Abstract: A probe 1 includes a light irradiating device 2 and a light receiving device 3, which are oppositely disposed sandwiching living tissue 10. The light irradiating device 2 includes a light source 5 and a scattering plate 6 located in front of the light source 5. The light receiving device 3 includes a photo diode 8 and a light scattering portion. With such an arrangement, of the attenuation of the living tissue 10, non-absorbing attenuation is free from the wavelength. A ratio of absorbing attenuation and a thickness of a blood layer is not affected by a thickness of living tissue. Further, the absorbing attenuation is not dependent on a depth of the blood layer.

Abstract: Light beams of different wavelengths, emitted from a light generating device, are transmitted through a living tissue. The transmitted light beams are converted into electrical signals by a photoelectric transducing device. A pulsation calculating device calculates a pulsation of an absorbance of tissue of a living tissue for each wavelength on the basis of the output signal of the photoelectric transducing device. By using this, a pulsation ratio calculating device calculates the ratio of the pulsations of the absorbance values. A concentration calculating device puts the output signal of the pulsation ratio calculating device into a formula having a single unknown on the tissue term, which is constructed on the basis of the fact that a predetermined relation is present between the tissue terms of the respective wavelengths, thereby calculating a value of the tissue term and the concentration of light absorbing material in blood.

Abstract: Light of various wavelengths emitted from light sources and transmitted through vital tissues is converted by light sensors and current/voltage transducers, into electric signals. The signals are converted into digital values by an A/D converter. The light source emits light of a wavelength which can be optically absorbed by water. A computer obtains a ratio of variations of the digital values for each wavelength, and calculates the values of tissue terms and the hemoglobin concentration on the basis of the ratios. In the calculation, since tissue terms of the wavelengths have mutual constant relationships, an equation which is prepared so that there exists only one unknown in the tissue terms is used.

Abstract: An external auditory canal arm having a photo sensing element at the distal end thereof is inserted into an external auditory meatus. A contact piece 1b having a light emitting element is set to a location near an ear lobe on the surface of a skin of the temporal region of a subject. Light that is emitted from the light emitting element and transmitted through the superficial temporal artery region, is received by the photo sensing element. A variation of the quantity of light when passing through blood flowing through the superficial temporal artery, which is caused by light absorptive materials in the blood, is detected, to thereby obtain oxygen saturation, cardiac output and blood volumes, and the like in the blood.