Abstract: A respiration characteristic analysis apparatus includes a bioelectrical impedance determiner adapted for determining bioelectrical impedance at a part including the right lung of a human subject and for determining bioelectrical impedance at a part including the left lung of the human subject; and a respiration depth calculator adapted for calculating a right lung respiration depth related to a respiration capability of the right lung of the human subject on the basis of change over time in the bioelectrical impedance at the part including the right lung determined by the bioelectrical impedance determiner, and for calculating a left lung respiration depth related to a respiration capability of the left lung of the human subject on the basis of change over time in the bioelectrical impedance at the part including the left lung determined by the bioelectrical impedance determiner.

Abstract: A respiration characteristic analysis apparatus includes a bioelectrical impedance determiner adapted for determining a first bioelectrical impedance at the upper body trunk of a human subject including the upper lobes of the lungs of the human subject and excluding the abdomen of the human subject and a second bioelectrical impedance at the middle body trunk of the human subject including the median and lower lobes of the lungs of the human subject and the abdomen of the human subject; and an analyzer adapted for analyzing a respiration characteristic of the human subject on the basis of change over time in each of the first bioelectrical impedance and the second bioelectrical impedance determined by the bioelectrical impedance determiner.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for assuming the information on the amount accumulated visceral fat in a human body with a high degree of accuracy. It comprises: at least a unit for collecting pieces of information on the identification of the human body and a unit for collecting pieces of information on breathing function, thereby making the visceral fat accumulation calculating unit provide the information on the amount accumulated visceral fat based on the so collected pieces of information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus capable of measuring visceral fat tissues accumulated in the trunk with high accuracy apply a current to a body part where a subcutaneous fat tissue layer is thin or a body part where a skeletal muscle tissue layer has no or a thin muscle belly portion from a pair of current applying electrodes, measure a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes, and determine the visceral fat tissue volume of the trunk by use of the impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the measured potential difference.

Abstract: A respiration type evaluation apparatus includes a bioelectrical impedance determiner for determining a bioelectrical impedance at at least a body region of a human subject that contributes to respiration of the human subject, and a respiration type determiner for determining whether respiration of the human subject is abdominal or costal on the basis of change over time of the bioelectrical impedance determined by the bioelectrical impedance determiner.

Abstract: A bioelectrical impedance apparatus and method includes a pair of current-carrying electrodes and a pair of measuring electrodes are rectilinearly arranged on a living body surface so that the measuring electrode having a smaller area than the other measuring electrode is placed very close to the current-carrying electrode having a smaller area than the other current-carrying electrode. The potential of the measuring electrode is substantially equal to the potential at a contact position of the current-carrying electrode, and the potential of the measuring electrode is substantially equal to the potential at a deepest position of a vertical part inside the living body. When a constant current flows between the current-carrying electrodes, a voltage between the measuring electrodes is measured by a detector so that a bioelectrical impedance of the vertical part may be calculated from a current, and a potential difference between upper and lower ends of the vertical part.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for assuming the information on the amount accumulated visceral fat in a human body with a high degree of accuracy. It comprises: at least a unit for collecting pieces of information on the identification of the human body and a unit for collecting pieces of information on breathing function, thereby making the visceral fat accumulation calculating unit provide the information on the amount accumulated visceral fat based on the so collected pieces of information.

Abstract: A current applying electrode is placed on at least one body part which is highly useful in estimating a subcutaneous fat tissue volume on the truncal abdominal circumference, the other current applying electrode is placed on a body part protruding from the trunk, a voltage measuring electrode is placed in the vicinity of the one current applying electrode on the truncal abdominal circumference, and the other voltage measuring electrode is placed on a body part protruding from the trunk which is different from the body part on which the other current applying electrode is placed, to measure the impedance of the trunk so as to acquire the subcutaneous fat tissue layer information of the trunk.

Abstract: A method and apparatus capable of measuring visceral fat tissues accumulated in the trunk with high accuracy apply a current to a body part where a subcutaneous fat tissue layer is thin or a body part where a skeletal muscle tissue layer has no or a thin muscle belly portion from a pair of current applying electrodes, measure a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes, and determine the visceral fat tissue volume of the trunk by use of the impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the measured potential difference.

Abstract: A relay 201 is provided for opening and closing the signal path connecting the measurement circuits and an electrode, and a relay 213 is provided for opening and closing a DC power line extending from an AC-DC adaptor 3 connected to a commercial AC power supply 5. In the measurement of the impedance, before supplying the current through the body of the subject, the relay 213 is opened to disconnect the commercial AC power supply 5 from a main unit 2 and a personal computer 1 so that the circuits are driven by the DC power from a battery 102. After that, the relay 201 is closed to connect the measuring circuit with the electrodes 10, 11, a weak current is passed through the body of the subject via the electrodes 10, and a voltage generated in the body by the current is measured with the electrodes 11.

Abstract: To accurately measure the muscle mass, body-fat ratio and/or other information of the subject, the human body is divided into nine segments including the trunk, right and left forearms, right and left upper arms, right and left thigh, and right and left crura. Four distal voltage-measuring points Pv are determined at the wrists and ankles, and four proximal voltage-measuring points Pv are determined at the elbows and knees. Four current-carrying electrodes and four measuring electrodes are used. First, the measuring electrodes are attached to distal points, and the impedances of four limbs and the trunk are measured. Then, the measuring electrodes are moved to proximal points, and the impedances of four limbs and the trunk are measured. From the measurement result, the measurement value is calculated for each segment.

Abstract: A relay 201 is provided for opening and closing the signal path connecting the measurement circuits and an electrode, and a relay 213 is provided for opening and closing a DC power line extending from an AC-DC adaptor 3 connected to a commercial AC power supply 5. In the measurement of the impedance, before supplying the current through the body of the subject, the relay 213 is opened to disconnect the commercial AC power supply 5 from a main unit 2 and a personal computer 1 so that the circuits are driven by the DC power from a battery 102. After that, the relay 201 is closed to connect the measuring circuit with the electrodes 10, 11, a weak current is passed through the body of the subject via the electrodes 10, and a voltage generated in the body by the current is measured with the electrodes 1.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a body composition measurement apparatus which is easy to use and is still capable of accurately measuring body composition information, such as quantity and/or balance of body-fat, muscle mass of both thighs. In an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus has a body 10 having tapered parts 11L and 11R designed to support the legs at a bending angle of about 160 degrees when the legs are laid on the tapered parts. Measuring electrodes 14L and 14R at the top of the tapered parts contact the backs of the knees. Grip bars 12L and 12R projecting from both sides of the body 10 has measuring electrodes 15L and 15R, which contacts both palms of the subject when the subject holds the grip bars 12L and 12R with both hands. Current-carrying electrodes 13L and 13R provided on the slopes of the tapered parts contact both calves (or lower thighs).

Abstract: The present invention aims to measure easily and accurately information about the panniculus (such as fatty layer, muscular layer, osseous layer) in the depth direction below the surface of a living body. To achieve this object, in an embodiment of the invention, a pair of current-carrying electrodes 1a, 1b and a pair of measuring electrodes 2a, 2b are rectilinearly arranged on the surface of the living body so that the measuring electrode 2a within a small area is placed very close to the current-carrying electrode 1a with small area. While constant current from a radio frequency current source 3 flows between the current-carrying electrodes 1a, 1b, the voltage between the measuring electrodes 2a, 2b is measured by the detector 4.

Abstract: A high-frequency signal generator generates a signal passing from the subcutaneous fat layer toward both the deep and shallow tissue areas. A second high-frequency signal generator generates a signal that passes primarily toward the deeper tissue. Frequency switch unit is used to select a signal of one of the frequencies. This signal is applied across whichever two of electrodes are selected by electrode switch unit 32a. The impedance across the two limbs in contact with those electrodes is measured using the electrical potential derived at whichever two of the electrodes have been selected. From the impedance values and personal data such as weight and height, the visceral fat mass, visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio and other useful indicators are calculated.

Abstract: A high-frequency signal generator generates a signal passing from the subcutaneous fat layer toward both the deep and shallow tissue areas. A second high-frequency signal generator generates a signal that passes primarily toward the deeper tissue. Frequency switch unit is used to select a signal of one of the frequencies. This signal is applied across whichever two of electrodes are selected by electrode switch unit 32a. The impedance across the two limbs in contact with those electrodes is measured using the electrical potential derived at whichever two of the electrodes have been selected. From the impedance values and personal data such as weight and height, the visceral fat mass, visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio and other useful indicators are calculated.

Abstract: A conventional healthcare data acquisition device for advising on various healthcare data currently exists by measuring an impedance across a patient body. To measure the impedance of the patient in the conventional device, the patient grips a pair of current electrodes and measurement electrodes by both palms. The conventional device, however, is not accurate because the resistance value becomes very large due to the presence of the joints and the small diameter of the fingers. Moreover, the adjacent fingers may at different times be apart or in contact with each other, thus resulting in a varying current path.

Abstract: A high-frequency signal generator generates a signal passing from the subcutaneous fat layer toward both the deep and shallow tissue areas. A second high-frequency signal generator generates a signal that passes primarily toward the deeper tissue. Frequency switch unit is used to select a signal of one of the frequencies. This signal is applied across whichever two of electrodes are selected by electrode switch unit 32a. The impedance across the two limbs in contact with those electrodes is measured using the electrical potential derived at whichever two of the electrodes have been selected. From the impedance values and personal data such as weight and height, the visceral fat mass, subcutaneous-to-visceral fat ratio and other useful indicators are calculated.

Abstract: A device for providing data as a guide to health management which is capable of highly accurate measurements measures various characteristics of the body of a subject by electrical measurements of the subject while he or she is grasping handgrips with which the device is equipped. Once measurement has begun, the impedance variability measured by the device is calculated at every sampling period, and if the value of this variability is continuously less than a predetermined amount over a number of samplings, it is concluded that the electrodes which apply a fixed current and the electrodes which detect voltage are making good contact with the subject's hands.

Abstract: A high-frequency signal generator generates a signal passing from the subcutaneous fat layer toward both the deep and shallow tissue areas. A second high-frequency signal generator generates a signal that passes primarily toward the deeper tissue. Frequency switch unit is used to select a signal of one of the frequencies. This signal is applied across whichever two of electrodes are selected by electrode switch unit 32a. The impedance across the two limbs in contact with those electrodes is measured using the electrical potential derived at whichever two of the electrodes have been selected. From the impedance values and personal data such as weight and height, the visceral fat mass, subcutaneous-to-visceral fat ratio and other useful indicators are calculated.