This invention presents an inhalation atomizer comprising a blocking function through a locking-mechanism and a counter along with a method to discharge and atomize fluid. The apparatus is accommodated in a two part housing, wherein the two parts are mounted to be rotatable relative to each other, and can be blocked through a locking mechanism.

The locking mechanism is realized mainly by two protrusions. Protrusion A is located on the outer wall of the lower unit of the inside part. Protrusion B is located on the inner wall of counter. When the inhalation atomizer is actuated each time, the counter will make a rotation with a constant angle around the lower unit of the inside part. Once the predetermined number of actuations has been achieved, Protrusion A and Protrusion B will encounter with each other and hence the counter will be prevented from further rotation. Therefore, the inhalation atomizer is blocked and stopped from further use. The number of actuations of the device can be counted by the counter. Only when sufficient force is applied to destroy the device, this locking state of the device can be overcome. The inhalation atomizer in the current invention can be blocked suitably by this locking-mechanism.

A portable device, and more particularly a portable device for vaporizing materials such as oils for inhalation. Also, methods for vaporizing materials and methods of operating portable vaporizing devices. In addition, networks for providing operational features and/or instructions for operation of vaporizing devices and for monitoring and collecting operational data. In preferred embodiments, a vaporizing device and/or methods for operating a vaporizing device wherein the vaporizing device includes one or more of the following features: security features to regulate operation of the device; automatic detection of vaporizing material identity; user experience monitoring and data collection; and/or temperature adjustment of vaporizing material based on detected material for vaporization.

A portable hemodialysis system is provided including a disposable cartridge and a reused dialysis machine. The disposable cartridge includes a dialysate flow path and a blood flow path which flow in opposite directions through a dialyzer. The disposable cartridge includes a filter for removing waste products from the dialysate. The reused dialysis machine possesses a reservoir for dialysate, various sensors including a blood leak sensor assembly, and a processor connected to the various sensors for controlling and monitoring hemodialysis treatment. The blood leak sensor assembly includes a light source for emitting light through the dialysate flow path and a light sensor for receiving light having passed through the dialysate flow path. The processor is connected to the light source for determining whether blood has leaked from the blood flow path into the dialysate flow path. Preferably, the light source emits light having two peak wavelengths.

A method of flowing a medicament containing powder using gas, including, providing a volume of a gas according to one or more release conditions; directing flow of said gas through or adjacent a powder including a medicament; and releasing a therapeutically effective amount of said powder using said gas. Optionally, the releasing comprises releasing according to breath considerations. Optionally or alternatively, the releasing comprises releasing according to time considerations. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the powder is held in a capsule that has apertures formed therein.

Described are systems and methods for compensating long term sensitivity drift of catalytic type electrochemical gas sensors used in systems for delivering therapeutic nitric oxide (NO) gas to a patient by compensating for drift that may be specific to the sensors atypical use in systems for delivering therapeutic nitric oxide gas to a patient. The long term sensitivity drift of catalytic type electrochemical gas sensors may be addressed using calibration schedules, which can factor in the absolute change in set dose of NO being delivered to the patient that can drive one or more baseline calibrations. The calibration schedules can be used to reduce the amount of times the sensor goes offline.

A droplet delivery device and related methods for delivering precise and repeatable dosages to a subject for pulmonary use is disclosed. The droplet delivery device includes a housing, a reservoir, and ejector mechanism, and at least one differential pressure sensor. The droplet delivery device is automatically breath actuated by the user when the differential pressure sensor senses a predetermined pressure change within housing. The droplet delivery device is then actuated to generate a stream of droplets having an average ejected droplet diameter within the respirable size range, e.g, less than about 5 m, so as to target the pulmonary system of the user.

The present disclosure relates to an inhaler having a container, wherein the container can include a plurality of chambers, each chamber of the plurality of chambers being filled with a liquid in a manner such that upon actuation of said inhaler, and based on selection of dosing parameter by a user, one or more liquids from respective chambers are retrieved and dispensed to said user through an opening.

An aerosol delivery device includes at least one housing retaining an aerosol precursor composition, an atomizer, a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which a control body of the aerosol delivery device is configured to control the atomizer to activate and produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition, and a heart rate monitor configured to obtain biopotential measurements from a user, the biopotential measurements forming an identifier of the user. The microprocessor is operably coupled with the heart rate monitor and is configured to perform a biometric authentication of the user based on the identifier, and to control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the biopotential measurements, the controlling operation of at least one functional element including communicating a notification to a computing device when the biometric authentication fails to verify the user is an authorized user.

An aerosol generating device for receiving an aerosol generating article includes an electrical circuit including a controller for determining a change in an electrical property of the circuit. The change in the electrical property of the circuit is caused by the user interacting with an aerosol generating article received by the device.

An aerosol generation device suppresses the effect of errors in structural elements on the accuracy with which shortage of an aerosol source is detected. The aerosol generation device includes a power source; a load that has a temperature-variable electrical resistance value and atomizes an aerosol source by generating heat due to supply of power from the power source; a first circuit that for the load to atomize the aerosol source; a second circuit connected in parallel to the first circuit, has a higher electrical resistance value than the first circuit, and is used to detect voltage that changes as a result of changes in the temperature of the load; an acquisition part that acquires the value of voltage applied to the second circuit and the load; and sensors that output the value of the voltage that changes as a result of changes in the temperature of the load.