An apparatus for evaluating the tongue strength and coordination of a subject includes an intermediate device such as a lever which is pivotably attached to a coupling device and extends into a cavity of a nipple element. The lever is detached from the nipple and pivotable in response to deformation of the nipple element by a tongue force exerted on the nipple element by a subject during a suck-swallow-breathe sequence. The coupling device includes a sensing device to wirelessly transmit sensor outputs to a mobile device paired to the sensing device. The sensing device includes at least one sealed chamber defined by a membrane and a sensor. In one example, a first membrane and sensor senses pressure change in a fluid in the apparatus, and a second membrane and sensor is actuated by the intermediate device to sense deformation of the nipple element. A method using the apparatus is provided.

A method comprising: acquiring via a network biogas information representing a concentration of furfural of the user acquired by a sensor that detects the furfural discharged from a skin surface of the user; obtaining the reference information representing a lower limit of a normal range of the concentration of furfural per unit period of time, using a memory storing the reference information; and outputting information related to stress of the user an information terminal of the user, after it is determined that a frequency that concentration of the furfural of the user per the unit period of time is less than the lower limit of the normal range tends to increase, based on the biogas information acquired in a pregnancy period of the user.

One or more radar sensors can be used to monitor patients in a variety of different environments and embodiments. In one embodiment, radar sensors can be used to monitor a patient's breathing, including monitoring of tidal volume, chest expansion distance, breathing rate, etc. In another embodiment, a patient position can be monitored in a patient bed, which can be used as feedback for control of bladders of a patient bed. Additional embodiments are described herein.

A neuroactivity monitoring system includes a camera configured to acquire image data of a patient positioned on the patient support and a monitoring device in communication with the camera. The monitoring device uses the acquired image data of the camera to identify and track patient landmarks, such as facial and/or posture landmarks, and, based on the tracked movement, characterize patient neuroactivity.

A occupant detection and monitoring system has a sensor unit having a radio wave transmitter, a radio wave receiver, and a wireless transmitter configured to detect and receive vital signs of an occupant; a user interface having a microcontroller, a wireless receiver configured to receive the wireless signals transmitted from the sensor unit, a means for user input, and a network card; and a means for alerting occupants and third-parties to a triggering event; wherein the microcontroller, based upon logic, activates the alerting means at the triggering event. The sensor unit may be a camera that detects the presence of an individual and register their unique heart rhythm for identification purposes. This camera can be installed at the entry points of a home, behind the counter of a business near a cash register or at a bank or any other place that desires to use surveillance as a form of security. The sensor unit may be a light bulb that comprises the components of the sensor unit. The sensor unit may be a contactless vital sign monitor capable of remotely monitoring one or more vital signs.

The vehicle control system/method for adapting a control function based on a user profile may comprise: a gesture recognition module; a user profile module; a function control module; a processor; a non-transitory storage element coupled to the processor; encoded instructions stored in the non-transitory storage element, wherein the encoded instructions when implemented by the processor, configure the system to: identify a user; retrieve a user profile for the identified user; receive at a gesture recognition module, an input indicating a gesture from the user; identify a control function request corresponding to the gesture input; send a verification of the control function request; and receive at a function control module characteristics parsed from the user profile that effect the control function request by the user profile module to adapt a control function command for an adapted control function output by the function control module.

Methods and systems to determine the lung clearance index (LCI) or other indices of ventilation inhomogeneity of lungs of a paediatric subject are provided. Inert tracer gas is washed-in and the wash-out is conducted by inhaling atmospheric air from the surroundings and exhaling to a confined space until the end-tidal tracer gas concentration has fallen below a predetermined fraction of the starting concentration. The LCI is calculated as the ratio between the cumulative expired volume (V.sub.CE) required to clear the inert tracer gas concentration from the lungs below a predetermined fraction of the starting concentration and the functional residual capacity (FRC) determined by dividing the net volume of inert tracer gas exhaled with the difference in end-tidal fractional concentration of the inert tracer gas at the start and end of the wash-out period; where V.sub.CE is determined by measuring the total volume in the collection bag after completed wash-out period.

A fingerprint capture system, a fingerprint capture device, an image processing apparatus, a fingerprint capture method, and a storage medium that can acquire a high quality fingerprint image are provided. A disclosed example includes: a capture unit that captures a fingerprint; an image processing unit that processes a transferred fingerprint image captured by the capture unit; a display unit on which the fingerprint image transferred to the image processing unit is displayed; a recording unit where the fingerprint image transferred to the image processing unit is recorded by the image processing unit; and an instruction unit that inputs, in the image processing unit, a record instruction that instructs the image processing unit to record the fingerprint image in the recording unit. The image processing unit records, in the recording unit, the fingerprint image displayed on the display unit at the time the record instruction is input by the instruction unit.

A system for monitoring a person may include a person-worn sensor device including at least one sensor (e.g., at least one accelerometer, magnetometer, altimeter, etc.) configured to collect sensor data and a processor to process data from the person-worn sensor device. The processor may be configured to determine or access an orientation of a physical support apparatus (e.g., bed, table, wheelchair, chair, sofa, or other structure for supporting the person), receive sensor data collected by the person-worn sensor device, calculate an orientation of the person relative to the physical support apparatus based on (a) the orientation of the physical support apparatus and (b) the sensor data collected by the person-worn sensor device, and identify, based on the determined orientation of the person relative to the physical support apparatus, a physical support apparatus exit condition indicating an occurrence or anticipated occurrence of the person exiting the physical support apparatus.

A baby foot strap comprises a strap with an opening for a heel and a flange that wraps over the top of the foot, and at least one sensor attached to an interior of the strap, so as to monitor one or more desired health parameters of the baby.