JP5883151B2 - Body moisture meter and display control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vivo moisture meter that measures the amount of moisture in a living body of a subject and a control method thereof.

  It is important to measure the water content of a subject's living body. Dehydration in the living body is a pathological condition in which the water in the living body decreases, and is often expressed during exercise or when the temperature is high when a large amount of water is discharged from the body due to sweating or an increase in body temperature. In particular, in the case of an elderly person, the water retention ability of the living body itself is reduced, and thus dehydration is more likely to occur than in a normal healthy person.

  Usually, it is said that body temperature regulation is impaired when water in the living body is lost by 3% or more of body weight. When a body temperature regulation disorder occurs and the body temperature rises, it causes a further decrease in water in the living body, resulting in a vicious circle, and finally a pathological condition called heat stroke. Heat stroke has pathological conditions such as heat convulsions, heat fatigue, and heat stroke, and sometimes systemic organ damage may occur. For this reason, in order to avoid the risk of causing heat stroke, it is indispensable to accurately grasp the water content of the living body.

  When dehydration occurs, the ability to sweat is reduced and the axilla, which should be a moist environment, dries. In order to capture this phenomenon and easily detect invisible dehydration, the present applicant has proposed a moisture meter in the body that measures the amount of moisture in the body by pressing an electrode against the body surface in the axilla (patent) Reference 1). This moisture meter detects the amount of water in the stratum corneum of the axilla and detects the dry state of the axilla, so it is possible to measure the amount of moisture in the body as easily as measuring the body temperature. It becomes possible to judge the dehydration state.

JP 2012-090878 A

  According to the principle of measuring the amount of water in the moisture meter in the body described in Patent Document 1, since the amount of water can be measured as long as the part can be pressed against the electrode, measurement of the amount of water in various parts of the subject Is possible. The region other than the axilla where it is desired to measure the amount of water includes the oral cavity.

  For example, xerostomia (dry mouth) worsens dental caries and periodontitis, induces aspiration pneumonia due to eating and dysphagia, glossodynia, abnormal taste, and candidiasis. It has various effects on the internal environment. Furthermore, it also triggers worsening of the general condition such as infection caused by reduced immunity in the oral cavity. Therefore, it is important to know the dry state in the oral cavity of a subject with xerostomia, and a method for evaluating oral dryness that can be easily performed is desired.

  Therefore, there is a demand for a moisture meter in the body that can handle the measurement of the amount of water at a plurality of measurement sites, but no such proposal has been proposed at present.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable easy measurement and determination of water content at a plurality of measurement sites of a subject.

In order to achieve the above object, the moisture meter in the body according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An in-vivo moisture meter having an attachment part having an electrode for measuring the amount of water, and a main body part for processing an electric signal from the electrode, wherein the attachment part and the main body part are detachable,
A control means capable of executing a plurality of measurement processes prepared corresponding to each of a plurality of measurement sites, and each of the plurality of measurement processes includes calculating a moisture content from the electrical signal;
A discriminating means for discriminating a measurement site corresponding to the attachment portion by discriminating the type of the attachment portion attached to the main body portion;
Selecting means for selecting the measurement process corresponding to the measurement part determined by the determination means from a plurality of measurement processes corresponding to the plurality of measurement parts and causing the control means to execute the measurement process.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to perform the measurement of a moisture content in a several measurement site | part of a subject, and state determination easily.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The accompanying drawings are included in the specification, constitute a part thereof, show an embodiment of the present invention, and are used to explain the principle of the present invention together with the description.
It is a figure which shows the external appearance structural example of the moisture meter in a body concerning embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the usage condition of the moisture meter in a body by embodiment. It is a figure explaining the attachment or detachment structure of a main-body part and an attachment part. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the moisture meter in a body by embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the measuring circuit of the moisture meter in a body by embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the moisture meter in a body by an embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the moisture meter in a body by an embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the moisture meter in a body by an embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the moisture meter in a body by an embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a display transition in the moisture meter in a body by embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a display transition in the moisture meter in a body by embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a display transition in the moisture meter in a body by embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
<1. External structure of moisture meter in the body>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an external configuration of a moisture meter 100 in the body according to the present embodiment. The moisture meter 100 in the body brings the sensor part 121 into contact with the skin of the axilla, which is the body surface of the subject, and detects the physical quantity according to the electrical signal supplied in the sensor part 121 to thereby determine the amount of moisture in the subject's body. Is detected. In the body moisture meter 100 according to the present embodiment, by measuring the subject's capacitance as the physical quantity (data related to moisture in the living body), the wetness of the skin of the axilla is detected, and the moisture content in the body is determined. calculate. Further, by replacing the attachment unit 120, it is possible to detect the moisture content of the oral cavity and the moisture content of the toes. The physical quantity detected for calculating the amount of water in the body is not limited to the capacitance, and may be, for example, impedance measured by supplying a constant voltage or a constant current to the subject.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vivo moisture meter 100 includes a main body 110 and an attachment 120 that can be attached to and detached from the main body 110. The main body 110 has an upper surface 114, a lower surface 115, and side surfaces 116 and 117 that are formed substantially parallel to the major axis direction (not shown), respectively, and are formed in a straight line as a whole. Various user interfaces are arranged on the housing surface of the main body 110, and an electronic circuit for calculating the amount of moisture in the body is housed inside the housing.

  In the example of FIG. 1, a power switch 111 and a display unit 112 are shown as a user interface. The power switch 111 is disposed in a recess in the rear end surface 113 of the main body 110. By adopting a configuration in which the power switch 111 is arranged in the recess in this way, an erroneous operation of the power switch 111 can be prevented. When the power switch 111 is turned on, power supply from the power supply unit 411 (FIG. 4), which will be described later, to each part of the moisture meter 100 in the body is started, and the moisture meter 100 in the body enters an operating state.

  The display unit 112 is preferably arranged on the side surface 117 of the main body unit 110 slightly forward in the long axis direction. This is because when the moisture content in the body of the subject is measured using the moisture meter 100 in the body, even if the measurer grips the grip region 118, the display unit 112 is completely held by the hand gripped by the measurer. This is so as not to be covered (so that the measurement result can be visually recognized even in a gripped state).

  The display unit 112 displays a moisture content measurement result 131. Moreover, in this embodiment, the attachment part 120 can be attached or detached with the main-body part 110. FIG. For example, the main body 110 has an attachment part for an axilla whose measurement part is an axilla, an attachment part for an oral cavity whose measurement part is an oral cavity, and an attachment part for a toe whose measurement part is a toe. A plurality of types of attachments corresponding to the part can be attached. The region display 132 indicates a region that is an object to be measured by the attachment unit attached to the main body 110.

  The battery display unit 133 displays the remaining amount of the battery (power supply unit 411 in FIG. 3). When an invalid measurement result is obtained or a measurement error is detected, “E” is displayed on the display unit 112 to notify the user to that effect. Note that characters and the like displayed on the display unit 112 are displayed with the upper surface 114 side of the main body unit 110 as the upper side and the lower surface 115 side as the lower side.

  An attachment part 120 of the moisture meter 100 in the body shown in FIG. 1 is an example of an attachment part for an axilla. It is gently curved. A sensor unit 121 is held on the distal end surface 122 of the attachment unit 120 so as to be slidable in the directions of the arrows 141a and 141b.

  The sensor unit 121 has a sensor head 123 having a surface substantially parallel to the distal end surface 122, and in order to ensure the pressure of the sensor head 123 to ensure close contact with the skin, a spring (not shown) It is biased in the direction of arrow 141a (for example, a biasing force of about 150 gf). When the sensor head 123 is pressed against the skin of the subject's axilla, the sensor unit 121 moves in a direction indicated by an arrow 141b (a direction substantially orthogonal to the tip surface 122, that is, a normal direction of the tip surface 122) ( For example, 1 mm to 10 mm (3 mm in this embodiment) is slid and measurement is started by this (hereinafter, the direction of the arrow 141b is referred to as a slide direction).

  Specifically, after the user turns on the power switch 111 to set the in-vivo moisture meter 100 in an operating state, the sensor head 123 has been pressed against the subject's axilla for a predetermined time or longer (for example, 2 seconds or longer). When detected, measurement of the amount of water in the body is started. In the present embodiment, after the user turns on the power switch 111 to set the moisture meter 100 in the operating state, the sensor head 123 is placed on the subject's axilla with a predetermined load (for example, 20 gf to 200 gf, more preferably 100 gf to 190 gf, In this embodiment, when it is detected that pressing is performed at 150 gf), measurement of the body water content is started. With such a mechanism, the degree of adhesion of the sensor head 123 to the axilla during measurement can be made constant.

  An electrode is laid on the contact surface of the sensor head 123 with the subject, and a protective material is provided so as to cover the electrode. Further, the contact surface of the sensor head 123 is not limited to a planar shape, and may be a convex curved surface shape. An example of the shape of such a contact surface is a part of a spherical surface (for example, a spherical surface having a radius of 15 mm).

<2. Usage example of moisture meter in the body>
Next, a usage example of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 having the characteristic external shape will be described. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an example of use of the moisture meter 100 in the body. 2A in FIG. 2 schematically shows the upper left body of the person to be measured, and 2B schematically shows the aa cross section of 2A. It is. As shown in FIG. 2B, the in-vivo moisture meter 100 with the attachment part 120 attached to the main body part 110 is in a state where the sensor part 121 is pressed against the armpit between the left upper arm and the left chest wall of the subject. Measure the amount of water in the subject's body. In pressing the sensor unit 121 against the armpit, the measurer grips the grasping region 118 of the moisture meter 100 in the body with one hand so that the sensor unit 121 faces upward, and from the lower front side of the subject toward the armpit. The sensor unit 121 is inserted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the attachment part 120 of the moisture meter 100 in the body is gently curved, and when inserted from the front lower side of the subject toward the axilla, the front side wall of the upper arm and the moisture meter in the body 100 does not interfere, and the right hand of the measurer can press the sensor unit 121 against the armpit at a substantially right angle without interfering with the upper arm of the subject.

  In addition, since the curved shape of the attachment unit 120 is formed so that the bending direction of the attachment unit 120 and the sliding direction 141 of the sensor unit 121 coincide with each other, the measurer presses along the bending direction 205. The sensor part 121 can be pressed to the armpit at a substantially right angle. Thus, according to the shape of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 according to the present embodiment, even a subject with a deep axilla, such as an elderly person, can easily perform measurement.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an attachment unit 120 having an electrode (sensor unit 121) for measuring the amount of moisture, a measurement circuit 421 for calculating the amount of moisture from an electrical signal obtained from the electrode, and a control unit 401 (see FIG. 4). It is detachable from the main body 110 having a later-described. For example, the attachment unit 120 is an attachment unit having an axilla as a measurement site, and an angle formed by the sliding direction of the sensor unit 121 and the longitudinal direction of the main body unit 110 is 20 degrees to 40 degrees, and the whole is curved and has a distal end portion. Has a shape that becomes narrower.

  Instead of the attachment part 120, the attachment part 120 a can be attached to the main body part 110. The attachment part 120a is an attachment part having the oral cavity as a measurement site, and is provided with a protrusion 351 for hooking and fixing the sensor cover 380 (vinyl cover). From the viewpoint of hygiene and the like, in the in-vivo moisture meter 100 of the present embodiment, it is indispensable to wear a disposable sensor cover 380 in measuring the moisture content of the oral cavity. In addition, the angle formed by the sliding direction of the sensor unit 121 and the longitudinal direction of the main body unit 110 is 45 to 90 degrees, which is an angle at which the oral mucosa can be easily measured under the oral cavity. As shown to 2C of FIG. 2, when measuring the water | moisture content of an oral cavity, the body moisture meter 100 with which the attachment part 120a was mounted | worn with the main-body part 110 is used. When the measurement site of the moisture amount measurement field is the oral cavity, particularly when the moisture amount is measured by pressing the electrode against the tongue, the sensor surface is pressed downward. As described above, when the moisture content of the axilla is measured (2B in FIG. 2), the direction in which the sensor surface is pressed is reversed, so the direction of the curvature of the attachment portion 120a is opposite to that of the attachment portion 120. It has become. As shown in the figure, by shifting the positions of the concave portions 301 to 304 and the convex portions 301a to 304a from the center, the attachment state of the attachment portion 120 to the main body portion 110 is uniquely determined. ing. Needless to say, other modes may be used to uniquely determine the mounting state, for example, the shape of the mounting portion may be a trapezoid.

  In this embodiment, the attachment part 120b which uses a toe as a measurement part is further illustrated. The measurement of the water content of the toes can be used to determine the presence or absence of a neurological disorder, as will be described later. As shown in FIG. 3, the toe attachment part 120b has a structure in which the sensor part 121 is arranged on a flat plate-like member. As shown in FIG. 2D, the moisture content can be measured by placing a plate-like member on a flat surface and stepping on the sensor unit 121 with the toes. It is not essential that the plate-like member and the main body 110 are L-shaped as shown in the figure, and the plate-like member is arranged so that the plate-like plane and the side surface 117 of the main body 110 are parallel to each other. Obviously, it is possible to use a different configuration. In addition, the kind and shape of the attachment part which can be replaced | exchanged are not limited to these.

  In FIG. 3, when the axilla attachment portion 120 is attached to the main body portion 110, the convex portions provided on the attachment portion 120 are provided in the concave portions 301 and 303 provided on the panel orthogonal to the panel on which the display portion 112 of the main body portion 110 exists. The parts 301a and 303a are fitted. Further, the pins 311 a and 312 a of the attachment part 120 are inserted into the electrode holes 311 and 312 of the main body part 110. The pins 311 a and 312 a are respectively connected to electrodes provided in the sensor head 123, and these are inserted into the electrode holes 311 and 312, whereby an electric signal from the electrode of the sensor unit 121 is transmitted to the main body 110. The recesses 301 to 304 and the projections 301a to 304a are provided with electrodes so as to be in contact with each other in the fitted state. The attachment of the axilla attachment 120 is detected because the convex portions 301a and 303a are fitted in the concave portions 301 and 303, and the concave portions 302 and 304 are open (FIG. 4). Will be described later).

  Moreover, when the attachment part 120a for oral cavity is attached to the main body part 110, the panel (panel constituting the side surface 117) on which the display unit 112 of the main body part 110 is present and the panel (panel constituting the side surface 116) opposite thereto are provided. The convex portions 302a and 304a provided in the attachment portion 120a are fitted into the concave portions 302 and 304 provided. Further, the pins 311 a and 312 a of the attachment part 120 a are inserted into the electrode holes 311 and 312 of the main body part 110. Note that the attachment portion 120a for the oral cavity is being attached because the convex portions 302a and 304a are fitted in the concave portions 302 and 304, and the concave portions 301 and 303 are in an open state ( This will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Similarly, when the attachment part 120b for toes is attached to the main body part 110, the convex parts 301a, 302a, and 303a provided on the attachment part 120b are formed in the concave parts 301, 302, and 303 provided on the panel of the main body part 110. Mating. Further, the pins 311 a and 312 a of the attachment part 120 a are inserted into the electrode holes 311 and 312 of the main body part 110. The attachment of the toe attachment portion 120b is detected because the convex portions 301a, 302a, and 303a are fitted in the concave portions 301, 302, and 303 (described later with reference to FIG. 4).

<3. Functional configuration of body moisture meter>
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the moisture meter 100 in the body according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 4, the control unit 401 includes a CPU 402 and a memory 403, and the CPU 402 executes various programs in the body moisture meter 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 403.

  For example, the CPU 402 performs display control of the display unit 112, which will be described later with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6A to 6C, FIG. 7, drive control of the buzzer 422 and the vibrator 423, measurement of moisture in the body (capacitance measurement in the present embodiment), and the like. Execute. The memory 403 includes a nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is used as a program memory, and the volatile memory is used as a working memory for the CPU 402.

  The power supply unit 411 has a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery, and supplies power to each part of the moisture meter 100 in the body. The voltage regulator 412 supplies a constant voltage (for example, 2.3 V) to the control unit 401 and the like. The remaining battery level detection unit 413 detects the remaining battery level based on the voltage value supplied from the power source unit 411 and notifies the control unit 401 of the detection result. The control unit 401 controls the display of the battery display unit 133 on the display unit 112 based on the remaining battery level detection signal from the remaining battery level detection unit 413.

  When the power switch 111 is pressed, power supply from the power supply unit 411 to each unit is started. And if the control part 401 detects that pressing by the user of the power switch 111 continued for 1 second or more, it will make the moisture meter 100 in a body into a power-on state. That is, the control unit 401 maintains power supply to each unit from the power supply unit 411, and puts the moisture meter 100 in the body into an operating state. As described above, the measurement switch 414 is turned on when the sensor unit 121 is pushed a predetermined amount or more in the direction of the arrow 141a. When the control unit 401 detects that the ON state of the measurement switch 414 has continued for a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), the control unit 401 starts measuring the moisture content. In order to prevent exhaustion of the power supply unit 411, if the measurement does not start even after 5 minutes have passed since the in-vivo moisture meter 100 is in the operating state, the control unit 401 automatically turns on the in-vivo moisture meter 100. Transition to the off state.

  The measurement circuit 421 is connected to the sensor head 123 included in the attachment unit 120 via the electrode holes 311 and 312 and the pins 311a and 312a, and measures the capacitance. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the measurement circuit 421. The operational amplifiers 501 and 502, the resistors 503 and 504, and the subject capacitor 510 form a CR oscillation circuit. Since the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 changes depending on the subject volume 510, the control unit 401 calculates the subject volume 510 by measuring the frequency of the output signal 505. The control unit 401 further converts the subject volume 510 into the amount of moisture in the body and displays it as the measurement result 131 on the display unit 112. In the sensor head 123 of the present embodiment, for example, two comb-shaped electrodes are arranged so that the respective comb teeth are alternately arranged, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  Returning to FIG. The projections 301a to 304a of the attachment parts 120, 120a, and 120b and the recesses 301 to 304 of the main body part 110 are provided with electrodes so as to come into contact with each other in the fitted state. In the main body 110, the electrodes provided in the recesses 303 and 304 are connected to the ground level. The type discriminating unit 450 determines the type of the attached attachment unit 120 or 120a based on an electrical signal obtained through the electrodes provided in the recesses 301 and 302. In the axilla attachment portion 120, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrodes provided on the convex portions 301a and 303a are short-circuited. When such an axilla attachment part 120 is attached, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrodes provided in the recesses 301 of the main body part 110 are connected to the ground level via the electrodes provided in the protrusions 301a and 303a. It becomes. The type discriminating unit 450 identifies the attachment unit 120 for elderly people by detecting that the electrode of the recess 301 is at the ground level and the electrode of the recess 302 is in a floating state.

  Moreover, in the attachment part 120a for oral cavity, the electrode provided in the convex parts 302a and 304a is short-circuited. When the attachment part 120a for oral cavity is attached, the electrode of the recessed part 302 will be in a ground level, and the electrode of the recessed part 301 will be in a floating state. The type discriminating unit 450 detects that the attachment unit 120a is being mounted by detecting this state. Similarly, in the toe attachment portion 120b, the electrodes provided on the convex portions 301a, 302a, and 303a are short-circuited. When the toe attachment 120b is attached, the electrodes of the recess 301 and the recess 302 are both at the ground level. The type discriminating unit 450 detects that the attachment unit 120b is being mounted by detecting this state.

  As described above, the type discriminating unit 450 discriminates the type of the attached attachment unit by checking which concave electrode is at the ground level. In this embodiment, for example, the protrusions 302a and 304a are not present in the attachment part 120. However, if the short circuit state between the electrodes is as described above, the protrusions 301a and 303a may be present. It doesn't matter. Needless to say, the method for determining the type of attachment portion is not limited to this. For example, a mechanical switch that is turned on by inserting the convex portions 301a to 304a may be provided in the concave portions 301 to 304, and the type of the attachment portion may be determined based on the state of these switches.

  The display unit 112 performs display as described in FIG. 1 or display described later with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8C under the control of the control unit 401. The buzzer 422 rings when the measurement starts when the sensor unit 121 is pressed or when the moisture content in the body is completed, and notifies the user of the start or completion of the measurement. The vibrator 423 also performs the same notification as the buzzer 422. That is, the vibrator 423 is driven when measurement by pressing the sensor unit 121 or measurement of the moisture content in the body is completed, and notifies the user of the measurement start or completion. The timer unit 424 operates by receiving power supply from the power source unit 411 even when the power is off, and notifies the control unit 401 of the time in the operating state.

<4. Operation of body moisture meter>
The operation of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 according to this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6A to 6C and FIG. The processing shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C is started when the main body 110 is turned on by pressing the power switch 111.

  First, in step S <b> 601, the control unit 401 uses the type determining unit 450 to determine the type of attached attachment unit. In the present embodiment, any one of the above-described axilla attachment portion 120, oral cavity attachment portion 120a, and toe attachment portion 120b is determined. In addition, when any attachment part is not mounted | worn, the notification to that effect is performed, for example by sounding the buzzer 422 with a predetermined pattern.

  When the attached attachment part is determined to be the axillary attachment part 120, the measurement site is determined to be the axilla, and a measurement process for determining the dehydrated state by measuring the amount of water in the body with the axilla (step S611 in FIG. 6A) S616) is executed. Moreover, when the attachment part currently mounted | worn is determined to be the attachment part 120a for oral cavity, a measurement site | part is determined to an oral cavity, the measurement process which measures the moisture content in a body in an oral cavity and evaluates the dry state of an oral cavity (FIG. 6B). Steps S621 to S626) are executed. Further, when it is determined that the attached attachment part is the toe attachment part 120b, the measurement site is determined to be the toe, and the water content in the toe is measured to determine whether there is a neurological disorder. Measurement processing for performing (steps S631 to S639 in FIG. 6C) is executed. As described above, the control unit 401 according to the present embodiment can execute a plurality of measurement processes (each process includes calculation of the amount of water) prepared corresponding to each of the plurality of measurement sites. The measurement process corresponding to the measurement site determined according to the type is selected and executed.

  When the type discriminating unit 450 detects that the attachment unit 120 for the orbit is mounted and the measurement site is determined to be an axilla, first, in step S611, the control unit 401 determines whether or not the dehydration state is present. Set a reference value for the moisture content. In the present embodiment, a fixed numerical value of 35%, for example, is used as the reference value of the moisture amount whether or not it is in the dehydrated state. In step S612, the control unit 401 displays “axillary” as the region display 132 and indicates the start of measurement in order to indicate that the attached attachment unit is for the axilla and the moisture measurement site is the axilla. The prompting comment is displayed on the display unit 112. An example of this display is shown as a display 801 in FIG. 8A.

  Next, in step S613, the amount of moisture in the body is measured. The measurement process of the moisture content in the body will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S701, the control unit 401 waits to detect a measurement start instruction. In the present embodiment, the state of the measurement switch 414 is monitored, and it is determined that the measurement start instruction has been detected when the measurement switch 414 remains on for 2 seconds or longer. Note that the user may be notified of the start of measurement by driving the buzzer 422 and / or the vibrator 423 with a predetermined pattern for a predetermined period in response to detection of an instruction to start measurement. In addition, while waiting for an instruction to start measurement, the process may be returned to step S601 at a predetermined interval in order to execute the process of determining the type of attached attachment unit.

  When an instruction to start measurement is detected in step S701, the process proceeds to step S702, and measurement of the body water content is started. First, in step S <b> 702, the control unit 401 measures the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 from the measurement circuit 421. In step S703, the control unit 401 calculates the moisture content in the body of the subject based on the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S602. When the calculation of the moisture content in the body is completed, the measurement process for the moisture content in the body is completed. At this time, the end of measurement may be notified to the user by driving the buzzer 422 or the vibrator 423.

  Returning to FIG. 6A, in step S <b> 614, the control unit 401 displays the moisture content in the body obtained in step S <b> 613 on the display unit 112 as the measurement result 131. In step S615, the control unit 401 compares the reference value set in step S611 with the body water content calculated in step S613. If the water content in the body is greater than or equal to the reference value, this process ends. For example, when the amount of moisture in the body is 47%, this is equal to or greater than the reference value (35%), so 47% is displayed as the measurement result 131 as shown in the display 802 in FIG. At this time, it may be displayed as a determination result that it is not dehydrated.

  On the other hand, if the amount of moisture in the body is less than the reference value, the process proceeds from step S615 to step S616, and the control unit 401 displays a comment indicating that it is in a dehydrated state on the display unit 112. For example, when the measured amount of water in the body is 28%, this is less than the reference value (35%), so as shown in the display 803 in FIG. A warning 804 indicating that the determination result is dehydrated is displayed. As described above, the measurement processing in steps S611 to S616 is processing when the measurement site is the axilla.

  Steps S621 to S626 are measurement processes when the measurement site is the oral cavity. When the oral cavity is the measurement site, the purpose is to examine the dry state of the oral cavity. Therefore, the reference value set in step S621 is a criterion for determining whether or not to issue an alarm regarding the dry state of the oral cavity. Further, in the measurement of the amount of moisture in the oral cavity, for example, a disposable sensor cover 380 is attached from the viewpoint of hygiene, and therefore it is considered that the amount of moisture is obtained with the sensor cover 380 attached. In the present embodiment, 30% is used as a reference value for determining whether or not the oral cavity is dry.

  In step S622, the control unit 401 displays “oral cavity” as the site display 132 in order to indicate that the attachment unit being worn is for the oral cavity and the moisture measurement site is the oral cavity. At this time, a comment that prompts the user to attach the sensor cover and start measurement is displayed on the display unit 112. An example of this display is shown as a display 811 in FIG. 8B. Next, in step S623, the amount of moisture in the body is measured. The measurement process of the moisture content in the body is as described in the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S624, the control unit 401 displays the moisture content in the body obtained in step S623 on the display unit 112 as the measurement result 131. In step S625, the control unit 401 compares the reference value set in step S621 with the body water content calculated in step S623. If the water content in the body is greater than or equal to the reference value, this process ends. For example, when the measured amount of water in the body is 38%, this is equal to or higher than the reference value (30%), so that 38% is displayed as the measurement result 131 as shown in the display 812 in FIG. 8B. Finish. At this time, the determination result may indicate that the oral cavity is not dry (normal).

  On the other hand, when the amount of moisture in the body is less than the reference value, the process proceeds from step S625 to step S626, and the control unit 401 displays a comment indicating that it is in a dehydrated state on the display unit 112. For example, when the measured amount of water in the body is 28%, this is less than the reference value (30%), so as shown in the display 813 in FIG. As a determination result, a warning 814 that the oral cavity is in a dry state is displayed. As described above, steps S621 to S626 are processing when the measurement site is the axilla.

  Steps S631 to S639 are measurement processing when the measurement site is a toe. When the toe is used as the measurement site, the purpose is to check for the presence of neuropathy. Therefore, a value for determining the presence or absence of a neurological disorder is set as the reference value set in step S631. In the present embodiment, the amount of change in the amount of water before and after the stimulus is applied in the toes is compared with a reference value (5% in the present embodiment). In step S632, the control unit 401 displays “toe” as the part display 132 to indicate that the attachment part being worn is for toes and the moisture measurement part is the toes, A comment prompting the start of measurement is displayed on the display unit 112. An example of this display is shown as a display 821 in FIG. 8C.

  Next, in step S633, the amount of moisture in the body is measured. When measuring the water content of the toes, the sensor unit 121 is pressed as shown in 2D of FIG. The measurement process of the moisture content in the body is as described in the flowchart of FIG. When the measurement of the moisture content in the body is completed, in step S634, the control unit 401 stores the moisture content in the body as a result in the memory 403 as the first moisture content. In step S635, the control unit 401 displays the moisture content obtained in step S633 on the display unit 112 as the measurement result 131, and performs the second measurement of the moisture content in the body after stimulating the toes. Prompt display. For example, a display example when the measured moisture content is 28% is shown in a display 822 in FIG. 8C. This display 822 includes a guidance display relating to the second measurement of the body water content.

  Thereafter, the control unit 401 performs the second body water content measurement in step S636. That is, after giving a stimulus to the toes, the user again presses the sensor unit 121 with the toes as shown in 2D of FIG. When the measurement of the moisture content in the body in step S636 is completed, the process proceeds to step S637. In step S637, the control unit 401 displays the second body water content obtained in step S636 as the measurement result 131, the first body water content held in the memory 403 in step S634, and the second time. The difference with the amount of water in the body is displayed. If the difference value is greater than or equal to the reference value in step S638, no neuropathy is recognized, and the process ends. For example, when the second body water content is 36%, the difference from the first body water content is 8%. Since this is equal to or greater than the reference value (5%) set in step S632, 36% is displayed as the measurement result 131 and the difference value 8% is displayed and processed as shown in the display 823 of FIG. 8C. Finish. At this time, it may be displayed that the neurological disorder is not recognized (normal) as the determination result.

  On the other hand, if the difference value is less than the reference value in step S638, the process proceeds to step S639. In step S639, the control unit 401 displays a warning that a neurological disorder is recognized as a determination result. For example, when the measured amount of water in the body for the second time is 31%, the difference from the amount of water in the body for the first time is 3%, which is less than the reference value (5%). Therefore, as shown in a display 824 in FIG. 8C, the control unit 401 displays 31% as the measurement result 131, displays a difference value 3% from the first amount of water, and indicates that neuropathy is recognized. A warning 825 is displayed.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the measurement process corresponding to the measurement site targeted by the attached attachment unit is selected and executed from the plurality of processes corresponding to the plurality of moisture measurement sites. Therefore, various measurements can be performed by measuring the water content. In addition, since the target measurement site and the process for determining the state are automatically selected by replacing the attachment, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use moisture meter in the body corresponding to various measurement sites. Furthermore, since each measurement process also performs guidance display indicating the measurement procedure to the user as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the operability is further improved.

<5. About modification>
In the above embodiment, as a plurality of measurement processes corresponding to a plurality of measurement sites,
・ Determining `` dehydrated state '' with the measurement site as the axilla ・ Determining `` dry mouth condition '' with the measurement site as the mouth ・ Determining the presence or absence of `` neuropathy '' with the measurement site as the toes, It is not limited, and it is possible to determine the condition of the subject by measuring the amount of water at various other measurement sites.

Further, when the attachment parts 120, 120a, and 120b are replaced, if the electrical characteristics of the electrodes included in the respective attachment parts change, calibration of the moisture amount calculation is performed according to the type of the attached attachment part. It may be performed. For example, the method for calculating the amount of water is
The output signal 505 (subject's capacitance) when measured in the air using the moisture meter 100 in the body is S1, and the output signal 505 (subject's capacitance) when measured in water is S2. In this case, 0% body water content is assigned to S1, and 100% body water content is assigned to S2.
-The output signal of the moisture meter 100 in the body between S1 and S2 and the moisture content in the body (0 to 100%) are assigned linearly, and the measurement result of the moisture content in the body is converted by converting the output signal from the sensor into the moisture content in the body obtain,
In this case, if S1 and S2 are different for each attached attachment part, an error occurs, and the body water content cannot be calculated correctly.

  Therefore, it is necessary to calibrate such an error. For example, it is conceivable that the control unit 401 holds a calibration value used for such calibration for each type of attachment unit, and the control unit 401 calculates the moisture content using this calibration value. Alternatively, the calibration value may be provided from the attachment unit 120. In this case, a ROM that stores calibration values in the attachment unit 120 may be built in and a calibration value may be provided to the main body unit 110. Alternatively, the calibration value may be divided into 256 stages, for example, and the calibration level may be indicated by an 8-bit jumper pin provided in the attachment unit. If a calibration value can be provided from the attachment unit to the main body unit 110, even if there is a variation in the electrical characteristics of the electrodes for each attachment unit, a plurality of arbitrary attachment units 120 for one main body unit 110 is provided. Can be provided separately.

  Note that the type of attachment unit may be provided from a ROM provided in the attachment unit, or a jumper pin having an appropriate number of bits may be used. Discrimination of the type of attachment part in the above embodiment is an example of discrimination similar to the use of jumper pins. Further, if only the electrode of the recess 304 is connected to the ground level, and any electrode among the electrodes of the remaining recesses 301 to 303 is connected to the electrode of the recess 304, the type is represented. The type can be expressed with 3 bits.

  Although the case where there are three types of attachment units has been described, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a configuration in which measurement sites and processes are switched by two types or four or more types of attachment units.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, in order to make the scope of the present invention public, the following claims are attached.

Claims (8)

An in-vivo moisture meter having an attachment part having an electrode for measuring the amount of water, and a main body part for processing an electric signal from the electrode, wherein the attachment part and the main body part are detachable,
A control means capable of executing a plurality of measurement processes prepared corresponding to each of a plurality of measurement sites, and each of the plurality of measurement processes includes calculating a moisture content from the electrical signal;
A discriminating means for discriminating a measurement site corresponding to the attachment portion by discriminating the type of the attachment portion attached to the main body portion;
Selecting means for selecting a measurement process corresponding to the measurement part determined by the determination means from a plurality of measurement processes corresponding to a plurality of measurement parts, and causing the control means to execute the measurement process. Body moisture meter. The plurality of measurement sites include an axilla and an oral cavity,
The measurement process corresponding to the axilla determines the dehydration state of the subject, the measurement process corresponding to the oral cavity determines the dry mouth state of the subject, and notifies each determination result to the user. Item 1. A body moisture meter according to Item 1.   The in-vivo moisture meter according to claim 2, wherein the attachment part corresponding to the axilla and the attachment part corresponding to the oral cavity have shapes that curve in different directions when attached to the main body part. The plurality of measurement sites include toes,
2. The measurement process corresponding to a toe, wherein the presence or absence of a neurological disorder is determined from changes in the amount of water in the body before and after stimulating the toe, and the determination result is notified to the user. The moisture meter in a body of any one of thru | or 3.   The in-vivo moisture meter according to claim 4, wherein the attachment portion corresponding to the toes has a structure in which electrodes are arranged on a plate-like member.   The in-vivo moisture meter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising display means for performing display for notifying a user of the measurement site determined by the determination means.   The in-vivo moisture meter according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the measurement process includes a display of guidance indicating a measurement procedure to the user. A method for controlling an in-vivo moisture meter having an attachment part having an electrode for measuring the amount of moisture and a body part for processing an electrical signal from the electrode, wherein the attachment part and the body part are detachable. And
A control step capable of executing a plurality of measurement processes prepared corresponding to each of a plurality of measurement sites, and each of the plurality of measurement processes includes calculating a moisture content from the electrical signal,
A determination step of determining a measurement site corresponding to the attachment part by determining a type of the attachment part attached to the main body part,
A selection step of selecting a measurement process corresponding to the measurement site determined in the determination step from a plurality of measurement processes corresponding to a plurality of measurement sites and causing the control step to execute the selection. How to control the moisture meter in the body.