Abstract: An AUV includes: an underwater vehicle main body configured to sail along an inspection object located in water or on the bottom of the water; an arm extending from the underwater vehicle main body; an inspection tool portion including a contact portion configured to contact the inspection object and an inspection device configured to inspect the inspection object; and a passive joint provided between the arm and the inspection tool portion and configured to allow passive rotation of the inspection tool portion relative to the arm about at least one axis.

Abstract: An energy management system is configured to calculate a percentage of satisfied based on the report data for each of the plurality of buildings; create, for each of the plurality of buildings, a plan for operating each of the air-conditioning facilities based on the percentage of satisfied and a predetermined target percentage of satisfied; calculate a first energy consumption amount based on the first piece of data; calculate a second energy consumption amount based on the second piece of data, the third piece of data, and the fourth piece of data, the second energy consumption amount being obtained when the each of the air-conditioning facilities is operated after a lapse of a predetermined time period; and control, when the first energy consumption amount is larger than the second energy consumption amount, the operation of the each of the air-conditioning facilities so as to achieve the second energy consumption amount.

Abstract: An AUV support system includes: a surface ship; an underwater station configured to support an AUV which autonomously sails in water; and a cable connecting the surface ship and the underwater station. The cable includes: a first cable portion extending downward from the surface ship through a water surface when the underwater station is suspended in the water by the cable from the surface ship that is in a stop state on the water; a second cable portion extending upward from a lower end portion of the first cable portion when the underwater station is suspended as above; and a third cable portion extending downward from an upper end portion of the second cable portion and connected to the underwater station when the underwater station is suspended as above.

Abstract: An underwater docking system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an underwater vehicle that sails in water; and an underwater station with which the underwater vehicle docks. One of the underwater vehicle and the underwater station includes: a reference point; and a first fitting located around the reference point as a center. The other of the underwater vehicle and the underwater station includes: a detector that detects the reference point; and a second fitting located around the detector as a center and fitted to the first fitting. One of the first fitting and the second fitting is an annular groove. The other of the first fitting and the second fitting includes at least two protrusions that are inserted into the annular groove.

Abstract: An AUV includes: an underwater vehicle main body configured to sail along an inspection object located in water or on the bottom of the water; an arm extending from the underwater vehicle main body; an inspection tool portion including a contact portion configured to contact the inspection object and an inspection device configured to inspect the inspection object; and a passive joint provided between the arm and the inspection tool portion and configured to allow passive rotation of the inspection tool portion relative to the arm about at least one axis.

Abstract: An AUV support system includes: a surface ship; an underwater station configured to support an AUV which autonomously sails in water; and a cable connecting the surface ship and the underwater station. The cable includes: a first cable portion extending downward from the surface ship through a water surface when the underwater station is suspended in the water by the cable from the surface ship that is in a stop state on the water; a second cable portion extending upward from a lower end portion of the first cable portion when the underwater station is suspended as above; and a third cable portion extending downward from an upper end portion of the second cable portion and connected to the underwater station when the underwater station is suspended as above.

Abstract: A first ultrasound medical instrument includes a medical ultrasonic blade having first, second and third blade portions. The second blade portion is more bendable than either of the first and third blade portions. A second ultrasound medical instrument includes a medical ultrasonic blade having a proximal blade portion and a distal blade portion. The distal blade portion bends more easily than does the proximal blade portion. The distal blade portion includes a distal end portion adapted to contact and ultrasonically treat patient tissue. A third ultrasonic medical instrument includes a medical ultrasonic blade. The medical ultrasonic blade includes a proximal blade portion having a centerline and includes a distal blade portion in contact with the proximal blade portion at a substantially planar interface. The interface is oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the centerline at the interface.

Abstract: An analytical meter for determining an analyte (e.g., glucose) in a bodily fluid sample (for example a whole blood sample) includes a display-based tutorial module. In addition, the display-based tutorial module includes a user interface (with a visual display), a memory unit and a microprocessor unit. The memory unit is configured for storing a tutorial, with the tutorial having a plurality of chapters, each containing one or more tutorial images depicting use of the analytical meter. The microprocessor is unit configured for controlling and coordinating at least the user interface and the memory unit. Moreover, the user interface, microprocessor unit and memory unit are operatively linked and configured for event-driven chapter-based display of the tutorial images to a user on the visual display.

Abstract: A method for tutoring a user in use of a kit for determining an analyte (such as glucose) in a bodily fluid sample (for example a whole blood sample) includes activating an analytical meter of the kit, with the analytical meter including a display-based tutorial module. In addition, the display-based tutorial module includes a user interface with a visual display, a memory unit storing a tutorial, and a microprocessor unit configured for controlling and coordinating the user interface and the memory unit. Moreover, the tutorial stored in the memory unit has chapters with each of the chapters containing one or more tutorial images depicting use of the kit. In addition, the user interface, microprocessor unit and memory unit are operatively linked and configured for event-driven chapter-based display of the tutorial images to a user on the visual display. The method also includes tutoring the user on use of the kit by displaying the tutorial images in an event-driven chapter-based manner.

Abstract: A kit for determining an analyte (e.g., glucose) in a bodily fluid sample (for example a whole blood sample) includes a meter and analytical test strip(s). In addition, the meter includes a display-based tutorial module with a memory unit, a microprocessor unit and a user interface that includes a visual display. The memory unit is configured for storing a tutorial, while the microprocessor unit is configured for controlling and coordinating the user interface and the memory unit. In addition, the tutorial stored in the memory unit has chapters, with each of the chapters containing one or more tutorial images depicting use of the kit. Moreover, the analytical test strip is configured for the application of a bodily fluid sample thereon and for insertion in the meter for subsequent determination of the analyte. Furthermore, the user interface, microprocessor unit and memory unit are operatively linked and configured for event-driven chapter-based display of the tutorial images to a user on the visual display.

Abstract: A first ultrasound medical instrument includes a medical ultrasonic blade having first, second and third blade portions. The second blade portion is more bendable than either of the first and third blade portions. A second ultrasound medical instrument includes a medical ultrasonic blade having a proximal blade portion and a distal blade portion. The distal blade portion bends more easily than does the proximal blade portion. The distal blade portion includes a distal end portion adapted to contact and ultrasonically treat patient tissue. A third ultrasonic medical instrument includes a medical ultrasonic blade. The medical ultrasonic blade includes a proximal blade portion having a centerline and includes a distal blade portion in contact with the proximal blade portion at a substantially planar interface. The interface is oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the centerline at the interface.

Abstract: A balloon catheter provided with a first tubular member in which at least one balloon lumen is formed inside along a longitudinal direction thereof; a balloon unit which is communicated internally with the balloon lumen formed in the first tubular member and capable of being expanded by a fluid fed through that balloon lumen; a second tubular member extending axially inside the balloon unit and provided axially therein with at least one guidewire lumen; a distal end of the balloon unit connected with a distal end of said second tubular member; an overlapped portion formed by overlapping a proximal end of said second tubular member with a distal end of said first tubular member axially over a predetermined distance; a neck portion of a proximal end side of said balloon unit directly or indirectly connected with at least part of said overlapped portion so as to cover at least part of said overlapped portion; and a recess in which a part of an outer circumference of the proximal end of the second tubular member

Abstract: A tube-line pressure sensor of a medical-appliance driving apparatus detects the interior pressure of a tube line. If the pressure detected by a tube-line pressure sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined value, a first solenoid valve is closed, while a second solenoid valve is opened, whereby a gas is supplied from a secondary gas tank to the tube line. The amount of gas supplied to the tube line is calculated based on a pressure change in the tank detected by a tank pressure sensor. In actual use, natural gas leakage during normal operation can be clearly distinguished from abnormal gas leakage due to an accident. The interior pressure of the tube line is detected at a time when the balloon is about to inflate from the deflated state, and a gas supply system supplies the driving gas to the tube line so that the detected pressure becomes a preset pressure value. A controller can change the preset pressure value.

Abstract: A medical-appliance driving apparatus is provided. The driving apparatus includes a first pressure sensor, which detects the inside pressure of a first positive pressure tank, and a second pressure sensor, which detects the inside pressure of a second negative pressure tank. A controller calculates the mean value of the pressure data detected by the first and second pressure sensors and if the mean value is greater than the predetermined mean value, a first valve is opened for a predetermined time. If the mean value is smaller than the predetermined mean value, then a second valve is opened for a predetermined time. The controller also calculates the pressure difference between the pressure data detected by the first and second sensors. If the pressure difference is greater than the predetermined difference value, the output level of a pump is lowered. If the pressure difference is smaller than the predetermined difference value, then the output level of the pump is raised.

Abstract: A balloon catheter has an inner tube communicating with a blood introduction port provided at a tip of the balloon portion. The inner tube is affixed to the inner wall of the catheter tube by adhesion, melt-bonding, or integral formation. The balloon catheter has a small channel resistance in the channel where the pressurized fluid which expands and contracts the balloon portion flows, even when the catheter tube has been bent, and enables expansion and contraction of the balloon portion with a good response. Another balloon catheter has the balloon portions at a range of the end sides of the balloon portions smaller in sectional area compared with the balloon portions at the tip sides. The catheter is able to effectively prevent side effects which occur only rarely but which are serious when they do occur. The catheter impairs as little as possible the effect of assisting the heart action inherent to the IABP method without special measurement of the diameter of the patient's blood vessels.

Abstract: A catheter having a catheter tube. The catheter tube is comprised of a base tube comprised of a hard plastic with a linear elastic modulus of at least 100 kg/mm.sup.2 and a surface tube of an anti-thrombogenic material covering the outer circumference of the base tube. Further, The present invention provides a catheter set which is used when inserting the catheter and the like into the blood vessel of a patient. The catheter set comprises a retaining sheath whose distal end is inserted into a blood vessel and which has a hemostatic valve at its proximal end, a catheter having a catheter tube, which is inserted from the proximal end of the retaining sheath and thereby inserted into the blood vessel, and a holding ring for affixing said retaining sheath to the outer circumference of said catheter tube at any position in the axial direction.

Abstract: A balloon catheter used for intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP). In the balloon catheter, an outer diameter of a catheter tube is not made constant in the axial direction. Rather, the outer diameter of the catheter tube from a hemostatic valve to a bifurcation, the portion which is positioned outside the patient's blood vessel, is made 3 to 30 percent larger than the outer diameter of the catheter tube from the balloon portion to the hemostatic valve, which is positioned inside the patient's blood vessel. The bifurcation has a first passage and a second passage. The first passage is communicating with a shuttle gas port and is disposed straight along the direction of the axial center of the catheter tube.

Abstract: A balloon catheter has an inner tube communicating with a blood introduction port provided at a tip of the balloon portion. The inner tube is affixed to the inner wall of the catheter tube by adhesion, melt-bonding, or integral formation. The balloon catheter has a small channel resistance in the channel where the pressurized fluid which expands and contracts the balloon portion flows, even when the catheter tube has been bent, and enables expansion and contraction of the balloon portion with a good response. Another balloon catheter has the balloon portions at a range of the end sides of the balloon portions smaller in sectional area compared with the balloon portions at the tip sides. The catheter is able to effectively prevent side effects which occur only rarely but which are serious when they do occur. The catheter impairs as little as possible the effect of assisting the heart action inherent to the IABP method without special measurement of the diameter of the patient's blood vessels.

Abstract: A balloon catheter used for intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP). In the balloon catheter, an outer diameter of a catheter tube is not made constant in the axial direction. Rather, the outer diameter of the catheter tube from a hemostatic valve to a bifurcation, the portion which is positioned outside the patient's blood vessel, is made 3 to 30 percent larger than the outer diameter of the catheter tube from the balloon portion to the hemostatic valve, which is positioned inside the patient's blood vessel. The bifurcation has a first passage and a second passage. The first passage is communicating with a shuttle gas port and is disposed straight along the direction of the axial center of the catheter tube.

Abstract: A temporary pacing catheter having an integrally attached temporary pacemaker function is disclosed. The pacemaker integrally built in this catheter for temporary pacing has a very small size and can be fixed to the body of a patient, and therefore, the patient can be transferred conveniently. Furthermore, if this catheter is packaged in the sterilized condition, problems or another's help required for the connection of the catheter to the pacemaker and the like operations in the conventional technique can be avoided, and therefore, the packaged catheter is suitably used for an emergency treatment. Moreover, if a balloon is attached and arranged so that when the balloon is inflated, the balloon envelopes an electrode at the distal end, the catheter can be caused to flow in the heart and blood vessel safely and promptly.