JP4636166B2 - Optical biometric device and holder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a holder for mounting an element on a living body and an optical biometric apparatus such as an oxygen monitor that measures changes in blood dynamics in the living body, and the optical biometric apparatus particularly includes a plurality of light transmitting devices that irradiate a living body with measurement light. The present invention relates to a multichannel optical biometric apparatus including a probe and a plurality of light receiving probes that receive transmitted scattered light from a measurement site.

After irradiating a living body with near-infrared light, absorbing or scattering inside the living body, receiving light emitted from inside the living body, and using the difference in spectrum between oxygenated hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin Oxygen monitors that measure the relative changes and absolute amounts of deoxygenated hemoglobin in a non-invasive manner are known.

In addition, a device that obtains an image output or an output approximate to an image by increasing the number of detectors of the oxygen monitor and arranging the detectors two-dimensionally has been put on the market. These are called multi-channel oxygen monitors.

In a multi-channel oxygen monitor, a mounting tool called a holder is used to bring a probe (tip portion of an optical fiber) connected to a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit into contact with a subject in a predetermined arrangement. In a multi-channel oxygen monitor that measures the human head, a holder molded according to the shape of the head mounting part is used. The molding holder has a plurality of holes for fixing the probe, and the probe of the light transmitting part and the light receiving part is loaded into these holes, so that the distance between the probes becomes constant, and the reflected light is specified at that position. It is guaranteed to obtain depth information. The interval between these probes is called a channel. Generally, when the channel length is 3 cm, it is considered that information with a depth of 1.5 cm to 2 cm from the midpoint of the channel can be obtained. This almost corresponds to the brain surface region at that position, and information related to brain activity can be obtained.

However, since the curvature of the head varies depending on gender differences, age differences, and individual differences, the molded holder does not necessarily match the subject, and the holder does not adhere to the head. As a result, data may not be obtained when the tip of the probe floats off the scalp. Even if the tip of the probe is extended so that it can be in close contact with the head, accurate data cannot be obtained because the distance between the tip of the light transmitting probe and the tip of the light receiving probe changes.

Generally, a holder in which the positions of the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe are fixed cannot be arranged on spherical surfaces having different curvatures.
In order to measure a wide area of a subject with a measuring device using light and to easily cope with a case where there is a difference in shape from subject to subject, a holding unit holding each optical fiber is provided. These optical fiber holders are arranged in a grid pattern on the specimen surface, and are connected to each other by a connecting part that exhibits elasticity within a predetermined range. Further, this connecting part has rotational variability within a predetermined angle. It has been proposed to use a holder having such a structure (see Patent Document 1).

However, when the elastic member is used to bring the holder into close contact with the head as proposed, it is possible to place the holder approximately on the spherical surface by applying stress to the holder. The distance between the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe, that is, the channel length also changes due to stress strain, and accurate measurement cannot be performed.

As one method for solving such a problem, as an alternative to the holder, a flexible shell part holding a plurality of probes is used, and the central part probe is connected in one direction as the shell part. In addition, there has been proposed one having a plurality of branch-like portions extending on both sides from the connection shaft in a direction perpendicular to the connection shafts of these probes, and holding other probes on those branch-like portions (see Patent Document 2). .)
JP 2002-143169 A JP 2001-286449 A

In the proposed shell part, when the shell part is applied to the head and deformed so as to match the shape of the head, the probe held on the same branch part unless the shell part is stretchable The spacing between them is kept constant, but the spacing between probes held on different branches changes. Therefore, a channel configured by a pair of a light transmitting probe and a light receiving probe that receives transmitted scattered light by measurement light from the light transmitting probe can be configured only in the same branch portion. Therefore, there is a problem that the amount of information obtained with respect to the number of light transmitting probes and light receiving probes arranged is reduced.

Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a holder that can be easily adapted to the shape of a subject.
The second object of the present invention is to realize an optical biometric apparatus using the holder.

The holder of the present invention is a holder for holding a plurality of elements and attaching them to a measurement site, and supports a socket for holding the elements one by one and a pair of the sockets at regular intervals, and supports A plurality of holder parts connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object, and to the normal direction of the surface of the measurement object. This is a net-like body in which the angle of the holder part is variable.

In one example, the holder part is flexible and has two holes spaced at regular intervals, and the socket is inserted into the hole and can be rotated between the holder parts in a tangential plane on the surface of the object to be measured. To be linked.
In another example, the holder part includes a spherical body at both ends, and the socket includes a plurality of recesses that are fitted on the side surface of the spherical body and are rotatably supported around the spherical body.

The socket may be provided with a fixing mechanism for fixing the holder part so as not to rotate.
A diagonal member that defines the length of the diagonal in the diagonal direction of the quadrangle formed by the socket and the holder component is further provided, and the diagonal member is also connected to the holder component by the socket. You can also

Provide at least two long side members in which three or more socket holes are arranged, and the holder parts or other long side members are connected to the holes of the long side members by the socket. You can also.
Although the material which comprises this holder is not specifically limited, It is preferable that all the members are comprised from the nonmagnetic material depending on the use.

The apparatus further comprises a mounting tool for fixing the holder to the head of the human body, the mounting tool comprising a belt wound around the head and a fixing component for removably fixing the end of the holder to the belt. It can also be.

The optical biometric apparatus of the present invention uses the holder of the present invention, and includes a light transmitting probe and a light receiving probe as elements held in a socket, and the light transmitting probe is provided from the light transmitting unit to a living body measurement site. It is configured to irradiate measurement light, and the light receiving probe is associated with light transmitted and scattered from the measurement site by the measurement light irradiated by the front light probe.

With the light-transmitting probe as the origin, the position of the light-receiving probe is a polar coordinate variable (r, θ, φ) (where r is the distance between the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe, and θ is the approximation of the surface of the object to be measured as a spherical surface. The angle to the normal direction of the spherical surface, φ is the angle in the tangential plane of the spherical surface), and only the distance r between the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe is constant, and θ and φ can move freely. If it is possible to create a holder that can be used, it can be placed on spherical surfaces with different curvatures. In fact, since the light receiving probe is not a point but a certain size, there are three more degrees of freedom. This degree of freedom defines the direction of the probe, and it is desirable that the probe be arranged perpendicular to the tangent plane of the curved surface. Of these three degrees of freedom, it is considered that two of them can be substituted by the above-mentioned θ and φ. Therefore, it is desirable to further add a mechanism that enables axial rotation at the coupling site.

According to the holder of the present invention, the plurality of holder parts are connected by the socket so as to be rotatable in the tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object, and the angle of the holder part with respect to the normal direction of the surface of the measurement object is variable. Therefore, stable contact can be achieved with a head having various parts with different curvatures.

If the socket is equipped with a fixing mechanism that fixes the holder parts in a non-rotatable manner, the shape that approximates the curvature of the head is fixed by the fixing mechanism, so that the curvature does not collapse and the shape is maintained. Is possible. For this reason, the external force caused by mounting and movement of the probe does not deform the shape and the holder has excellent adhesion, and when applied to an optical biometric apparatus, it is resistant to the movement of the measurement object, Data with a high N (signal to noise) ratio can be obtained.
Further, if the shape of the holder is fixed for each person to be measured, the measurement can be performed at the same position even in the measurement performed with a long time, and the data can be compared with high accuracy.

When a diagonal member that defines the length of the diagonal line of the quadrangle formed by the socket and the holder part is further provided, and the diagonal member is also connected to the holder part by the socket. Since the holder part and the diagonal member form a triangle with three side lengths defined, the position of each socket (the position of the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe when applied to the optical biometric apparatus) is curved. It is uniquely determined according to As described above, since the holder conforms to an arbitrary curved surface and the position of each socket is uniquely determined, reproducible data can be obtained. Furthermore, since the effect of blocking disturbance light can be obtained, more stable data can be obtained.

Even when it is provided with at least two long side members in which three or more socket holes are arranged, and holder parts or other long side members are connected to the holes of these long side members by sockets, The result is that it conforms to an arbitrary curved surface and the position of each socket is uniquely determined, so that reproducible data can be obtained.

When all the members constituting the holder are made of a nonmagnetic material, it is possible to cope with measurement using magnetism such as NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance tomography). As such an application, for example, NMR imaging may be performed by attaching a magnetic light emitting element as an element to each socket as a marker. By such imaging, the head surface position can be shown in the NMR image.

In the case where the holder has a mounting tool for fixing the holder to the head of the human body, and the mounting tool has a belt wound around the head and a fixing part that detachably fixes the end of the holder to the belt. The holder can be stably attached to the head, and when this holder is used for an optical biometric apparatus, the measurement accuracy is improved.

In the optical biometric apparatus equipped with the holder of the present invention, since the distance between the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe is always kept constant, the S / N ratio is high, accurate and highly reproducible in all channels. Data is obtained. Moreover, it is possible to cope with various head shapes having individual differences from infants to adults.

An example of a holder part is one that has two holes that are flexible and spaced at regular intervals. In this case, the socket is inserted into the hole and connects the holder parts so as to be rotatable in a tangential plane of the surface of the object to be measured.

In this embodiment, the distance between the two holes of the holder part is a channel, and the length thereof is r described above. Since the holder part is flexible, the angle θ in the normal direction of the spherical surface can be freely changed. Further, since the holder part is pivotally connected by the socket in the tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object, the angle φ in the tangential plane can be freely changed.

Another form of the holder part is provided with spherical bodies at both ends. The socket in that case is provided with a plurality of recesses that are fitted with a spherical body of the holder part on the side surface and are rotatably supported around the spherical body. For example, the socket where the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe are attached is connected with a holder part that is neither flexible nor stretchable, and the connecting part is an angle within the tangential plane of the curved surface, such as a shoulder ball joint In addition, a rotation mechanism that enables the rotation of the curved surface in the normal direction and the angle in the axial direction of the probe has a rotating mechanism, and a plurality of these holder parts are connected by a socket.

In this embodiment, the distance between the spherical bodies at both ends of the holder part is a channel, and the length is r described above. Since the spherical body of the holder part and the recess of the socket are rotatably connected around the spherical body, the angle θ in the normal direction of the spherical surface, the angle φ in the tangential plane of the spherical surface, and the probe axis The angle to the direction can be changed freely.

In a more preferred form, a mounting tool for fixing the holder to the head of the human body is provided. The mounting tool includes a belt wound around the head and a fixing component that removably fixes the tip of the holder to the belt. As such a belt and a fixing part, a hook-and-loop fastener composed of a hook and a loop is preferable.

Although the material which comprises a holder is not specifically limited, It needs to have no elasticity, For example, a polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetal etc. are preferable. These resins are also non-magnetic.

Next, examples will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the components necessary for one embodiment. Reference numeral 2 denotes a holder part having holes 4 and 4 into which sockets are fitted at both ends. The holder part 2 is made of polypropylene having a width of 2 cm and a thickness of 0.1 mm, has no stretchability, and has flexibility only in the thickness direction. The distance between the holes 4 and 4 is the channel length, for example, the length is 3 cm.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a female socket for mounting and holding one light transmitting probe and one light receiving probe, and a female screw into which the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe are screwed is provided inside. A screw is also provided on the outside of the socket 6, and the nut 8 is screwed into the screw while being inserted into the hole 4 of the holder part 2.

The screw and the nut 8 outside the socket 6 are an example of a fixing mechanism. Two holder parts are sandwiched between the socket 6 and the nut 8, and the socket 6 and the nut 8 are tightened to change the angle between the two holder parts. Can be fixed.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a light transmitting probe or a light receiving probe. The light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe are formed in the same outer shape, and are screwed into the socket 6 and attached.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the two holder parts 2 are overlapped with one hole 4 and the socket 6 is inserted into the overlapped hole 4 and attached with a nut 8. A light transmitting probe or a light receiving probe 10 is attached to the socket 6.

When the tightening between the socket 6 and the nut 8 is loosened, the two holder parts 2 can be rotated, and the angle formed by the two holder parts 2 can be adjusted. Further, when the tightening between the socket 6 and the nut 8 is strengthened, the two holder parts 2 are fixed and the angle between them is fixed, and the shape of the entire holder composed of the socket 6, the nut 8 and the holder part 2 is fixed. The

In this way, a plurality of holder parts 2 are connected to form a net-like body as shown in FIG. At this time, by adjusting the screw tightening of the socket 6 and the nut 8, the angle within the tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object at the portion where the plurality of holder parts 2 are coupled can be arbitrarily adjusted.

Further, in order to be able to adjust the angle within the tangent plane of the surface of the measurement object for each step, a small concave portion is provided around the inside of the hole 4 of the holder part 2 and is in contact with the inside of the hole 4. A small ball mechanism may be incorporated in the side surface of the socket 6.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the holder 12 configured using the holder part 2, the socket 6 and the nut 8. In this embodiment, the sockets 6 are arranged on a square lattice. Light emitting probes and light receiving probes are alternately mounted on these sockets, and a channel is formed between adjacent light transmitting probes and light receiving probes, and absorbance is measured in each channel. Therefore, in this example, there are 40 channels.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the holder 12 thus configured in a net shape is applied to the head. The spherical surface of the head cannot be approximated by a square lattice, and the distortion increases with increasing distance from a certain point. In this embodiment, the flexibility of the holder part 2 enables movement in the angle θ direction to the normal direction of the spherical surface, and the holder part 2 can be rotated by the socket 6 in the tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object. Since they are connected, they can also move in the direction of the angle φ in the tangential plane, so that the square lattice can be deformed along the spherical surface, and the probe mounted on the socket 6 can be moved with respect to any spherical surface. It becomes possible to make it adhere.

The shape of the holder 12 can be fixed by tightening between the socket 6 and the nut 8 with the head mounted as shown in FIG. Since the fixed shape is unique to the person to be measured, the measurement can be performed at the same measurement position even when the holder is detached from the head and mounted again for measurement.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the holder is assembled in a lattice shape, the sum of the inner angles of the lattice is always 360 degrees on a plane having no curvature. However, when deformation is applied along the curved surface such as the head by the flexible holder part 2, the sum of the inner angles of the lattice does not become 360 degrees. Usually, it becomes larger than 360 degrees. Therefore, in this state, when the coupling part of the holder part 2 is fixed, the holder part 2 can no longer return to the plane, and the curvature is maintained. In the case where the holder part is configured in a triangular shape, the curvature is maintained when the sum of the inner angles deviates from 180 degrees.

FIG. 4 also shows a mounting tool for fixing the holder 12 to the head. The mounting tool includes a belt 14 that is wound around the head and a fixing component 16 that removably fixes the tip of the holder 12 to the belt 14. The belt 14 and the fixing component 16 are hook and loop fasteners.

Thus, since the holder 12 can be fixed to the belt 14 wound around the head, for example, the blood flow of the brain is measured by moving the jaw compared to a wearing device that covers the belt with the jaw and fixes the holder. Also in the measurement, the position of the probe is not affected by the movement of the jaw, and an accurate measurement is possible.

The present invention is characterized in that the coupling portion of the holder is deformable, and does not define the coupling mechanism or the coupling form of how to arrange the parts. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the connection form in which the sockets 6 are arranged on a square lattice is used. However, the connection form in which the sockets 6 are arranged on a triangular lattice may be used.

FIG. 5 shows a holder part and a socket according to another embodiment. In this embodiment, the holder component 20 is made of a hard resin having spherical bodies 22 and 22 at both ends, and has neither stretchability nor flexibility. The socket 24 is provided with a plurality of recesses 26 that are fitted with a spherical body 22 on the side surface and are rotatably supported around the spherical body 22. The connection between the concave portion 26 of the socket 24 and the spherical body 22 of the holder part 20 is performed by, for example, an angle in a tangential plane of a curved surface, an angle in a normal direction of the curved surface, and the socket 24, such as a shoulder ball joint. Allows the probe to be rotated at an angle in the axial direction (shown by a chain line in FIG. 5B).
By connecting the holder component 20 with the socket 24, it is possible to configure a holder made of a mesh as shown in FIG. 3 or other mesh.

The socket 24 of FIG. 5 can also be provided with a fixing mechanism for stopping the rotation of the spherical body 22 fitted in the recess 26. As such a fixing mechanism, a screw hole connected to the recess 26 from the surface of the socket 24, a screw in the screw hole being screwed, and the spherical body 22 is pushed and fixed at the tip of the screw can be exemplified. .

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment, in which a diagonal length is defined in the diagonal direction of the quadrangular lattice formed by the socket 6 and the holder part 2 of the holder 12 shown in FIG. The member 30 is further provided. The diagonal member 30 also has holes at both ends, and the holes and the holes of the holder part 2 are overlapped and connected by the socket 6. As an example, the length between the holes of the diagonal member 30 is configured to be √2 times the length of one side of the lattice, but the length between the holes of the diagonal member 30 is the length of one side of the lattice. Not only √2 times the length, but also longer and shorter ones are prepared according to the curvature to be constructed by this holder.

By attaching the diagonal members 30 in the diagonal direction of the lattice in this way, the quadrangular lattice included in the holder is formed of triangles having three side lengths. The position (position of the light transmitting probe and the light receiving probe) is uniquely determined according to the curved surface. In addition, when the sum of the interior angles of the constructed triangle is 180 degrees, the result is that the triangle is adapted to a flat shape, and as the sum of the interior angles of the triangle becomes larger than 180 degrees, the degree of curvature increases. The result is adapted to the corresponding convex curved surface. On the contrary, when the sum of the inner angles of the triangle is smaller than 180 degrees, the result is adapted to the concave curved surface.
Even when the shape of the holder is adapted to the measurement object using the diagonal member 30, the shape of the holder can be fixed by tightening the socket 6 and the nut 8.

FIG. 7 shows still another embodiment, which includes at least two long side members 40a and 40b in which three or more socket holes are arranged, and the socket 6 is provided in the hole of the long side member 40a (40b). Thus, the holder part 2 or the other long side member 40b (40a) is connected. Here, two long side members 40a and 40b are used.

The two long side members 40a and 40b are joined so as to intersect with each other, and are fixed so that their angles do not change, thereby introducing two non-rotatable shafts (40a and 40b). The holder part 2 is composed of a member having a length connecting between the sockets 6, whereas the long side members 40 a and 40 b are composed of a member having a length extending over three or more sockets 6. In the embodiment, long side members 40a and 40b having a length extending over seven sockets 6 are used. The angle formed by the intersection of the long side members 40a and 40b need not be 90 degrees, and the long side members 40a and 40b need not be linear.

Since the angle at the intersection of these two long side members 40a and 40b and the position of the socket 6 on the long side members 40a and 40b are defined, the position of the intersection of the long side members 40a and 40b (for example, an electroencephalograph) If the position of Cz in the international 10/20 method) is determined, the position of the socket 6 on these long side members 40a and 40b is also determined. Therefore, if the curved surface to which the holder is adapted is determined, the position of the socket 6 indicated by reference numerals 42-1 to 42-4 is determined from the position of the socket 6 adjacent to the intersection on the long side members 40a and 40b. It is determined. And when those positions 42-1 to 42-4 are determined, the position of the socket 6 next to those positions 42-1 to 42-4 is defined by the length of the holder part 2, One after another, the position of the socket 6 is determined. Thus, by determining the curved surface, the position of the socket 6 is uniquely determined.

The holder of the present invention can be used to position an element such as a flowb at a predetermined position on a living body including an optical biometric apparatus.

It is a figure which shows the components in one Example, (A) is a top view which shows holder components, (B) is a perspective view which shows a socket, (C) is a perspective view which shows a nut, (D) is a perspective view which shows a probe. It is. (A) is a top view which shows the state which connected the holder components with the socket, (B) is sectional drawing of the connection part. It is a top view which shows one Example of the comprised holder. It is a front view which shows the state which mounted | wore the head of the holder of FIG. It is a figure which shows the components in another Example, (A) is a top view which shows a holder component, (B) is a perspective view which shows a socket. It is a top view which shows the holder of another Example. It is a top view which shows the holder of another Example.

Explanation of symbols

2,20 Holder part 4 Holder part hole 6,24 Female socket 8 Nut 10 Light transmitting probe or light receiving probe 12 Holder 14 Belt 16 Fastening part 30 Diagonal members 40a, 40b Long side members

Claims (4)

A holder for holding a plurality of elements and attaching them to a measurement site,

A socket for holding the elements one by one;

A pair of the sockets are supported at regular intervals, and are connected to each other by the supported sockets, including a holder part that has flexibility and does not have elasticity,

A plurality of the holder parts constitute a net-like body connected by the socket so as to be rotatable in a tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object,

It further comprises a diagonal member that defines the length of the diagonal line of the quadrangle formed by the socket and the holder part, and the diagonal member is also connected to the holder part by the socket. And holder. 2. The long side member having three or more socket holes arranged therein is provided, and the holder part or other long side member is connected to the holes of the long side members by the socket. The holder according to any one. A holder for holding a plurality of elements and attaching them to a measurement site,
A socket for holding the elements one by one;

A pair of the sockets are supported at regular intervals, and the supported sockets support each other.
Connected, flexible and non-stretchable holder parts,

A plurality of the holder parts constitute a net-like body connected by the socket so as to be rotatable in a tangential plane of the surface of the measurement object,
Provided with at least two long side members in which three or more holes for the socket are arranged, and these long sides
The holder part or other long side member is connected to the hole of the member by the socket.
Holder characterized by that.
The holder according to claim 1, wherein the socket includes a fixing mechanism that fixes the holder part so as not to rotate.

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