A joint cuff is provided for supporting and guiding an ankle joint and for preventing lateral twisting while assuring movement perpendicular to the joint axis. The joint cuff includes two side portions which laterally grip the joint and are connected with one another by a bottom portion. The joint cuff has, in an open condition, a somewhat V-shaped form. It includes a strip of a low-temperature plastic, and the two side portions are dimensioned so that the tibia remains free of the cuff at its f...

An orthopedic cushion, both fittable as well as fitted, for a portion of a user's body such as a user's foot, and a method for fitting thereof. The fittable orthopedic cushion comprises a flexible envelope containing a flowable, highly viscous material. The envelope includes an elongated member and a diverticulum which may receive part of the viscous material during adjustment of the cushion to comfortably accommodate the portion of the user's body. The elongated member and diverticulum of the f...

The system and method includes a manipulator for manipulating a surgical instrument relative to a patient's body and, a position sensor for sensing the position of the surgical instrument relative to the patient's body. The manipulator can be manually or computer actuated and can have brakes to limit movement. In a preferred embodiment, orthogonal only motion between members of the manipulator is provided. The position sensor includes beacons connected to the patient and manipulator or surgical ...

Rigidifiable and collapsible support structures are utilized as orthopedic casts and slings, litters, and stretchers, cervical collars and related devices, with two conditions or modes of operation, a collapsed condition in which they are easily molded and formed to conform to the contours of the human body or other object to be supported or enclosed, and a rigidified condition in which they are stiffly and rigidly maintained in their molded shape over long periods of time to provide the desired...

A cast for broken limbs and related method, the cast comprising a cylindrical, double wall sleeve fabricated of a thin polymeric or elastomeric material and containing a cylindrical batt of fiberglas or like reinforcement impregnated with a polymeric catalyst. The opposed ends of the cast are constructed so that the spaced sleeves are sealed one to another and also to the cylindrical batt of the fiberglas or the like, which is concentrically disposed within the cast intermediate the spaced sleev...

An orthopedic foot appliance of resilient plastic that has a heel portion, of varying angles, a front section and an intermediate section, said sections and portion being of varying thickness. The front section is longitudinal convex-concave at its top and bottom with a thin forwardly extending convex tip. The intermediate section is longitudinally planar substantially along its top and bottom. The heel portion at the bottom has a rearwardly converging horizontally planar intermediate section an...

Weight-shift activity is measured by small, flat, low-cost pressure sensors placed under the cushion in the seat of the wheelchair. A wireless communications device such as a Blackberry.TM. page processes data received from the pressure sensors and transfers the electronic records to a central database periodically or in near real-time. The information about activity and weight shift exercises is stored at the central database where it may be accessed and viewed by Internet users. Historical rec...

A semiconductor device is employable for a compact and light-weight sensor system that is free of the need for battery replacement. The semiconductor device has a sensor chip (SCHIP1) comprising sensors (TD1, AS1, PD1, GS1), an A/D conversion circuit (AD1), a microprocessor (CPU1), a memory (MEM1), a transmission circuit (RF1), and a power generation circuit (CM1). The sensors, the A/D conversion circuit, the microprocessor, the memory, and the transmission circuit are formed on one side (SIDE1)...

A modular self-contained orthotic device which is relatively simple and safe to construct, so as to enable one in need of such a device to cause the orthotic to be made quickly and inexpensively. The device comprises a housing member which encases a resilient impression material impregnated with a chemical curing agent. The housing and impression material are internally positioned in the bottom of an enclosure element which secures the entire device on to, and around, a user's foot. The impressi...

The present invention includes devices and methods to form memory cell devices including a spacer comprising a programmable resistive material alloy. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings.