Systems and methods for monitoring food intake include an air pressure sensor for detecting ear canal deformation, according to some implementations. For example, the air pressure sensor detects a change in air pressure in the ear canal resulting from mandible movement. Other implementations include systems and methods for monitoring food intake that include a temporalis muscle activity sensor for detecting temporalis muscle activity, wherein at least a portion of the temporalis muscle activity sensor is coupled adjacent a temple portion of eyeglasses and disposed between the temple tip and the frame end piece. The temporalis muscle activity sensor may include an accelerometer, for example, for detecting movement of the temple portion due to mandibular movement from chewing.

A pellet for testing distal colonic and anorectal function. In one embodiment the pellet comprises a bag comprising the exterior of the pellet wherein the bag is comprised of a polymer that is reactive with a catalyst to form a more solid-like substance. In another embodiment, the pellet may comprise one of a grapheme layer, a wavelength transducer, or a magnetically attractive element. In another embodiment the pellet may comprise a telescopic extender and further comprise a telescope bad coupled to the telescopic extender.

In some examples, a device includes a catheter insert elongated body defining a body lumen, the catheter insert elongated body being configured to be at least partially inserted to a catheter lumen defined by a catheter without covering a first fluid opening of the catheter and to form a fluidically tight coupling with the catheter, and one or more sensors positioned on the elongated body. At least one of the one or more sensors are configured to sense a substance of interest. The catheter insert elongated body includes a material that is a substantially non-permeable to the substance of interest.

A method for automatically detecting a clinically relevant leak and/or inadequate closure following a medical procedure, in a hollow organ residing in the interior volume of a body cavity. The test method includes the steps of: injecting, via an adapted injection element, a specific test gas or a gas mixture containing at least one test gas, into the organ, analyzing the gas mixture and measuring the test gas concentration in the interior volume of the body cavity via an adapted detection element and at least during a measurement window, evaluating the likelihood of the presence of a leak and its degree of severity, by comparing stored data and real-time data with each other. The pressure difference between the interior of the hollow organ(s) and the interior volume of the body cavity is controlled or mastered at least at a given moment during at least one measurement window.

A fluid mechanics-based analysis tool is implemented to compute pressure field data, fluid velocity data, and/or muscular work data in a lumen or other tubular organ or structure from planimetry and pressure data (e.g., measured using a balloon dilation or other planimetry catheter). In this way, flow data can be estimated, which are otherwise insensible from current planimetry catheter technologies due to economic and/or manufacturing limitations.

A method for converting physiological signals includes: obtaining a first signal as a function of a time parameter, wherein the first signal represents electrocardiogram data; obtaining a second signal as a function of the time parameter, wherein the second signal represents physiological data different from the electrocardiogram data; mixing the first signal and the second signal to obtain a mixed signal; and generating a frequency spectrum pertaining to the mixed signal.

A method of gastric tube placement verification comprising the steps of: Inserting a gastric tube within the patient; Providing a colorimetric based gastric tube placement verification system for a patient gastric tube including i) a housing configured to be coupled to the gastric tube whereby stomach content aspirate can flow through an internal passage of the housing; and ii) at least one colorimetric based sensor within the housing and configured to come into contact with the patient stomach content aspirate, the least one colorimetric based sensor configures to detect a first gastric acid; Coupling the housing of the colorimetric based gastric tube placement verification system to a proximal end of the gastric tube; Aspirating stomach content of the patient whereby stomach aspirate can flow through an internal passage of the housing; and Visually inspecting at least one colorimetric based sensor within the housing for verification of proper gastric tube placement.

The disclosure includes an apparatus including an elongated assembly, at least a portion of which is sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to be inserted into a human body to measure a physiological parameter at an internal location within the body. The elongated assembly includes an elongated member having a first length and an outer surface, a coil disposed about at least a portion of the elongated member, the coil having a second length, and at least one stand-off member positioned between the outer surface of the elongated member and the coil, where the at least one member is configured to prevent the coil from contacting an optical fiber positioned between the elongated member and the coil.

A method and system are disclosed for use in monitoring/screening/diagnosing sleep or wake state of a subject or patient. The method generally includes monitoring the patient's activity during one or more sleep sessions comprising a plurality of intervals known as epochs. The sleep/wake state of the subject is determined during each epoch of the session using actigraphy data obtained during the monitoring session. The actigraphy data provides information about the activity of a patient during an epoch. The sleep or wake state is determined based on a ratio of the activity count during an epoch to the activity count during a preceding epoch. If the ratio is greater than a first activity threshold, then a “wake” indication may be provided by, for example, the system. Alternatively, or additionally, a “wake” indication may be determined if the activity count during the epoch is greater than a threshold.

A catheter insertable into a cavity of a patient for monitoring pressure including a first lumen for drainage from the cavity and an expandable balloon. The balloon has a liquid containing chamber to monitor pressure within the cavity of the patient as pressure on the outer wall of the balloon deforms the balloon and compresses the liquid within the balloon. An exit port provides passage of air from an interior of the balloon to outside the catheter. A membrane has plurality of pores dimensioned to enable passage of air but prevent passage of the liquid therethrough. A pressure sensor communicates with the liquid containing chamber for measuring pressure based on compression of liquid caused by deformation of the expanded balloon.