Abstract: An apparatus for measuring skin moisture content in a user's skin is provided. The apparatus may include a signal supplier to generate an out-of-phase signal from a voltage signal obtained from the user's skin and an in-phase signal from the voltage signal, a susceptance measurement unit to measure the susceptance of the voltage signal by synchronizing the voltage signal and the out-of-phase signal received from the signal supplier, a conductance measurement unit to measure the conductance of the voltage signal by synchronizing the voltage signal and the in-phase signal, and an output unit to output sweat gland activity information of the user based on the measured conductance and skin moisture content information of the user based on the measured susceptance.

Abstract: A tear secretion quantity examination system for evaluating simply and non-invasively the tear secretion quantity has: a moisture evaporation quantity detection unit for detecting the moisture evaporation quantity from a subject's eye with a humidity sensor; and an operation unit for computing evaluation parameters of the tear secretion quantity based on a detection signal of the moisture evaporation quantity detection unit. The operation means approximates an attenuation portion of saw-tooth responses appearing for each blink in a tear evaporation profile in which the detection value obtained with the humidity sensor is plotted against the time.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing skin moisture including a casing, a fixed base at the front end of the casing, at least one through hole on the fixed base, a hollow cylindrical metal electrode with a closed end passing through the through hole, and an electrically conductive elastic member in the electrode. The elastic member pressing between the electrode on a first end and is fixed to the casing at a second end. The casing has a correction resistor coupled in parallel with the elastic member. The correction resistor is coupled to a micro alternate current generator, and an alternate current resistance measuring circuit is coupled to a CPU single-chip microprocessor. A measured value of resistance is compared with a predetermined value stored in a memory by a CPU single-chip microprocessor, the result of the comparison is displayed by a display device.

Abstract: A method for measuring the degree of evaporation of water through the skin includes placing a measurement chamber on the surface of the skin. The measurement chamber is a chamber which is open only at one side, and when placed on the skin it will become a totally closed chamber. During the measurement the vapor pressure is determined only in one point of the chamber. The degree of evaporation is determined by vapor pressure gradient in relation to time. An apparatus includes the measurement chamber open only at one side, and when placed on the skin it will become a totally closed chamber. Furthermore, there is a humidity sensor in the measurement chamber for measuring the vapor pressure in one point of the measurement chamber.

Abstract: A tear secretion quantity examination system for evaluating simply and non-invasively the tear secretion quantity has: a moisture evaporation quantity detection unit for detecting the moisture evaporation quantity from a subject's eye with a humidity sensor; and an operation unit for computing evaluation parameters of the tear secretion quantity based on a detection signal of the moisture evaporation quantity detection unit. The operation means approximates an attenuation portion of saw-tooth responses appearing for each blink in a tear evaporation profile in which the detection value obtained with the humidity sensor is plotted against the time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising subjecting a test site of a responsive system to a primary challenge; subjecting the same test site to a secondary challenge, wherein the secondary challenge is designed to enhance and/or prolong a response of the responsive system to the primary challenge, without confounding the response nor altering the mechanism by which the primary challenge elicits a response from the responsive system; and assessing the response subsequent to the secondary challenge. The methods claimed herein also preferably comprise the additional step(s) of subjecting test site(s) to one or more pre-challenge intervention(s) and/or post-challenge intervention(s) and/or concurrent-challenge intervention(s).

Abstract: An apparatus for evaluating water permeability of the stratum corneum epidermidis, including a feeding device for feeding a carrier gas to a skin surface to be measured, a measuring device for measuring humidity of the carrier gas discharged from the feeding device over the skin surface, and a calculating device for calculating a water transpiration amount and an overall mass transfer coefficient of water in the stratum corneum epidermidis based on properties of the carrier gas and the humidity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the degree of evaporation of water through the skin, in which method a measurement chamber (20) is placed on the surface of the skin. In a method in accordance with the invention the measurement chamber (20) is a chamber which is open only at one side, and when placed on the skin it will become a totally closed chamber. During the measurement the vapour pressure is determined only in one point of the chamber. The degree of evaporation is determined by vapour pressure gradient in relation to time. In apparatus in accordance with the invention the measurement chamber (20) is open only at one side, and when placed on the skin it will become a totally closed chamber. Furthermore, there is a humidity sensor (21) in the measurement chamber for measuring the vapour pressure in one point of the measurement chamber.

Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus for measuring dryness of a cornea of an eye to be examined, the apparatus comprising a projecting optical system including a light source for projecting measurement light onto the cornea, a detecting optical system including a photodetector for detecting reflected light from a tear film by projecting the measurement light, an arithmetic device for measuring time-varying changes in the dryness of a predetermined measurement region based on a result detected by the photodetector, and an output device for outputting a measurement result obtained by the arithmetic device.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus for measuring a water transpiration amount, which comprises a barrel-type body having a humidity sensor inside of the body and opening portions on the top and bottom of the body, wherein a gas introductory path for feeding, from the outside of the apparatus, a gas having a predetermined water content to a surface to be measured is disposed at the side wall portion of the body and a freely openable or closable shutter is installed at the bottom opening portion of the body. The apparatus according to the present invention makes it possible to carry out accurate and prompt measurement of a water amount transpired locally from the skin surface, ocular surface or the like without being influenced by the external circumstances such as wind.