Abstract: Proposed are a functional improvement evaluation apparatus and a nerve cell culture apparatus of model animals capable of performing feedback control, even to mammalian model animals, based on biosignals in the same manner has humans based on a relatively simple configuration.

Abstract: Provided is a walking aid device capable of easily offering walking training by aiding the oscillation of the user's pelvis. The walking aid device comprises a drive part which supports each of at least two or more locations of the user's lumbar region, and applies external force independently to each of the supported locations; a gait recognition unit which recognizes the user's gait; and a control unit which sets the user's ideal walking motion pattern based on a recognition result of the gait recognition unit, and controls the external force applied by the drive part to each of the locations of the lumbar region so that the user's pelvis position within the lumbar region will oscillate to match the walking motion pattern.

Abstract: A biopotential can be measured with high accuracy without the electrodes coming into direct contact with the skin and without being affected by any motion artifact. The present invention comprises a first lead which detects a biopotential containing noise components, a second lead which is electrically isolated from the first lead and detects noise components, and a differential amplifier circuit which is input with a first signal output from the first lead and a second signal output from the second lead, and which amplifies and outputs a difference between the first signal and the second signal, wherein a value of an input impedance on the second signal side of the differential amplifier circuit is set so that the noise components detected from the second lead will have a frequency that is higher than a frequency spectrum of the biopotential.

Abstract: A biological-information detecting apparatus includes a first blood-flow measuring device provided at a seat surface of a seat, the first blood-flow measuring device measuring a condition of a blood flow of a popliteal artery of a measurement subject seated in the seat, a second blood-flow measuring device provided at a back of the seat, the second blood-flow measuring device measuring a condition of a blood flow of a thoracic aorta of the measurement subject, and a blood-pressure calculation device determining a pulse-wave propagation velocity and a degree of arteriosclerosis from blood flow data acquired by the first blood-flow measuring device and blood flow data acquired by the second blood-flow measuring device and calculating blood pressures of the popliteal artery and the thoracic aorta of the measurement subject based on the pulse-wave propagation velocity and the degree of arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: There is provided a motion reproducing system and a motion reproducing apparatus that store human motions and reproduce them. The motion reproducing system includes a data acquiring apparatus acquiring body motion data representing a motion of a subject during the motion, and transmitting the body motion data, a data managing apparatus receiving the body motion data from the data acquiring apparatus, the data managing apparatus including a memory storing the body motion data, and a motion reproducing apparatus receiving the body motion data stored in the memory from the data managing apparatus, and allowing a reproducer to reproduce the motion of the subject using the body motion data, the motion being performed at the time of acquisition of the body motion data.

Abstract: A wearing-type movement assistance device includes a frame to be worn on an upper limb of a wearer, a drive unit provided in each of joints of the frame, a biomedical signal detection unit detecting a biological potential signal of the wearer, a joint angle detection unit detecting an angle of each joint, and a control unit controlling the drive unit based on the biological potential signal and the angle of each joint. The frame includes a vertical frame, a shoulder frame that is laterally provided in a shoulder width direction from an upper end of the vertical frame, a first arm frame having one end coupled to the shoulder frame via a shoulder joint unit, and a second arm frame having one end coupled to the other end of the first arm frame via an intermediate joint unit and the other end connected to an elbow joint unit.

Abstract: According to the present invention, various biological signals can be measured at an appropriate position without depending on an expert. A biological-signal measurement device includes a sensor 1 that is in contact with a nerve fiber N and detects a nerve action potential generated in the nerve fiber N, a signal processor 2 that is connected to the sensor 1 via wiring 5, the signal processor 2 obtaining a signal based on the nerve action potential from the sensor 1 and wirelessly transmitting the obtained signal, and a receiving/transmitting unit 3 that receives the signal from the signal processor 2. The sensor 1 and the signal processor 2 are embedded in a body. The receiving/transmitting unit 3 receives the signal from the signal processor 2 via skin S.

Abstract: Provided are a prosthesis-mounted action-assist device and a wearable action-assist device that enable step-over-step stair ascending and descending and achieve smooth switching between tasks in accordance with a motion of a wearer. The device includes an actuator applying power to the prosthetic leg, an absolute angle sensor detecting a hip angle relative to a vertical direction, an angle sensor detecting a knee angle, a floor reaction force sensor detecting a floor reaction force to a wearer, a data storage unit storing reference parameters of phases of tasks, and a control unit comparing the hip angle, the knee angle, and the floor reaction force with the reference parameters stored in the data storage unit to estimate a phase of a task of the wearer and generating an autonomous command signal for causing the actuator to produce power for the phase.

Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to reduce the load applied to the wearer by correcting a parameter in correspondence with detectivity of biosignals. [Means to Solve Problem] The calibration controlling part 162 of the movement assisting apparatus 10 enables the power amplifying part 158 to apply a driving force of the driving source 140 as a load (input torque) from the load generating part 164 to the wearer 12 when the wearer 12 wears the movement assisting wearing device. Then, the wearer 12 applied with the driving force of the driving source 140 generates power from the skeletal muscles by performing a predetermined calibration operation. Accordingly, the physical phenomenon detecting part 142 detects joint angle along with the calibration operation, and the biosignal detecting part 144 detects myoelectric signals.

Abstract: A wearable action-assistance device includes a hip frame to be worn on hips of a wearer, a lower limb frame to be worn on a lower limb of the wearer, a plurality of drive portions provided on the lower limb frame to correspond to joints of the wearer and configured to generate an assistive force on joints of the wearer, a control portion that controls the drive portions based on a signal caused by an action of the wearer, and an operable operation unit provided near the hip frame. The operation unit includes a plurality of operation buttons corresponding to the respective joints for setting an assistive force to joints of the wearer at the plurality of drive portions. The plurality of operation buttons is, when viewed from a back face side of the hip frame, arranged to correspond to a positional relationship between the drive portions.

Abstract: A wearable action-assistance device includes a hip frame that is capable of being worn on hips of a wearer, a lower limb frame that is capable of being worn on a lower limb of the wearer, a plurality of drive portions provided on the lower limb frame in correspondence with joints of the wearer, and a control portion that controls the drive portions based on a signal that is caused by an action of the wearer. The lower limb frame has a variable shape portion that can bend a portion other than the drive portions to left and right to adjust a flexion angle thereof.

Abstract: A wearable action-assist device includes a biosignal detection unit detecting a biosignal from a wearer, an action-assist wearing tool having a drive source supplying a torque acting on the wearer around each joint of the wearer as an axis of rotation, a control unit controlling the drive source to generate the torque according to the detected biosignal, a drive torque estimation unit estimating a drive torque generated by the drive source, a joint-angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the joint, and a parameter identification unit identifying kinetics parameters concerned by substituting the estimated drive torque and the detected angular displacement into an equation of motion of an entire system including kinetics parameters intrinsic to the wearer. The control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a predetermined control method based on the equation of motion into which the identified parameters are substituted.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to reduce energy consumed when a rotary apparatus is used and to suppress abrasion and breakage on the rotary apparatus and a driving apparatus which drives the rotary apparatus. Provided is a rotation adjustment apparatus (1) comprising a rotary apparatus (10) which has a plurality of members coupled to each other via a plurality of rotation axes, the rotary apparatus providing a rotational movement of one of the members rotating around the rotation axis with respect to another one of the members; and a rotation restraining mechanism (30, 72) which restrains at least one of a plurality of rotational movements provided by the rotary apparatus.

Abstract: A motion state of a wearable motion-assist device of a doctor is sent to the wearable motion-assist device of a patient via a network. Then, this motion state is applied to the wearable motion-assist device of the patient, so that rehabilitation is conducted for the patient. Furthermore, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device of the patient is sent from the wearable motion-assist device to the wearable motion-assist device. Then, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device is applied to the wearable motion-assist device. Accordingly, the doctor can objectively sense the state of the patient.

Abstract: The blood vessel characteristics measuring apparatus 100 includes a blood flow measuring unit 20 held at a position opposed to a skin surface 10 of a measurement region of a subject, an optical sensor unit 30 housed in the blood flow measuring unit 20, an electrocardiograph 40, and a controller 50. The controller 50 includes a blood flow measuring part 60, a blood vessel displacement deriving part 70, and a blood vessel condition deriving part 80. The blood flow measuring part 60 measures the displacements of a blood vessel and tissues around the blood vessel caused by a blood flow based on light intensity at the time of receiving light emitted from a light-emitting part 32 of the sensor unit 30 in light-receiving parts 34 and 36. The blood vessel displacement deriving part 70 derives the wall of the blood vessel 12 based on the displacements of the blood vessel and tissues around the blood vessel.

Abstract: A wearable action-assist device includes a biosignal detection unit detecting a biosignal from a wearer, an action-assist wearing tool having a drive source supplying a torque acting on the wearer around each joint of the wearer as an axis of rotation, a control unit controlling the drive source to generate the torque according to the detected biosignal, a drive torque estimation unit estimating a drive torque generated by the drive source, a joint-angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the joint, and a parameter identification unit identifying kinetics parameters concerned by substituting the estimated drive torque and the detected angular displacement into an equation of motion of an entire system including kinetics parameters intrinsic to the wearer. The control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a predetermined control method based on the equation of motion into which the identified parameters are substituted.

Abstract: A wearable type movement assisting apparatus includes a movement assisting glove including a finger insertion part into which a finger of a wearer is inserted, a driving part arranged on a backhand side of the movement assisting glove and configured to drive the finger insertion part, a linear member arranged along the finger insertion part and configured to transmit a driving force of the driving part to the finger insertion part, a biosignal detection part configured to detect a biosignal that causes the finger of the wearer to move, and a control part configured to output a drive control signal to the driving part based on the biosignal detected by the biosignal detection part. The driving part is configured to move the linear member in an extending direction or a bending direction of the finger insertion part based on the drive control signal from the control part.

Abstract: A blood flow measuring apparatus includes a sensor unit including a light emitter configured to emit light onto a measurement area and a light receiver configured to receive the light transmitted through the measurement area; at least one more light receiver configured to receive the light transmitted through the measurement area; and a control part configured to measure a blood flow state of the measurement area according to signals outputted by the light receivers. The light emitted by the light emitter is received by the light receivers arranged at different distances from the light emitter and the light receivers output the signals responsive to the received light. The control part measures the blood flow state of the measurement area by performing an arithmetic process to cancel a component of oxygen saturation in the blood, said component being included in the signals outputted by the light receivers.

Abstract: A wearable action-assist device includes a biosignal detection unit detecting a biosignal from a wearer, an action-assist wearing tool having a drive source supplying a torque acting on the wearer around each joint of the wearer as an axis of rotation, a control unit controlling the drive source to generate the torque according to the detected biosignal, a drive torque estimation unit estimating a drive torque generated by the drive source, a joint-angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the joint, and a parameter identification unit identifying kinetics parameters concerned by substituting the estimated drive torque and the detected angular displacement into an equation of motion of an entire system including kinetics parameters intrinsic to the wearer. The control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a predetermined control method based on the equation of motion into which the identified parameters are substituted.

Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus includes a stethoscope, an electrocardiac detector, a control unit, and an external unit. A sound detector is a chest piece to make contact with a patient's skin, and includes a first detector to detect a relatively high frequency and a second detector to detect a relatively low frequency. The electrocardiac detector includes electrodes to detect potentials associated with heart beats, and is provided on each of the first and second detectors. The control unit converts electrocardiac signals detected by the electrocardiac detector into radio signals that are transmitted to the external unit. The external unit is a portable terminal apparatus, and includes a display unit formed by a liquid crystal panel on a front surface thereof, an operation part including operation buttons and ten-key, and patient selection buttons to select reading of data of patients.