Abstract: An image forming method includes: arranging a sample between a first main surface of an insulating thin film and a counter electrode, measuring an impedance value by inputting an AC potential signal to the counter electrode, scanning a physical beam while focusing and irradiating a conductive thin film given to cover a second main surface of the insulating thin film with the physical beam to lower an insulation property of the insulating thin film directly below an irradiation position, guiding the AC potential signal to the irradiation position, and forming an image from the impedance value corresponding to the irradiation position.

Abstract: A flow rate control apparatus includes a flow rate detection unit that detects the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a solenoid valve, a correlation storage unit that stores a correlation between a flow start point voltage at which the fluid starts to flow through a sample solenoid valve, which has substantially the same characteristic as the solenoid valve, and a limit voltage at which the sample solenoid valve is fully open, and a control unit that, when starting control of the flow rate of the fluid, changes the driving voltage of the solenoid valve, obtains the driving voltage at a time when the start of flowing of the fluid is detected as the flow start point voltage, and uses the correlation for the sample solenoid valve to set the driving voltage of the solenoid valve within a range between the flow start point voltage and the limit voltage.

Abstract: A pressure pulse wave measurement apparatus includes: a sensor unit in which an element column including a plurality of pressure detection elements that are arranged side by side in one direction is formed; a pressing unit configured to press the sensor unit against a body surface of a living body; and a rotation control member configured to rotate the sensor unit about each of two axes that are orthogonal to a pressing direction of the pressing unit. The rotation control member includes a first member and a second member that are relatively rotated about a rotation axis extending in the pressing direction, and the first member and the second member both include a motion conversion mechanism for converting a rotational motion realized by the first member and the second member being relatively rotated, into a rotational motion of the sensor unit about each of the two axes.

Abstract: In a sphygmomanometer of the present invention, a main body includes a slide receiving part having a circular-arc cross section that opens upward and slidably receiving a cuff unit along a direction perpendicular to the circular-arc cross-section. The cuff unit includes a cylindrical cuff structure having a fluid bag along the inner circumferential surface, and a cover having a circular-arc cross section that opens downward and detachably attached integrally with the cuff structure to cover the upper half of the cuff structure. When the cuff unit is slid along the slide receiving part, upper edges on both sides of the circular-arc cross section of the slide receiving part abut with the lower edges on both sides of the circular-arc cross section of the cover to support the weight of the cuff unit.

Abstract: In a sphygmomanometer of the present invention, a cuff is attached to a rotating shaft on a rear surface side opposite to a front surface side arranged facing a subject during blood pressure measurement. A swing mechanism maintains a tilt angle of a central axis of the cuff with respect to a horizontal plane at a certain standby angle in a standby state of an upper arm not being inserted into the cuff, and also allows the tilt angle of the cuff to become either larger or smaller than the standby angle by the upper arm being inserted into the cuff.

Abstract: The embodiment provides a blood pressure measurement device equipped with a pressing surface having plural pressure sensors arranged in one direction, an air bag for pressing the pressing surface against a living body part in a state that the one direction crosses a direction in which the radius artery T runs, an air bag drive unit, a rotational drive unit for driving the pressing surface rotationally about at least one of axes X and Y, and a control unit which performs a rotation control on the basis of pressure pulse waves that were detected by the pressure sensors in a process that the pressing force was increased and calculates blood pressure values on the basis of pressure pulse waves that were detected by the pressure sensors after the rotation control in a process that the pressing force was decreased.

Abstract: A blood pressure measurement device is equipped with a pressing surface which is formed with an element array of plural pressure sensors arranged in one direction and an element array of plural pressure sensors arranged in the one direction, an air bag for pressing the pressing surface against a living body, a control unit for calculating blood pressure values in a radius artery on the basis of pressure pulse waves that are detected by the pressure sensors in a state that the pressing surface is pressed against the living body by the air bag, and a rotational drive unit for performing driving to rotate the pressing surface about each of axes that are perpendicular to a pressing direction of the air bag.

Abstract: A dielectric constant microscope to observe a shape of a micro organic specimen includes first and second insulating films that are disposed to oppose each other such that the organic specimen along with the solution is interposed therebetween, and application-side conductive films P1 to Pn (where n is an integer greater than 1). The application-side conductive films are separated from each other on an outward surface of the first insulating film. Additionally, the dielectric constant microscope includes measurement-side conductive films p1 to pm (where m is an integer greater than 1) that are separated from each other on an outward surface of the second insulating film.

Abstract: The embodiment provides a blood pressure measurement device equipped with an air bag drive unit, a pressing surface formed with pressure sensors, and a control unit which calculates first blood pressure values on the basis of a first pressure pulse wave that was detected by the pressure sensors, generates calibration data using the first blood pressure values, and calculates second blood pressure values by calibrating, using the calibration data, a second pressure pulse wave that is detected by the pressure sensors in a state that the pressing force is set at an optimum pressing force. The control unit performs the processing of calculating second blood pressure values by calibrating the second pressure pulse wave if detection conditions of the second pressure pulse wave coincide with detection conditions of a pressure pulse wave used for generation of the calibration data.

Abstract: A measurement device includes a pulse wave signal acquisition unit, a pulse wave velocity calculator, a transfer function calculator, a phase diagram classifier, and an aneurysm determinator. The pulse wave signal acquisition unit acquires time-series pulse wave signals of each of an upper arm and an ankle of the subject. The pulse wave velocity calculator obtains a brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity based on the pulse wave signal of the upper arm and the pulse wave signal of the ankle. The transfer function calculator calculates a transfer function from the pulse wave signal of the upper arm and the pulse wave signal of the ankle. The phase diagram classifier classifies the phase diagram of each subject into any one of four groups. The aneurysm determinator determines presence or absence of the abdominal aortic aneurysm by a criterion set according to each group.

Abstract: A toothbrush of the present invention includes: a main body including a head portion having a bristle raising surface on which bristles are provided in a standing manner; a light emission unit configured to emit light through a specific region of the bristle raising surface to a tooth surface; and a light reception unit configured to receive radiated light from the tooth surface resulting from the light through the specific region, the light emission unit and the light reception unit being provided in the main body. The toothbrush also includes a detection unit configured to collectively detect whether or not dental plaque or dental calculus is present on the tooth surface based on an output from the light reception unit. The toothbrush further includes a determination unit configured to determine that dental calculus is present on the tooth surface.

Abstract: A pulse wave detection apparatus has a sensor chip that includes a substrate that has a shape of extending so as to be elongated in an X direction, and that is arranged so as to intersect an artery. A pressure sensor array is formed on the substrate and is made up of pressure sensor elements that are arranged side-by-side in the X direction. An electrode terminal array for transmitting output from the pressure sensor elements to the outside of the sensor chip is formed in a region that opposes an end portion of the pressure sensor array on the substrate. Regions that correspond to two sides of the pressure sensor array on the substrate are planar surfaces on which electrode terminals are not located.

Abstract: A sensor assembly of the present invention includes a fluid chamber. A pressure transmitting fluid disposed facing an artery passing portion of a part to be measured via a film which forms a part of an outer wall of the fluid chamber is accommodated in the fluid chamber. A pressure sensor is provided for detecting pressure of the pressure transmitting fluid as pressure applied to the artery passing portion of the part to be measured. Plate members each having a flat shape along a longitudinal direction of a wrist as the part to be measured are disposed on a side opposite to the part to be measured along the film.

Abstract: A blood pressure measuring cuff according to the present invention includes a pressing cuff which is belt-shaped, is wrapped around a part to be measured, and receives supply of a pressurizing fluid to press the part to be measured. An arterial pressure sensor for detecting pressure applied to an artery passing portion of the part to be measured by the pressing cuff is disposed at a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the pressing cuff which should face an artery of the part to be measured, separately from the pressing cuff.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the second axis and a rotation angle about the first axis in a state where the sensor section is pressed against the body surface with a prescribed pressing force. After determining the optimal roll angle and the optimal pitch angle, the control unit reduces the pressing force to a reset value smaller than the prescribed pressing force and larger than zero, increases the pressing force from this state, detects a pulse wave based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements during the increase, and calculates vital information based on the detected pulse wave.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the second axis based on DC components of a plurality of a pressure detecting elements included in at least one of element rows. Then, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface in a state that the sensor section is controlled in the optimal roll angle, the pulse wave is detected based on pressure signals detected from the pressure detecting elements and the vital information is calculated based on the detected pulse wave.

Abstract: A pulse wave detector includes: a pressure pulse wave sensor that includes: sensor chips each having an element row including plural pressure detection elements arranged in one direction; a substrate to which the sensor chips are fixed; a protection member for protecting the substrate and the sensor chips; and a filling material being filled in a space between detection faces of the sensor chips on which the pressure detection elements are formed and opening sections provided in the protection member, the opening sections being disposed on a side opposite to a side of the substrate to which the sensor chips are fixed and being disposed at positions opposed to the detection faces in a vertical direction perpendicular to the detection faces, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the pressure pulse wave sensor around a direction orthogonal to each of the one direction and the vertical direction.

Abstract: A pulse wave detection method includes: increasing a pressing force of a pressing member for pressing a strain sensor fixed thereto against a body surface, the flexible strain sensor having a plurality of strain detection elements arranged on a substrate; determining a deformation stop timing at which deformation of a detection face of the strain sensor has been stopped based on the strain detection signal detected by each of the plurality of strain detection elements in a pressure raising process in which the pressing force is increased; setting a level of the strain detection signal detected at the deformation stop timing as a reference level; calibrating the first strain detection signal detected after the deformation stop timing based on the reference level; and generating a pressure signal from the calibrated first strain detection signal.

Abstract: A dielectric constant microscope to observe a shape of a micro organic specimen includes first and second insulating films that are disposed to oppose each other such that the organic specimen along with the solution is interposed therebetween, and application-side conductive films P1 to Pn (where n is an integer greater than 1). The application-side conductive films are separated from each other on an outward surface of the first insulating film. Additionally, the dielectric constant microscope includes measurement-side conductive films p1 to pm (where m is an integer greater than 1) that are separated from each other on an outward surface of the second insulating film.

Abstract: A pulse wave detector includes: a sensor unit which includes a plurality of element arrays, each including pressure detecting elements arranged in one direction, the element arrays being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the one direction; a pressing part which is configured to press the sensor unit to a body surface of a living body in a state where the one direction intersects with an extension direction of an artery under the body surface; a rotation mechanism which is configured to rotate the sensor unit about a first axis extending in the one direction; and a rotation drive unit which is configured to drive the rotation mechanism. The rotation mechanism, the pressing part and the sensor unit are arranged in this order in a pressing direction of the pressing part.