JP2005077921A - Electrocardiogram, pulse simulator controllable by signal of blood pressure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrocardiogram in medical education and a simulator for education of pulse measurement by reproducing the pulses relating to blood pressure. <P>SOLUTION: The pulse simulator is formed by building a piezoelectric actuator into the underside of the epidermis of a doll model. The pulse simulator generates pulses by converting the signals of the electrocardiogram, the blood pressure, etc., to high-voltage pulses and controlling the piezoelectric actuator built into the doll model by such pulses. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrocardiogram in medical education and an educational simulator for measuring a pulse by reproducing a pulse related to blood pressure.

Conventionally, as a means of reproducing a pulse, there is known a method of controlling a solenoid of an electromagnet or an air pump with an electrocardiogram / blood pressure-like signal and causing a motion similar to a pulse, and a pulse simulator using this is known. It was.
However, when the solenoid is controlled, the pulse strength cannot be varied in an analog manner, and when the air pump is controlled, the pulse strength cannot be varied in an analog manner and the drive is relatively large. The problem is that it requires power and is not suitable for battery drive. Therefore, the difference in tactile sensation due to the strength of the pulse due to changes in the electrocardiogram and blood pressure cannot be expressed, and since it was not a faithful simulator, there was a problem that education using these could not reproduce a sufficient clinical state. Patent Document 1 discloses a pulsation generator for converting a pulse wave signal having a voltage waveform approximated to a pulse wave waveform in an artery into mechanical vibration to generate vibration similar to pulsation perceived by a doctor's palpation. Is disclosed.
JP 2000-10468 A

In recent years, piezoelectric actuators that are small, light, highly accurate, capable of minute displacement, have a fast response speed, large generated stress, and high energy conversion efficiency have been used in various fields. .
The present invention has clarified that a reliable clinical state can be reproduced by using a piezoelectric actuator as a pulse generation source and controlling with a high voltage pulse, thereby completing the present invention. In addition, in order to reproduce a pulse closer to a living body, it became clear that a pulse similar to a living body can be reproduced when the doll model epidermis (sometimes referred to simply as skin) and the piezoelectric actuator are not in direct contact with each other, thereby completing the present invention.

  The gist of the present invention is a pulse simulator in which a piezoelectric actuator is incorporated under the skin of a doll model, which converts a signal such as an electrocardiogram and blood pressure into a high voltage pulse, and the piezoelectric actuator incorporated in the doll model by the pulse. It is a pulse simulator characterized by controlling to generate a pulse. Then, it is preferable that the speed and strength of the pulse can be controlled by the control signal of the electrocardiogram and blood pressure. Further, it is preferable that the skin of the doll model incorporating the piezoelectric actuator does not directly contact the piezoelectric actuator, and it is preferable that the skin and the piezoelectric actuator do not directly contact each other due to a gap or a gel substance.

  According to the present invention, since a pulse generated from a living body in medical education can be reproduced as a touch up to a subtle change by using a piezoelectric actuator, an education capable of teaching a touch that could not be taught by the conventional technology becomes possible.

The present invention will be described in detail.
The epidermis of the doll model used in the present invention is formed of a synthetic resin that has flexibility such as silicone, urethane, or vinyl chloride and has a feeling similar to that of the human skin. A piezoelectric actuator is installed under this skin. As an installation site, a site where a pulse is measured, for example, a skin material such as a neck, a lower limb, and a buttocks is provided. And when installing the piezoelectric actuator, it became clear that the pulse close to the living body can be reproduced by the direct contact between the doll model's skin (skin) and the piezoelectric actuator. As a means for preventing direct contact, a gap is provided between the piezoelectric actuator and the skin, or a gel substance is interposed. Specifically, a conductive sheet is closely attached to the inner surface of the skin, and a gap of about 5 mm is provided between the lower surface and the upper surface of the piezoelectric actuator, or a gel having a thickness of about 5 mm, such as silicone gel, polyvinyl alcohol gel, etc. A synthetic polymer gel, a polysaccharide gel such as alginic acid and pectin, a peptide gel such as gelatin and the like can be used so that the epidermis and the piezoelectric actuator are not in direct contact with each other.

An embodiment of the simulator according to the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a simulator according to the present invention, in which a piezoelectric actuator 1 is installed under a skin material of a neck, and further includes a vibration unit 2, a pulse control unit 3, and a control device 4. Further, a battery (secondary battery) 5 may be added as necessary.
A block diagram of this apparatus is shown in FIG. The control device 4 is a device for controlling the operation of the entire device, and the user sets the pulse strength, speed, normal pulse, bradycardia, tachycardia, and the like, which are set in the pulse control unit 3. Control. The pulse control unit 3 senses whether or not the user is palpating (pushing the vicinity of the piezoelectric actuator implantation site) with a contact switch, and the pulse control is performed as a standby release signal from the control device 4 by the signal. Input to the unit 3 to perform ON / OFF control of the piezoelectric actuator driving power source. In addition, the pulse control unit 3 inputs a strength selection signal and a pulse period pulse signal from the control device 4 to the digital input unit, controls the pulse generation by the pulse control unit, and outputs a high voltage pulse from the high voltage derivation unit. , Thereby operating the piezoelectric actuator. The pulse width, voltage value, and slope for controlling the speed and strength of the pulse can be selected as a strength selection signal from the control device.

  FIG. 3 shows the structure of the vibration part 2. The vibration part 2 is mounted in a part for measuring a pulse in the human body model part. The vibration part is composed of the contact switch 8 and the piezoelectric actuator 1 and is embedded under the skin of the human body model. In particular, when the conductive sheet 6 has an insulating portion around it and is in contact with an undesired part for pulse measurement, the actuator drive power supply is not turned on and a simulator capable of learning an appropriate measurement position can be obtained.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 4 shows an operation timing chart. When the user presses the pulse measurement of the human body (for example, the neck portion) with his / her finger (the state shown in FIG. 5), the contact switch of the vibration unit becomes conductive. This signal passes through the pulse control unit, is transmitted to the control device, outputs a standby release signal, and starts the operation of the pulse control unit. Similarly, the control device instructs the pulse intensity according to the setting of the user, and sends a pulse along the electrocardiogram to the pulse control unit.
The pulse control unit generates a high voltage pulse corresponding to the strength and pulse, vibrates the actuator of the vibration unit (FIG. 6: warps the finger so as to repel it), and this vibration is indicated as a pseudo pulse. I can feel it.
This vibration can be selected by selecting several types of electrocardiogram patterns by the selection circuit of the pulse control unit, and can be changed by the control device varying the selection signal. Further, since all pulse periods are output following the pulse signal of the control device, a fast pulse can be reproduced if the pulse interval from the control device is increased, and a slow pulse can be reproduced if the pulse interval is delayed.

  When the simulation is finished and the user releases the finger, the contact switch of the vibration unit is not turned on, the standby instruction is sent from the control device to the pulse control unit, and when the pulse control unit receives the standby instruction, the drive power supply is turned off. It becomes a power saving state.

  Since the piezoelectric actuator has high energy conversion efficiency and large stress, it can be driven by a battery. For this reason, the simulator of the present invention is excellent in mobility, and it is possible to bring the total flow from discovery of a nurse in medical education to transportation by an ambulance and treatment in a hospital to an actual site for education.

Schematic diagram of simulator according to the present invention Block Diagram Structure of vibration part Operation timing chart Vibration part when pressed with a finger Vibrating part when pulse is generated

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Piezoelectric actuator 2 Vibration part 3 Pulse control part 4 Control apparatus 5 Secondary battery 6 Conductive sheet 7 Buffering agent 8 Contact switch

Claims (4)

A pulse simulator that incorporates a piezoelectric actuator under the doll model's epidermis, converts ECG, blood pressure, and other signals into high-voltage pulses, and the pulse controls the piezoelectric actuator built into the doll model to generate a pulse. A pulse simulator characterized by causing the pulse to simulate. The pulse simulator according to claim 1, wherein the pulse speed and intensity can be controlled by an electrocardiogram and a blood pressure control signal. The pulse simulator according to claim 1, wherein the skin material does not directly contact the piezoelectric actuator. The pulse simulator according to claim 3, wherein the skin and the piezoelectric actuator are not directly in contact with each other by a gap or a gel substance.

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