The present disclosure provides a method of evaluating a mechanical property of a material using a device for evaluating the mechanical property of the material. The device comprises a sensing layer having a thickness, a sensing surface and an opposite surface. The sensing layer is deformable such that, when the sensing surface is in direct or indirect contact with the material and a suitable load is applied across both the sensing layer and at least a portion of the material, the sensing layer deforms and the sensing surface moves relative to the opposite surface. The device also comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation in optical communication with the sensing layer. The source is arranged for generating electromagnetic radiation having a coherence length that is of the same order of magnitude as the thickness of the sensing layer or longer than the thickness of the sensing layer. Further, the device comprises a detector for detecting the electromagnetic radiation and being in optical communication with the sensing layer and arranged for receiving the electromagnetic radiation after the electromagnetic radiation is reflected at the interface at the sensing surface of the sensing layer. The method comprises positioning the sensing layer relative to the material such that the sensing surface is in direct or indirect contact with the material. Further, the method comprises applying the suitable load across both the sensing layer and at least a portion of the material whereby the sensing layer deforms and the interface at the sensing surface moves relative to a condition in which no load is applied. The method also comprises directing the electromagnetic radiation to the interface at the sensing surface such that at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation is reflected at the interface at whereby a first signal is generated and directing electromagnetic radiation along a second optical pathlength to generate a second signal. Further, the method comprises allowing the first signal and the second signal to interfere and detecting an intensity associated with a resultant interference signal using the detector; and determining information concerning the mechanical property of the material from the detected intensity of the interference signal.

Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a vasculature of a patient body. The optical fiber includes one or more core fibers. The system also includes a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, where the optical fiber is coupled to a deployable medical device, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, and processing the reflected light signal to determine deployment information pertaining to deployment of the deployable medical device. The medical device may be a balloon, a filter, a stent or a valve, and the deployment information may include a location of the deployment, a status of the deployment, measurements of the deployable medical device in a deployed state or a shape of the deployed medical device.

This invention is smart clothing which enables human motion capture through combined analysis of data from dual inertial sensors and dual stretch (or bend) sensors. In a preferred embodiment, a first inertial motion sensor is located proximal to a body joint, a second inertial sensor is located distal to the body joint, and two stretch sensors span the body joint in different configurations.

A medical device may include a tubular body defining a central longitudinal axis and a lumen, the tubular body including an annular wall having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface. The medical device may include a multi-core fiber extending along at least a portion of the length of the tubular body and at least partially disposed in the annular wall thereof. The medical device may include a plurality of single-core fibers extending along at least a portion of the length of the tubular body and defining a central longitudinal axis that is nonparallel to the central longitudinal axis of the tubular body. A medical device may include a multi-core fiber disposed on a top surface of a first layer and extending along at least a portion of the length of the first layer; and a second layer deposited or printed on the first layer.

An operation system that detects force acting on a forceps unit is provided.

The operation system includes: an arm including one or more links; the forceps unit including: a first blade, a second blade, and a forceps pivoting unit that pivotably couples the first blade and the second blade to each other, disposed at a tip of the arm; and a first distortion detecting unit configured to detect distortion occurring in the first blade and the second blade. Both blade edge parts of the first blade and the second blade have offsets in a positive direction with respect to a predetermined reference axis defined to be parallel to a forceps long axis.

This invention is smart clothing which enables human motion capture through combined analysis of data from dual inertial sensors and dual stretch (or bend) sensors. In a preferred embodiment, a first inertial motion sensor is located proximal to a body joint, a second inertial sensor is located distal to the body joint, and two stretch sensors span the body joint in different configurations.

An apparatus and method for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or organ. The apparatus includes a deformable body such as a catheter having a tissue ablation end effector and an irrigation channel in fluid communication therewith. At least two sensors are disposed within a distal extremity of the deformable body, the sensors being responsive to a wave in a specified range of frequency to detect deformations resulting from a contact force applied to the distal extremity. A microprocessor can be operatively coupled with the sensors to receive outputs therefrom, the microprocessor being configured to resolve a multi-dimensional force vector corresponding to the contact force. In one embodiment, the sensors are fiber Bragg grating sensors, and the wave is injected into the fiber Bragg grating strain sensors from a laser diode.

Systems and methods for monitoring eye health. The systems and methods monitor eye health by measuring scleral strain by way of an implantable monitor, a wearable monitor configured in eyeglasses, or an external monitor using a portable tablet computing device.

Certain embodiments of the strain monitor may be utilized to measure the strain on any surface to which it is attached, including, but not limited to, the skin of a patient or the surface of a structure such as a building or a bridge.

A medical instrument includes a first device (108) including shape-sensed flexible instrument, a second device (102) disposed over the first device and a third device (109) disposed over the first device and a portion of the second device. The second and third devices include a geometric relationship such that a position of the second device and the third device is determined from shape sensing information of the first device and the geometric relationship.

Disclosed is a vital sign monitoring system. The system comprises a segmented electrode forming an in-plane electrode array, wherein the electrode comprise a skin contacting skin adhering contact layer mounted on an electrode backing material, a deformation sensor arranged for identifying deformation information of the electrode, a signal processor arranged to receive a vital sign signal from the electrode and process the deformation information to remove artefacts from the vital sign signal, wherein the electrode comprises multiple electrode segments and wherein the signal processor is arranged to select that electrode segment that has a lowest deformation of all electrode segments of the electrode.