Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Roland Alexander Van De Molengraaf

Cornelis Petrus Hendriks

Mark Thomas Johnson

Daan Anton Van Den Ende

Franciscus Johannes Gerardus Hakkens

Eduard Gerard Marie Pelssers

Achim Hilgers

Arjen Van Der Horst

Valentina Lavezzo

Johannes Wilhelmus Weekamp

Matthew John Lawrenson

Julian Charles Nolan

Sander Theodoor Pastoor

Denny Mathew

Mareike K Klee

Herbert Lifka

Sergei Shulepov

Antonia Cornelia Van Rens

Willem Auke Westerhof

Vincent Adrianus Henneken

Marco Baragona

Bart Gottenbos

Nicolaas Petrus Willard

Willem Potze

Anja Van De Stolpe

Alexander Franciscus Kolen

Maarten Petrus Joseph Kuenen

Paul Philip Thursfield

Howard David Alpert

Rudolf Maria Jozef Voncken

Sima Asvadi

Joyce Van Zanten

Peter Coops

Steven Ernest Franklin

Milica Kovacevic Milivojevic

Edwin Heijman

Marc Matysek

Jacob Roger Haartsen

Susanne Maaike Valster

Franciscus Reinier Antonius Van Der Linde

Marinus Karel Johannes De Jager

Melanie Jane Windridge

Franciscus Jacobus Vossen

Richard Johannus Maria Van De Ven

Frederick Maria Boekhorst

Rufus Eugen Deodatus Driessen

Rene Leonardus Jacobus Marie Ubachs

Godefridus Antoniuss Harks

Sandra Hoetzl

Werner Daniel Petrus Kauwenberg

Arno Zwenig

Thomas Strutzmann

Thomas Leonhard Sigot

Mark Metysek

Bruno Jean François Frackowiak

Mareike Klee

Sandra HÖTZL

Sergei Y Shulepo

Howard Alpert

A medical device () for insertion into a patient is disclosed. The medical device () comprising an elongate body (), the medical device terminating in a distal portion and further comprising a carrier () carrying an annular sensor arrangement (), wherein the annular sensor arrangement is attached on a forward facing surface of the elongate body (). Also disclosed is a system () including such a medical device ().

Medical device comprising sensor array and system for measurements

A sensor arrangement is for mounting along an elongate device. The sensor arrangement is for positioning along a line sensor arrangements and has terminal blocks at a proximal and distal side, each for connection to one or more wires. A connection circuit controls the coupling of sensor signals to the proximal wires and the coupling of the distal wires to the proximal wires. In this way, a bypass function is implemented through the connection circuit, which avoids the need for physical wires of a distal sensor arrangement to bypass the sensor arrangement itself.

Sensor arrangement for mounting on a guidewire or catheter

The present invention relates to a sensor, comprising a sensor element and an interconnect. The interconnect is configured to be arranged at the sensor element. The interconnect comprises at least a carrier film provided with metallic layer. The interconnect is configured to provide an electrical connection for the sensor element. Furthermore a device comprising the sensor and a method of manufacturing the sensor is provided.

Sensor comprising an interconnect having a carrier film

An actuator device has an electroactive polymer actuator () and an integrated piezoelectric transformer () whose primary side () and secondary side () are formed from different electroactive polymer materials. At least the secondary side () of the transformer shares a piezoelectric electroactive polymer layer () with the electroactive polymer actuator, so that lower external voltages can be applied to the device.

Electroactive polymer actuator device and driving method

A flow control device comprises a laminate structure of an electroactive material layer and a non-actuatable layer. An array of orifices is formed in one of the layers wherein the orifices are open in one of the rest state and actuated state and the orifices are closed in the other of the rest state and actuated state. Actuation of the electroactive material layer causes orifices to open and close so that flow control function may be implemented.

Flow control device

An electroactive polymer actuator includes an electroactive polymer structure and a driver for providing an actuation drive signal. In one aspect, a first drive level is used to charge the electroactive polymer structure from a non-actuated state to an actuated state. When or after the electroactive polymer structure reaches the actuated state, a lower second drive level is used to hold the electroactive polymer structure at the actuated state. This temporary overdrive scheme improves the speed response without damaging the electroactive polymer structure. In another aspect, a driving method makes use of several different level segments over time, which compensates for the delayed actuation response of the EAP actuator.

EAP actuator and drive method

The invention involves providing a reset signal before and or after one or more actuation signals to an electroactive polymer structure of an actuator. The reset signal can cause relaxation of defects such as e.g. trapped charge, dipoles and/or others in the EAP or EAP structure so that upon a subsequent activation using a drive signal, the initial actuation state is defined to be more constant than without use of the reset signal. Hence the actuationoutput of a device employing the invention is more reproducible. The invention is applicable to actuator devices that have an electroactive polymer structure including an EAP material, where the structure is capable of providing a mechanical actuation upon subjection of at least part of the EAP material to an electrical drive signal.

Actuator device based on an electroactive polymer

An intravascular Doppler ultrasonic device comprises a tip region forming a fraction of a catheter body at a distal end thereof and carrying an ultrasound probe. The tip region is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction. An actuator is provided in the tip region, which is configured to receive actuation drive power provided through the catheter body and to exert to the tip region a bending moment of a controllable amount. An actuation controller is configured to control actuation drive power delivery to the actuator so as to control the amount of the bending moment. A Doppler spectrum analysis unit is configured to receive Doppler spectrum data and to determine from it a Doppler signal quality measure indicative of a signal quality of the Doppler spectrum. The actuation controller is configured to determine the actuation drive power in dependence on the determined Doppler signal quality measure.

Intravascular doppler ultrasonic device and method for controlling its operation

An actuator or sensor device comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) arrangement which extends between fixed opposite ends. The electroactive polymer arrangement comprises a passive carrier layer and an active electroactive polymer layer, wherein at or adjacent the ends, the passive carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted with one over the other in a first order, and at a middle area between the ends, the carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted in an opposite order. This enables internal stresses and moments within the electroactive polymer arrangement to be used more effectively to contribute to displacement or actuation force.

Actuator or sensor device based on an electroactive or photoactive polymer

An actuator device has an electroactive polymer actuator and an integrated piezoelectric transformer. At least a secondary side of the integrated piezoelectric transformer shares a piezoelectric electroactive polymer layer with the electroactive polymer actuator, so that lower external voltages can be applied to the actuator device. A diode is connected between the secondary side of the integrated piezoelectric transformer and the electroactive polymer actuator.

The invention provides a surface analysis device for application to a receiving surface to enable analysis of at least one measure of an elasticity of said surface across multiple different linear stretches or sections of the surface. The device includes a two-dimensional arrangement of actuators and sensors, comprising at least one actuating element, at least one sensing element, and at least one further sensing or actuating element. Selected sets of two or more of these elements are activated together by a controller, each set including at least one actuator and one sensor, to thereby obtain a measure of elasticity between each actuator and sensor pair in the set. Elasticity measures are obtained based on stimulating a deformation in the receiving surface at the actuator site, and measuring a resultant pressure and/or force exerted by the receiving surface at a further displaced point. Sensors may monitor a change in the exerted pressure and/or force for example.

Surface analysis device and method for analysing elasticity of a receiving surface

An actuator device comprises an electroactive or photoactive polymer arrangement having an effective length over which expansion or contraction is induced by actuation. The effective length is greater than the maximum linear physical dimension of the space occupied by the polymer arrangement. In this way, a compact design is provided which can support a large actuation displacement.

Actuator device based on an electroactive or photoactive polymer

A bending actuator device or sensor device for sensing bending comprises a stack of electroactive polymer units. The adjacent electroactive polymer units in the stack are slidable relatively to each other. This means that, for an actuator for example, an increased actuation force is enabled without requiring increased driving voltage, and it also avoids the problems of stress build up by allowing sliding between the units.

Actuator or sensor device based on an electroactive polymer

An oral cleaning device comprises a body which carries a set of projections. An actuator device is associated with one or more of the projections in the form of an electroactive polymer structure for adjusting a position of the associated one or more projections. This enables dynamic control of the cleaning function.

Oral cleaning device with adjustable shape and oral cleaning method

An internal probe device for insertion into the body of a patient, comprises an elongate body with a plurality of EAP actuators mounted at the surface of the body. The EAP actuators are made to vibrate so that their position becomes visible in a Doppler ultrasound image. The use of EAP actuators to provide vibrations enables individual locations to be identified. In particular, the movement of the EAP actuator may be largely isolated from the main body of the probe. Furthermore, EAP actuators can be thin, lightweight and have a small form factor suitable for application to or within the surface of a probe, such as a catheter, needle or endoscope.

Medical probe for ultrasound imaging

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Geldrop, Netherlands

Roland Alexander Van De Molengraaf