Abstract: A particle counting method that can count the number of the particles precisely. The method discriminates a wave pattern of the scattered light from a normal particle (subject of the counting) and a wave pattern of the light scattered by the agitation such as a floating particle, a radiation or changes in the intensity of the light. In one embodiment, a method for counting particles is disclosed which irradiates a light to a sample gas, detects a scattered light from a particle included in the sample gas by a photoelectric conversion device, counts the number of the particles of every particle size division by the output voltage wave pattern of the photoelectric conversion device, calculate a time difference (Ta?T1) from a point (T1) being a peak of output voltage wave pattern and a point (Ta) being a falling detection threshold (A), when the time difference (Ta?T1) is beyond counting cancellation time (B), the output voltage wave pattern is not counted as a particle.

Abstract: There is provided a waterproof hearing aid capable of being worn without caring about the entry of sweat or water even at the time of sweating or bathing. The waterproof hearing aid has a first waterproof film stretchingly provided at the sound inlet of a microphone and a second waterproof film stretchingly provided at the sound outlet of an earphone, a tube (first vent) communicating a microphone chamber formed by the first waterproof film and the microphone with a hearing aid case chamber formed by a hearing aid case, a tube (second vent) communicating an earphone chamber formed by the second waterproof film and the earphone with the hearing aid case chamber, and a porous film (third vent) communicating the hearing aid case chamber with the outside.

Abstract: A hearing aid device is provided in which wireless data transmission and reception are established between a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid, worn one on each ear, wherein in a case where wireless transmission and reception are not possible, the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are switched from a liaison operation mode in which both hearing aids are interactively adjusted to a solo operation mode in which each hearing aid is independently adjusted. In a case where wireless transmission and reception are possible, the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are switched from the solo operation mode to the liaison operation mode.

Abstract: A hearing aid which achieves a comfortable feeling to use while preventing generation of howling includes a microphone for converting an environmental sound to an electric signal, a hearing aid processor for hearing aid processing of an output signal of the microphone, an earphone for converting an output signal of the hearing aid processor to a sound signal, an external ear canal microphone converting a sound within an external ear canal to an electric signal, and an adaptive filter for comparing an output signal of the external ear canal microphone and the output signal of the hearing aid processor to automatically adjust the output signal of the hearing aid processor in such a manner that the output signal of the external ear canal microphone approaches the output signal of the hearing aid processor.

Abstract: A behind-the-ear type hearing aid which can improve a fit to a user includes a hearing aid main body and a tube for introducing sound output from the hearing aid main body to an external auditory meatus. The tube is comprised of a connector portion, and a tube portion having one end which connects to the connector portion and an opposite end which to an earplug. The tube portion is constructed so as to be freely transformed, into a desired shape and a metal wire for maintaining the transformed shape is embedded in the tube portion. Also, the shape of the hearing aid main body to be in contact with a user's body can be formed corresponding to the shape of a user's body.

Abstract: A flow cell 1 is provided with a flow channel 2 which has rounded corners 3 in section. A measuring sample under high pressure is introduced into the flow channel 2 formed in the flow cell 1 and particles existing in the measuring sample are measured. The measuring sample is in a liquid phase, a gaseous phase or a super critical phase above 1 MPa.

Abstract: A hearing aid device for processing an input sound signal via a microphone so as to output a sound signal from an earphone comprises a signal processing element, a couple of acoustic nerve excitation pattern calculation elements, a couple of acoustic filter shape memory elements, a comparison element, a correction processing element, etc. The couple of acoustic nerve excitation pattern calculation elements calculate acoustic nerve excitation patterns of a normal hearing person and a hearing impaired person based on an output signal of the signal processing element and acoustic filter shapes of the normal hearing person and the hearing impaired person which are stored in the couple of acoustic filter shape memory elements. Each of the acoustic nerve excitation patterns is compared via the comparison element.

Abstract: A particle counter for measuring the number of floating particles contained in a sample to determine the particle concentration therein includes: a memory section for storing a relational expression between the direct current level output from a photoelectric converter when no particles exist and the frequency of occurrence of false counts; and a subtraction section for determining the frequency of occurrence of the false counts corresponding to the direct current level output from the photoelectric converter at the time of commencement of measurement with reference to the relational expression stored in the memory section and subtracting a value based on the frequency of occurrence of the false counts from a discrete value after commencement of measurement.

Abstract: A particle counting method is provided whereby a liquid sample is radiated by a laser light, scattered light produced by causing the laser light to hit a particle in the liquid sample is detected by a photoelectric conversion element, and a sample value which is the output of the photoelectric conversion element is sequentially compared to a threshold preset for each particle size range, thereby counting the number of particles for each particle size range, the method comprising: a timer start-up step for starting a timer of a predetermined time when the sample value becomes smaller than a threshold of a minimum particle size for the first time and for sequentially holding the maximum value of the sample value; and a timer extension step for restarting the timer to sequentially hold the maximum value of the sample value when the sample value at the time-out of the timer start-up step is larger than the threshold of the minimum particle size.

Abstract: Preparing for the full-fledged aged society, measures to prevent senility are required. Senility is prevented by extracting signals of prescribed bands from a speech signal using a first bandpass filter section having a plurality of bandpass filters, extracting the envelopes of each frequency band signal using an envelope extraction section having envelope extractors, applying a noise source signal to a second bandpass filter section having a plurality of bandpass filters and extracting noise signals corresponding to the prescribed bands, multiplying the outputs from the first bandpass filter section and the second bandpass filter section in a multiplication section, summing up the outputs from the multiplication section in an addition section to produce a Noise-Vocoded Speech Sound signal, and presenting the Noise-Vocoded Speech Sound signal for listening.

Abstract: An audiometer having an air-conduction receiver, a bone-conduction receiver, a masking receiver and an audiometer body is provided, in which the air-conduction receiver, the bone-conduction receiver, and the masking receiver are respectively provided with serial ROMs in which identification information and calibration information of each receiver are stored. The audiometer body comprises a misconnection detector for detecting misconnection of each receiver, a calibration period judging mechanism for judging a calibration transition period of each receiver, and a correction amount computer for computing a correction amount of sound pressure based on the information stored in the serial ROMs.

Abstract: A sound insulation/absorption structure, a sound insulation/absorption device, and a structure having these applied thereto and a member constituting the same, are capable of insulating or absorbing sound by stiffness control. The sound insulation/absorption structure comprises a film member, such as a polymer film or metal foil, and a frame body having at least one annular opening, the film member being fixed to the frame body, the section of the film member surrounded by the frame body being of a curved shape such as a dome, wherein the resonance frequency of the in-plane stretching of this curved shape is set at a frequency equal to or higher than the audible frequency band, so as to insulate or absorb sound by the elastic force of the film. The film member may be replaced by an acrylic, polyethylene terephthalate or other plastic plate, an aluminum or other metal plate, or a veneer or other plate member, molded into a curved shape, such as a dome, a semi-cylinder and a cone.

Abstract: In an in-the-ear hearing aid forming an inner casing space with a shell 1 and a face plate 2, a protector 10 is provided to separate a battery housing space 8 and an inner shell space 9 which constitute the inner casing space. The face plate 2 forms an opening section 5 for loading and unloading a battery B and is integrally formed with battery contacting units 12, 13 by an insert molding method, while the protector 10 is provided to cover the battery B and is formed as a container with an opening section 10a, wherein the opening section 5 of the face plate 2 and the opening section 10a of the protector 10 are joined.

Abstract: In an in-the-ear hearing aid provided with a pull-out type linear member, a housing section is provided to house a pull-out type linear member 25. The housing section is a guide tunnel 24 penetrating a case body 23. The pull-out type linear member 25 is provided, at both ends, with small bulges 25a and 25b. The pull-out type linear member 25 is provided in such a manner that the front small bulge 25b is located outside the guide tunnel 24 and the rear small bulge 25a is located inside the guide tunnel 24. A small diameter port 24a is provided at an opening section of the guide tunnel 24 to serve as a stopper for the rear small bulge 25a.

Abstract: A particle counting method is provided whereby a liquid sample is radiated by a laser light, scattered light produced by causing the laser light to hit a particle in the liquid sample is detected by a photoelectric conversion element, and a sample value which is the output of the photoelectric conversion element is sequentially compared to a threshold preset for each particle size range, thereby counting the number of particles for each particle size range, the method comprising: a timer start-up step for starting a timer of a predetermined time when the sample value becomes smaller than a threshold of a minimum particle size for the first time and for sequentially holding the maximum value of the sample value; and a timer extension step for restarting the timer to sequentially hold the maximum value of the sample value when the sample value at the time-out of the timer start-up step is larger than the threshold of the minimum particle size.

Abstract: A flow cell 1 is provided with a flow channel 2 which has rounded corners 3 in section. A measuring sample under high pressure is introduced into the flow channel 2 formed in the flow cell 1 and particles existing in the measuring sample are measured. The measuring sample is in a liquid phase, a gaseous phase or a super critical phase above 1 MPa.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diagnostic device that presents, to a patient, a Noise-Vocoded Speech Sound signal that is obtained by dividing at least one portion of a sound signal into a single or a plurality of frequency band signals and subjecting the frequency band signals to noise, and analyzing the content of a response recognized by the patient and the presented stimulus to diagnose a disease of the patient based on the analysis results, so that diagnosis including determining the disease of the patient and estimating a damaged site can be performed.

Abstract: A hearing aid which achieves a comfortable feeling to use while preventing generation of howling includes a microphone for converting an environmental sound to an electric signal, a hearing aid processor for hearing aid processing of an output signal of the microphone, an earphone for converting an output signal of the hearing aid processor to a sound signal, an external ear canal microphone converting a sound within an external ear canal to an electric signal, and an adaptive filter for comparing an output signal of the external ear canal microphone and the output signal of the hearing aid processor to automatically adjust the output signal of the hearing aid processor in such a manner that the output signal of the external ear canal microphone approaches the output signal of the hearing aid processor.

Abstract: In a behind-the-ear hearing aid 1 having a hook 3, a tube 4 and a joint 5 between a hearing aid body 2 and an ear-plug 6, the joint 5 is provided with a damper 8. It is desirable that the value of the acoustic impedance of the damper 8 be less than ±10% of the value of the characteristic impedance of a path 7 formed by making connections between the hook 3, the tube 4 and the joint 5.

Abstract: A parameter writing element converts a solution vector found by an optimum solution method that determines optimum n-dimensional solution vector, based on a plurality of optimum n-dimensional solution vector candidates to an adjustment parameter values of a programmable hearing aid and writes the adjustment parameter values into a hearing aid parameter memory element of the programmable hearing aid using a sound source memory element for storing a sound source, and a sound source presenting element for presenting the sound source to the programmable hearing aid.