An automatic inventory tracking and control system tracks the inventory of medical articles in an enclosure by providing a robust electromagnetic (EM) field within the enclosure. The enclosure has electrically-conductive walls. Wireless identification devices such as RFID tags, attached to each medical article respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting unique data identified with each medical article. A probe or probes are used to generate transverse electromagnetic modes in the enclosure.

An automatic data collection system tracks medical articles by providing a robust electromagnetic (EM) field within an enclosure in which the articles are stored. Respective data carriers, such as RFID tags, attached to each medical article respond to the EM field by transmitting unique data identified with each medical article. The use of probes for injecting the EM field into the enclosure results in a greater likelihood of activation of the tags and greater accuracy in detecting and tracking medical articles.

A system and method for monitoring the inventory of a medical storage container such as a tray that has a required inventory of medical articles. An enclosure is used to isolate, scan, and take an inventory of the tray or other container of medical articles. The tray and each of the medical articles in the tray have RFID tags. The enclosure having a size differing from the size needed for a resonant frequency at the RFID frequency of operation of the tags. A probe is used to create a robust electromagnetic field standing wave of constructive interference in the enclosure and a program compares the scanned present inventory of the tray to the required inventory database and indicates any differences. Expired and recalled articles and substitutes for recalled articles are identified.

The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used in a variety of different applications, including as components of ingestible identifiers, such as may be found in ingestible event markers, e.g., pharma-informatics enabled pharmaceutical compositions.

A system for administering prescription medications including a composition and a receiver. The composition may include an active agent, an identifier, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The active agent may include a controlled pharmaceutical. The identifier may include: a partial power source having a first material and a second material configured to generate a voltage in contact with a conductive fluid within a body of a patient, and a signal generation component configured to use at least a portion of the generated voltage to transmit a signal through the body of the patient. The receiver may be positioned near the body of the patient, wherein the receiver is configured to: receive the signal transmitted through the body of the patient, and automatically report the signal for at least one of identification of the controlled pharmaceutical or tracking physical administration of the controlled pharmaceutical to the body of the patient.

An incontinence detection system monitors an area for moisture events and wirelessly transmits moisture-related information to one or more notification devices. The system has a pad that includes a substrate and one or more sensors supported by the substrate. The sensor(s) emit wireless signals indicative of the moisture-related information. A sensor event communication system forwards the sensor signals to another device, such as a notification device. Portions of the system are included in a patient support apparatus, such as a bed.

The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used in a variety of different applications, including as components of ingestible identifiers, such as may be found in ingestible event markers, e.g., pharma-informatics enabled pharmaceutical compositions.

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.

An incontinence detection system monitors an area for moisture events and wirelessly transmits moisture-related information to one or more notification devices. The system has a pad that includes a substrate and one or more sensors supported by the substrate. The sensor(s) emit wireless signals indicative of the moisture-related information. A sensor event communication system forwards the sensor signals to another device, such as a notification device. Portions of the system are included in a patient support apparatus, such as a bed.

A passive, self-steering antenna device is provided along with methods pertaining to operations and controls of the antenna device. The antenna device can include a main antenna for receiving an unmodulated wireless signal, a power harvester configured to obtain power from the unmodulated wireless signal, a main circuit disposed in a central region of the antenna device, and a plurality of peripheral distributed antenna elements configured to modify the radiation pattern of the antenna device. The antenna device can be configured to operate automatically device without needing control information in response to receiving a message from another antenna. Related methods include operations and controls for such an antenna device including automatically performing actions to enhance communications with another antenna device by selecting and activating a subset of the peripheral antenna elements to create a radiation pattern.