Measurement control part measures contact pressures and a contact speed of a hand of a contacting person. The contact pressures change over time at respective positions, as measured values respectively based on two sensors when the hand of the contacting person touches sequentially to the two sensors being capable of detecting contact pressure. A determination control part compares measured values with reference ranges respectively, the reference range being a predetermined for a contacted person feeling comfortable when touched by the contacting person, and determines whether or not the measured value is within the reference range for each of measured values. An evaluation control part evaluates that the touching of the contacting person is a comfortable touching when all the measured values are within corresponding reference ranges respectively, and evaluates that the touching of the contacting person is an uncomfortable touching when one measured value is outside the corresponding reference range.

An ultrasonic irradiation device includes: an ultrasonic transducer for external application of focused ultrasound to a body surface; and a tenderness level meter comprising a pressing element that presses the body surface, a pressing unit that presses the pressing element against the body surface, a load measuring unit that measures a pressing force exerted on the body surface by the pressing element, and a pressure recorder for tenderness perception that records a pressing force at which a pressing action of the pressing element causes pain perception. This makes it possible to measure a tenderness level of an ultrasonic irradiation target area without moving an HIFU transducer from above an affected area.

A dysphagia treatment device includes: a current application unit configured to be attached to a target portion of a treated person in order to percutaneously apply current to a biological tissue of the neck including superior laryngeal nerve of the treated person; a control unit configured to control the current application unit such that percutaneous stimulation caused by an interference wave or a pseudo interference wave is applied to the biological tissue of the neck including the superior laryngeal nerve; an operation unit configured to adjust the current to be applied by the current application unit, to a sensory threshold at which the treated person becomes aware of the percutaneous stimulation; and a display unit configured to display index information based on the sensory threshold.

An apparatus comprising: a controller configured to: receive one or more sensed signals from one or more wearable sensors, wherein a wearable sensor is for sensing a user's body and outputting a sensed signal dependent upon one or more biological processes of the user; process the one or more sensed signals and detect one or more bio signals that are determined by the one or more biological processes of the user; and process the one or more sensed signals to detect a user input signal indicative of: the user touching the user's body, and/or the user touching at least one of the wearable sensors, and/or relative movement of at least one of the wearable sensors relative to the user's body, and process the user input signal to identify a user input command.

A system to provide real-time feedback sensitivity of the patient's anatomical tissues while a practitioner probes with variations of pressure, whether in terms of force or direction, to determine the patient's sensitivity. The system may also be used to provide feedback when a patient undergoes movement such as active or passive ranges of motion. The system records a patient's sensitivity in a variable way as the practitioner provokes through movement of the anatomical tissues to help in the specificity of a diagnosis relating to tissue sensitivity.

A method for measuring an amount of pain involves positioning a needle adjacent a non-human animal which is under anesthesia, inserting the needle at a controlled puncture speed into skin of the non-human animal, and measuring a muscle action potential of a muscle portion of the non-human animal produced by the insertion of the needle. The muscle action potential is measured from insertion start, at which the insertion of the needle into the skin is started, to insertion stop, at which the insertion of the needle into the skin is stopped.

An orifice probe, particularly for detecting if a patient has or has a risk of having cauda equina syndrome and a method for using same, the probe having a body for insertion into the anus of a patient, a sensing device for measuring at least one of the rectal tone and perianal or rectal sensation, and an output device for yielding at least one of the measurement of the rectal tone of the patient and whether the patient has perianal or rectal sensation.

A device (901) is manufactured from a sheet layer (100) defining a plurality of panels (101,102,103). Each panel is connected to at least one other panel along a common edge (104). A perforation (105) extends along the common edge and defines a separation location allowing the each panel to be separated from adjoining panels when an applied force pulls each panel away from the adjoining panels. A score line (115) bisects each panel and is oriented orthogonally with the perforation. The score line allows a first portion (116) of each panel to fold about the score line to abut a second portion (117) of each panel. An adhesive (501), disposed along the first portion, retains the first portion to the second portion, as well as retains the filament between the first portion and the second portion.

The invention relates to a device for assessing thermoalgesic and vibratory sensitivity, including a first unit (1) configured to apply, to localized points of the patient, a plurality of stimuli comprising vibrations and temperature changes, a second unit (2) for gathering data communicating with the first unit, wherein the communication between the first unit (1) and the second unit (2) takes place by means of a two-way wireless transmission means. The invention also relates to a method for assessing vibratory, thermal and thermoalgesic sensitivity using the device according to the invention.

An electronic tuning fork device including a control unit including a processor, electrically connected to an input unit and the display component, wherein the processor is configured to generate a first square wave signal and determine a gain parameter according to a predetermined mode, wherein the gain parameter is a value selected from between a predetermined maximum value and a predetermined minimum value, a frequency divider electrically connected to the processor, configured to down-convert the first square wave signal and output a second square wave signal, a first waveform conversion circuit, electrically connected to the processor, configured to convert the first square wave signal into a first sine wave signal, a second waveform conversion circuit, electrically connected to the frequency divider, configured to convert the second square signal into a second sine wave signal, a mixer, electrically connected to the first and second waveform conversion circuits, configured to mix the first sine wave signal and the second sine wave signal and output a sine wave signal, and a gain control circuit, electrically connected to the processor and the mixer, configured to change the amplitude of the sine wave signal according to the gain parameter, wherein when a control signal is generated, the processor receives the control signal and determines a corresponding gain parameter, the processor calculates the measurement result according to the corresponding gain parameter, the predetermined maximum value and the predetermined minimum value.