JP2009077841A - Holder and optical biometric device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a holder which is closely attached to a surface having various curvatures or a convex-concavo surface and an optical biometric device using the same. <P>SOLUTION: The holder 11 is equipped with a socket part 33 for fixing a light transmitting probe 12 or a light receiving probe 13 by inserting the light transmitting probe 12 or the light receiving probe 13 inside a cylindrical shape and a connecting part 31 having a coupling part 31b for coupling an insertion part 31a with an insertion part 31a at a regular interval. The socket part 33 is inserted inside the cylindrical shape having a jaw part on the peripheral surface. The holder is further equipped with a position adjusting part 34 inserted into a through hole of the insertion part 31a and a nut part 32 which tightly holds the connecting part 31 between the jaw part 34b of the position adjusting part 34 and the nut part 32 by the position adjusting part 34 inserted into the through hole for fixing the connecting part 31. The position adjusting part 34 is characterized by a fixing mechanism for fixing the socket part 33 by varying a distance to insert the socket part 33. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a holder for non-invasively measuring brain activity and an optical biometric apparatus used therefor.

Hemoglobin plays a role in carrying oxygen in the blood. Since the concentration of hemoglobin contained in blood increases or decreases according to the expansion / contraction of blood vessels, it is known to detect the expansion / contraction of blood vessels by measuring the concentration of hemoglobin.
In view of this, there has been known a biological measurement method that uses light to measure the inside of a living body simply and non-invasively by utilizing the fact that the concentration of hemoglobin corresponds to the oxygen metabolism function inside the living body. The concentration of hemoglobin can be obtained from the amount of light obtained through the living body by irradiating the living body with light having a wavelength from visible light to the near infrared region.

Furthermore, hemoglobin binds to oxygen to become oxyhemoglobin, while away from oxygen to deoxyhemoglobin. It is also known that in the brain, oxygen is supplied to a site activated by blood flow redistribution, and the concentration of oxyhemoglobin combined with oxygen increases. That is, by measuring the concentration of oxyhemoglobin, it can be applied to the observation of brain activity. Since oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin have different spectral absorption spectrum characteristics from visible light to near-infrared region, for example, oxyhemoglobin concentration and deoxyhemoglobin concentration can be obtained using near-infrared light.

Therefore, in recent years, for example, a near-infrared spectrometer (hereinafter abbreviated as NIRS) or the like has been used as a non-invasive measure of brain activity (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
NIRS irradiates the brain with near-infrared light using a light-transmitting probe placed on the surface of the subject's skull, and measures the amount of near-infrared light emitted from the brain with a light-receiving probe placed on the surface of the skull. It is to detect. Near-infrared light passes through skin tissue and bone tissue and is absorbed by oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in blood. Therefore, by using NIRS, the oxyhemoglobin concentration and deoxyhemoglobin concentration at the measurement site of the brain, and the total hemoglobin concentration calculated from these can be obtained. Further, by measuring brain activity from temporal changes in total hemoglobin concentration with NIRS, the obtained brain activity data (also called activation data) is imaged by executing image processing such as averaging processing and mapping. Things are also done.

In NIRS, a holder is used to bring a light-transmitting probe and a light-receiving probe into close contact with the skull surface of a subject in a predetermined arrangement. As such a holder, for example, a molded holder molded into a bowl shape in accordance with the shape of the skull surface is used. The molding holder is provided with a plurality of through-holes, and by inserting the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe into the through-holes, the probe interval between the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe becomes constant, and a specific distance from the skull surface Information on received light amount of depth is obtained. Note that the probe interval is called a channel, and a channel with a channel of 30 mm is generally used. When the channel is 30 mm, received light amount information with a depth of 15 mm to 20 mm from the midpoint of the channel is obtained. It is believed that. In other words, the position at a depth of 15 mm to 20 mm from the surface of the skull substantially corresponds to the brain surface region, and light reception amount information (brain activity data) related to brain activity is obtained.

Here, the relationship between the channel and the measurement site of the brain will be described. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the pair of light-transmitting probes 12 and light-receiving probes 13 and the measurement site of the brain, and FIG. 7B is a plan view of FIG. 7A. .
The light transmitting probe 12 is pressed against the light transmitting point T on the skull surface of the subject, and the light receiving probe 13 is pressed against the light receiving point R on the skull surface of the subject. And while irradiating light from the light transmission probe 12, the light reception probe 13 is made to detect the light discharge | released from the skull surface. At this time, the light that has passed through the banana shape (measurement region) among the light emitted from the light transmission point T on the skull surface reaches the light receiving point R on the skull surface. Thereby, in the measurement region, in particular, from the midpoint M of the line L connecting the light transmission point T and the light reception point R along the skull surface of the subject at the shortest distance, the light transmission point T and the light reception point R Received light amount information (oxyhemoglobin concentration, deoxyhemoglobin concentration, and further, the depth S / 2 of the distance L / 2 of the line connecting the shortest distances along the skull surface of the subject) Is the total hemoglobin concentration calculated from these).

However, because the curvature of the skull surface differs depending on gender differences, age differences, and individual differences, the saddle-shaped molded holder with the fixed position of the light transmitting probe or light receiving probe does not necessarily match the subject completely, It occurs that the molding holder does not adhere to the skull surface. That is, the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe do not come into contact with the surface of the skull, and as a result, accurate light reception amount information may not be obtained.
Therefore, in order to be able to easily cope with the difference in curvature of the skull surface, the holding parts for holding the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe are arranged in a lattice pattern on the skull surface, and the holding parts are mutually fixed to each other. There has been proposed a holder that is connected by a connecting portion that exhibits elasticity within a range, and further has rotation variability of the connecting portion within a predetermined angle (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-337033 A JP 2002-143169 A

However, when a holder using a connecting portion showing elasticity is used, it can be brought into close contact with the surface of the skull with various curvatures. Channel) also changed, and as a result, it was not possible to obtain received light amount information at a depth corresponding to the brain surface region.
In addition, when a mold-shaped molding holder is used and the molding holder does not adhere to the skull surface, only the tip of the light transmitting probe or light receiving probe inserted into the through hole is extended from a fixed position to Although it is possible to make contact, since the light transmitting probe and light receiving probe have an elongated cylindrical shape, they can temporarily contact the surface of the skull, but cannot be in close contact with each other. This causes a problem that the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe may be displaced from the measurement target position. Furthermore, since hair is present on the skull surface, the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe must be brought into contact with the skull surface while avoiding the hair, but only the tips of the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe are extended from a fixed position to extend the skull surface. When it is brought into contact with each other, an operation of scraping each piece of hair occurs.
Therefore, the present invention does not change the distance between the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe, and does not extend only the tip of the light transmitting probe or the light receiving probe. It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder that can be in close contact with each other and an optical biometric apparatus using the same.

The holder of the present invention made to solve the above problems has a cylindrical shape, and a light-transmitting probe that irradiates light from the tip or a light-receiving probe that receives light from the tip is inserted inside the cylindrical shape. As a result, a socket part for fixing the light transmitting probe or the light receiving probe and at least two insertion parts for inserting the socket part into the through hole are formed, and the insertion parts can be connected at a constant interval. A holder having a connecting part formed with a flexible connecting part, and having a jaw shape on an outer peripheral surface, and a socket part is inserted inside the cylindrical shape, and the insertion part penetrates the holder. A position adjusting component to be inserted into the hole, and a nut component to fix the connecting component by inserting the connecting component between the jaw of the position adjusting component by inserting the position adjusting component into the through hole. The position adjusting component has a fixing mechanism that can be fixed by changing a distance at which the socket component is inserted, and is fixed to the socket component at a desired position in the longitudinal direction of the socket component by using the fixing mechanism. I try to do it.

According to the holder of the present invention, by inserting one position adjustment component into the through hole of one insertion portion of the connection component and further inserting it into the through hole of one nut component, The insertion part of the connection part is sandwiched between the nut part and the one position adjustment part and the connection part are fixed. Similarly, by inserting another position adjustment part into the through hole of the other insertion part of the connection part and further inserting it into the through hole of the other nut part, the gap between the jaw part of the position adjustment part and the nut part The insertion part of the connection part is sandwiched between the other parts, and the other position adjustment parts and the connection parts are fixed. At this time, since the connecting portion connects the one insertion portion and the other insertion portion at a constant interval, the position adjusting component into which the light transmitting probe is inserted inside and the light receiving probe are inserted into the inside. The other position adjustment parts are always held at regular intervals.
And in the holder of this invention, when not closely_contact | adhering to a measuring object surface, the mechanism in which the socket components to which a light transmission probe or a light receiving probe is fixed extends toward a measuring object surface is used. In order to realize this mechanism, the position adjustment component has a fixing mechanism that can be fixed by changing the distance at which the socket component is inserted. Thereby, the position adjusting component is fixed to the socket component at a desired position in the longitudinal direction of the socket component. For example, when the position adjustment component is fixed to the socket component so that the position adjustment component changes from the lower position to the upper position in the longitudinal direction of the socket component, the socket component protrudes downward.
In this way, the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe are inserted and fixed inside the socket part having the mechanism extending toward the surface to be measured. Accordingly, the socket component is brought into contact with the measurement target surface together with the light transmission probe and the light reception probe, so that the light transmission probe and the light reception probe can be brought into close contact with the measurement target surface by the socket component. Further, since the socket part plays a role of pressing the hair or the like, the light transmitting probe or the light receiving probe can be easily brought into contact with the skull surface.

Therefore, according to the holder of the present invention, there is no need to change the distance between the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe, or to extend the tip of the light-transmitting probe or the light-receiving probe, and to extend the surface or unevenness having various curvatures. It can adhere to the surface it has.

(Means and effects for solving other problems)
Further, in the holder of the present invention, the connection component has two insertion portions, has a single shape with insertion portions at both ends, and the position adjustment component has a plurality of connection component insertion portions. By sandwiching multiple jaws between one jaw part and one nut part, one connection part and the other connection part form a desired angle with the position adjustment part as an axis when viewed from above. You may make it fix to.
According to the holder of the present invention, even if a surface having various curvatures has a surface having irregularities, it can be in close contact with the surface to be measured.

In the holder of the present invention, the fixing mechanism may include a screw formed on the outer peripheral surface of the socket component and a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface of the position adjusting component.
Furthermore, the holder of the present invention may have a contact mechanism that allows the bottom of the socket component to be in close contact with the surface to be measured.
The optical biometric apparatus of the present invention includes a holder as described above, a light transmitting probe that emits light from the tip, a light receiving probe that receives light from the tip, and light to the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe. And a control unit for controlling the light transmission / reception.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following embodiment, It cannot be overemphasized that various aspects are included in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an optical biometric apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a holder. FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which an example of the holder is mounted on the surface of the subject's skull. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the light transmitting probe is indicated by a black circle, and the light receiving probe is indicated by a white circle.
The optical biometric apparatus 1 includes a holder 11 for mounting on the skull surface of a subject, a light emitting unit 2 connected by a light transmitting probe 12 and a light guide (not shown), a light receiving probe 13 and a light guide ( And a control unit (computer) 20 that controls the entire optical biometric apparatus 1.

First, components constituting the holder 11 will be described. 4 is a perspective view showing the light transmitting probe 12, the nut part 32, the two connecting parts 31, the position adjusting part 34, and the socket part 33 before assembling. 5 is a perspective view showing the light transmitting probe 12, the nut part 32, the two connecting parts 31, the position adjusting part 34, and the socket part 33 after being assembled.
The holder 11 includes eight light transmitting probes 12, eight light receiving probes 13, 16 socket parts 33 for fixing the light transmitting probes 12 and the light receiving probes 13, 24 connection parts 31, and 16 pieces. The position adjustment component 34, 16 nut components 32, and the mounting tool 14 are provided.

The light transmission probe 12 has an elongated cylindrical shape whose upper end portion is slightly larger to be fixed to the socket component 33. And the upper end part of the light transmission probe 12 is connected with the light emission part 2 via light guides, such as an optical fiber, and irradiates light from a lower end part.
The light receiving probe 13 is also in the shape of an elongated cylinder having a slightly larger upper end similar to the light transmitting probe 12. The upper end of the light receiving probe 13 is connected to the light detection unit 3 via a light guide such as an optical fiber, and receives light at the lower end.

The socket part 33 has a cylindrical main body 33a, an annular jaw 33b, and an annular bottom (contact mechanism) 33c, and the light transmitting probe 12 and the light receiving probe 13 are inserted therein. In addition, a screw (fixing mechanism) to which the position adjusting component 34 is screwed is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 33a.
In addition, although it does not specifically limit as a material which comprises the main-body part and jaw part of the said socket component, For example, a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyacetal etc. are mentioned.
Moreover, as a material which comprises the bottom part of the said socket component, if it can contact | adhere to the skull surface, it will not specifically limit, For example, sponge etc. are mentioned.
Accordingly, the socket component 33 and the light transmission probe 12 are fixed by inserting the light transmission probe 12 inside the socket component 33. At this time, it fixes so that the bottom face of the bottom part 33c and the lower end surface of the light transmission probe 12 may become the same plane. Therefore, since the bottom 33c is brought into contact with the surface of the skull together with the light transmitting probe 12, the bottom 33c is brought into close contact with the surface of the skull. Furthermore, since the bottom 33c plays a role of pressing hair or the like, the light transmitting probe 12 can be brought into contact with the surface of the skull by simply inserting the light transmitting probe 12 inside the socket part 33.
Similar to the light transmission probe 12, the light receiving probe 13 is inserted inside the socket component 33, thereby fixing the socket component 33 and the light receiving probe 13.

The position adjustment component 34 has a cylindrical main body portion 34a and an annular jaw portion 34b, and a female screw (fixing mechanism) that is screwed into the main body portion 33a of the socket component 33 is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. In addition, a screw into which the nut part 32 is screwed is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 34a.
The material constituting the position adjustment component is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyacetal as well as the material constituting the main body and the jaw of the socket component.
Accordingly, the socket component 33 is fixed by inserting the socket component 33 into the position adjustment component 34 using the screw mechanism. At this time, since the distance by which the socket component 33 is inserted inside the position adjustment component 34 can be changed by the screw mechanism (fixing mechanism), the position adjustment component 34 is desired in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the socket component 33. The position adjustment component 34 and the socket component 33 are fixed so as to come to the position. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the position adjustment component 34 and the socket component 33 are fixed at the lower position in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 33 a of the socket component 33, the socket component 33 is separated from the position adjustment component 34. Although the projection hardly protrudes downward, on the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, the position adjustment component 34 and the socket component 33 are fixed at the upper position in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 33 a of the socket component 33. Sometimes, the socket part 33 protrudes from the position adjustment part 34 at a distance A downward. That is, even if the position adjusting component 34 is arranged away from the skull surface, the mounting position of the position adjusting component 34 is changed from the lower position in the longitudinal direction of the main body 33a of the socket component 33 to the upper position. The bottom surface of the socket part 33 and the surface of the skull can be brought into close contact with each other.

The connection part 31 is a plate-shaped body having a single letter shape. And the connection component 31 has the annular-shaped insertion part 31a at both ends, and the connection part 31b which connects the insertion part 31a of both ends with the channel length X. FIG. In the center of each insertion portion 31a, a circular through hole for inserting the position adjustment component 34 is opened. The connecting portion 31b has a width of 10 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm, and is formed such that the distance between the center of the through hole and the center of the through hole is a channel length of 30 mm. Only flexible in the direction. That is, the insertion portions 31a at both ends are always held at the channel length X.
Although it does not specifically limit as a material which comprises the said connection component, For example, a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyacetal etc. are mentioned similarly to the material which comprises the main-body part and jaw part of a socket component.

The nut part 32 has an annular shape having a circular through hole, and a female screw that is screwed into the main body part 34a of the position adjustment part 34 is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. Note that the size of the through hole is larger than the size of the main body 34 a of the position adjustment component 34 and smaller than the jaw 34 b of the position adjustment component 34 when viewed from above.
The material constituting the nut part is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyacetal as well as the material constituting the body part and the jaw part of the socket part.
Thereby, the insertion part of the connection part 31 is inserted between the jaw part 34 b of the position adjustment part 34 and the nut part 32 by inserting the main body part 34 a of the position adjustment part 34 into the nut part 32 using the screw mechanism. 31a can be inserted and fixed. At this time, since the distance by which the position adjustment component 34 is inserted into the through hole of the nut component 32 can be changed by the screw mechanism, the nut component 32 comes to a desired position in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the position adjustment component 34. In this manner, the nut part 32 and the position adjustment part 34 are fixed. For example, when the position adjustment component 34 and one connection component 31 are fixed, the insertion portion 31 a of one connection component 31 is sandwiched between the jaw portion 34 b of the position adjustment component 34 and the nut component 32. Therefore, the nut part 32 and the position adjustment part 34 are fixed at the lower position in the longitudinal direction of the main body 34a of the position adjustment part 34, while the position adjustment part 34 and the four connection parts 31 are fixed. Since the socket portions 31a of the four connection components 31 are sandwiched between the jaw portion 34b of the position adjustment component 34 and the nut component 32, the upper portion of the body portion 34a of the position adjustment component 34 in the longitudinal direction is inserted. The nut part 32 and the position adjustment part 34 are fixed at the position. That is, the position adjusting component 34 and an arbitrary number of connecting components 31 can be fixed by changing the position adjusting component 34 from the lower position in the longitudinal direction to the upper position of the main body 34a. ing.

The mounting tool 14 includes an annular belt 15 wound around the head and a plurality of fixing parts 16. The fixing component 16 has an annular connection portion 16a at one end and a fixing portion 16b that is detachably fixed to the belt 15. In the center of the connection portion 16a, a circular through-hole for inserting the main body portion 34a of the position adjusting component 34 is opened, whereby the fixing component 16 is interposed between the position adjusting component 34 and the nut component 32. Fixed.
The belt and the fixing component are preferably fixed with a hook-and-loop fastener, for example. In this way, since it can be fixed by the belt 15 wound around the head, for example, the blood flow of the brain is measured by moving the jaw compared to the case of fixing the holder by putting the belt on the jaw. Even in this case, accurate measurement is possible without being affected by the movement of the jaw.

Next, 8 light transmitting probes 12, 8 light receiving probes 13, 16 socket parts 33, 24 connection parts 31, 16 position adjustment parts 34, and 16 nut parts 32 are placed in the holder 11. An assembly method for assembling will be described.
First, the position adjustment component 34 is attached to the socket component 33 by inserting the socket component 33 into the position adjustment component 34 using a screw mechanism. At this time, the distance by which the socket part 33 is inserted inside the position adjustment part 34 can be adjusted by the screw mechanism, but the position adjustment part 34 comes to a lower position in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the socket part 33. In this manner, the position adjustment component 34 and the socket component 33 are fixed. In this way, one position adjustment component 34 is attached to each socket component 33.

Next, the through hole of the insertion portion 31a of one connection component 31 and the through hole of the insertion portion 12a of the other connection component 31 are overlapped, and the two through holes are directed downward and inward. The main body 34a of the position adjustment component 34 to which the socket component 33 is attached is inserted, and further inserted into the through hole of the nut component 32 from below using a screw mechanism. At this time, one connecting component 31 and the other connecting component 31 are viewed from above by tightening with a screw mechanism so that the two connecting components 31 are sandwiched between the jaw portion 34b of the position adjusting component 34 and the nut component 32. The position adjustment component 34 can be fixed so as to form a desired angle, but one connection component 31 and the other connection component 31 form 90 ° with the position adjustment component 33 as an axis when viewed from above. To fix. In addition, the angle between the one connection component 31 and the other connection component 31 can be changed by loosening the tightening of the jaw 33b of the position adjustment component 33 and the nut component 32 (FIG. 6A). reference).
Thus, for example, the flat net-shaped body shown in FIG. 2 is produced by assembling using the socket part 33 having the position adjustment part 34 attached to the inside, the connection part 31 and the nut part 32. .

Then, the produced net-like body is mounted on the skull surface of the subject. At this time, since the skull surface of the subject has a curved surface shape, in order to wear it so as to be in close contact with the skull surface, as shown in FIG. 6A, one connection component 31 and another connection component 31 are: As seen from above, the position adjustment component 33 is fixed so as to form a desired angle, and the connecting portion 31b of the connection component 31 is flexible as shown in FIG. It deform | transforms so that it may become a surface which has such a curvature.
At this time, if the angle formed by the angle between one connection component 31 and the other connection component 31 is fixed in a deformed state, it can no longer return to the plane and the curvature is maintained. Result.

Then, the net-shaped body mounted on the skull surface of the subject is fixed using the mounting tool 14. At this time, the skull surface of the subject is not a surface having a certain curvature, but has irregularities, so that there is a surface where the bottom surface of the socket part 33 and the surface of the skull are not in contact.
Therefore, since the distance at which the socket part 33 is inserted inside the position adjustment part 34 can be adjusted by the screw mechanism, the position adjustment part 34 and the socket part are brought into contact with the bottom surface of the socket part 33 and the skull surface. 33 is fixed.
Finally, the light transmitting probe 12 and the light receiving probe 13 are inserted into the socket part 33 so as to be alternately arranged in the row direction and the column direction. The holders 11 arranged in a square lattice pattern are produced so as to alternate with the column direction.

Next, configurations other than the above-described holder 11 will be described.
The light-emitting unit 2 is a light source that transmits light to one light-transmitting probe 12 selected from among the eight light-transmitting probes 12 according to a drive signal input from the computer 20. For example, an LED (light-emitting diode) ) And LD (laser diode).
Near-infrared light (for example, 700 nm to 1000 nm) is used as the light.
The light detection unit 3 is a detector that outputs eight received light signals (measurement information) to the computer 20 by individually detecting near-infrared light received by the eight light receiving probes 13. Light receiving elements such as diodes and phototransistors, photomultiplier tubes, and the like.

The computer 20 includes a CPU 21, and further includes a memory 50, a display device 23 having a monitor screen 23a and the like, and a keyboard 22a and a mouse 22b as input devices. The function processed by the CPU 21 will be described in a block form. The CPU 21 includes a light transmission / reception unit control unit 40 that controls the light emitting unit 2 and the light detection unit 3, a calculation unit 41, and a brain activity image display unit 44.
The light transmission / reception unit control unit 40 stores the light reception signal (measurement information) in the memory 50 by receiving the light emission control unit 42 that outputs a drive signal to the light emission unit 2 and the light reception signal (measurement information) from the light detection unit 3. And a light detection control unit 43.
The light emission control unit 42 performs control for outputting a drive signal for sequentially transmitting light to the light transmission probe 12 to the light emission unit 2. The light detection control unit 43 receives a light reception signal from the light detection unit 3. Thus, control is performed to store the eight measurement data detected from the eight light receiving probes 13 in the memory 50.

In the measurement data stored in the memory 50, the calculation unit 41 acquires light reception amount information of light from the light transmission probe 12 to the light reception probe 13 adjacent to the light transmission probe 12, and based on the acquired measurement data. Control for obtaining the oxyhemoglobin concentration, deoxyhemoglobin concentration, and total hemoglobin concentration from the transmitted light intensity of each wavelength (the absorption wavelength of oxyhemoglobin and the absorption wavelength of deoxyhemoglobin).
The brain activity image display means 44 performs control for displaying information on the monitor screen 23a. For example, a contour graph of oxyhemoglobin concentration, deoxyhemoglobin concentration, and total hemoglobin concentration in the brain plane is displayed.

As described above, according to the holder 11 used in the photobiological measuring device 1 of the present invention, the distance between the light transmitting probe 12 and the light receiving probe 13 is changed, or only the tips of the light transmitting probe 12 and the light receiving probe 13 are extended. It can contact | adhere to the surface which has various curvature, and a surface which has an unevenness | corrugation.
Therefore, the received light amount information can be obtained with high spatial resolution and accurate depth.

(Other embodiments)
In the optical biometric apparatus 1 described above, the connection component 31 has a configuration including two insertion portions 31a. However, the connection component may have a configuration including three insertion portions.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a holder for non-invasively measuring brain activity and an optical biometric apparatus using the holder.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the optical biometric apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows schematic structure of a holder. It is a figure which shows the state with which the holder was mounted | worn on the skull surface of the subject. It is a perspective view which shows the light transmission probe, nut component, two connection components, position adjustment components, and socket components before assembling. It is a perspective view which shows the light transmission probe, nut component, two connection components, position adjustment components, and socket components after assembling. It is a figure which shows a light transmission probe, a nut component, two connection components, a position adjustment component, and a socket component. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a pair of light transmission probe and light reception probe, and the measurement site | part of a brain.

Explanation of symbols

1: Optical biometric device 11: Holder 12: Light transmitting probe 13: Light receiving probe 20: Control unit 31: Connection part 31a: Insertion part 31b: Connection part 32: Nut part 33: Socket part 34: Position adjustment part 34b: Jaw Unit 41: Calculation unit T: Light transmitting point R: Light receiving point M: Middle point S: Measurement site

Claims (5)

Socket component that is cylindrical and has a light-transmitting probe that irradiates light from the tip inside the cylindrical shape, or a light-receiving probe that receives light from the tip, thereby fixing the light-transmitting probe or the light-receiving probe When,
The holder includes at least two insertion parts into which the socket parts are inserted into the through holes, and a connection part in which a flexible coupling part that couples the insertion parts at a constant interval is formed. And
A cylindrical shape having a jaw portion on the outer peripheral surface, and a socket component is inserted inside the cylindrical shape, and a position adjustment component inserted into the through hole of the insertion portion,
The position adjustment component is inserted into the through-hole, and includes a nut component that sandwiches the connection component between the jaw of the position adjustment component and fixes the connection component,
The position adjusting component has a fixing mechanism that can be fixed by changing a distance at which the socket component is inserted, and is fixed to the socket component at a desired position in the longitudinal direction of the socket component by using the fixing mechanism. A holder characterized by. The connecting part has two insertion portions, and has a single shape with insertion portions at both ends,
Multiple connection parts are inserted between the jaws of one position adjustment part and one nut part in multiple layers, so that one connection part and the other connection part are placed upward. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the holder is fixed so as to form a desired angle with the position adjustment component as an axis when viewed from above. The holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing mechanism includes a screw formed on an outer peripheral surface of the socket component and a female screw formed on an inner peripheral surface of the position adjusting component. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a bottom part of the socket part has a close contact mechanism that enables close contact with a surface to be measured. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A light transmission probe that emits light from the tip; and
A light receiving probe that receives light from the tip;
An optical biometric apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls light transmission / reception with respect to the light transmission probe and the light reception probe.

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