Patent ID: 8323187

Claim:
A medical device comprising: a sensor configured to sense physiological data from a patient; a power module configured to convert deliberate human motion to an electric current which enables the medical device to operate during a limited period of time; the power module including a conductor and a magnet configured to convert the deliberate human motion to the electric current by moving through a fixed path in relation to the conductor, wherein the deliberate human motion comprises a shaking motion of the power module by a hand of a user that causes the magnet of the power module to oscillate in relation to the conductor and to convert the deliberate human motion to an electric current; a power sensing module configured to determine whether a threshold amount of energy has been generated and stored, the threshold amount of energy being sufficient to sense the physiological data for the limited period of time; an energy storage module configured to store electric current converted from the deliberate human motion, the energy storage module coupled with the sensor so as to power the sensor after the shaking motion has stopped and throughout the limited period of time; wherein the energy storage module and power module are configured for repeated use after the limited period of time has expired so as to facilitate sensing additional physiological data for another limited period of time by again shaking the power module with the hand of the user; a user interface operatively coupled with the sensor, wherein the sensor, power module, power sensing module, and energy storage module are mounted to a housing and configured to be shaken by the hand of the user with the housing during the deliberate human motion; and a base station unit that, when in use, releasably supports and fixedly orients the interface of the medical device toward the user during sensing of the physiological data; and wherein the medical device is powered by electrical current generated by the shaking motion.