Electronically activated capture device
First Claim
1. A capture device apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient, said capture device portion comprising one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators, wherein said one or more actuators open and close said one or more apertures based on received control signals; and
(b) a control unit coupled to said one or more actuators and sending control signals to said one or more actuators.
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Abstract
A novel capture device apparatus comprising: (a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient and (b) a control unit. The capture device portion comprises one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators that open and close the one or more apertures based on control signals sent from the control unit. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of capturing a specimen within a patient'"'"'s body of provided. The method comprises (a) providing a capture device apparatus like that above, (b) inserting at least a portion of the capture device portion of the apparatus into the patient such that the capture device portion is adjacent the specimen; and (c) closing the one or more apertures using the control unit, thereby capturing the specimen.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A capture device apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient, said capture device portion comprising one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators, wherein said one or more actuators open and close said one or more apertures based on received control signals; and
(b) a control unit coupled to said one or more actuators and sending control signals to said one or more actuators. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of capturing a specimen within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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providing a capture device apparatus, said capture device apparatus comprising;
(a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient, said capture device portion comprising one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators, wherein said one or more actuators open and close said one or more apertures based on received control signals; and
(b) a control unit coupled to said one or more actuators and sending control signals to said one or more actuators;
inserting at least a portion of said capture device portion into said patient such that said capture device portion is adjacent a specimen; and
closing said one or more apertures using said control unit, thereby capturing said specimen. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification