University Health Network

Other

Csia Research Foundation

Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute

Showerwall Industries Inc.

Health & Research Services Inc.

Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Science Centre

Geoffrey Roy Fernie

Gerald Thomas Griggs

Hisham Alshaer

T Douglas Bradley

Emily Catherine King

Tilak Dutta

Oleksandr Igorovich Levchenko

Brian P Doyle

Brian Peter Doyle

Victoria P Komisar

Andrew John Hart

T Daniel Smyth

Graham Clive Hufton

Peter George Murray

Steven Michael Pong

Ahmad Ziad Akl

Adam Mathew Sobchak

Philip Joseph Wilcox

Christine Gale Kronich

Kevin R Lunau

Hani E Naguib

John P Kostuik

Brian E Maki

Zahra S Bagheri

Ali O Anwer

Reza Rizvi

Adam Matthew Sobchak

Proctor Weeks May

Stephen P Reed

David Khazanovich

Kaveh Seyed Momen

Thomas P Hedman

Steven M Pong

Disclosed herein are breathing disorder identification, characterization and diagnosis methods, devices and systems. In general the disclosed methods, devices and systems may rely on the characterization of breath sound amplitudes, periodic breath sounds and/or aperiodic breath sounds to characterize a breathing disorder as obstructive (e.g. obstructive sleep apnea&#x2014;OSA) or non-obstructive (e.g. central sleep apnea&#x2014;CSA).

Breathing disorder identification, characterization and diagnosis methods, devices and systems

The present invention provides a method of producing the composite comprising: a) melt blending the matrix with the fibers to produce a melted composite, b) injecting the melted composite into a mold and allowing the melted composite to solidify and, c) removing at least a portion of the outermost layer of a composite such that the fibers protrude from the surface of the composite. Also provided is composite produced by the methods of the invention comprising soft and hard fibers embedded in a soft rubber-like matrix, wherein the fibers protrude from the composite's surface. In specific embodiments, the composite comprises carbon fibers and poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers in a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix, wherein the fibers protrude from the composite's surface. Slip-resistant product comprising the composite are also provided.

Methods of manufacturing a high friction composite material for footwear

A locking member for a gate apparatus comprises a body mountable to a gripping array of a support, said body having a mating form mutually engageable with the gripping array, whereby axial motion of said body relative to said gripping array is inhibited. A member extends away from said body, said member defining a cross-tie mount for receiving a mating end of a cross-tie. The cross-tie mount has a cross-tie end retainer which is movable between a first position securing said cross-tie in said cross-tie mount, and a second position permitting release of said cross-tie from said cross-tie mount, whereby the cross-tie may be moved to function as a gate.

Connector apparatus

Disclosed is a mask for use in respiratory monitoring and/or diagnostics. The mask comprises at least one transducer responsive to sound and/or airflow for generating a signal, and a support structure to rest on the subject's face. In one embodiment, the support structure comprises two or more limbs that provide a transducer support for supporting the transducer at a distance from a nose and mouth area, allowing monitoring via the transducer of sound and/or airflow produced by the subject. Also described is a mask comprising a transducer responsive to airflow for generating a signal and a support structure to rest on the subject's face and extend outwardly over a nose and mouth area to provide a transducer support supporting the transducer at a distance from a nose and mouth area of the subject's face and at a preset orientation, for monitoring via the transducer of airflow produced by the subject.

Mask and method for use in respiratory monitoring and diagnostics

Disclosed herein are different embodiments of a hand hygiene compliance system, beacon, wearable monitor and kit.

Hand hygiene compliance

Disclosed herein is a method and device for apnea and hypopnea detection. In one embodiment, a method is provided for detecting apneas and hypopneas from a digitized breath sound recording acquired from a candidate suspected of sleep apnea. The method comprises scanning an amplitude profile of the digitized breath sound recording to identify a prospect event segment; evaluating characteristics of the prospect event segment for consistency with one or more preset apnea-specific criteria; classifying the prospect event segment as representative of an apnea upon it satisfying each of the one or more apnea-specific criteria; evaluating the prospect event characteristics for consistency with one or more preset hypopnea-specific criteria distinct from the apnea-specific criteria; and classifying the prospect event segment as representative of a hypopnea upon it satisfying each of the one or more hypopnea-specific criteria.

Method and device for apnea and hypopnea detection

A connector apparatus has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion mounts to an upright that has knobby hand grip protrusions. The second portion provides a connection for a laterally extending cross-member. The first portion interacts with the knobby hand grip protrusions to have a combination of a first degree of freedom permitting motion in one direction, while inhibiting motion in a second degree of freedom. The second portion has a releasable connection to the cross-member, and when engaged, has a degree of freedom of motion about an axis of the second portion cross-wise to the axis of the upright. The second portion has a releasable, retained, pin connector with a quarter-turn lock to prevent accidental disengagement. The connection of the second portion is offset such that when two connectors are seated back-to-back their cross-tie connections stand in substantially the same horizontal plane relative to the ground.

A cantilevered support system is provided. The cantilevered support system comprises a vertical support pole and longitudinally extending upper and lower support arm assemblies that are securable to a wall.

Cantilevered support system

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for monitoring, identifying and determining the breathing cycle of an individual from processed acoustic signal waveform data. The breathing sounds of an individual are recorded using a microphone and digitized such that the breathing sounds may be plotted. The data is segmented and transformed to form a plurality of segments representative of a frequency spectrum. The frequency spectrum data is transformed so as to produce magnitude bins and the sum of lower magnitude bins and the sum of higher magnitude bins are determined in a sampling of segments. A Bands Ratio is determined from the sum of lower magnitude bins and the sum of higher magnitude bins in the sampling of segments. A first bands ratio is then determined within a given segment and compared to the mean bands ratio. If the first bands ratio of the given segment is greater than the mean bands ratio by at least a predetermined multiplier, the given segment is labeled as inspiration. If the first bands ratio of the given segment is less than the mean bands ratio by at least a predetermined multiplier, the given segment is labeled as expiration.

Method and apparatus for monitoring breathing cycle by frequency analysis of an acoustic data stream

A device for lifting an article comprises a housing having a leading edge region in fluid communication with an inner chamber. The leading edge region is arranged to engage a region between an article and a support surface beneath the article. An elongate tubular member, closed at one end, and at the other end, in fluid communication with the leading edge region and the inner chamber. The housing is arranged to provide a retracted position in which the elongate tubular member is held relative to the leading edge region and responsive to an operative pressure within the inner chamber so as to unfurl beyond the leading edge region where the elongate tubular member migrates along the access region toward a deployed position in which the tubular member extends a distance such that opposed ends of the tubular member may be used in lifting the article from the support surface.

Lifting assist device

A powered wheel chair device comprises a motorized undercarriage and a support seat for supporting a wheelchair occupant. At least one support arm is located adjacent the seat. A controller is mounted on the arm, the controller including a joystick unit within reach of the occupant. The joystick is in communication with the motorized undercarriage for driving the undercarriage. The joystick includes an upstanding post with a collar, the collar having a periphery with a number of abutment regions located therealong. A number of actuators are provided, each movable from a storage position distal to the corresponding abutment region and a deployed position adjacent the corresponding abutment region. Each actuator is responsive to an obstacle detecting sensor near a corresponding peripheral region of the undercarriage.

Powered wheelchair

A system and method of encouraging compliance of hand hygiene in an environment where users move from zone to zone and are required to perform hand hygiene between the zones. Users carry a wearable zone sensor which detects zones, detects hand hygiene actions, logs time of changing zones, and hand hygiene actions. The wearable sensor can be integral with a wearable hand hygiene product dispenser and/or can operate in cooperation with a fixed dispenser configured to transmit hand hygiene actions to the wearable zone sensor. The wearable zone sensors are configured to be useable anonymously or to be associated with a user identifier, and to interface with a central computer via a docking station or communication interface to transfer data for later analysis.

Hand hygiene compliance system

Disclosed herein is a device for lifting an article comprising a housing having an inner chamber, the housing having a leading edge region in fluid communication with the inner chamber, the leading edge region being arranged to engage an access region between an article and a support surface beneath the article, an elongate tubular member having a first open end region and a second closed end region, the first open end region being directly or indirectly in fluid tight relation with the leading edge region, the elongate tubular member having a first surface in fluid communication with the inner chamber and an opposite second surface, the housing being arranged to provide a retracted position in which the elongate tubular member is held relative to the leading edge region and responsive to an operative pressure within the inner chamber to unfurl beyond the leading edge region to cause the elongate tubular member to migrate along the access region with the second surface in contact with the article and the support surface and with minimal relative motion between the contacting surfaces of the elongate tubular member, the article and the support surface and toward a deployed position in which the tubular member extends a distance exceeding a lateral dimension of the article with opposed ends of the tubular member being available to be employed for lifting the article from the support surface.

Growing community of inventors

Etobicoke, Canada

Geoffrey Roy Fernie