JP2018011736A - Tongue coat amount estimation system and tongue coat amount estimation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tongue coat amount estimation system and a tongue coat amount estimation method capable of estimating tongue coat in a non-contact manner.SOLUTION: According to one aspect of the present invention, a tongue coat amount estimation system includes a light emitting element for emitting a light having a peak in the range of 350-450 nm to the tongue of a person to be observed, a light receiving element for receiving fluorescence emitted from the tongue of the person to be observed, and an estimation device for estimating a tongue coat amount on the basis of the light amount of the fluorescence received by the light receiving element. In a tongue coat amount estimation method according to another aspect of the present invention, a light having a peak in the range of 350-450 nm is emitted to the tongue of the person to be observed, fluorescence emitted from the tongue of the person to be observed is received, and a tongue coat amount is estimated on the basis of the light amount of the fluorescence.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a tongue coating amount estimation system and a tongue coating amount estimation method.

  The surface of the tongue is structurally covered with fine light red nipples, but various levels of tongue coating are attached by humans. Possible causes of the promotion of tongue coating include digestive disorders, diabetes, fever, dehydration, dry mouth, coma, vitamin deficiency, allergies, oral pain disorders, antibiotic use, tongue movement paralysis, mouth breathing, etc. ing.

  As described above, there are various causes of tongue coating, but it is difficult to say that all of them show good health and good lifestyle. In particular, excessive adhesion of tongue coating to gastrointestinal diseases and diabetes has been reported to be strongly related, and by examining the amount of tongue coating, it is possible to infer health deterioration and bad lifestyle habits from a wide perspective. There is sex.

  In addition, adhesion of tongue coating has been reported to be associated with taste sensation and bad breath. This can be a problem related to Quality Of Life, but it is difficult to be aware of these, so it is desirable that it can be easily estimated.

  However, at present, a method for non-contact estimation of tongue coating has not been established, and the present situation is that sufficient research has not been made.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a tongue coating amount estimation system and a tongue coating amount estimation method that can estimate tongue coating in a non-contact manner.

  That is, the tongue coating amount estimation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a light emitting element that emits light having a peak in a range of 350 nm to 450 nm toward the observation subject's tongue, and fluorescence emitted from the observation subject's tongue. A light receiving element that receives the light, and an estimation device that estimates the amount of tongue coating based on the amount of fluorescence received by the light receiving element.

  The tongue coating amount estimation method according to another aspect of the present invention emits light having a peak in a range of 350 nm to 450 nm toward the observation subject's tongue, and receives fluorescence emitted from the observation subject's tongue. The amount of tongue coating is estimated based on the amount of fluorescent light.

  As described above, the present invention can provide a tongue coating amount estimation system and a tongue coating amount estimation method that can estimate tongue coating in a non-contact manner.

It is a figure which shows the outline of the amount of tongue coating estimation system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline of a structure of the light emitting element 2 of the tongue coating amount estimation system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the spectral radiance of the fluorescence based on tongue coating. It is a photograph figure of the amount estimation system of tongue coating concerning an example. It is a photograph figure which shows the normal image of the tongue which concerns on an Example. It is a photograph figure which shows the fluorescence image of the tongue which concerns on an Example. It is a figure which shows the correlation of the tongue coating area | region estimation method in the spectral image process of the tongue coating amount estimation system which concerns on an Example, and the visual evaluation of a dental hygienist.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms, and is not limited to the examples specifically shown in the following embodiments and examples.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a tongue coating amount estimation system (hereinafter referred to as “the present system”) 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, the present system 1 includes a light emitting element 2 that emits light having a peak in a range of 350 nm to 450 nm toward the observation subject's tongue, and a light reception that receives fluorescence emitted from the observation subject's tongue. An element 3 and an estimation device 4 that estimates the amount of tongue coating based on the amount of fluorescent light received by the light receiving element 3 are provided.

  In the present system 1, the light emitting element 2 can emit light having a peak in a predetermined range toward the observation subject's tongue as described above. In this system, the amount of tongue coating can be estimated by irradiating the observation subject's tongue surface with this light and observing the fluorescence emitted from the tongue coating.

  In the present system 1, the light emitted from the light emitting element 2 has a peak in the range of 350 nm to 450 nm as described above, and more preferably has a peak in the range of 360 nm to 440 nm. More preferably, it has a peak in the vicinity of 405 nm. By setting it as this range, the intensity | strength of the fluorescence emitted from tongue coating can be raised. Here, “near” means that the value is in the range of about plus or minus 2 nm from this value.

  The structure of the light-emitting element 2 in the present system 1 is not limited as long as it can have the above-described function. For example, an LED emits light with a light emission efficiency and a relatively narrow wavelength range. It is preferable from the viewpoint that can be achieved.

  Further, in the present system 1, the cross section is a curved surface, preferably a parabolic shape so that the light emitted from the light emitting element 2 can be effectively directed toward the observer's tongue. The support member 21 is preferably provided. And by fixing the light emitting element 2 to this and emitting light, it becomes possible to efficiently direct light to the observation subject's tongue.

  In this case, a plurality of light emitting elements 2 are preferably provided. By providing a plurality, it is possible to direct light from multiple directions to the tongue of the person to be observed, and to prevent estimation errors due to directions. Although it is not necessarily limited as an example of arrangement | positioning, For example, it is preferable to arrange about 4-10 light emitting elements 2 in a circle. An example of such a case is shown in FIG.

  In addition, the light emitted from the light emitting element 2 of the present system 1 is light close to the ultraviolet region although it is in the visible region, and it is not preferable to irradiate the observation subject for a long time. For this reason, another light emitting element 22 that can emit light outside the wavelength range emitted by the light emitting element 2, more specifically, a light emitting element 22 that can emit light in the visible region on the longer wavelength side is disposed. It is preferable that the other light emitting element 22 emit light except during measurement, and the light emitting element 2 emits light while stopping the light emission of the other light emitting element 22 during measurement. In addition, it is preferable that it is LED like the said light emitting element 2 as a structure of the said other light emitting element 22. FIG.

  In the system 1, the light emitting element 2 is connected to a control device 5, and the emission of the light is controlled by the control device 5. The control device 5 may be provided as a function of the estimation device 4.

  Moreover, in this system 1, the light receiving element 3 receives the fluorescence emitted from the observation subject's tongue as described above. When the tongue coating on the observation subject's tongue is irradiated with light by the light emitting element 2, fluorescence having a peak in a specific wavelength region is generated. Since the intensity of this fluorescence has a strong correlation with the amount of tongue coating, the amount of tongue coating attached to the tongue can be estimated by observing this fluorescence.

  Further, in the present system 1, the fluorescence is not limited as long as it is a fluorescence that absorbs and emits light based on the light emitting element 2, but is preferably light in a range of 550 nm to 750 nm. The light is preferably in the range of 600 nm to 700 nm, more preferably in the vicinity of 650 nm. By setting it as this range, the fluorescence produced by tongue coating can be determined efficiently. FIG. 3 shows an example of fluorescent spectral radiance based on tongue coating.

  An example of the light receiving element 3 in the system 1 is not limited as long as the light receiving element 3 has the above function. For example, an imaging apparatus such as a camera including an element such as a CCD can be exemplified. The imaging device is preferable from the viewpoint of being able to obtain image data two-dimensionally and easily grasping where tongue coating is attached to the tongue. In this case, when the imaging device can receive light in a wide wavelength region, it is preferable to provide a filter for extracting light in a desired wavelength range before the light receiving element. By providing a filter, it is possible to block light outside the desired range.

  Moreover, the estimation apparatus 4 in this system 1 can estimate the amount of tongue coating based on the light quantity of the fluorescence which the light receiving element 3 received as above-mentioned. The configuration of the estimation device 4 is not limited as long as it has the above function, but it is preferable to use an information processing device such as a so-called personal computer. The configuration of the information processing apparatus is not particularly limited. For example, the information processing apparatus includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a recording device such as a hard disk, a temporary recording device such as a memory, and a bus line that connects them. It is preferable. By using a so-called personal computer, it is possible to acquire information on the amount of fluorescence received by the light receiving element 3 as image data, and it is possible to estimate the amount of tongue coating by processing this image data.

  In the present system 1, as described above, light having a specific wavelength is emitted from the light emitting element 2 toward the observation subject's tongue, and the fluorescence emitted from the tongue coating attached to the observation subject's tongue is received by the light receiving element 3. By observing and measuring the intensity of this fluorescence, the amount of tongue coating and its distribution can be estimated according to this intensity.

  Here, as a precaution, a tongue coating amount estimation method (hereinafter referred to as “the present method”) using the present system will be described. As is clear from the above description, the present method (1) emits light having a peak in the range of 350 nm or more and 450 nm or less toward the observation subject's tongue, and (2) fluorescence emitted from the observation subject's tongue. (3) The amount of tongue coating is estimated based on the amount of fluorescence.

  As described above, the present invention can provide a tongue coating amount estimation system and a tongue coating amount estimation method that can estimate tongue coating in a non-contact manner.

  Here, the above system was actually created and the effect was confirmed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a supporting member and eight LEDs as light emitting elements are arranged in a circle on the supporting member, and a single lens reflex camera is fixed as a light receiving element near the center of the supporting member, thereby producing a system. . Further, as other light emitting elements, three white LEDs were arranged between the eight LEDs. Moreover, in order to photograph fluorescence clearly, optical filters having cutoff frequencies of 470 nm and 610 nm were used.

  And when the said LED was irradiated to the tongue and this spectral radiance was measured, the fluorescence with a peak around 650 nm as shown in the said FIG. 3 was observed. Further, the normal image of the tongue and the image obtained by photographing the fluorescence in this case are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

  Here, as a confirmation of the effect of this system, a tongue coating region estimation method in spectral image processing of this system and a visual evaluation of a dental hygienist were performed. The result is shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, when the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient is obtained, R = 0.64 (p <0.001), and the fluorescence image photographed by this system is significantly correlated with the amount of tongue coating. It was done. It should be noted that there was no correlation between the tongue coating region estimation method by normal processing of normal images and the visual evaluation of a dental hygienist.

  As mentioned above, the effectiveness of this system has been confirmed by the present Example.

The present invention has industrial applicability as a tongue coating amount estimation system and tongue coating amount estimation method.

Claims (6)

A light emitting element that emits light having a peak in a range of 350 nm or more and 450 nm or less toward an observation subject's tongue;
A light receiving element that receives fluorescence emitted from the tongue of the observation subject;
An estimation device for estimating the amount of tongue coating based on the amount of fluorescence received by the light receiving element.   The tongue coating amount estimation system according to claim 1, wherein the light in the ultraviolet region has a peak in the vicinity of 405 nm.   The tongue coating amount estimation system according to claim 1, wherein the fluorescence has a peak in a range of 600 nm to 700 nm. Emits light having a peak in the range of 350 nm to 450 nm toward the observer's tongue,
Receiving fluorescence emitted from the tongue of the subject,
A method for estimating the amount of tongue coating based on the amount of fluorescent light.   The method for estimating the amount of tongue coating according to claim 4, wherein the light in the ultraviolet region has a peak in the vicinity of 405 nm. The method for estimating the amount of tongue coating according to claim 4, wherein the fluorescence has a peak in a range of 600 nm to 700 nm.