A system for monitoring the fetal size of an expectant mother comprises an acoustic sensor for positioning over the belly of the expectant mother, the acoustic sensor configured to receive an acoustic signal generated by the fetal heartbeat and to generate a sensor output signal. A fetal size is determined from a sensor output signal strength. This system is based on the realization that certain acoustic signals generated by the fetal heart beat are strongly correlated with the fetus size.

The present invention discloses a method and an analysis apparatus for determining an operational state of a contact device. The method comprising detecting a change in one of temperature and/or proximity data of a contact surface of the contact device with reference to a baseline value. Thereafter, the method comprising generating at least one of temperature profile and proximity profile from the detected change in the at least one of temperature and/or proximity data of the contact surface of the contact device and the baseline value. Lastly, the method comprising comparing the at least one of temperature profile and/or proximity profile with corresponding standard profiles stored in a memory of an analysis apparatus and determining the operational state of the contact device based on the comparison. The contact device may be one of a contact surface, a stethoscope, or a surface monitor.

The present invention discloses a method and an analysis apparatus for determining an operational state of a contact device. The method comprising detecting a change in one of temperature and/or proximity data of a contact surface of the contact device with reference to a baseline value. Thereafter, the method comprising generating at least one of temperature profile and proximity profile from the detected change in the at least one of temperature and/or proximity data of the contact surface of the contact device and the baseline value. Lastly, the method comprising comparing the at least one of temperature profile and/or proximity profile with corresponding standard profiles stored in a memory of an analysis apparatus and determining the operational state of the contact device based on the comparison. The contact device may be one of a contact surface, a stethoscope, or a surface monitor.

The present invention discloses a dual-microphone adaptive filtering algorithm for collecting body sound signals, characterized in that, using at least two microphones, a primary microphone and a secondary microphone, to collect signals; the primary microphone is used to collect noisy body sound signals, and the secondary microphone is used to collect environmental noise; applying a same high-pass filtering to signals collected by the primary microphone and signals collected by the secondary microphone; using a normalized least mean square algorithm on the primary microphone signals and the secondary microphone signals after the high-pass filtering to calculate a weight of the adaptive filter and to calculate an error signal to filter out environmental noise in the primary microphone signals; processing the error signal for a first time by a low-pass filtering to restore the body sound signals, to obtain the body sound signals output by the adaptive filtering algorithm. This algorithm not only may achieve rapid convergence of filter weights, but also avoid signal distortion, and suppress environmental noise interference quickly and reliably.

The present invention discloses a dual-microphone adaptive filtering algorithm for collecting body sound signals, characterized in that, using at least two microphones, a primary microphone and a secondary microphone, to collect signals; the primary microphone is used to collect noisy body sound signals, and the secondary microphone is used to collect environmental noise; applying a same high-pass filtering to signals collected by the primary microphone and signals collected by the secondary microphone; using a normalized least mean square algorithm on the primary microphone signals and the secondary microphone signals after the high-pass filtering to calculate a weight of the adaptive filter and to calculate an error signal to filter out environmental noise in the primary microphone signals; processing the error signal for a first time by a low-pass filtering to restore the body sound signals, to obtain the body sound signals output by the adaptive filtering algorithm. This algorithm not only may achieve rapid convergence of filter weights, but also avoid signal distortion, and suppress environmental noise interference quickly and reliably.

A self-auscultation device and method of using the self-auscultation device to listen to a target anatomy is described. The self-auscultation device includes a chest piece to receive a listening device, such as an earphone. The listening device is mounted in the chest piece to detect a sound from the target anatomy, through the chest piece. The listening device can operate in a self-auscultation mode to adapt the listening device to generate audio data corresponding to the detected sound. An equalization filter can be applied to the audio data to compensate for a frequency response of the listening device. A data processing system can compare the audio data to predetermined auscultation data to determine a health condition of the target anatomy. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A self-auscultation device and method of using the self-auscultation device to listen to a target anatomy is described. The self-auscultation device includes a chest piece to receive a listening device, such as an earphone. The listening device is mounted in the chest piece to detect a sound from the target anatomy, through the chest piece. The listening device can operate in a self-auscultation mode to adapt the listening device to generate audio data corresponding to the detected sound. An equalization filter can be applied to the audio data to compensate for a frequency response of the listening device. A data processing system can compare the audio data to predetermined auscultation data to determine a health condition of the target anatomy. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A biological sound sensor to be used in contact with a skin of a living body, and includes a casing that has an opening in a face on the side facing the skin of the living body, a double-sided adhesive membrane having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface closes the opening by adhering to the face of the casing and the first surface adheres to the skin when collecting a biological sound produced in the living body. A microphone is arranged in the casing and picks up the biological sound. The double-sided adhesive membrane has a one-material portion, made of the first adhesive material, through the double-sided adhesive membrane from the first surface to the second surface.

A biological sound sensor to be used in contact with a skin of a living body, and includes a casing that has an opening in a face on the side facing the skin of the living body, a double-sided adhesive membrane having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface closes the opening by adhering to the face of the casing and the first surface adheres to the skin when collecting a biological sound produced in the living body. A microphone is arranged in the casing and picks up the biological sound. The double-sided adhesive membrane has a one-material portion, made of the first adhesive material, through the double-sided adhesive membrane from the first surface to the second surface.

A system and method for allowing any surgeon, including those surgeons who perform a fewer number of a replacement procedure as compared to a more experienced surgeon who performs a greater number of procedures, to provide an improved likelihood of a favorable outcome approaching, if not exceeding, a likelihood of a favorable outcome as performed by a very experienced surgeon with the replacement procedure. Force sensing is included to aid in quantifying installation of an implant, particularly a cup into a pelvic bone.