A method for performing a magnetic resonance measurement of a patient using a magnetic resonance apparatus is provided. The magnetic resonance apparatus includes a radiofrequency antenna unit for producing an excitation pulse. A first B0 field map for a first motion state of the patient, and a second B0 field map for a second motion state of the patient are provided. A first excitation pulse for the first motion state, and a second excitation pulse for the second motion state are determined based on the first B0 field map and the second B0 field map. A magnetic resonance measurement is performed, during which the motion state of the patient is monitored. When the patient is in the first motion state, the radiofrequency antenna unit transmits the first excitation pulse. When the patient is in the second motion state, the radiofrequency antenna unit transmits the second excitation pulse.

A surgical instrument navigation system is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient, wherein the surgical instrument, as provided, may be a steerable surgical catheter with a biopsy device and/or a surgical catheter with a side-exiting medical instrument, among others. Additionally, systems, methods and devices are provided for forming a respiratory-gated point cloud of a patient's respiratory system and for placing a localization element in an organ of a patient.

Method and systems provide for reliable, convenient, and cost-effective personalized assessment of hemodynamic status in the ambulatory heart failure patient. The method and apparatus use pulse contour analysis of data obtained through observation of the patient for determination of hemodynamic status, and for determination of day-to-day changes in hemodynamic status. Observational assessment of the patient includes monitoring during activities of daily living including sleeping, sitting and standing. These activities create changes in venous return that are used to evaluate cardiac function or changes in cardiac function. The method and system infer body position by using position and motion information obtained by the system. Changes in cardiac function over time or due to changes in body pose are evaluated for the assessment of hemodynamic status, with a focus on changes resulting from fluid overload.

Method and systems provide for reliable, convenient, and cost-effective personalized assessment of hemodynamic status in the ambulatory heart failure patient. The method and apparatus use pulse contour analysis of data obtained through observation of the patient for determination of hemodynamic status, and for determination of day-to-day changes in hemodynamic status. Observational assessment of the patient includes monitoring during activities of daily living including sleeping, sitting and standing. These activities create changes in venous return that are used to evaluate cardiac function or changes in cardiac function. The method and system infer body position by using position and motion information obtained by the system. Changes in cardiac function over time or due to changes in body pose are evaluated for the assessment of hemodynamic status, with a focus on changes resulting from fluid overload.

A system for treating disordered breathing of a human being includes an implantable transvenous stimulation lead having at least one stimulation electrode and a sensor configured to detect activity level of the human being. The system includes an energy source, a pulse generator and circuitry, the circuitry operative to receive a signal indicative of the activity level of the human being from the sensor, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the energy source and the pulse generator to deliver spaced apart stimulation signals to the at least one stimulation electrode while the activity level of the human being is sufficiently low to be indicative of sleep. Spaced apart stimulation pulses from the electrode are configured to extend a duration of a time of at least one breath being defined as the time from an onset of inhalation to the onset of inhalation of a successive breath.

An energy harvesting device includes a housing (2), a moveable device (12) disposed within the housing and including a first surface including a first material (15) and a second surface including a second material (17), wherein the moveable device is operable to move to bring the first and second surfaces together and apart to cause contact and separation between the first and second materials, a first strap (4) attached to the housing, a second strap (6) coupled to the moveable device, wherein movement of the second strap causes operation of the moveable device, and electronic circuitry (20) structured to harvest energy from the electrical charge generated by the contact between the first and second materials.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems and techniques for estimating the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a patient. For example, in some embodiments, a system for estimating COPD severity in a patient may include logic to receive a breathing signal representative of breathing activity of the patient over a time interval, receive a locomotion signal representative of locomotive activity of the patient over the time interval, and provide breathing data and locomotion data to additional logic, wherein the additional logic is to generate an estimate of COPD severity in the patient by comparison of 1) a cross-recurrence quantification analysis (cRQA) parameter between the breathing data and the locomotion data and 2) a reference value. The breathing data may be based on the breathing signal, and the locomotion data may be based on the locomotion signal.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems and techniques for estimating the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a patient. For example, in some embodiments, a system for estimating COPD severity in a patient may include logic to receive a breathing signal representative of breathing activity of the patient over a time interval, receive a locomotion signal representative of locomotive activity of the patient over the time interval, and provide breathing data and locomotion data to additional logic, wherein the additional logic is to generate an estimate of COPD severity in the patient by comparison of 1) a cross-recurrence quantification analysis (cRQA) parameter between the breathing data and the locomotion data and 2) a reference value. The breathing data may be based on the breathing signal, and the locomotion data may be based on the locomotion signal.

There is provided a method, apparatus, computer program product and wearable device for monitoring volumetric change of a lung during a breathing cycle by using an electronic signal. The method comprises: receiving by a receiver an electronic signal transmitted from a transmitter, wherein at least part of a path of the signal contours at least part of a chest wall of the lung; determining by the receiver measurements of an attribute of the signal received at the beginning and the end of a time interval during the breathing cycle; calculating by a processor a change in length of the signal path during the time interval based on the measurements of the attribute of the signal received at the beginning and the end of the time interval; and calculating by the processor a volumetric change during the time interval based on the change in signal path length.

This relates to a monitoring system capable of measuring a plurality of vital signs. The monitoring system can include a plurality of sensors including, but not limited to, electrodes, piezoelectric sensors, temperature sensors, and accelerometers. The monitoring system can be capable of operating in one or more operation modes such as, for example: capacitance measurement mode, electrical measurement mode, piezoelectric measurement mode, temperature measurement mode, acceleration measurement mode, impedance measurement mode, and standby mode. Based on the measured values, the monitoring system can analyze the user's sleep, provide feedback and suggestions to the user, and/or can adjust or control the environmental conditions to improve the user's sleep. The monitoring system can further be capable of analyzing the sleep of the user(s) without directly contacting or attaching uncomfortable probes to the user(s) and without having to analyze the sleep in an unknown environment (e.g., a medical facility).