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 first axis based on DC components of pressure detecting elements included in element rows. Then, in a state where the sensor section is controlled to the optimal pitch angle, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface, and a pulse wave is detected based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements in this state, and vital information is calculated 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 first axis, and determines a rotation angle about the second axis in a state where a pitch angle of the sensor section is controlled to the optimal pitch angle. Then, in a state where the sensor section is controlled to the optimal roll angle and the optimal pitch angle, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface, and a pulse wave is detected in this state based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements, and vital information is calculated 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 and a rotation angle about the first axis in a state where a roll angle of the sensor section is controlled to the optimal roll angle. Then, the control unit, presses the sensor section against the body surface in a state where the sensor section is controlled into the optimal roll angle and the optimal pitch angle, 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: The pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section in which two element rows consisting of a plurality of pressure detecting elements arranged in a direction B are arranged in a direction A perpendicular to the direction B, and an air bag pressing the sensor section to a body surface in a state that the direction B intersects a direction in which an artery below the body surface of a living body. An arrangement interval between the two element rows in the direction A is 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a pressure pulse wave sensor is provided. The sensor chip includes a recess which is recessed in a direction perpendicular to the pressure-sensitive face, and the pressure-sensitive element array is formed in a portion of the sensor chip whose thickness is reduced in the direction due to the recess. The method includes: bonding and fixing the sensor chip onto the substrate so that the recess communicates with atmospheric air through only the through hole of the substrate; connecting a substrate-side terminal portion of the substrate and the chip-side terminal portion through an electrically conductive member; and performing characteristic evaluation on the sensor chip based on a signal outputted from the substrate-side terminal portion in a state in which air is sucked through the through hole of the substrate to thereby apply negative pressure to the pressure-sensitive face.

Abstract: An electronic blood pressure monitor retrieves a pulsewave signal that is superimposed on a cuff pressure signal and indicates a pulsewave at a measurement site, and acquires a string of pulsewave amplitudes indicated by the pulsewave signal. A first envelope connects the amplitudes created for the acquired string of pulsewave amplitudes. Local maxima and minima in the first envelope are detected. With respect to the strings of amplitudes corresponding respectively to the local maxima and minima, a local-maximum envelope and a local-minimum envelope connecting the amplitudes are created. Two pressure values at points at which portions on the high-pressure-side and low-pressure-side with respect to the maximum peaks of the local-maximum envelope and the local-minimum envelope respectively cross first and second threshold levels are obtained, and the average values of each pair of pressure values are calculated as the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure respectively.

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: The invention provides a method of observing an organism or any other organic specimen in an aqueous solution in a scanning electron microscope. The method includes placing the organic specimen along with the aqueous solution between opposing surfaces of a pair of first and second insulating thin films facing each other, irradiating and scanning an electrically conductive thin film provided on an outward facing surface of the first insulating thin film with a pulsed electron beam an intensity of which is changed in a form of pulses, and acquiring an image according to a change in electric potential of an outward facing surface of the second insulating thin film, in which the composition of the specimen is analyzed based on the difference between the images corresponding to the pulsed electron beam applied at different ON/OFF frequencies.

Abstract: A measurement device includes a detection device to detect a pulse wave signal at a first measurement location in a vascular pathway from the heart of a measurement subject to an area where an arterial aneurysm is predicted to occur and a pulse wave signal at a second measurement location in a vascular pathway from the heart of the measurement subject to an area that is different from the area where an arterial aneurysm is predicted to occur, a comparison device to calculate a comparison result by comparing frequency characteristics between the pulse wave signals, and a determination device to determine at least one of the presence/absence and size of an arterial aneurysm based on a predetermined characteristic amount for a frequency contained in the comparison result.

Abstract: In a solenoid valve, a bobbin and a solenoid coil are accommodated in a casing. A rod-shaped plunger is slidably inserted into the bobbin. A core provided with a flow port through which a fluid flows is disposed on one side of the casing. A valve body is attached to one end opposing the flow port of the plunger. In a non-operating period during which a solenoid coil is in a non-energized state, the valve body moves away from the flow port due to the biasing force applied by the biasing portion and another end of the plunger protrudes outward from the casing through the through hole, abuts against lock portions disposed outside of the casing, and is thereby locked. The lock portions can be elastically deformed by an external force such that separation of the plunger and the valve body from the casing is allowed.

Abstract: A CPU detects pulse waves in a pressure signal of a cuff detected during a period of reducing pressure applied by the cuff to a measurement site and acquires blood flow sound signals corresponding to blood flow sounds occurring in the pressure reduction period. Then, data for a pulse wave envelope that associates the amplitude values of the detected pulse waves with the pressurizing pressures at the pulse wave generation times, and data for a blood flow sound envelope that associates the amplitude values of the blood flow sound signals with the pressurizing pressures at the blood flow sound generation times are generated, and the data for the pulse wave envelope and the data for the blood flow sound envelope are used to determine whether or not there is periodic variation in the blood pressure during the pressure reduction period.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device is to be used while being attached to a wrist of a subject. The pulse wave detecting device includes a housing which accommodates a pulse wave detection sensor for detecting a pulse wave from a radial artery, the housing includes: a first housing portion; and a second housing portion which is lower in rigidity than the first housing portion, the pulse wave detection sensor is accommodated in the first housing portion, and a region of the housing is configured by at least the second housing portion, the region being contacted with a styloid process of a radius of the wrist in a state where the housing is attached to the wrist.

Abstract: A biological information measurement apparatus includes: a pressure sensor including a pressure detecting element; a pressing mechanism which presses the pressure sensor against an artery in a living body; a press controller which controls a pressing force of the pressing mechanism; a blood flow sensor; a blood flow information measurer which measures blood flow information based on output of the blood flow sensor; a pressing force decider which decides a first pressing force based on blood flow information measured during a pressing force control time period when the pressing force is changed in one direction, and information of a pressure pulse wave detected during the pressing force control time period; and a record controller which records a pressure pulse wave detected in a first state where the pressing force is controlled to the first pressing force, and blood flow information measured in the first state.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a pressure pulse wave sensor is provided. The sensor chip includes a recess which is recessed in a direction perpendicular to the pressure-sensitive face, and the pressure-sensitive element array is formed in a portion of the sensor chip whose thickness is reduced in the direction due to the recess. The method includes: bonding and fixing the sensor chip onto the substrate so that the recess communicates with atmospheric air through only the through hole of the substrate; connecting a substrate-side terminal portion of the substrate and the chip-side terminal portion through an electrically conductive member; and performing characteristic evaluation on the sensor chip based on a signal outputted from the substrate-side terminal portion in a state in which air is sucked through the through hole of the substrate to thereby apply negative pressure to the pressure-sensitive face.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a housing accommodating a pulse wave detection sensor and to be wound along a circumferential direction of a wrist. The housing includes: a back-side portion to be wound around a back side of a hand; and a palm side portion to be wound around a palm side of the hand. In an attachment state, a position in a direction of a part: which is in a hand side end portion that is an end portion of the housing, the end portion being on a side of the hand in the direction; and which constitutes the back-side portion, is closer to an arm than a position in the direction of a part: which is in a portion that constitutes the palm side portion; and which is closest to the side of the hand, the direction being perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes: a pressure pulse wave detector which is configured to press a pressing surface in which a pressure detecting element is formed, against a radial artery under a skin of a wrist of a subject, and which is configured to detect a pressure pulse wave from the radial artery; and a housing which accommodates the pressure pulse wave detector in a state where the pressing surface is exposed toward the wrist. The housing is configured so that a compression pressure which is exerted by the housing in an attachment state where the housing is attached to the wrist, and which is applied onto the radial artery is smaller than a compression pressure which is exerted by the pressing surface in the attachment state, and which is applied onto the radial artery.

Abstract: The blood pressure measurement apparatus includes a pressure sensor that detects the pressure in a cuff and outputs a cuff pressure signal, and a pulse wave detection unit that detects a pulse wave in the cuff pressure signal. The pulse wave detection unit includes an analog HPF that extracts a high-frequency component from the cuff pressure signal, an A/D conversion unit, a signal storage unit that stores a signal obtained by performing A/D conversion on the cuff pressure signal detected at the time when the pressurizing pressure changes from increasing to decreasing, a subtraction unit that subtracts the signal stored by the signal storage unit from an output signal of the A/D conversion unit, and a digital HPF that extracts a high-frequency component from the output signal of the subtraction unit.

Abstract: A pulse wave measurement device includes: a pressure pulse wave sensor including: a semiconductor substrate on which a pressure-sensitive element and a first terminal portion electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive element are formed; and a rigid substrate which includes a second terminal portion electrically connected to the first terminal portion, and to which the semiconductor substrate is fixed; a flexible substrate which includes a wiring electrically connected to the second terminal portion, and to which the rigid substrate is fixed; and a protective layer which is configured by an insulating material, and which covers and protects the semiconductor substrate. The flexible substrate includes a terminal which is held at a potential equal to a potential of the semiconductor substrate, and which is outwardly exposed, and the terminal is in contact with the protective layer.

Abstract: A pressure pulse wave sensor includes: a sensor chip including: a pressure-sensitive element row configured by a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements arranged in one direction; and a chip-side terminal portion placed in an end portion in the one direction of a pressure-sensitive surface on which the pressure-sensitive element row is formed, and electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive element row; and a substrate including a concave portion, the sensor chip fixed to a bottom surface of the concave portion, a substrate-side terminal portion for being electrically connected to the chip-side terminal portion is disposed on a surface of the substrate in which the concave portion is formed, and the pressure pulse wave sensor further includes: an electroconductive member connecting the chip-side terminal portion and the substrate-side terminal portion to each other; and a protective member covering the electroconductive member.

Abstract: A CPU of a blood pressure measurement apparatus configured to be used while attached to a wrist of a measurement subject calculates an inclination angle formed by a forearm of the measurement subject with respect to a reference plane, and a rotation angle about an axis, where the forearm is used as the axis, of the blood pressure measurement device, based on information detected by an acceleration sensor, and uses the distance d between the radial artery and the ulnar artery that pass through the wrist, the inclination angle, and the rotation angle to determine the relative positional relationship between the radial artery and the ulnar artery. In accordance with the relative positional relationship, the CPU guides the measurement orientation of the measurement subject.