JP2017185148A - Wearable biomedical measurement device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wearable biomedical measurement device enabling further easily obtaining a more accurate brain wave by a simple attachment operation.SOLUTION: A wearable biomedical measurement device having an eye-glass shape includes: a left upper auricle electrode 107 and a right upper auricle electrode 108; a nose root electrode 111; an electrode 101 just above the left eyebrow and an electrode 102 just above the right eyebrow; a left forehead electrode 103 and a right forehead electrode 104; a left brain wave signal measurement section 205 and a right brain wave signal measurement section 206 putting the nose root electrode 111 to an earth electrode, and the left upper auricle electrode 107 and the right upper auricle electrode 108 to a standard electrode, and measuring a potential difference between the electrode 101 just above the left eyebrow and the electrode 102 just above the right eyebrow, and the standard electrode, as a brain wave signal between a head left side and a head right side; and a left frontal potential measuring section 201 and a right frontal potential measuring section 202 measuring a potential difference between the electrode 101 just above the left eyebrow and the left forehead electrode 103 as a left frontal potential, and a potential difference between the electrode 102 just above the right eyebrow and the right forehead electrode 104 as a right frontal potential.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a wearable living body measuring apparatus that measures user's living body information.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a wearable wearable biometric device that is worn on a user's body and used as a biometric device that measures biometric information of the user is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique that allows a user's brain wave to be measured by a simple attachment / detachment operation by measuring the user's brain wave from an electrode provided on a spectacle frame of a spectacle-type biological information acquisition apparatus. Yes. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, an electroencephalogram is measured by electrodes arranged so as to be in contact with each of the user's earlobe and the forehead.

JP 2014-18234 A

  Among the electroencephalogram signals obtained from the electrodes arranged so as to come into contact with the user's forehead, high frequency components (β waves, γ waves) have an action potential generated in the frontal muscles at the time of eye-up or eyebrow raising as noise. However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, since this action potential is not measured, it is difficult to remove noise from the electroencephalogram signal and it is difficult to obtain an accurate electroencephalogram.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wearable living body measurement apparatus that makes it possible to more easily obtain a more accurate brain wave by a simple attachment / detachment operation. is there.

  The above object is achieved by a combination of the features described in the independent claims, and the subclaims define further advantageous embodiments of the invention. Reference numerals in parentheses described in the claims indicate a correspondence relationship with specific means described in the embodiments described later as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. .

  In order to achieve the above object, a wearable biometric device of the present invention is a spectacle-type or goggles-type wearable biometric device that is used by being worn by a user, and is worn on the user's upper pinna when worn by the user. An auricle upper electrode (107, 108) that is an electrode (10) provided at a contact position, and a nose root portion that is an electrode (10) provided at a position that contacts the user's nose root when the user wears the electrode When the user wears the electrode (111, 111a), the electrode (101, 102) which is the electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with the part directly above the user's eyebrow when worn by the user, and A forehead electrode (103, 104), which is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with the user's forehead that is directly above the eyebrow immediately above the contacted portion, and a nose One of the head electrode and the upper pinna electrode is a ground electrode, the other is a reference electrode, and an electroencephalogram signal measurement unit (205) is a potential measurement unit (20) that measures a potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows and the reference electrode as an electroencephalogram signal. , 206) and a myoelectric potential measuring unit (201, 202) that is a potential measuring unit (20) that measures the potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows and the forehead electrode as the frontal myoelectric potential.

  According to this, not only the electroencephalogram signal but also the potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows that contacts the region directly above the user's eyebrow and the forehead electrode that contacts the user's forehead directly above the region spaced from this region Measure as myoelectric potential. By measuring not only the electroencephalogram signal but also the frontal muscle potential, it is possible to remove from the electroencephalogram signal the electroencephalogram signal noise caused by the frontal muscle potential generated in the frontal muscle when the user is looking up or raising his eyebrows. Therefore, a more accurate brain wave can be obtained more easily. The eyeglass-type or goggles-type wearable living body measuring device can measure an electroencephalogram signal and frontal myoelectric potential with an electrode that comes into contact with the user when the user wears it. Signals and frontal myoelectric potential can be measured. As a result, a more accurate brain wave can be obtained more easily by a simple attachment / detachment operation.

2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a biological measurement system 3. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a wearable device 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement example of electrodes 10 in the wearable device 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement example of electrodes 10 in the wearable device 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an electrode 10 and a pressure sensor 70. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the electrode 10 in the wearable device 1a. It is a figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the electrode 10 in the wearable device 1a.

  A plurality of embodiments and modifications for disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, between the plurality of embodiments and the modified examples, parts having the same functions as those shown in the drawings used for the explanation so far are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. There is a case. For the portions denoted by the same reference numerals, the description in other embodiments and / or modifications can be referred to.

(Embodiment 1)
<Schematic configuration of biological measurement system 3>
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the biological measurement system 3 includes a wearable device 1 and a vehicle side unit 2.

  The wearable device 1 is worn by a user and measures biological information such as an electroencephalogram signal, an ocular potential, and a frontal myoelectric potential of the user. This wearable device 1 corresponds to the wearable living body measuring device of the claims. The wearable device 1 will be described below on the assumption that the wearable device 1 is a spectacle type worn on the user's head in the same manner as the spectacles.

  The vehicle side unit 2 is used in a vehicle and performs short-range wireless communication with the wearable device 1. The vehicle side unit 2 corresponds to an external device in claims. The vehicle side unit 2 receives the biological information measured by the wearable device 1 and estimates the state of the user of the wearable device 1 using this biological information. And the information presentation and / or vehicle control according to the estimated user's state are performed.

  As a method for estimating a user's state using an electroencephalogram signal, a known method may be used. The user state estimated using the electroencephalogram signal includes arousal level, concentration level, comfort level, and the like. The vehicle-side unit 2 is not only an electroencephalogram signal measured by the wearable device 1, but also an electro-oculogram measured by the wearable device 1, an imaging result by a camera that captures a user's face image, and a vehicle signal indicating a behavior state of the vehicle. It is good also as a structure which estimates a user's state using also.

  The short-range wireless communication performed between the wearable device 1 and the vehicle-side unit 2 may be configured to transmit and receive signals in accordance with a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or ZigBee (registered trademark). . Note that, from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption in the wearable device 1, it is more preferable that the signal is transmitted and received in accordance with the Bluetooth Low Energy standard.

<Schematic configuration of wearable device 1>
Subsequently, a schematic configuration of the wearable device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the wearable device 1 includes an electrode 10, a potential measurement unit 20, an A / D conversion unit 30, a main control unit 40, a communication unit 50, and a battery 60.

  The electrodes 10 are an electrode 101 directly above the left eyebrow, an electrode 102 directly above the right eyebrow, a left frontal forehead electrode 103, a right frontal forehead electrode 104, a right lower forehead electrode 105, a lower left eyelid immediately below electrode 106, an upper electrode for the left auricle 107, and a right ear. An interposition electrode 108, a left temple electrode 109, a right temple electrode 110, and a nasal root electrode 111 are provided. The electrode 10 is provided on the frame of the glasses-type wearable device 1 so as to come into contact with the user when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user. The electrode 10 is connected to the potential measurement unit 20 via a wiring.

  In addition, the electrode 10 uses conductive rubber on at least the surface in contact with the user so that the wearable device 1 is less likely to be displaced when the user wears the wearable device 1. The conductive rubber may be one using natural rubber or one using synthetic rubber. In addition, the conductive rubber may be a mixture of metal powder or a mixture of conductive carbon black. The electrode 10 may have a structure in which a conductive rubber covers a metal connected to the wiring, or may have a configuration in which the conductive rubber itself is connected to the wiring. In addition, as long as it is an electroconductive elastic body, it is good also as a structure which uses for electrodes 10 other than electroconductive rubber. For example, a configuration using conductive urethane sponge or the like may be used.

  Here, an example of the arrangement of the electrodes 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a view of the glasses-type wearable device 1 as viewed from the side that is exposed when it is worn (hereinafter referred to as the front side). FIG. 4 is a view of the glasses-type wearable device 1 as viewed from the side that is not exposed when it is worn (hereinafter referred to as the back side). Hereinafter, an edge surrounding the lens (see A in FIGS. 3 and 4) in the frame of the wearable device 1 is referred to as a rim (see B in FIGS. 3 and 4). 3 and 4, the rim surrounds only the upper part of the lens. Moreover, the rod-shaped site | part which supports wearable device 1 itself is called a temple (refer C of FIG. 3, FIG. 4). Furthermore, the part concerning the ear | tip of a temple tip is called modern (refer D of FIG. 3, FIG. 4).

  In the following, expressions such as front and rear, left and right, and top and bottom are used as directions based on the anatomical orthography. In other words, expressions such as front and rear, left and right, and top and bottom are used as directions based on the user wearing the wearable device 1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 101 directly above the left eyebrow is provided at a position on the back side of the rim where the wearable device 1 is in contact with a portion directly above the user's left eyebrow. As shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 102 right above the right eyebrow is provided at a position on the back side of the rim where the wearable device 1 is in contact with a portion directly above the user's right eyebrow. The left upper brow electrode 101 and the right upper brow electrode 102 correspond to the right upper brow electrode in the claims.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the left forehead electrode 103 is provided immediately above the left eyebrow directly above electrode 101. In other words, when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user, the wearable device 1 is provided at a position in contact with the user's left forehead that is located immediately above the portion where the electrode 101 directly above the left eyebrow contacts. As shown in FIG. 4, the right forehead electrode 104 is provided directly above the right eyebrow electrode 102 with a gap. In other words, when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user, the wearable device 1 is provided at a position in contact with the right forehead portion of the user, which is directly above the portion where the right upper eyebrow electrode 102 contacts. The distance between the left upper eyebrow electrode 101 and the left forehead electrode 103 and the distance between the right upper eyebrow electrode 102 and the right forehead electrode 104 may be, for example, about 5 to 30 mm. The left forehead electrode 103 and the right forehead electrode 104 correspond to the forehead electrode in the claims.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrode 105 directly below the lower right eyelid is located at a position on the back side of the lens that is in contact with a portion immediately below the lower eyelid of the user's right eye when the user wears the wearable device 1. Provide. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrode 106 directly below the lower left eyelid is provided at a position on the back side of the lens that comes into contact with a portion immediately below the lower eyelid of the user's left eye when the user wears the wearable device 1. . In the case where a rim is also provided at the lower part of the lens of the wearable device 1, the lower right eyelid directly lower electrode 105 and the lower left eyelid immediately below electrode 106 may be provided on the back side of the rim. The lower right electrode 105 and the lower electrode 106 correspond to the lower electrode of the claims.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the left auricle upper electrode 107 is provided at a position in contact with the upper auricle of the user's left ear when the user wears the wearable device 1. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the right auricle upper electrode 108 is provided at a position in contact with the upper auricle of the user's right ear when the user wears the wearable device 1. The left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 correspond to the upper auricle electrode in the claims.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the left temple electrode 109 is provided at a position of the temple that comes into contact with the left temple when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the right temple electrode 110 is provided at a position of the temple that comes into contact with the right temple of the user when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user. The left temple electrode 109 and the right temple electrode 110 correspond to the temple electrodes of the claims.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the nasal root electrode 111 is provided at a position where it contacts the user's nasal root when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user. The nose root electrode 111 may be provided on the left and right nose pads of the glasses-type wearable device 1. The nose root electrode 111 is used as a ground electrode (in other words, a ground electrode) as shown in FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the potential measurement unit 20 includes a left frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 201, a right frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 202, a right upper and lower eye potential measurement unit 203, a left upper and lower eye potential measurement unit 204, and a left electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 205. A right electroencephalogram signal measuring unit 206 and a left and right electrooculogram measuring unit 207.

  The left frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 201 measures the potential difference between the left upper brow electrode 101 and the left forehead electrode 103 as a myoelectric potential of the user's left frontal muscle (hereinafter, left frontal myoelectric potential), and performs A / D The data is output to the conversion unit 30. The right frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 202 measures the potential difference between the right upper brow electrode 102 and the right forehead electrode 104 as the myoelectric potential of the user's right frontal muscle (hereinafter, the right frontal myoelectric potential), and performs A / D The data is output to the conversion unit 30. The myoelectric potential of the frontal muscles is generated when the user is looking up and raising his eyebrows. The left frontal myoelectric potential measuring unit 201 and the right frontal myoelectric potential measuring unit 202 correspond to the myoelectric potential measuring unit in the claims.

  The right upper / lower eye potential measuring unit 203 measures the potential difference between the right upper eyebrow electrode 102 and the lower right eyelid lower electrode 105 as an eye potential in the vertical direction of the user's right eye (hereinafter, right upper eye potential), The data is output to the A / D converter 30. The left upper / lower eye potential measurement unit 204 measures the potential difference between the upper electrode 101 directly below the left eyebrow and the lower electrode 106 directly below the lower left eyelid as the electro-oculogram in the vertical direction of the user's left eye (hereinafter, left upper eye potential). The data is output to the / D conversion unit 30. The electrooculogram in the vertical direction is generated when the user blinks and the eyeball moves in the vertical direction. The right upper and lower electrooculogram measurement unit 203 and the left upper and lower electrooculogram measurement unit 204 correspond to the upper and lower electrooculogram measurement unit.

  The left electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 205 measures the potential difference between the left forehead electrode 103 and the left auricle upper electrode 107 as an electroencephalogram signal (hereinafter, left electroencephalogram signal) for the left side of the user's head, and A / D The data is output to the conversion unit 30. The right electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 206 measures the potential difference between the right forehead electrode 104 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 as an electroencephalogram signal (hereinafter referred to as a right electroencephalogram signal) for the right side of the user's head. The data is output to the conversion unit 30. The left electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 205 and the right electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 206 correspond to the electroencephalogram signal measurement unit in the claims. When the wearable device 1 is worn by the user, the left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 that come into contact with the user's upper pinna are regarded as being electrically inactive by the user's ear, Used as a reference electrode for measurement.

  The left and right ocular potential measurement unit 207 measures the potential difference between the left temple electrode 109 and the right temple electrode 110 as the left and right ocular potentials of the user (hereinafter, left and right ocular potential), and outputs it to the A / D conversion unit 30. To do. The electrooculogram in the left-right direction is generated when the user moves the eyeball in the left-right direction. The A / D conversion unit 30 converts the signal output from the potential measurement unit 20 into a digital signal and outputs the digital signal to the main control unit 40.

  The main control unit 40 is configured as a computer including a CPU, a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory, an I / O, and a bus line that connects these components. The nonvolatile memory stores a program for causing a normal computer to function as the main control unit 40. The main control unit 40 has a function of removing noise of the left brain wave signal and the right brain wave signal output from the A / D conversion unit 30 by the CPU executing the above-described program stored in the nonvolatile memory. provide. As a functional block for executing this function, the main control unit 40 includes a noise removing unit 41.

  Part or all of the functional blocks included in the main control unit 40 may be realized using one or a plurality of ICs (in other words, as hardware). Further, some or all of the functional blocks included in the main control unit 40 may be realized by a combination of execution of software by the CPU and hardware members.

  The noise removing unit 41 uses the left frontal myoelectric potential, the left upper and lower ocular potentials, and the left and right ocular potentials output from the A / D converting unit 30 to calculate the noise of the left electroencephalogram signal output from the A / D converting unit 30. Remove. Specifically, using the left frontal myoelectric potential, the noise of the left electroencephalogram signal due to the activity of the left frontal muscle during the user's upper eye movement or eyebrow raising is removed. In addition, the left electroencephalogram is used to remove left electroencephalogram signal noise caused by blinking of the user's left eye or eye movement in the vertical direction. Further, the left electroencephalogram is used to remove noise of the left electroencephalogram signal due to the user's left-right eye movement.

  In addition, the noise removing unit 41 uses the right frontal myoelectric potential, right upper and lower ocular potentials, and left and right ocular potentials output from the A / D converting unit 30 to output the right electroencephalogram signal output from the A / D converting unit 30. Remove noise. Specifically, using the right frontal myoelectric potential, the noise of the right brain wave signal due to the activity of the right frontal muscle during the user's upper eye movement or eyebrow raising is removed. Moreover, the right brain wave signal noise caused by blinking of the right eye of the user or eye movement in the vertical direction is removed using the right and left eye potentials. Further, the right electroencephalogram signal noise due to the left and right eye movements of the user is removed using the left and right ocular potentials.

  As a method of removing noise of the left electroencephalogram signal and the right electroencephalogram signal using the left frontal myoelectric potential, the left upper and lower ocular potential, the right frontal myoelectric potential, the right upper and lower ocular potential, and the left and right ocular potential in the noise removing unit 41, a known method is known. A configuration using a method may be used. As an example, the left frontal myoelectric potential, the left and right upper and lower ocular potentials, and the left and right ocular potentials may be multiplied by coefficients corresponding thereto, and noise may be removed by subtracting from the left electroencephalogram signal. The coefficients mentioned here may be configured in advance to remove the left electroencephalogram signal noise for each of the left frontal myoelectric potential, the left and right upper and lower ocular potentials, and the left and right ocular potentials. As another method, a configuration may be adopted in which noise is removed by performing independent component analysis or the like. The same applies to the method of removing noise from the right electroencephalogram signal using the right frontal myoelectric potential, right upper and lower ocular potential, and left and right ocular potential.

  The communication unit 50 performs short-range wireless communication with the vehicle-side unit 2. The communication unit 50 transmits the left brain wave signal and the right brain wave signal from which noise has been removed by the main control unit 40 to the vehicle-side unit 2. The communication unit 50 may be configured to transmit the left and right eye potentials, the right and left eye potentials, and the left and right eye potentials to the vehicle side unit 2. The communication unit 50 corresponds to a transmission unit in claims.

  As described above, the vehicle-side unit 2 that has received the left brain wave signal and the right brain wave signal from the communication unit 50 estimates the user's state using the received left brain wave signal and right brain wave signal. As an example, the user's comfort is estimated by a known method for estimating the user's comfort by the difference between the α wave of the left brain wave signal and the α wave of the right brain wave signal. As another example, based on the α wave, β wave, and θ wave of the left brain wave signal and the right brain wave signal, the arousal level and the concentration level of the user are estimated by, for example, a random forest method.

  The battery 60 is a power source that supplies power for operating the wearable device 1. The battery 60 may be a primary battery such as a lithium battery or a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery.

  The potential measurement unit 20, the A / D conversion unit 30, the main control unit 40, the communication unit 50, and the battery 60 may be configured to be incorporated in, for example, the rim of the glasses-type wearable device 1. It should be noted that the temple and / or mode of the glasses-type wearable device 1 may include the potential measurement unit 20, the A / D conversion unit 30, the main control unit 40, the communication unit 50, and the battery 60.

<Summary of Embodiment 1>
According to the configuration of the first embodiment, when the user wears the glasses-type wearable device 1, the left electroencephalogram signal, the right electroencephalogram signal, the left frontal myoelectric potential, the right frontal myoelectric potential, the left upper and lower electrodes by the electrode 10 that contacts the user. The electrooculogram, right upper and lower ocular potential, and left and right ocular potential can be measured. Therefore, it is possible to measure the user's left brain wave signal, right brain wave signal, left frontal myoelectric potential, right frontal myoelectric potential, left upper and lower eye potentials, right upper and lower eye potentials, and left and right eye potentials with a simple attachment / detachment operation.

  In addition, since conductive rubber is used on at least the surface of the electrode 10 that contacts the user, the wearable device 1 is less likely to be displaced when the user wears the wearable device 1. Therefore, the left brain wave signal and the right brain wave signal due to the shift of the wearable device 1 are less likely to generate noise.

  According to the configuration of the first embodiment, noise of a high frequency component (that is, a δ wave and a θ wave) due to the activity of the left frontal muscle during upper eye movement or eyebrow raising of the user using the left frontal myoelectric potential from the left electroencephalogram signal. Therefore, a more accurate left brain wave signal can be obtained. Further, since the right brain wave potential is used to remove high-frequency noise due to the activity of the right frontal muscle during the user's upper eye movement or eyebrow raising, the right brain wave signal can be obtained. .

  According to the configuration of the first embodiment, noise of low frequency components (that is, β wave and γ wave) due to blinking of the user's left eye or vertical eye movement is used from the left electroencephalogram signal, using the left and right upper eye potentials. Since this is eliminated, a more accurate left electroencephalogram signal can be obtained in this respect as well. In addition, the right brain wave signal is used to remove noise of low frequency components caused by blinking of the right eye of the user or eye movement in the vertical direction from the right upper and lower eye potentials. be able to.

  According to the configuration of the first embodiment, the left electroencephalogram signal is used to remove low frequency component noise due to the left and right eye movements of the user from the left electroencephalogram signal. Can be obtained. Moreover, since the noise of the low frequency component by the user's left-right eye movement is removed from the right brain wave signal using the left and right eye potentials, a more accurate right brain wave signal can be obtained also in this respect.

  It is known that the user's comfort can be accurately estimated based on the fact that the α wave of the brain waves is different between the left and right brains. Therefore, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, it is possible to accurately estimate the comfort of the user based on the brain wave signal about the right side of the user's head and the signal on the left side of the head.

(Embodiment 2)
Each of the electrodes 10 is provided with a pressure sensor 70 for detecting the pressure applied to the conductive rubber used for the electrode 10, and any of the pressures detected by the pressure sensors 70 corresponding to the two electrodes 10 for obtaining a potential difference is provided. However, when it is out of the threshold range, the potential measurement unit 20 may output a measurement impossibility signal indicating that measurement cannot be performed (hereinafter, Embodiment 2). In the wearable device 1 according to the second embodiment, the potential measurement unit 20 outputs a measurement impossibility signal when either the pressure sensor 70 is provided for each electrode 10 or the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 70 is outside the threshold range. Except for this point, it is the same as the wearable device 1 of the second embodiment.

  Here, an example of a schematic configuration of the pressure sensor 70 provided for each electrode 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of the electrode 10 and the pressure sensor 70. E of FIG. 5 shows the exposed surface of the frame of the glasses-type wearable device 1 provided with the electrodes 10. F of FIG. 5 shows the conductive rubber used for the electrode 10. The pressure sensor 70 may be configured using a known piezoelectric element.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the pressure sensor 70 includes a first metal plate 71, a second metal plate 72, and a piezoelectric body 73. The pressure sensor 70 is laminated in the order of the first metal plate 71, the piezoelectric body 73, and the second metal plate 72 from the contact surface side with the user when the wearable device 1 is worn by the user to the frame side of the wearable device 1. Yes.

  The first metal plate 71 is embedded in, for example, conductive rubber F, and is also used as a part of the electrode 10. The second metal plate 72 is provided, for example, in a space provided between the conductive rubber F and the frame of the wearable device 1 with the piezoelectric body 73 sandwiched between the first metal plate 71. The piezoelectric body 73 is a substance having a piezoelectric effect, such as ceramics or quartz, and is provided between the first metal plate 71 and the second metal plate 72.

  In the pressure sensor 70, when a voltage is generated in the piezoelectric body 73 due to the pressure applied in the stacking direction of the first metal plate 71, the piezoelectric body 73, and the second metal plate 72, the charge from the piezoelectric body 73 is transferred to the first metal plate 71. And the 2nd metal plate 72 sends to amplifier via wiring. What is necessary is just to set it as the structure which outputs with respect to the electric potential measurement part 20 corresponding to the electrode 10 from an amplifier. For example, when the electrode 10 is the left forehead electrode 103, the output is output to the left frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 201, the left and right upper and lower eye potential measurement unit 204, and the left electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 205.

  The potential measurement unit 20 that has received the detection value of the pressure sensor 70 as the output from the amplifier outputs a measurement impossibility signal indicating that measurement is impossible when the detection value is outside the threshold range. The term “outside the threshold range” as used herein refers to a value that is greater than or equal to the upper limit value or less than the lower limit value estimated when the wearable device 1 is normally worn. As an example, the lower limit value may be a value that is estimated to be detected when the wearable device 1 is not fully worn by the user (for example, 0). Further, as the upper limit value, a value that is larger than the maximum detected value obtained during normal wearing by a general user obtained through experiments or the like may be used.

  The potential measurement unit 20 outputs a measurement impossibility signal when any of the detection values detected by the pressure sensors 70 respectively corresponding to the two electrodes 10 for obtaining a potential difference is outside the threshold range. For example, in the case of the left frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 201, any of the detection values of the pressure sensor 70 corresponding to the left forehead electrode 103 and the pressure sensor 70 corresponding to the left upper eyebrow electrode 101 was out of the threshold range. In this case, a measurement impossible signal is output.

  When a measurement impossibility signal is output from the potential measurement unit 20, a configuration in which the user state is not estimated using this signal may be used. According to this, when the wearable device 1 deviates from the normal wearing state and there is a possibility that the electroencephalogram signal cannot be accurately measured by the potential measuring unit 20, the electroencephalogram signal is used to estimate the user's state. You can avoid using it. As a result, it is possible to prevent erroneous estimation of the user's state.

  The potential measurement unit 20 also determines that the first metal of each electrode 10 when the detection values detected by the pressure sensors 70 respectively corresponding to the two electrodes 10 for obtaining the potential difference are within the threshold range. The potential difference between the plates 71 is output as a measurement result.

  In addition, if it is the structure which can detect the pressure added to the electroconductive elastic body used for the electrode 10, it will not be restricted to the structure shown in FIG. For example, the pressure sensor 70 is not limited to a configuration using a piezoelectric element, and a sensor that detects pressure based on a change in capacitance of a capacitor may be used.

  Further, in the third embodiment, when any of the detection values detected by the pressure sensors 70 corresponding to the two electrodes 10 for obtaining the potential difference is outside the threshold range, the potential measurement unit 20 generates a measurement impossible signal. Although the configuration to output is shown, it is not necessarily limited to this.

  For example, the main controller 40 receives the output from the amplifier of the pressure sensor 70, and any of the detected values detected by the pressure sensor 70 corresponding to the two electrodes 10 for obtaining the potential difference is outside the threshold range. The main control unit 40 may determine whether or not. And when it is outside a threshold range, it is good also as a structure switched by the main control part 40 that the electric potential difference of these electrodes 10 measured by the electric potential measurement part 20 was unmeasurable. In this case, with respect to the measurement result of the potential measurement unit 20 that is switched by the main control unit 40 when measurement is impossible, the main control unit 40 outputs a measurement impossible signal to the communication unit instead, and the user using this signal What is necessary is just to set it as the structure which does not estimate a state. The main control unit 40 corresponds to a switching unit in claims.

(Embodiment 3)
In the first and second embodiments, an example in which the wearable device 1 is a glasses type is shown, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the configuration may be a goggle type (hereinafter, a third embodiment) that is worn on the user's head in the same manner as the goggles. Hereinafter, the goggle type wearable device 1a according to the third embodiment will be described.

  The goggle-type wearable device 1a is a glasses-type wearable device 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the shape is a goggle type instead of the spectacles type, and the nose root part electrode 111a is provided instead of the nose root part electrode 111. It is the same. The goggle-type wearable device 1a may be integrated with, for example, a head-mounted display.

  Here, an example of the arrangement of the electrodes 10 in the wearable device 1a will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a view of the goggle-type wearable device 1 as viewed from the side that is exposed when the goggle-type wearable device 1 is attached (hereinafter referred to as the front side). FIG. 7 is a view of the goggle-type wearable device 1a as viewed from the side that is not exposed when it is attached (hereinafter, the back side). The arrangement of the electrode 10 in the wearable device 1a is the same as the arrangement of the electrode 10 in the first embodiment except that the arrangement of the nasal root electrode 111a is different from the arrangement of the nasal root electrode 111.

  In the goggle-type wearable device 1a, one nose root electrode 111a is provided at the nose pad in accordance with the use of the nose pad that is integrated with the left and right instead of the left and right nose pads in the spectacle-type wearable device 1. . The configuration of the third embodiment is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment except that the arrangement of the nasal root electrode 111a is different from the arrangement of the nasal root electrode 111. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained.

(Modification 1)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the state of the user using the biological information measured by the wearable devices 1 and 1a is estimated by the vehicle-side unit 2 is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the user state estimation using the biological information measured by the wearable devices 1 and 1a may be performed by the main control unit 40 of the wearable devices 1 and 1a. In this case, information indicating the state of the user estimated by the main control unit 40 may be transmitted from the communication unit 50 to the vehicle-side unit 2. The vehicle-side unit 2 may be configured to perform information presentation and / or vehicle control according to the estimated user state.

(Modification 2)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the main control unit 40 of the wearable device 1 or 1a removes the noise of the electroencephalogram signal has been described, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, a signal obtained by converting the signal obtained by the measurement by the potential measurement unit 20 by the A / D conversion unit 30 is transmitted from the communication unit 50 to the vehicle-side unit 2, and the vehicle-side unit 2 performs the same as the main control unit 40. Thus, the configuration may be such that the noise of the electroencephalogram signal is removed.

(Modification 3)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the wearable devices 1 and 1a communicate directly with the vehicle-side unit 2 has been described, but the configuration is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the wearable devices 1 and 1a may be configured to indirectly communicate with the vehicle-side unit 2 via a portable terminal carried by a user such as a multifunctional mobile phone.

(Modification 4)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the wearable devices 1 and 1a communicate with the vehicle-side unit 2 has been described, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, it is good also as a structure which communicates with external apparatuses other than the vehicle side unit 2. FIG. As an example, it may be configured to communicate with a mobile terminal carried by a user such as a multi-function mobile phone. In this case, a configuration may be adopted in which estimation of the user's state using the biological information measured by the wearable devices 1 and 1a is performed on the portable terminal, or information presentation according to the estimated user's state is performed. In addition, the mobile terminal may be configured to remove the brain wave signal noise in the same manner as the main control unit 40.

(Modification 5)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the nasal root electrodes 111 and 111a are ground electrodes, and the left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 are reference electrodes for measuring an electroencephalogram signal. Not limited to. For example, the left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 may be ground electrodes, and the nasal root electrodes 111 and 111a may be reference electrodes for measuring brain wave signals.

(Modification 6)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration using the left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 has been described, but the configuration is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, only one of the left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 may be used. When the configuration using only one of the left auricle upper electrode 107 and the right auricle upper electrode 108 is adopted, this one is used as a reference electrode for the measurement of both the left electroencephalogram signal and the right electroencephalogram signal. And it is sufficient.

(Modification 7)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration using the left forehead electrode 103 and the right forehead electrode 104 has been described, but the configuration is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, only one of the left forehead electrode 103 and the right forehead electrode 104 may be used. When the configuration using only the left forehead electrode 103 is adopted, the wearable device 1, 1 a includes the right upper eyebrow electrode 102, the right lower eyelid electrode 105, the right frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 202, and the right upper and lower eye potential measurement unit 203. The right electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 206 may be omitted. When adopting the configuration using only the right forehead electrode 104, the wearable device 1, 1a includes the left upper brow electrode 101, the left lower eyelid electrode 106, the left frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit 201, the left upper and lower eye potential measurement unit 204, The left electroencephalogram signal measurement unit 205 may not be provided. Further, when only one of the left forehead electrode 103 and the right forehead electrode 104 is used, this one and the corresponding electrode directly above the eyebrows are provided near the center in the left-right direction. It is good.

(Modification 8)
The wearable devices 1 and 1a may be configured not to include the lower right eyelid electrode 105, the lower left eyelid electrode 106, the right upper and lower eye potential measuring unit 203, and the left upper eye potential measuring unit 204.

(Modification 9)
The wearable devices 1 and 1a may not include the left temple electrode 109, the right temple electrode 110, and the left and right ocular potential measurement unit 207.

(Modification 10)
Further, the conductive member used for the electrode 10 is not necessarily limited to an elastic body. For example, it is good also as a structure using the electroconductive member which is not elastic bodies, such as an electroconductive tape.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims, and technical means disclosed in different embodiments and modifications, respectively. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the above are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1a Wearable device (wearable biological measuring device), 2 vehicle side unit (external device), 3 biological measuring system, 10 electrode, 20 potential measuring part, 40 main control part (switching part), 41 noise removal part, 50 communication Part (transmission part), 70 pressure sensor, 101 left upper eyebrow electrode (upper eyebrow electrode), 102 right upper eyebrow electrode (upper eyebrow electrode), 103 left forehead electrode (frontal electrode), 104 right forehead electrode ( Forehead electrode), 105 Right lower heel electrode (lower heel electrode), 106 Left lower heel electrode (lower heel electrode), 107 Left auricle upper electrode (auricle upper electrode), 108 Right auricle upper electrode (Auricle upper electrode), 109 Left temple electrode (temple electrode), 110 Right temple electrode (temple electrode), 111, 111a Nasal root electrode, 201 Left frontal myoelectric potential measurement unit (myoelectric potential) Measuring unit), 202 right frontal myoelectric potential measuring unit (myoelectric potential measuring unit), 203 right upper / lower eye potential measuring unit (upper / lower eye potential measuring unit), 204 left upper / lower eye potential measuring unit (up / down eye potential measuring unit), 205 left Electroencephalogram signal measurement unit (electroencephalogram signal measurement unit), 206 Right electroencephalogram signal measurement unit (electroencephalogram signal measurement unit), 207 Left and right electrooculogram measurement unit

Claims (11)

An eyeglass-type or goggles-type wearable biometric device that is used by a user,
An upper pinna electrode (107, 108) which is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with the upper pinna of the user when worn by the user;
A nose root electrode (111, 111a) that is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with the nose root portion of the user when the user wears;
An electrode (101, 102) directly above the eyebrows, which is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with a portion immediately above the eyebrows of the user when the user wears;
When the user wears the forehead electrode (103, 103), which is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with the user's forehead that is located immediately above the eyebrow directly above the portion that contacts the eyebrow 104)
An electroencephalogram which is an electric potential measuring unit (20) for measuring one of the nose root electrode and the upper pinna electrode as a ground electrode and the other as a reference electrode, and measuring an electric potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows and the reference electrode as an electroencephalogram signal. A signal measuring unit (205, 206);
A wearable living body measurement device including a myoelectric potential measuring unit (201, 202) which is a potential measuring unit (20) that measures a potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows and the forehead electrode as a frontal myoelectric potential. In claim 1,
A plurality of the electrodes directly above the eyebrows are provided so as to be arranged in the left-right direction of the user when the user wears the electrode.
The forehead electrode is provided one by one corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes directly above the eyebrows,
The electroencephalogram signal measurement unit measures a potential difference between each of the plurality of electrodes directly above the eyebrows and the reference electrode as an electroencephalogram signal,
The frontal myoelectric potential is a wearable biometric device that measures a potential difference between the plurality of electrodes directly above the eyebrows and the forehead electrodes respectively corresponding to the electrodes directly above the eyebrows as frontal muscle potentials. In claim 1 or 2,
A wearable comprising a noise removing unit (41) for removing noise due to the activity of the frontal muscle of the user from the electroencephalogram signal measured by the electroencephalogram signal measuring unit, using the frontal myoelectric potential measured by the myoelectric potential measuring unit. Biological measuring device. In claim 3,
Left and right temple electrodes (109, 110), which are electrodes (10) respectively provided at positions where they contact the left and right temples of the user when worn by the user;
A left and right ocular potential measurement unit (207) that is a potential measurement unit (20) that measures a potential difference between the left and right temple electrodes as an electrooculogram in the left and right direction of the user;
The noise removing unit uses noise of the user's left and right eye movements using the left and right electrooculogram of the user measured by the left and right electrooculogram measuring unit from the electroencephalogram signal measured by the electroencephalogram signal measuring unit. Wearable living body measuring device that removes water. In claim 3 or 4,
An electrode (105, 106) directly below the lower eyelid, which is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with a portion immediately below the lower armpit of the user when the user wears;
A vertical ocular potential measurement unit (203, 204) that is a potential measurement unit (20) that measures a potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows and the electrode directly below the lower eyelid as an electrooculogram in the vertical direction of the user;
The noise removing unit uses the user's vertical electrooculogram measured by the vertical electrooculogram measurement unit from the electroencephalogram signal measured by the electroencephalogram signal measurement unit, and the user's blinking and vertical eye movements A wearable living body measuring device that removes noise caused by at least one of the above. In claim 1 or 2,
The electroencephalogram signal measured by the electroencephalogram signal measurement unit and the frontal myoelectric potential measured by the myoelectric potential measurement unit are removed from the electroencephalogram signal due to the activity of the frontal muscle of the user using the frontal myoelectric potential. A wearable living body measurement device including a transmission unit (50) that transmits to an external device (2). In claim 6,
Left and right temple electrodes (109, 110), which are electrodes (10) respectively provided at positions where they contact the left and right temples of the user when worn by the user;
A left and right ocular potential measurement unit (207) that is a potential measurement unit (20) that measures a potential difference between the left and right temple electrodes as an electrooculogram in the left and right direction of the user;
The transmission unit includes the electroencephalogram signal measured by the electroencephalogram signal measurement unit and the electro-oculogram of the user in the left-right direction measured by the electro-oculogram measurement unit from the electroencephalogram signal. A wearable living body measurement device that transmits to the external device that also removes noise caused by eye movements in the left-right direction of the user using the. In claim 6 or 7,
An electrode (105, 106) directly below the lower eyelid, which is an electrode (10) provided at a position in contact with a portion immediately below the lower armpit of the user when the user wears;
A vertical ocular potential measurement unit (203, 204) that is a potential measurement unit (20) that measures a potential difference between the electrode directly above the eyebrows and the electrode directly below the lower eyelid as an electrooculogram in the vertical direction of the user;
The transmission unit includes the electroencephalogram signal measured by the electroencephalogram signal measurement unit, and the user's vertical electrooculogram measured by the vertical electrooculogram measurement unit. A wearable living body measurement device that transmits noise to the external device that removes noise caused by at least one of blinking of the user and eye movement in the vertical direction. In any one of Claims 1-8,
The electrode is a wearable living body measuring device using a conductive elastic body at least on a surface in contact with the user. In claim 9,
A pressure sensor (70) for detecting the pressure applied to the conductive elastic body used for the electrode is provided for each electrode.
The potential measuring unit cannot measure that any of the detection values detected by the pressure sensors corresponding to the two electrodes for obtaining a potential difference is out of the threshold range. Wearable biometric device that outputs signals. In claim 9,
A pressure sensor (70) for detecting the pressure applied to the conductive elastic body used for the electrode is provided for each electrode, and
If any of the detection values detected by the pressure sensors corresponding to the two electrodes for obtaining a potential difference is outside the threshold range, the potential difference of these electrodes measured by the potential measurement unit cannot be measured. Wearable living body measuring device provided with switching part (40) which switches if it was.

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