The present invention is directed to a wearable system wherein elements of the system, including various sensors adapted to detect biometric and other data and/or to deliver drugs, are positioned proximal to, on the ear or in the ear canal of a person. In embodiments of the invention, elements of the system are positioned on the ear or in the ear canal for extended periods of time. For example, an element of the system may be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user and left there overnight, for multiple days, months, or years. Because of the position and longevity of the system elements in the ear canal, the present invention has many advantages over prior wearable biometric and drug delivery devices.

Disclosed are instruments and methods for acquiring co-registered orthogonal fluorescence and photoacoustic volumetric projections of an interrogated object. In an embodiment, an instrument includes a rotary mechanism configured to rotate an interrogated object relative to an array of photoacoustic transducers and an optical detector. An optical excitation unit is configured to irradiate the interrogated object with pulses of light, inducing both fluorescence and photoacoustic responses inside the interrogated object at each of a plurality of rotational positions. The array of photoacoustic transducers includes unfocused elements arranged in a pattern along an axis of rotation, the elements configured to detect photoacoustic signals generated inside the volume of the interrogated object. The optical detector is arranged opposite to the array of photoacoustic transducers with respect to the axis of rotation and is configured to register sources of fluorescence excited inside the interrogated object. Each of the optical excitation axes form with each of the optical detection axes, and with each of the photoacoustic detection axes, angles that are between 60° and 90° so as to enable acquisition of co-registered orthogonal fluorescence and photoacoustic volumetric projections of the interrogated object.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for assessing a state of an epilepsy disease or a comorbidity thereof are provided. The methods comprise receiving at least one autonomic index, neurologic index, stress marker index, psychiatric index, endocrine index, adverse effect of therapy index, physical fitness index, or quality of life index of a patient; comparing the at least one index to at least one reference value; and assessing a state of an epilepsy disease or a body system of the patient based on the comparison. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform the method described above is also provided. A medical device system capable of implementing the method described above is also provided.

Implantable devices require protection to protect a human or animal body from implant contamination and to protect implant electrical connections and electronics from corrosion. Although PDMS can be substantially biocompatible, it still has a relatively high permeability to moisture which can lead to degradation of the implant electronics.

An implantable electric device is provided comprising: a flexible substrate having one or more electrical conductors and a first surface comprising a Liquid-Crystal Polymer (LCP); a first biocompatible encapsulation layer; a first adhesion layer disposed between the first surface and the first encapsulation layer; wherein: the first adhesion layer comprises a ceramic material; the first encapsulation layer comprises a silicone rubber such as a PDMS, and the first adhesion layer and the first encapsulation layer are configured and arranged to conform to the first surface and to resist the ingress of fluids into at least a portion of the first surface.

By providing a bilayer having an encapsulant comprising a silicone rubber and a conformal adhesion layer comprising ceramic materials, the adhesion layer appears to show significantly higher stability in ionic media, thereby providing relatively longer protection in case of any delamination or water permeation through the encapsulant.

Disclosed are medical devices for sensing bioelectrical potential including an electroencephalography (EEG) headset, electrodes compatible therewith, and methods of operation thereof. The headset can comprise a left junction and a right junction, a plurality of length-adjustable bands connecting the left junction and the right junction, and a number of electrodes. Each of the electrodes can comprise an electrode body coupled to one of the plurality of length-adjustable bands and a detachable electrode tip configured to be detachably coupled to the electrode body. The electrode tip can comprise an electrode tip body, one or more deflectable electrode legs coupled to the electrode tip body, and a conductive cushioning material coupled to a segment of at least one of the one or more electrode legs. The conductive cushioning material can retain or be saturated with one or more conductors.

Systems and methods for patient monitoring and repositioning are provided. The system includes a mattress with a cell array and a base board array to receive the cell array. The cell array includes a plurality of individually height-adjustable cells each having sensor surface configured to sense at least one biomarker of the patient while lying on the mattress. The system also includes a main unit in communication with each cell of the cell array through the base board array. The main unit is configured to receive data from each of the cells, including measurements of the at least one biomarker, and independently control a height of each of the cells.

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, the operating status and/or configuration of autonomous operation features of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be determined, such as via an on-board computer system or mobile device, and/or then directly or indirectly wirelessly communicated via data transmission from the vehicle computer system or mobile device to a remote server. An adjustment to one or more risk levels associated with operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may also be determined, and an auto insurance policy, premium, or discount may be adjusted based upon the adjustment to the risk levels and presented to the customer for their review and approval. As a result, insurance cost savings may be passed onto risk averse customers that opt into to a rewards program.

Methods of performing diagnostic tests on electroencephalography (EEG) recording devices comprising at least one stimulator coupled with a plurality of EEG electrode recording channels and corresponding recording channel connectors are performed by a test fixture comprising a plurality of resistors coupled with one or more of the EEG electrode recording channels and corresponding recording channel connectors. The methods include performing an impedance test for determining if each EEG recording channel of the EEG recording device has a predefined impedance, performing a channel uniqueness test for each EEG recording channel, performing a test for verifying the state of a switch of the stimulator of the EEG recording device, and performing a test for verifying connector IDs of the recording channel connectors connecting the EEG electrodes to respective EEG recording channels.

A decision support tool is provided for discharging a patient by predicting the probability of a patient's readmission with pneumonia based on information available prior to discharge. The information used to make the prediction may include labs, vitals, diagnoses, and medications from prior encounters and from the current encounter. At least some of this information may be used to compute one or more severity metrics for the patient, such as a cancer score, an epilepsy or seizure score, a pneumococcal pneumonia score, and an instability score, to be input into one or more prediction models. An ensemble of machine learning models may be applied to the patient information to generate a prediction of that patient being readmitted with pneumonia within a future time interval. Based on the prediction, one or more intervening actions may be initiated to reduce the probability of readmission.

Systems configured to acquire temperature signals from an Abreu Brain Thermal Tunnel (ABTT), to analyze the temperatures signals, and to determine a condition of a human body from the analysis, and a method for doing the same, are described. In addition, systems for application of thermal signals to the ABTT for treatment of conditions are described.