Other

Tohoku University

Olympus Corporation

Kaneka Corporation

Japan Science and Technology Agency

Pentax Corporation

Ulvac, Inc.

Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.

Esashi, Masayoshi

Haga, Yoichi

Yoichi Haga

Masayoshi Esashi

Tadao Matsunaga

Naoki Kikuchi

Atsuyoshi Shimamoto

Masanori Maeda

Taichi Suzuki

Koh Fuwa

Ken Maehira

Masanori Mizushima

Makoto Ohta

Shigeo Maeda

Hiroshi Yoshida

Yasutomo Shimizu

Manabu Kishida

Yukio Katori

Noriko Tsuruoka

Soyoka Osaki

Kaihong Yu

Simon Andre Tupin

Takashi Katsumata

Takashi Mineta

Shinichirou Suda

Katsuhiro Fujita

Yasutomo Ohashi

Kyoichi Akiyama

Tetsuaki Kawase

Daisuke Yamauchi

Provided is a hollow organ model unit. The hollow organ model unit includes a base that includes a recessed part, a hollow organ model that is placed in the recessed part, a filler that is filled in the recessed part, and a sensor that performs a measurement on the hollow organ model.

Hollow organ model unit and method for manufacturing hollow organ model unit

A cochlear implant insertion-assisting device includes a tubular member configured to hold a cochlear implant. The tubular member includes a cut extending in a longitudinal direction. The cochlear implant insertion-assisting device can selectively switch between a first state in which the cochlear implant is held and a second state in which the cochlear implant can be released.

Mechanism for holding elongate medical apparatus

A ultrasound probe according to this invention is provided with: a first dry film resist having a plurality of first apertures formed in an array shape, and respectively supporting the piezoelectric elements in close contact with a rim part of each of the first apertures in a state of partly exposing the function elements; a second dry film resist laminated on the first dry film resist, and also having second apertures respectively enclosing each of the function elements, the second dry film resist being of a thickness equivalent to that of each of the function elements; and a third dry film resist laminated on the second dry film resist, and also having third apertures, and respectively sandwiching each of the piezoelectric elements with the first dry film resist in a state of partly exposing the piezoelectric elements in close contact with a rim part of each of the third apertures.

Device, method of manufacturing the device, and method of manufacturing array type of ultrasound probe

An optical scanning apparatus for efficiently performing scanning with light by efficiently increasing amplitude of an emission end of an optical fiber is provided. The optical scanning apparatus includes an optical fiber that guides illumination light emitted from a light source so that the illumination light is emitted from the emission end, a magnetic body fixed to the optical fiber, and a magnetic field generating unit changing a magnetic field to act on the magnetic body to displace a position of the emission end in a radial direction by magnetic force, and the magnetic field generating unit includes a plurality of coils for individually generating magnetic fields acting on the magnetic body at positions separate from each other in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, and the magnetic fields acting on the magnetic body can be individually adjusted at the positions.

Optical scanning apparatus

In order to provide a catheter which can be operated even when it is deformed inside a bent blood vessel and whose movable part can be easily bent and the movable part thus bent is firmly kept in this shape, a catheter includes: a fluid-driven actuator including: a balloon; a restricting member for restricting inflation of the balloon in a short axis direction of the catheter; and a tube which is less stretchable in a long axis direction of the catheter than the balloon is, according to a cross-sectional view of the fluid-driven actuator taken along the short axis direction of the catheter, the tube being eccentrically provided with respect to the restricting member.

Catheter

An insertion device and an endoscope which are inserted and extracted through a small incision and have multiple functions. A device body has grip forceps as a treatment means. A first folding back section and a second folding back section are provided at a distal portion of the device body such that the first and second folding back sections are aligned in a row in the longitudinal direction of the device body. The first folding back section and the second folding back section respectively have image obtaining means. An operation means can move the first folding back section to a folded back position in which the first folding back section is folded back relative to the second folding back section, and can also move the second folding back section to a position in which the second folding back section is folded back relative to the device body.

Insertion device and endoscope

A driving mechanism using shape memory alloys comprises a first and a second shape memory alloys coils (), a pin-like drive member () connected to each of the shape memory alloys coils () extending in the axis direction, a substrate () having a wiring pattern () and a drive circuit () to supply current to the shape memory alloys coils (), and a magnetic latch part () to hold the drive member (), and the magnetic latch part () has a latch position in the axis direction of the drive member (), the drive circuit () selectively current-drives the first and the second shape memory alloys coils (), the driven first or second shape memory alloys coils () is heated and compressed to move the drive member () in the axis direction, and magnetic bodies () provided to the drive member () is magnetically fixed at the latch position, thereby fixed and held in the axis direction.

Driving mechanism using shape memory alloys including a magnetic latch

A scanning mirror unit for scanning a beam comprises: at least one cantilever which is formed by bonding an elastic material and a piezoelectric material together and supported by a base at its one end; and a movable mirror which is supported at least by a free end of the cantilever at its peripheral part. When voltage is applied to the piezoelectric material, the free end of the cantilever moves in a prescribed direction to press and move the peripheral part of the movable mirror while leaving a central part of the movable mirror at substantially the same position to cause a tilt to the movable mirror. With such composition of the scanning mirror unit, a reflecting member having a sufficient thickness (e.g. some hundreds of microns) can be employed for the movable mirror, by which a high power laser beam effective for treatment of affected parts, etc. can be reflected finely and durably.

Scanning mirror unit and beam scanning probe

A method of making an active slender tube as implemented as a catheter, guide wire, or any other medical or non-medical micro-mechanical or -system or system's active micro-component is disclosed, comprising preparing an actuator made from a shape memory alloy (SMA) and forming at least a portion of a tubular body; disposing outside of SMA made actuator an elastically deformable outer skeleton coaxially therewith; and fastening together SMA made actuator and outer skeleton wire adjacent to non-insulated portions, step of fastening includes a step of passing an electric current through a lead wire while in an electroplating liquid to deposit a metal on lead wire and non-insulated portions from said liquid and thereby to electrically join SMA made actuator and outer skeleton together at corresponding areas.

Active slender tubes and method of making the same

An active guide wire () that can be used in a narrow blood vessel in a complicate vascular system such as intracerebral is disclosed as well as a method of making the same. The active wire comprises a bias coil spring (); an outer tube () having the bias coil spring () sheathed therewith and providing an external wall for the active wire guide (); and a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator () in the form of a flat sheet anchored in and securely connected to the outer tube (), wherein the flat sheet SMA actuator () is shape memorized so as to bend in a direction of the thickness of the flat sheet and has a shape running zigzag longitudinally thereof. The actuator () is energized with an electric current and thereby heated to have its leading end bent.

Active guide wire and method of making the same

A reflective movable diaphragm unit having diaphragm portions formed by a circular SiO film, a mesa portion and light-reflecting mirror portion of the SiO film disposed in the center, and a ring-shaped spacer and bonding layer formed of metal layers in the circumferential edge portion of the diaphragm portion , whereby a pressure sensor is formed.

Reflective moveable diaphragm unit and pressure sensor containing same

An active slender tube as implemented as a catheter, guide wire, or any other medical or non-medical micro-mechanical or -system or system's active micro-component is disclosed that has a simple structure which facilitates the active slender tube to be reduced in diameter and with the capability of being multi-functionalized. The slender tube is provided in its distal, active end portion in the form of &ldquo;J&rdquo; with a bending, a torsionally rotating, an extending and retracting and/or a stiffness control mechanism. These mechanisms are adapted to bend, torsionally rotate, extend/retract and adjust stiffness of, the active end portion, respectively, with precision. Each mechanism comprises an outer skeleton including a liner coil spring, and an SMA (shape memory alloy) made coil actuator disposed inside of the liner coil coaxially therewith and fastened thereto. In the extending and retracting mechanism, the SMA made actuator is fastened to the liner coil spring upon deformation to have a length varied from a length of the SMA made actuator in its natural state. In the torsionally rotating mechanism, the SMA made actuator is fastened to the liner coil spring upon deformation to have a coil diameter torsionally varied from a coil diameter of the SMA made actuator in its natural shape memory step. The stiffness control mechanism has an SMA made actuator in its natural shape memory state.

A flexible tube having a construction in which a coil of metal is coated with a film of resin. The flexible tube is manufactured by that resin is vapor-deposited on a peripheral face of a thermocontraction tube. a metal wire is wound on the tube as to be coiled, resin is vapor-deposited on the coil, and the thermocontraction tube is contracted by heating and drawn out.

Growing community of inventors

Sendai, Japan

Yoichi Haga