Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a beam former that drives an ultrasound transducer including two-dimensionally arranged vibration elements and that acquires ultrasound data of a three-dimensional space; a delay calculating circuit sets scan conditions including a drive delay amount of the beam former; a graphic circuit that generates an ultrasound slice image of a predetermined cut surface from the ultrasound data of the three-dimensional space; and a CPU that determines a focal length or a focal depth of the ultrasound according to a distance from the ultrasound transducer to the desirably set cut surface to set an amount of delay to cause the delay calculating circuit to change the scan conditions.

Abstract: A heat monitoring instrument of the invention includes: an insertion portion for inserting into tissue of a subject; a distal end portion that constitutes a distal end portion of the insertion portion and receives and transmits heat of the subject into which the insertion portion is inserted; and a shape-memory portion that constitutes the distal end portion and changes shape due to the heat of the subject.

Abstract: An ablation method according to the present invention includes: a step I of observing a target region in a tissue of a subject and a conservation region that should not be ablated, the conservation region being adjacent to the ablation target region, using an observation unit; a step II of placing a thermal monitoring instrument that deforms if a temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined temperature, in a boundary between the ablation target region and the conservation region under the observation using the observation unit; a step III of heating the ablation target region using an ablation instrument while observing the ablation target region using the observation unit; and a step IV of stopping the heating at a stage where deformation of the thermal monitoring instrument is confirmed.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a beam former that drives an ultrasound transducer including two-dimensionally arranged vibration elements and that acquires ultrasound data of a three-dimensional space; a delay calculating circuit sets scan conditions including a drive delay amount of the beam former; a graphic circuit that generates an ultrasound slice image of a predetermined cut surface from the ultrasound data of the three-dimensional space; and a CPU that determines a focal length or a focal depth of the ultrasound according to a distance from the ultrasound transducer to the desirably set cut surface to set an amount of delay to cause the delay calculating circuit to change the scan conditions.

Abstract: A heat monitoring instrument of the invention includes: an insertion portion for inserting into tissue of a subject; a distal end portion that constitutes a distal end portion of the insertion portion and receives and transmits heat of the subject into which the insertion portion is inserted; and a shape-memory portion that constitutes the distal end portion and changes shape due to the heat of the subject.

Abstract: An ablation method according to the present invention includes: a step I of observing a target region in a tissue of a subject and a conservation region that should not be ablated, the conservation region being adjacent to the ablation target region, using an observation unit; a step II of placing a thermal monitoring instrument that deforms if a temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined temperature, in a boundary between the ablation target region and the conservation region under the observation using the observation unit; a step III of heating the ablation target region using an ablation instrument while observing the ablation target region using the observation unit; and a step IV of stopping the heating at a stage where deformation of the thermal monitoring instrument is confirmed.

Abstract: A puncture tool includes: a needle tube internally including a channel; an opening portion arranged at a proximal end portion of a needle tube turning operation portion; a conical shape portion to be punctured into a subject, the conical shape portion being arranged at a distal end portion of the needle tube; an opening portion arranged on a proximal end side of the conical shape portion and communicating with the channel; a blade capable of being inserted through the channel of the needle tube and capable of causing a cutting portion to project from the opening portion when being inserted through the channel; and a connector for electrically connecting the conical shape portion and a high frequency power supply device.

Abstract: A tumor reductive procedure under ultrasound observation includes observing a tissue from an inside or an outside of a body with an ultrasound observation device, dissolving, breaking up, resecting, or vaporizing a tumor inner portion under ultrasound observation by the ultrasound observation device, introducing a solvent for suspension into the tumor inner portion from a distal end of a needle tube arranged in the tumor inner portion, mixing the solvent for suspension with a tumor tissue of the dissolved, broken-up, resected, or vaporized tumor inner portion, and changing the tumor inner portion to a fluid, and collecting the tumor tissue, which is mixed with the solvent for suspension and softened, from the tumor inner portion using the needle tube or another duct after changing the tumor to the fluid under the ultrasound observation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a rotating body control device and a washing machine. The rotating body control device includes: a balancing unit including an annular race which is integrally formed with the rotating body and is concentric with the rotation shaft of the rotating body and a plurality of rolling bodies which are movably seated in the race; a detecting unit detecting a bit signal, which is generated according to a variation in relative position between the rolling bodies seated in the race and the eccentric amount of the rotating body which occurs during the rotation of the rotating body; an analyzing unit which analyzes a variation in amplitude of the bit signal detected by the detecting unit; and a control unit which controls the rotation of the rotating body according to the analyzed result of the analyzing unit.

Abstract: Provided are a washing machine and a method of calculating the amount of laundry. The washing machine includes a spin basket which has an inner space to put laundry therein and is rotatably mounted about a rotation shaft in a rotational direction by driving a motor and includes: a rotation time calculating unit which calculates a time period when the spin basket rotates once; a pulse torque generating unit which supplies a predetermined current or voltage to the motor during the time period when the spin basket rotates once and generates a pulse torque through an output shaft from the motor; an acceleration measuring unit which measures rotation acceleration of the output shaft of the motor according to the pulse torque generated from the motor; and a weight calculating unit which calculates the weight of the laundry put in the inner space of the spin basket by the rotation acceleration.

Abstract: The invention provides a cloth washer, a dish washer-dryer and a control system associated therewith, which facilitate establishing of a special operating program. The cloth washer comprises selector means for selecting one of a plurality of basic operating programs, which are individually preprogrammed with specifications of washing operation, rinsing operation and spin-dry operation, special operating program setting means for establishing a special operating program by correcting at least one of the specifications of the washing operation, the rinsing operation and the spin-dry operation preprogrammed for the one selected by the selector means among the plurality of basic operating programs, and control means for controlling the washing operation, the rinsing operation and the spin-dry operation according to the special operating program set by the special operating program setting means.

Abstract: The invention provides a cloth washer, a dish washer-dryer and a control system associated therewith, which facilitate establishing of a special operating program. The cloth washer comprises selector means for selecting one of a plurality of basic operating programs, which are individually preprogrammed with specifications of washing operation, rinsing operation and spin-dry operation, special operating program setting means for establishing a special operating program by correcting at least one of the specifications of the washing operation, the rinsing operation and the spin-dry operation preprogrammed for the one selected by the selector means among the plurality of basic operating programs, and control means for controlling the washing operation, the rinsing operation and the spin-dry operation according to the special operating program set by the special operating program setting means.

Abstract: A washing machine apparatus includes an optical sensor for detecting a light permeability of a liquid contained in a washer tank. The time duration of a washing cycle is determined in accordance with two variables. The first variable is a saturating time in which the detected light permeability becomes relatively constant. The second variable is the overall light permeability change during the washing cycle at the saturation time. The saturating time period and the light permeability change are fuzzy processed to obtain a remaining time duration of the washing cycle.

Abstract: A washing machine apparatus includes an optical sensor which detects a light permeability of a liquid contained in a washer tank and a volume sensor which detects a volume of laundries contained in the washer tank. A minimum washing time and a maximum washing time of a washing cycle are set based on the detected volume of laundries. During the washing cycle, at a saturation time in which the detected light permeability becomes relatively constant, an overall light permeability change is detected. A remaining washing time is set based on the thus detected overall light permeability change, so long as the total washing time falls within the minimum and maximum set in accordance with the detected volume of laundries.

Abstract: The automatic washing machine according to the present invention is provided with an optical sensor which consists of a light emitting element and a light receiving element to detect the light permeability of a solution of washing detergent and rinse water in a washer tank, and an output control means for controlling an output of the light emitting element of the optical sensor. The output control means is adapted to control such that the light permeability of water or air fed in the washer tank is a reference value, with effecting the initial setting of the optical sensor. Accordingly, the optical sensor is prevented from erroneously detecting the light permeability when it is stained with water drops or the like and, decreases its output. Moreover, the automatic washing machine is provided with a volume sensor for detecting the volume of laundries to be washed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control apparatus for a washing machine, which judges the type of dirt and quantity of dirt, etc. in laundry items to be washed, to thereby ensure optimum results for the finished washed items. In addition, control of washing is executed by judgement operations executed at high speed, to enable highly accurate real-time control. The apparatus is provided with a transmission factor detection apparatus (19) for detecting the optical transmission factor of the washing liquid within a tub of the washing machine. The optical transmission factor detected by the transmission factor detection apparatus (19) and the duration of a saturation interval, which elapses from the start of washing until a condition of saturation of the optical transmission factor is attained, are used as information representing the type of dirt and quantity of dirt, etc. A microcomputer (16) determines the duration of a washing operation, etc.

Abstract: The control device for a washing machine is provided to have a function of testing the working characteristic of the transmission sensing device for sensing light transmission of water filled while the water supplied in a washing bath is fresh before putting detergent therein or stirring the cloth for rinsing. The control device makes it possible to automatically test the working characteristic of the transmission sensing device and judge if abnormality takes place if the washing or rinsing operation is executed while the washing machine is in operation.

Abstract: A washing machine includes an optical sensor for detecting a light permeability of detergent solution and rinse water in a washer tank. The optical sensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. A microprocessor is provided for controlling a luminous intensity of the light emitted from the light emitting element. More specifically, the microprocessor sets the luminous intensity of the light emitting element such that an intensity of the light detected by the light receiving element is equal to or greater than a stored reference value during at least one of two operating states. The first of the two operating states is a state in which water is absent from the water tank. A second of the two operating states is a state in which water is present in the water tank and prior to agitation of the water in the water tank. Various processing cycles of the washing machine are carried out in accordance with the light permeability detected by the optical sensor.