According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a method for determining a nociceptive withdrawal reflex threshold of a person, the method comprising: applying a plurality of stimulations to a person with different stimulation intensity levels in accordance with a stimulation intensity algorithm, wherein the plurality of stimulations comprises at least one stimulation having an intensity level provoking a spinal cord withdrawal reflex in the person, recording electromyographic data representative of muscle activity of the person in response to each stimulation of the plurality of stimulations, and processing the stimulation intensity levels and the electromyographic data according to a threshold calculation algorithm to calculate a measure of the nociceptive withdrawal reflex threshold of the person. There is also provided a corresponding system.

Methods for determining structural integrity of a bone within the spine of a patient, the bone having a first aspect and a second aspect, wherein the second aspect separated from the first aspect by a width and located adjacent to a spinal nerve. The methods involve (a) applying an electrical stimulus to the first aspect of the bone; (b) electrically monitoring a muscle myotome associated with the spinal nerve to detect if an onset neuro-muscular response occurs in response to the application of the electrical stimulus to the first aspect of the bone; (c) automatically increasing the magnitude of the electrical stimulus to until the onset neuro-muscular response is detected; and (d) communicating to a user via at least one of visual and audible information representing the magnitude of the electrical stimulus which caused the onset neuro-muscular response.

A system that determines one or more sleep phenotyping parameters of a subject. In one embodiment, the system comprises a sleep sensor, a stimulus generator, and a processor. The sleep sensor generates signals that convey information related to the physiological functions that indicate the sleep stage of the subject. The stimulus generator provides a stimulus to the subject that enables information related to the sleep phenotyping parameters to be determined. The processor receives the signals generated by the sleep sensor and is in operative communication with the stimulus generator. The processor (i) determines, based on the signals received from the sleep sensor, whether a trigger condition related to the current sleep stage of the subject is satisfied, (ii) controls the stimulus generator to provide the stimulus to the subject if the trigger condition is satisfied, and (iii) quantifies the response of the subject to the stimulus.

The invention provides a monitoring device (1) for attachment to a stance of a subject. The device comprises a data collector (2) and a processor (3) as two separate parts which can be detachably joined such that physiological signals which are detected by the data collector can be transferred to the processor for signal processing and provision of monitoring data. At least one of the data collector and the processor comprises a transducer which can convert the physiological signal to a data signal which can be processed electronically. The data collector is adapted for adhesive contact with a skin surface, and may comprise an adapter (6) for the detachable attachment of the processor.

The present invention discloses a depression assessment system based on physiological information, comprising an information acquisition module, a signal processing module, a parameters calculation module, a feature selection module, a machine learning module and an output result module. The present invention further discloses a depression assessment method based on various physiological information, comprising the following steps: 1, processing electrocardiogram (ECG) signal and one or more of photoplethysmography (PPG) signal, electroencephalogram (EEG) signal, galvanic skin response (GSR)signal, electrogastrography (EGG) signal, electromyogram (EMG) signal, electrooculogram (EOG) signal, polysomnogram (PSG) signal and temperature signal, and calculating signal parameters; 2, normalizing the obtained signal parameters, and performing the feature selection on parameters set formed by the normalized signal parameters to obtain feature parameters set; and 3, performing machine learning by utilizing the obtained feature parameters set, and establishing a depression assessment mathematic model to assess the depression level by utilizing a relationship between the feature parameters set and the depression level. The present invention has the advantage that the subjectivity of the assessment by utilizing the depression rating scale can be avoided.

A system comprising a remotely programmable micromonitor with a wireless sensing system-on-module (SOM), one or more sensors to detect one or more conditions in a subject by monitoring one or more parameters associated with the conditions by comparing any monitored parameter to a baseline measurement of the monitored parameter from the subject, a plurality of sensors corresponding to a monitored parameter and connected to the micromonitor to convey measurements of all monitored parameters, the sensors including at least one of a non-optical pulse wave sensor or an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, a communications module capable of communicating with a wireless technology, wherein the module can send an alert signal to the subject or an attending physician or a remote service center or any other subject, and one or more algorithms for monitoring conditions and/or for predicting conditions, including at least one of a fall detection or fall prediction algorithm.

An endoscopic pedicle probe has an elongate body with a proximal end and a distal end. A tip on the distal end is pushed into the pedicle to form the hole, and an enlarged head on the proximal end enables a surgeon to manipulate the probe. The body has an inner shaft with a cylindrical sleeve telescopically engaged over it. An endoscope extends through a longitudinal bore in the shaft, with a camera at the tip end connected with a monitor to enable a surgeon to visually observe the area being treated. A light extends through another bore to illuminate the area, and a further bore conducts irrigation fluid to and from the area. The sleeve is made of electrically non-conductive material and the shaft and tip are made of electrically conductive material to enable stimulation of nerves at the treatment area.

A bio-signal measurement apparatus comprises tool-less connectors, coupling targets, a controllable coupling selection arrangement, and a control arrangement. The tool-less connectors are for an electric contact with a separate docking apparatus or an electrode arrangement. The coupling targets include a battery and a data communication unit that performs electrically a plug-and-play data transfer with the separate docking apparatus. The tool-less connectors, the number of which is three, are electrically coupled with the controllable coupling selection arrangement, which electrically couples all the tool-less connectors with only one of the coupling targets at a time in response to control from the control arrangement. The battery receives electricity from the tool-less connectors for charging the battery through the electric coupling caused by the coupling selection arrangement under control of the control arrangement during a first time window when the bio-signal measurement apparatus is connected with the docking apparatus. The data communication unit sends and/or receives data through the tool-less connectors using the plug-and-play data transfer based on the electric coupling caused by the coupling selection arrangement under control of the control arrangement during a second time window when the bio-signal measurement apparatus is connected with the docking apparatus.

A bio-signal measurement apparatus comprises tool-less connectors, coupling targets, a controllable coupling selection arrangement, and a control arrangement. The tool-less connectors are for an electric contact with a separate docking apparatus or an electrode arrangement. The coupling targets include a battery and a data communication unit that performs electrically a plug-and-play data transfer with the separate docking apparatus. The tool-less connectors, the number of which is three, are electrically coupled with the controllable coupling selection arrangement, which electrically couples all the tool-less connectors with only one of the coupling targets at a time in response to control from the control arrangement. The battery receives electricity from the tool-less connectors for charging the battery through the electric coupling caused by the coupling selection arrangement under control of the control arrangement during a first time window when the bio-signal measurement apparatus is connected with the docking apparatus. The data communication unit sends and/or receives data through the tool-less connectors using the plug-and-play data transfer based on the electric coupling caused by the coupling selection arrangement under control of the control arrangement during a second time window when the bio-signal measurement apparatus is connected with the docking apparatus.

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for generating alarms and congratulatory messages to reduce sedentary time. One method includes an operation for capturing motion data using an activity tracking device. The method further includes operations for storing the motion data in memory, and for identifying one or more intervals during a day. Each interval includes a start time and an end time, and a near-end time is defined between the start and the end time. For each interval, the number of steps taken during the interval is determined, and the number of steps is compared against a goal defined by a number of steps to be taken during the interval. A first notification is displayed when the number of steps is less than the goal and the near-end time has been reached. A second notification is displayed congratulating the user if the interval goal is reached.