Colin Corporation

Yuji Matsubara

Chikao Harada

Ye Aung

An apparatus is provided for measuring a respiration rate of a living subject, including a pulse rate measuring device which iteratively determines a pulse rate of the subject based on a pulse wave continuously produced from a peripheral portion of the subject; a systolic blood pressure measuring device which iteratively determines a systolic blood pressure of the subject based on a magnitude of a pressure pulse wave continuously produced from an arterial vessel of an extremity of the subject; a calculating device for iteratively calculating a product of two or more factors which include one of the iteratively determined pulse rates and one of the iteratively determined systolic blood pressures; and a respiration rate determining device for determining a respiration rate of the subject based on a period of a cyclic change of the iteratively calculated products. An apparatus is also provided for measuring a respiration rate of a living subject, including a pulse wave detecting device which detects a pulse wave continuously produced from the subject; a waveform evaluating device for iteratively providing an evaluated value of a waveform of the detected pulse wave; and a respiration rate determining device for determining a respiration rate of the subject based on a period of a cyclic change of the evaluated values iteratively provided by the waveform evaluating device.

Respiration rate measuring apparatus

An apparatus for detecting a pressure pulse wave produced from an arterial vessel of a living subject, including a pulse wave sensor including at least one pressure sensing element and having a press surface in which the pressure sensing element is provided, the press surface of the pulse wave sensor being adapted to be pressed against the arterial vessel of the subject via a body surface of the subject above the arterial vessel, so that the pressure sensing element detects the pressure pulse wave produced from the arterial vessel; a support member supporting the pulse wave sensor such that the pulse wave sensor is advanceable away from, and retractable toward, the support member, the support member being adapted to be worn on the subject such that the press surface of the pulse wave sensor is opposed to the body surface of the subject; and a polymer actuator provided between the support member and the pulse wave sensor, the polymer actuator producing a pressing force to press the pulse wave sensor against the arterial vessel of the subject via the body surface of the subject. The polymer actuator may be replaced by a piezoelectric actuator, a bimetal actuator, or a shape memory alloy actuator.

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Nagoya, Japan

Yuji Matsubara