A system and method for tracking the sun with a heliostat mirror is disclosed. The solar tracking system comprises: a camera configured to capture high dynamic range images of the sky, a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of the heliostat mirror, and a tracking controller. The images of the heliostat mirror include reflections of the sky. The tracking controller is configured to generate a circumsolar radiance map characterizing the brightness of at least a portion of the sky with the high dynamic range images. During tracking operations, the tracking controller is configured to estimate an orientation of the heliostat mirror; calculate coordinates of the portions of sky in the reflections in the heliostat mirror; estimate brightness levels of portions of sky in the reflections of the heliostat mirror based on the calculated coordinates and the radiance model; determine brightness levels of portions of sky in the reflections of the heliostat mirror based on the images from the plurality of cameras; generate an error measurement characterizing a difference between the brightness level estimated from the radiance model and the brightness level determined from the images of the heliostat mirror; search for an orientation angle of the at least one mirror that minimizes the error measurement; and re-orient the at least one mirror based on the orientation angle that minimizes the error measurement.

A system and method for tracking the sun with a heliostat mirror is disclosed. The solar tracking system comprises: a camera configured to capture high dynamic range images of the sky, a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of the heliostat mirror, and a tracking controller. The images of the heliostat mirror include reflections of the sky. The tracking controller is configured to generate a circumsolar radiance map characterizing the brightness of at least a portion of the sky with the high dynamic range images. During tracking operations, the tracking controller is configured to estimate an orientation of the heliostat mirror; calculate coordinates of the portions of sky in the reflections in the heliostat mirror; estimate brightness levels of portions of sky in the reflections of the heliostat mirror based on the calculated coordinates and the radiance model; determine brightness levels of portions of sky in the reflections of the heliostat mirror based on the images from the plurality of cameras; generate an error measurement characterizing a difference between the brightness level estimated from the radiance model and the brightness level determined from the images of the heliostat mirror; search for an orientation angle of the at least one mirror that minimizes the error measurement; and re-orient the at least one mirror based on the orientation angle that minimizes the error measurement.

Apparatus for progressively dilating the lumen of a narrow natural vessel such as an iliac artery and implanting a tubular device enabling access through the dilated lumen to conduct subsequent procedures via the dilated lumen, includes an inflatable integrated balloon locatable at least partially within the tubular device, the tubular device having a length L1 providing a self-expanding tubular body having at least a portion including stents, so that when the integrated balloon is removed the dilated lumen of the natural vessel remains dilated and supported by the tubular device.

Medical devices including vascular access kits and related system and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a vascular access system may include a first conduit, a second conduit, and an expandable stent that is coupled to both the first and second conduits such that there is a continuous lumen between the first conduit and the second conduit. Methods of deploying the vascular access system within the body of a mammal, more particularly, a human patient are disclosed. Methods of bypassing a section of vasculature of a mammal, more particularly, a human patient are disclosed. The vascular access system, when implanted and assembled, may be a fully subcutaneous surgical implant.

Stent delivery device including an inner member having a distal tip, a stent support member, and a stent disposed over a stent receiving region of the stent support member. An elongated outer sheath is slidably disposed over the inner member and the stent. The stent delivery device includes a distal junction removably coupling the distal end of the outer sheath to the distal tip, where the distal junction is actuatable to decouple the outer sheath from the distal tip. The stent delivery device includes a proximal junction removably coupling a distal portion of the outer sheath to a proximal portion of the outer sheath, where the proximal junction is actuatable to decouple the distal portion of the outer sheath from the proximal portion of the outer sheath. The distal and proximal junctions may be separately actuatable by rotating the inner member relative to the proximal portion of the outer sheath.

Stent delivery device including an inner member having a distal tip, a stent support member, and a stent disposed over a stent receiving region of the stent support member. An elongated outer sheath is slidably disposed over the inner member and the stent. The stent delivery device includes a distal junction removably coupling the distal end of the outer sheath to the distal tip, where the distal junction is actuatable to decouple the outer sheath from the distal tip. The stent delivery device includes a proximal junction removably coupling a distal portion of the outer sheath to a proximal portion of the outer sheath, where the proximal junction is actuatable to decouple the distal portion of the outer sheath from the proximal portion of the outer sheath. The distal and proximal junctions may be separately actuatable by rotating the inner member relative to the proximal portion of the outer sheath.

Methods and devices useful, for example, in the field of angioplasty and stenting are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods, devices and kits are configured for directional expansion inside a lumen, for example of a blood vessel obstructed by plaque. In some embodiments, the directional expansion displaces the plaque in a desired direction.

Embolic implants delivery systems and methods of manufacture and delivery are disclosed. The devices can be used for aneurysm and/or fistula treatment. The designs offer low profile compressibility for delivery to neurovasculature, while maintaining advantageous delivery and implant detachment control features.

Embolic implants delivery systems and methods of manufacture and delivery are disclosed. The devices can be used for aneurysm and/or fistula treatment. The designs offer low profile compressibility for delivery to neurovasculature, while maintaining advantageous delivery and implant detachment control features.

The invention relates to an insertion system for an implant (1) for influencing the blood flow in the region of aneurysms (22) located at vascular bifurcations. The implant (1) has two distal tubular implant portions (2) which are intended to be placed in blood vessels (21) branching off from the stem blood vessel (20) and which are connected to one another at a branching point (4). The insertion system has two sleeves (5) which are each designed to hold a distal tubular implant portion (2). The two sleeves (5) each have a distal sleeve portion (6) and the distal sleeve portions (6) each have an opening zone (7) extending in the longitudinal direction. The distal sleeve portions (6) are each adjoined proximally by a proximal portion (8), by means of which the sleeves (5) can be retracted in the proximal direction so that the opening zones (7) open and the distal tubular implant portions (2) each pass through the opening zones (7) and are released into the branching blood vessels (21). Alternatively, it is also possible to use an individual sleeve which has an opening zone for gradual release of the implant (1) or an insertion system with the implant (1) releasably attached to the outside.