A method includes sending, by a reader, a radio frequency (RF) signal to a wireless sensor that includes an antenna having a tail section and a head section. The tail section is for placement in an RF limited area for sensing moisture in a first location of a vehicle under test and wherein the head section is for placement in a non-RF limited area. The method further includes receiving, by the reader, an RF response to the RF signal from the wireless sensor. The first RF response includes an indication of adjustment of one or more RF characteristics of the wireless sensor, which corresponds to a variance of the one or more RF characteristics from a desired value, which, in turn, corresponds to a level of moisture at the first location. The method further includes outputting, by the reader, a message regarding the level of moisture at the first location.

A method of compressing tissue during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a surgical instrument comprising an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, establishing a communication pathway between the surgical instrument and a surgical hub, and inserting the surgical instrument into a surgical site. The method further comprises compressing tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, determining a location of the compressed tissue with respect to at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw, communicating the determined location of the compressed tissue to the surgical hub, and displaying the determined location of the compressed tissue on a visual feedback device.

A system for biological analysis includes a housing, a block assembly within the housing having a sample block and a baseplate, a heated cover and a cover carrier. The sample block receives a sample holder comprising an RFID tag. A first drive mechanism generates relative movement between the sample block and the baseplate along a first axis. A second drive mechanism generates relative movement between the heated cover and the cover carrier along a second axis that is different from the first axis. Based on a first command the first drive mechanism releasably engages the sample block and operates the second drive mechanism to releasably engage the heated cover with the cover carrier. The system also includes first and second RFID antennas that receive RFID data from the sample holder RFID tag that is read by at least one RFID reader.

A method for characterizing a state of an end effector of an ultrasonic device is disclosed. The ultrasonic device including an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency. The electromechanical ultrasonic system further including an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. The method including applying, by an energy source, a power level to the ultrasonic transducer, measuring, by a control circuit coupled to a memory, an impedance value of the ultrasonic transducer, comparing, by the control circuit, the impedance value to a reference impedance value stored in the memory; classifying, by the control circuit, the impedance value based on the comparison; characterizing, by the control circuit, the state of the electromechanical ultrasonic system based on the classification of the impedance value; and adjusting, by the control circuit, the power level applied to the ultrasonic transducer based on the characterization of the state of the end effector.

A system and method for managing the contents of a medical storage container such as a tray that has a required inventory of medical articles. A Faraday cage enclosure is used to isolate, scan, and inventory the container. The container and each of the medical articles in the container have a respective RFID tag. A processor is programmed to retrieve the inventory list for the container based on its tag and compare the actual contents of the container according to their tags to the inventory list. Missing items and extra items are noted.

A system for biological analysis includes a housing, a block assembly within the housing having a sample block and a baseplate, a heated cover and a cover carrier. The sample block receives a sample holder comprising an RFID tag. A first drive mechanism generates relative movement between the sample block and the baseplate along a first axis. A second drive mechanism generates relative movement between the heated cover and the cover carrier along a second axis that is different from the first axis. Based on a first command the first drive mechanism releasably engages the sample block and operates the second drive mechanism to releasably engage the heated cover with the cover carrier. The system also includes first and second RFID antennas that receive RFID data from the sample holder RFID tag that is read by at least one RFID reader.

The growing research interest in passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)-based devices and sensors in a diverse group of applications calls for flexibility in reader antenna performance. A low-cost, easy-to-fabricate, and pattern reconfigurable UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID reader antenna in the RFID ISM band (902-928 MHz in the US) may offer a 54 MHz bandwidth (890 944 MHz) and 8.9 dBi maximum gain. The reconfigurable antenna can radiate four electronically switchable radiation beams in the azimuth plane. The antenna may be LHCP (Left Hand Circularly Polarized) with axial ratio (AR) in the ranging from 0.45 dB to 7 dB in the RFID ISM band.

A wireless tag that is not guaranteed to be located within a predetermined area is prevented from being read as a valid wireless tag. A communication device includes: an antenna; a reference tag; a reception unit; and a determination unit. The reception unit uses the antenna to sequentially receive signals wirelessly transmitted from a reference tag whose relative position to the antenna is known and a reading target tag different from the reference tag. The determination unit determines that the signal transmitted from the reading target tag and received by the reception unit is invalid based on a phase of the signal transmitted from the reference tag and received by the reception unit.

A booster antenna for enabling ID information, code information, or the like to be reliably and easily read from an IC card or the like with a portable terminal without bringing the IC card or the like directly close to the portable terminal. The booster antenna includes: an inner coil wound twice into a circular shape; an outer coil surrounding the outer side of the inner coil and wound twice into a rectangular shape; and a terminal-side coil wound four times into a circular shape. One end of the inner and outer coils are electrically connected to each other. The diameter of the inner coil is 93% or more of the short sides of the outer coil. The booster antenna includes a connection cord connecting the other end of the inner coil and one end of the terminal-side coil and electrically connecting the other end of the outer coil and the other end of the terminal-side coil.

A secure arrangement for performing secure contactless payments includes an external contactless card reader comprising a short-distance communication antenna. The secure arrangement comprises a card reader terminal comprising a secure controller configured for performing financial transactions, wherein the secure controller is located in a secure area within the card reader terminal, an external contactless card reader comprising a short-distance communication antenna configured for converting an electromagnetic signal comprising card data, received from a contactless payment card, into an analogue signal and a feed line configured for transferring the analogue signal between the external contactless card reader and the card reader terminal. The secure area in the card reader terminal comprises an A/D converter for digitizing the analogue signal to a digital signal that can be processed by the secure controller, within the secure area.