Abstract: A photoacoustic apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source, a conversion element configured to receive photoacoustic waves generated from light from the light source irradiated to a subject and output a signal, a color information acquiring unit configured to acquire information regarding color on the subject, a coefficient information acquiring unit configured to acquire information regarding an optical coefficient of the subject corresponding to the information regarding color of the subject acquired by the color information acquiring unit, and a subject information acquiring unit configured to acquire subject information based on the signal output from the conversion element and the information regarding the optical coefficient acquired by the coefficient information acquiring unit.

Abstract: To improve the safety of a photoacoustic apparatus by preventing illumination light from being freely emitted. A photoacoustic apparatus includes a position sensor that measures the orientation and/or position of an illumination-light emission end and a control unit that controls light emission from a light source depending on the output of the position sensor.

Abstract: A subject information acquisition apparatus includes a first holding member that holds a subject, a probe that receives an elastic wave from the subject through the first holding member, a first holding member deformation amount measuring unit that measures an amount of deformation of the first holding member, and a processing unit that creates an area for generating subject information by using the amount of deformation of the first holding member and position information of the first holding member deformation amount measuring unit and generates an information value of subject information corresponding to the area for generating subject information by using a signal outputted by the probe.

Abstract: To improve the safety of a photoacoustic apparatus by preventing illumination light from being freely emitted. A photoacoustic apparatus includes a position sensor that measures the orientation and/or position of an illumination-light emission end and a control unit that controls light emission from a light source depending on the output of the position sensor.

Abstract: Provided is an object information acquiring apparatus having: a light source; an optical transmission system that transmits light from the light source; a photoacoustic probe including an irradiating end that irradiates the light onto an object and a receiver that receives an acoustic wave generated from the object, onto which the light is irradiated; a processor that acquires information on the object interior on the basis of the acoustic wave; a display device that displays information on the object interior; a holder that stores the photoacoustic probe and covers the irradiating end; and a light quantity meter that measures quantity of irradiated light, wherein the irradiating end can irradiate light in a state being cover by the holder.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus includes: a light source that generates a first light beam; a receiving unit that includes an irradiating unit emitting the first light beam so as to be directed to a predetermined optical focusing region and an acoustic wave detecting unit detecting a first acoustic wave generated when the first light beam is emitted to an object; a scanning unit that performs relative movement between the object and the receiving unit so that the receiving unit follows a concave or convex shape of a surface of the object while the first light beam is emitted and the first acoustic wave is detected; and an acquiring unit that acquires characteristics information on the optical focusing region of the object based on a detection result obtained by the acoustic wave detecting unit.

Abstract: A photoacoustic device comprises a light irradiation unit configured to irradiate a subject with light; an acoustic wave detector configured to detect an acoustic wave generated inside the subject and convert the detected acoustic wave into an electric signal; a first photodetector configured to acquire information relating to an intensity of light that has propagated inside the subject and leaked to the outside of the subject; an information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on an interior of the subject on the basis of the electric signal; and a control unit configured to control the light with which the subject is irradiated on the basis of the information relating to the intensity of light which has been acquired by the first photodetector.

Abstract: The present invention employs a measuring apparatus having: a holding plate for holding a subject; an acoustic matching member provided between the subject and the holding plate; and a probe for receiving an acoustic wave propagating through the subject via the acoustic matching member and the holding plate, wherein the acoustic matching member includes a first portion that contacts the subject and a second portion that contacts the holding plate, and the second portion has greater rigidity than the first portion.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus has: a holding unit which holds an object; a probe which receives an acoustic wave generated in the object via the holding unit and converts the acoustic wave to an electrical signal; a force measuring unit which measures a force applied to the object when the object is held by the holding unit; a sound speed acquiring unit which determines a sound speed in the object by using the force measured by the measuring unit and a contact area between the object and the holding unit; and a generating unit which generates object information data from the information about the sound speed determined by the sound speed acquiring unit and the electrical signal.

Abstract: This invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus including a probe for receiving, as a received signal, an acoustic wave which is generated within an object irradiated with light and propagates on an object surface, and a processor for generating object information, which is information based on an internal optical characteristic value of the object, by using intensity of the received signal. The processor corrects the intensity of the received signal by using the reflectance upon the acoustic wave entering the probe which is calculated based on the angle of the acoustic wave entering the probe, and on the acoustic impedance and acoustic velocity of the object and the probe.

Abstract: This invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus including a probe for receiving, as a received signal, an acoustic wave which is generated within an object irradiated with light and propagates on an object surface, and a processor for generating object information, which is information based on an internal optical characteristic value of the object, by using intensity of the received signal. The processor corrects the intensity of the received signal by using the reflectance upon the acoustic wave entering the probe which is calculated based on the angle of the acoustic wave entering the probe, and on the acoustic impedance and acoustic velocity of the object and the probe.

Abstract: A subject information acquisition apparatus includes a first holding member that holds a subject, a probe that receives an elastic wave from the subject through the first holding member, a first holding member deformation amount measuring unit that measures an amount of deformation of the first holding member, and a processing unit that creates an area for generating subject information by using the amount of deformation of the first holding member and position information of the first holding member deformation amount measuring unit and generates an information value of subject information corresponding to the area for generating subject information by using a signal outputted by the probe.

Abstract: A subject information acquisition apparatus includes a first holding member that holds a subject, a probe that receives an elastic wave from the subject through the first holding member, a first holding member deformation amount measuring unit that measures an amount of deformation of the first holding member, and a processing unit that creates an area for generating subject information by using the amount of deformation of the first holding member and position information of the first holding member deformation amount measuring unit and generates an information value of subject information corresponding to the area for generating subject information by using a signal outputted by the probe.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus is used, including: an optical transmission system for transmitting light from a light source; a photoacoustic probe including an irradiating end for irradiating an object with light and a receiver for receiving acoustic waves generated from the object that has been irradiated with light; a processor for acquiring information on the object based on the acoustic waves; a light quantity meter for measuring the quantity of light emitted from the irradiating end; a memory for storing a measurement value; and a presentation unit. The processor compares the measurement value with a reference value of light quantity or a history of measurement value stored in the memory, and provides a result regarding whether or not the measurement value is within a reference range to the presentation unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a subject information accumulating apparatus that conducts diagnosis with high reliability. The subject information accumulating apparatus includes compression plates configured to compress a subject, an irradiation unit configured to apply light, an acoustic wave detector configured to receive acoustic waves generated within a subject and to output an electric signal, and a controller configured to perform control so that an acoustic wave image and pressure information are displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: When a subject is pressed by a plate and an acoustic wave is received by a probe via the plate, the acoustic wave is refracted because of the difference between a sound velocity in the subject and a sound velocity in the plate. When the refraction is not considered, a reduction in resolution occurs. A correction table or a correction formula for correcting image distortion associated with refraction is provided. After image information is acquired, new image information is acquired in accordance with the correction table or the correction formula, and is displayed.

Abstract: An imprinting machine that brings a mold having a pattern into contact with an object and transfers the pattern onto the object includes a measurement unit that measures a position of the mold when the mold contacts the object.

Abstract: An apparatus system for controlling liquid in a fluid channel in a micro-fluid device has an ultrasonic oscillator for conveying liquid. The ultrasonic oscillator oscillates with amplitude modulation. The apparatus system has a holding section for holding the micro-fluid device on the ultrasonic oscillator to allow a micro-fluid device to be removably fitted to it. A liquid conveying method and a liquid conveying unit showing an improved liquid conveying efficiency are provided.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing a microfluidic device including a substrate having a depressed portion and a cover member, whereby to reduce the dispersion of a geometric individual difference and the possibility that a non-joint area can occur in a joint portion between the substrate and the cover member. At the time of producing the microfluidic device, the depressed portion serving as a channel, a chamber and a reservoir is formed in advance in the substrate and a liquid-state energy ray curable resin is applied to the surface of the substrate in which the depressed portion is formed. The energy ray curable resin is cured by an energy ray irradiation unit and caused to serve as the cover on the depressed portion of the substrate, thereby to form the channel, chamber and reservoir.

Abstract: A subject information obtaining apparatus includes a probe including a receiver that receives an acoustic wave to be converted to an electric signal and first and second irradiation units that irradiate mutually different areas on a subject surface with pulsed light, a control unit that controls illumination positions of the pulsed light to avoid continuous irradiation of the subject with the pulsed light from the first and second irradiation units, and a signal processing unit that performs averaging or integrating of electric signals derived from the pulsed light illuminated from the first and second irradiation units and obtains a characteristic distribution in the subject by using the averaged or integrated signal or performs combining of distributions obtained by using electric signals derived from the pulsed light illuminated from the first and second irradiation units and obtains a combined distribution as the characteristic distribution in the subject.