Selectively expandable apparatus for insertion into an ear canal, and related methods of use and operation. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a selectively expandable body configured for insertion into an ear and expansion within the ear canal. In one variant, the expanded main body is removable from the ear canal via a removal mechanism and removes excess cerumen and/or debris from the ear canal during removal. In another variant, the main body includes one or more compounds and is configured to receive a fluid for diffusion of the one or more compounds into the ear canal.

The present invention provides a device that can move inside a biological conduit such as an intestinal tract for sampling the content therein, and a process thereof. While moving along the intestinal tract, the device can continuously collect the content in the intestinal tract. One or more convoy belts having an adsorbent layer are configured to continuously absorb and preserve the collected intestinal content. The belt loaded with the sample may be used to establish a chemical, biochemical and microbiological spectrum along the length of the intestinal tract.

Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for delivering a therapeutic substance to the tympanic membrane of an ear of a subject, including a reservoir configured to contain the therapeutic substance and a delivery interface by which the therapeutic substance is delivered to the tympanic membrane.

An earphone with a physiologic sensor includes a housing; a speaker in the housing; an enhancer comprising a body mounted on the housing and adapted to be secured in the ear to acoustically couple the speaker to the user's ear; and an optical physiologic sensor disposed inside the enhancer, the enhancer having an aperture or window aligned with the optical physiologic sensor, so that the sensor can optically couple with the user's ear when the enhancer is secured in the user's ear.

An earphone with a physiologic sensor includes a housing; a speaker in the housing; an enhancer comprising a body mounted on the housing and adapted to be secured in the ear to acoustically couple the speaker to the user's ear; and an optical physiologic sensor disposed inside the enhancer, the enhancer having an aperture or window aligned with the optical physiologic sensor, so that the sensor can optically couple with the user's ear when the enhancer is secured in the user's ear.