Abstract: A clearance increasing jig of a heat transfer tube, includes: a jig main body inserted into a clearance between adjacent heat transfer tubes; an inflow hole provided in the jig main body and configured to allow a fluid to flow into the jig main body; and an increasing unit provided in the jig main body and configured to increase the clearance as the fluid flows into the jig main body.

Abstract: The heat exchanger includes: a plurality of heat transfer tubes which is arranged and provided with predetermined gaps; and a plurality of second vibration suppression members 14B which is provided in the gaps and is provided on both sides sandwiching each of the heat transfer tubes 5, and one second vibration suppression member 14B and the other second vibration suppression member 14B of a plurality of second vibration suppression members 14B are provided at different positions in an axial direction of the heat transfer tubes 5 sandwiching the heat transfer tubes 5, the one second vibration suppression member 14B is provided pressing the heat transfer tubes 5; and the other second vibration suppression member 14B is provided pressing the heat transfer tubes 5 from an opposite side of the one second vibration suppression member 14B.

Abstract: A clearance increasing jig of a heat transfer tube, includes: a jig main body inserted into a clearance between adjacent heat transfer tubes; an inflow hole provided in the jig main body and configured to allow a fluid to flow into the jig main body; and an increasing unit provided in the jig main body and configured to increase the clearance as the fluid flows into the jig main body.

Abstract: A trend prediction device that is versatile and capable of improving the accuracy of predicting a trend in a user's physical condition is provided. The trend prediction device includes: a sensor-data converter configured to convert sensor data detected by a sleep sensor into a sleep-related parameter for making a physical-data-trend judgment; a parameter acquisition unit configured to acquire a lifestyle-related parameter that indicates an action of the user during a non-sleeping period, and possibly changing the physical-data trend; and a parameter comparator configured to compare the sleep-related and the lifestyle-related parameters with respective reference parameters. The trend prediction device is configured to judge whether the physical data has an increase or a decrease in trend on the basis of the comparison result of the sleep-related and the lifestyle-related parameters with their respective reference parameters.

Abstract: A sleep state of a subject is estimated from respiration signals that are readily detected without restraining the subject. From a voltage waveform based on respiratory movement of a person, positive peak values and the (time) interval between adjacent peaks are calculated. Also obtained is the area of a region that is enclosed by the voltage waveform and a time axis between peaks, and the average value and dispersion value of the obtained inter-peak areas are calculated. The calculated values are used to set a preliminary sleep state value for a given period, and sleep state values over plural periods are factored in to estimate a sleep state at a given time point.

Abstract: In order to provide an active muscle display unit that extracts a firing pattern of the individual motor unit without applying a load to living organisms and display the extracted motor unit, the active muscle display unit comprises multiple electrodes that are arranged on a skin surface, a surface electromyogram measuring part that measures a surface electromyogram on the skin surface at the multiple electrodes, a motor unit separating part that estimates the individual motor unit constituting an active muscle based on the surface electromyogram measured by the surface electromyogram measuring part, a motor unit position estimating part that estimates a three-dimensional position of the firing motor unit based on the motor unit estimated to be the firing motor unit by the motor unit separating part, and a display part that displays the motor unit estimated by the motor unit position estimating part in an image.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sleep state estimation device capable of estimating a sleep state (deep sleep, light sleep) in real time with relative simplicity. Voltage variations resulting from human respiratory movement are measured for each given period to calculate from the measurement results positive voltage peak values and time intervals between adjacent peaks. The obtained peak values and peak intervals are used to calculate a mean peak interval value A, a coefficient of variation B based on dispersion of the peak intervals, and a coefficient of variation C based on the peak values. The sleep state in this period is estimated from the calculation results. More specifically, referring to FIG.

Abstract: In order to provide an active muscle display unit that extracts a firing pattern of the individual motor unit without applying a load to living organisms and display the extracted motor unit, the active muscle display unit comprises multiple electrodes 1 that are arranged on a skin surface, a surface electromyogram measuring part 32 that measures a surface electromyogram on the skin surface at the multiple electrodes 1, a motor unit separating part 33 that estimates the individual motor unit constituting an active muscle based on the surface electromyogram measured by the surface electromyogram measuring part 32, a motor unit position estimating part 35 that estimates a three-dimensional position of the firing motor unit based on the motor unit estimated to be the firing motor unit by the motor unit separating part 33, and a display part 38 that displays the motor unit estimated by the motor unit position estimating part 35 in an image.

Abstract: To provide an adjustable bed that assists a user to turn comfortably in his or her sleep without mental stress. Once an automatic mode starts, measurement on the depth of sleep of the user lying on the bed is launched. The depth of sleep is measured by detecting biological information such as brain waves, heart rate, and respiratory rate of the user using electrode sensors or the like, and analyzing the biological information according to a polysomnography method or the like. If the depth of sleep is 0, i.e., the user is in REM sleep, and if one hour or more has passed since the measurement is launched or since an immediately preceding turn operation, a turn operation is performed to turn the user.

Abstract: A sleep state of a subject is estimated from respiration signals that are readily detected without restraining the subject. From a voltage waveform based on respiratory movement of a person, positive peak values and the (time) interval between adjacent peaks are calculated. Also obtained is the area of a region that is enclosed by the voltage waveform and a time axis between peaks, and the average value and dispersion value of the obtained inter-peak areas are calculated. The calculated values are used to set a preliminary sleep state value for a given period, and sleep state values over plural periods are factored in to estimate a sleep state at a given time point.

Abstract: The invention provides a massage machine for health care which comprises a living body information sensor 5 for detecting living body information of the autonomic nervous system of the person to be massaged, a control circuit 6 for judging the psychological state of the person based on the living body information detected, and a memory 61 for holding histories of psychological states of persons to be massaged. The machine is adapted to judge the physical condition of the person based on the history of psychological states of the person, and to judge whether the condition of the person's health is improved by massage so as to utilize the result of judgement as guidelines for health care.

Abstract: The invention provides a massage machine for health care which comprises a living body information sensor 5 for detecting living body information of the autonomic nervous system of the person to be massaged, a control circuit 6 for judging the psychological state of the person based on the living body information detected, and a memory 61 for holding histories of psychological states of persons to be massaged. The machine is adapted to judge the physical condition of the person based on the history of psychological states of the person, and to judge whether the condition of the person's health is improved by massage so as to utilize the result of judgement as guidelines for health care.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sleep state estimation device capable of estimating a sleep state (deep sleep, light sleep) in real time with relative simplicity. Voltage variations resulting from human respiratory movement are measured for each given period to calculate from the measurement results positive voltage peak values and time intervals between adjacent peaks. The obtained peak values and peak intervals are used to calculate a mean peak interval value A, a coefficient of variation B based on dispersion of the peak intervals, and a coefficient of variation C based on the peak values. The sleep state in this period is estimated from the calculation results. More specifically, referring to FIG.

Abstract: To provide an adjustable bed that assists a user to turn comfortably in his or her sleep without mental stress. Once an automatic mode starts, measurement on the depth of sleep of the user lying on the bed is launched. The depth of sleep is measured by detecting biological information such as brain waves, heart rate, and respiratory rate of the user using electrode sensors or the like, and analyzing the biological information according to a polysomnography method or the like. If the depth of sleep is 0, i.e., the user is in REM sleep, and if one hour or more has passed since the measurement is launched or since an immediately preceding turn operation, a turn operation is performed to turn the user.

Abstract: The invention provides a massage machine for health care which comprises a living body information sensor 5 for detecting living body information of the autonomic nervous system of the person to be massaged, a control circuit 6 for judging the psychological state of the person based on the living body information detected, and a memory 61 for holding histories of psychological states of persons to be massaged. The machine is adapted to judge the physical condition of the person based on the history of psychological states of the person, and to judge whether the condition of the person's health is improved by massage so as to utilize the result of judgement as guidelines for health care.

Abstract: The present invention provides a massage machine comprising a living body information sensor 5 for detecting the living body information of the autonomic nervous system of the person to be massaged, and a control circuit 6 for controlling massage based on the living body information detected by the sensor 5. The control circuit 6 estimates the psychological state of the person based on variations in the living body information detected by the sensor 5, and adjusts massage movement in accordance with the estimated psychological state. In adjusting the massage movement, one of a relaxation mode and a refreshment mode can be selected, and the massage movement is so adjusted as to lower the activity of the autonomic nervous system in the relaxation mode, or is so adjusted as to increase the activity of the autonomic nervous system in the refreshment mode.

Abstract: A method of controlling printed density in thermal transfer printing includes the steps of: forming a density table representing relation between input energy and actual printed density when there is no temperature gradient in a thermal head; determining a temperature gradient coefficient for estimating a temperature gradient between a heating element and a temperature detector in the thermal head for the nth line; and calculating density correcting amount based on a ratio of the temperature gradient coefficient of the nth line to the temperature gradient coefficient when the thermal head is at a steady temperature gradient state. Apparatus is also provided for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method of driving a thermal head enabling recording of multiple gradations and having a plurality of heating resistors, comprising: a first step of calculating an amount of density correction, corresponding to an amount of decrease of printed density of the specific ones of the heating resistors due to reduction of quantity of heat generated by the specific ones of the heating resistors, which reduction is caused by simultaneous heating of the specific ones of the heating resistors and the remaining heating resistors; and a second step of applying to the specific ones of the heating resistors, a print signal corrected on the basis of the amount of density correction so as to drive the specific ones of the heating resistors such that a desired printed density is obtained; in which in the first step, the amount of density correction is calculated on the basis of a weight factor, an imaginary number of the heating resistors and a maximum amount of density decrease.

Abstract: A method of controlling printed density in thermal transfer recording, comprising the steps of: obtaining from first data representing, for each of a plurality of densities, a sum of absolute values of differences between a reference density corresponding to each of the densities and actual printed densities of the respective heating resistors, in response to input of gradational transfer data at a transfer density selected from one of the densities, fourth data representing the sum of absolute values at the density of the inputted gradational transfer data; multiplying third data representing the differences between a reference density corresponding to each of the densities and actual printed densities of the respective heating resistors at a specific one of the densities by a ratio of the fourth data to second data representing the first data at the specific one of the densities so as to obtain amounts of density correction for the heating resistors, respectively at the transfer density; and correcting the

Abstract: In a pattern generating system for scanning a pattern on a surface of a workpiece with a laser beam modulated by drawing data so as to form a pattern corresponding to design pattern data, a plurality of through holes are formed at predetermined positions of the workpiece. Beams transmitted through the through holes are directed to a sensor for generating a detection output representing positions of the transmitted beams. A computer generates position data of the through holes on the basis of the detection output and calculates a positional error and a deformation amount of the workpiece. A correcting device corrects the drawing on the basis of the positional error and the deformation amount.