This disclosure is directed to devices, systems, and techniques for monitoring a patient condition. In some examples, a medical device system includes a medical device comprising a set of sensors. Additionally, the medical device system includes processing circuitry configured to identify, based on at least one signal of the set of signals, a time of an event corresponding to the patient and set a time window based on the time of the event. Additionally, the processing circuitry is configured to save, to a fall risk database in a memory, a set of data including one or more signals of the set of signals so that the fall risk database may be analyzed in order to determine a fall risk score corresponding to the patient, wherein the set of data corresponds to the time window.

The present invention relates to the process of using signal-emitting and/or receiving objects or smart medical devices for image acquisition, and which can utilize a variety of external energy sources which are directly applied and/or incorporated into the host subject to produce a continuous and dynamic visual representation of the host subject on a computer display, which representation hereafter will be referred to as a visualization map. The derived images can be targeted, to small (i.e., focal) areas of clinical interest, to organ systems, or the entire body. The present invention provides a scalable method for continuous and dynamic imaging over prolonged periods of time, as dictated by the clinical context.

A capsule device suitable for insertion into a lumen of a patient, the lumen having a lumen wall, wherein the capsule device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) comprises a) a capsule housing (110, 120, 210, 220) having an outside shape formed as a rounded object and defining an exterior surface, and b) a tissue interfacing component (130, 230) disposed relative to the capsule housing (110, 120, 210, 220), the tissue interfacing component (130, 230) configured to interact with the lumen wall at a target location, wherein the capsule device is configured as a self-righting capsule having a geometric center and a center of mass offset from the geometric center along a first axis, wherein when the capsule device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is supported by the tissue of the lumen wall while being oriented so that the centre of mass is offset laterally from the geometric center the capsule device experiences an externally applied torque due to gravity acting to orient the capsule device with the first axis oriented along the direction of gravity to enable the tissue interfacing component (130, 230) to interact with the lumen wall at the target location, wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface of the capsule device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) has a surface property exhibiting one or more surface properties selected from the group consisting of a surface coating, a surface roughness, a surface geometry, and a surface micro-geometry, and wherein said surface property is selected to provide low friction, such as low static friction, ensuring slipping movement of the capsule device relative to the tissue of the lumen wall when said externally applied torque due to gravity acts on the capsule device.

A device and methods for using a device, for determining a passing of flatus is described. The device comprises a sleeve comprising a first porous gas-permeable surface, a second surface attached to the first porous gas-permeable surface defining a pocket within the sleeve, and a flatus detector inserted within the pocket of the sleeve and positioned between the first porous gas-permeable surface and the second surface. The flatus detector may be a dry-surface carbon dioxide detector that irreversibly changes colour upon contact with increased concentrations of CO.sub.2 gas, a chemiresistor, or a near field communication tag. The chemiresistor or near field communication tag may be modified for detecting target gases. The device may be a patch that is affixed to a patient or attached to a garment that is worn by the patient, or a capsule, with a detector disposed therein.

An apparatus, method and system for detecting a position within a body are provided. A dipole that is free to rotate or oscillate within a capsule is inserted at a target location within the body. The dipole can be either electric or magnetic, and the dipole rotates or oscillates within the capsule when an alternating or rotating electric or magnetic field is applied in the vicinity of the dipole. Ultrasound energy is impinged upon the target location and a position of the dipole is determined based on detected ultrasound reflections.

A method of differentiating between a strain and a contraction of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) of a subject includes receiving data generated by an orientation sensor provided within a vaginal probe device that is located within the vaginal canal of the subject and utilizing a processor to process data generated by the orientation sensor to determine a direction of rotation of the vaginal probe device during a measurement period. When the processor determines that the vaginal probe device has rotated in the cranial-ventral direction relative to the subject, an output is generated indicating that there has been a contraction of the PFM during the measurement period; and when the processor determines that the vaginal probe device has rotated in the caudal-dorsal direction relative to the subject, an output is generated indicating that there has been a strain of the PFM during the measurement period.

An imaging device includes: an imaging sensor; a color filter including first band filters and a second band filter configured to transmit narrowband light having a maximum value of a transmission spectrum outside a range of the wavelength band of the light that passes through each first band filter; a first light source unit; a second light source unit configured to radiate light having an upward projecting distribution of a wavelength spectrum in relation to intensity and having a narrowband light spectrum narrower than the broadband; and a control unit configured to cause the first light source unit and the second light source unit to radiate the beams of light simultaneously, wherein a peak wavelength of the light radiated by the second light source unit is an infrared region or a near-infrared region.

A system for monitoring digestive efficiency within the rumen of one or more ruminant animals comprises rumen boluses shaped and sized to be retained within the rumen dorsal sac and each comprising temperature, pH sensor, and redox sensors, and a wireless transmitter. A processor is arranged to derive from the sensor data one or more parameters indicative of animal digestive efficiency including any combination of one or more of hydrogen scale (rH), partial pressure of hydrogen (pp[H.sub.2]), oxygen fugacity (f(O.sub.2)) and free energy of the system (ΔG). A method and bolus are also claimed.

The present invention provides novel approaches to determining the pH level of the upper GI tract, esophagus and stomach, as an indicator of proper GI function, nutrient absorption and as a means to gauge the overall health of a patient down to the cellular level. This may be determined, practically, in real time as a means of testing for and monitoring GI function without need for sedation or invasive procedures.

Embodiments provide swallowable devices, preparations and methods for delivering viable cells (VC) into the GI tract including GI wall tissue or other tissue site. Particular embodiments provide a swallowable device such as a capsule for delivering VC into an intestinal wall or other site. The VC can be contained within a tissue-penetrating shell disposed in the capsule that protects the VC as they pass through the GI tract until they are inserted into GI tract tissue or other location. The shell desirably has shape, size and material consistency to be contained in a swallowable capsule, delivered from the capsule into solid tissue by the application of force on the shell and biodegrade within the solid tissue to release the VC into the tissue. Within the shell or other structure the VC can be maintained in a viability-sustaining gel that preserves the viability of the VC for selected time periods.