps of: acquiring information on a posture of a first subject wearing a monitoring device; estimating a motion artifact predicted to be included in a spectroscopic measurement signal from the first subject which is measured by the monitoring device, with reference to the acquired information on the posture of the first subject, and a motion artifact estimation model for defining a correlation between a posture of at least one subject and a motion artifact occurring in a signal measured from the at least one subject; and removing the estimated motion artifact from the measurement signal from the first subject.

A control system for a movement reconstruction and/or restoration system for a patient, comprising a CNS-Stimulation Module, especially an EES-Module, configured and arranged to provide CNS-Stimulation to a patient, and/or a PNS-Stimulation Module, especially an FES-Module, configured and arranged to provide PNS-Stimulation to a patient, a controller configured and arranged to control the CNS-Stimulation Module and/or the PNS-Stimulation Module, and at least one sensor configured and arranged to measure at least one parameter indicative of the movement of at least one limb and/or part of a limb of a patient.

A joint bending state determining device comprises a sensor group and a processor. The sensor group comprises first and second gravity sensors. The first/second gravity sensor generates a first/second polar angle and a first/second azimuth angle. The processor obtains a first length corresponding to the first gravity sensor and a second length corresponding to the second gravity sensor, obtains a set of coordinates of a joint in a coordinate system according to the first polar angle, the first azimuth angle and the first length, obtains a set of coordinates of the second gravity sensor in the coordinate system according to the set of coordinates of the joint, the second polar angle, the second azimuth angle and the second length, and obtains a joint angle according to the set of coordinates of the second gravity sensor in the coordinate system, the first length and the second length.

Systems and methods for providing alignment of instruments and/or prostheses in various surgical operations are provided herein. The systems and methods generally include one or more sensors coupled to a patient's bones or other surgical tools, the sensors can detect their position and orientation in space and communicate this information to a processor. The processor can utilize the information to display data to a surgeon or other user regarding the position, angle, and alignment of a patient's bones, surgical tools, and prostheses. Further, the one or more sensors can be aligned to the patient's anatomy using a patient-specific alignment guide that interfaces with a portion of the patient's anatomy in a single position/orientation.

A tool driver for use in robotic surgery includes a base configured to couple to a distal end of a robotic arm, and a tool carriage slidingly engaged with the base and configured to receive a surgical tool. In one variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of linear axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. In another variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of rotary axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. Various sensors, such as a capacitive load cell for measuring axial load, a position sensor for measuring linear position of the guide based on the rotational positions of gears in a gear transmission, and/or a capacitive torque sensor based on differential capacitance, may be included in the tool driver.

A tool driver for use in robotic surgery includes a base configured to couple to a distal end of a robotic arm, and a tool carriage slidingly engaged with the base and configured to receive a surgical tool. In one variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of linear axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. In another variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of rotary axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. Various sensors, such as a capacitive load cell for measuring axial load, a position sensor for measuring linear position of the guide based on the rotational positions of gears in a gear transmission, and/or a capacitive torque sensor based on differential capacitance, may be included in the tool driver.

A device, system and method for monitoring carpal tunnel syndrome (“CTS”). The device comprises a body configured to be worn by a user, sensors, a processor, a vibration mechanism, and a power source. The sensors monitor a position of the user's hand to prevent CTS. The processor of the device is configured to determine if the user's hand is in a CTS position and the processor is configured to generate an alert signal to alert the user to the CTS position.

A method is provided for monitoring and managing muscle activity and soft tissue loading. The method includes providing to a subject a plurality of sensors for measuring muscle activity and soft tissue loading levels; directing the subject to undertake a program of exercise; measuring muscle activity and soft tissue loading during the program of exercise; comparing the measured muscle activity and soft tissue loading levels against calibrated muscle activity and soft tissue loading levels for the subject; and alerting the subject if the comparison of measured muscle activity and soft tissue loading levels against calibrated muscle activity and soft tissue loading levels indicates that a desirable level of muscle activity and/or soft tissue loading is being exceeded.

An upper body motion measurement system 1 has a plurality of inertia sensor units 2, each of which incorporating an angular velocity sensor 4 and an acceleration sensor 5. The plurality of the inertia sensor units 2 is attached to places that are different from each other on the upper body of a subject P. Based on the detection outputs of the angular velocity sensor 4 and the acceleration sensor 5, the attitude of each of the inertia sensor units 2 is estimated, and the acceleration thereof is further estimated. The angular acceleration of the upper body of the subject P is estimated based on the estimated accelerations of the plurality of the inertia sensor units 2.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for warning a user about undesirable motion of a first portion of the user's body relative to a second portion of the user's body. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus for warning a user about motion of a first portion of the user's body relative to a second portion of the user's body comprises at least one sensor configured to measure the angle of the first portion of the user's body relative to a reference. The sensor is configured to be worn on the user's body, and is in communication with a controller. A warning mechanism is also in communication with the controller, and the controller is operable to activate the warning mechanism upon movement of the first portion of the user's body relative to the second portion of the user's body beyond a predetermined angle relative to the reference.