JP7541571B2 - Electrical Stimulation System - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an electrical stimulation application system and a determination method.

Conventionally, devices are known that treat various diseases by applying weak electrical stimulation at a level that does not induce depolarization and heat to a living body or living tissue. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose devices that treat diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer diseases, xeroderma pigmentosum, systemic autoimmune diseases, and organ-specific autoimmune diseases by applying weak currents as electrical stimulation and heat to a living body or living tissue.

International Publication No. 2017/065239 JP 2009-125549 A

Treatment with the above-mentioned device is performed with the device attached to a living body or living tissue via a gel pad containing conductive gel. Electrical stimulation is applied to the living body or living tissue via the conductive gel.

Here, if the conductive gel is not applied to the appropriate position of the device, and as a result, for example, when the electrodes that output electrical stimulation in the device are in direct contact with a living body or biological tissue, a strong current may flow locally in the living body or biological tissue. In this case, the patient receiving treatment may feel pain from the electrical stimulation or suffer burns at the points on the skin that come into contact with the electrodes.

The object of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical stimulation application system and a method for determining the state of attachment of a conductive gel to an electrical stimulation application device when applying electrical stimulation to a living body or biological tissue.

The electrical stimulation application system according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is an electrical stimulation application system including a gel pad having a conductive gel, and an electrical stimulation application device that applies an electrical stimulation to a living body or biological tissue with the gel pad attached, the electrical stimulation application device including an electrode unit that is exposed to the outside on one side of the electrical stimulation application device and outputs the electrical stimulation, a sensor unit that is disposed on the one side and includes a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit, and a control unit that determines the attachment state of the gel pad on the one side based on the light received by the light-receiving unit when the light-emitting unit is irradiating light.

In an electrical stimulation application system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the gel pad comprises a support that supports the conductive gel, and a reflective marker that is formed on the support at a position that corresponds to the position where the sensor unit is located when the gel pad is attached to an appropriate position on the electrical stimulation application device, and that has a light reflectance different from that of the support.

In an electrical stimulation application system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reflective marker has a light reflectance equal to or greater than a predetermined reflectance, and the control unit determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is appropriate when a value relating to the intensity of received light in the light receiving unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is inappropriate when the value relating to the intensity of received light in the light receiving unit is less than the threshold value.

In an electrical stimulation application system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reflective marker has a light reflectance that is less than a predetermined reflectance, and the control unit determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is appropriate when the value relating to the light intensity received by the light receiving unit is less than a threshold value, and determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is inappropriate when the value relating to the light intensity received by the light receiving unit is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

In an electrical stimulation application system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the value relating to the received light intensity is the difference between the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit when light is being irradiated from the light emitting unit and the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit when light is not being irradiated from the light emitting unit.

In an electrical stimulation application system as one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the control unit determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is not appropriate, the notification unit notifies the user that the attachment state is not appropriate.

In an electrical stimulation application system as one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electrical stimulation application device has a plurality of sensor units.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is a method of determination using an electrical stimulation application device that applies electrical stimulation to a living body or living tissue with a gel pad attached thereto, the method comprising: an electrical stimulation application device having a sensor unit including a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit that are arranged on one side of the electrical stimulation application device; and a step of irradiating light from the light-emitting unit; and a step of determining the attachment state of the gel pad on the one side based on the intensity of light received by the light-receiving unit when the light-emitting unit is irradiating light.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an electrical stimulation application system and a method for determining the state of attachment of a conductive gel to an electrical stimulation application device when applying electrical stimulation to a living body or biological tissue.

1 is a schematic external perspective view of an electrical stimulation application device according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electrical stimulation application device of FIG. 1 as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a gel pad used when attaching the electrical stimulation application device to a living body or the like. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a gel pad is attached to an appropriate position of an electrical stimulation application device. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a gel pad is attached to an electrical stimulation application device in an inappropriate position. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electrical stimulation application device of FIG. 1. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for determining an attachment state executed by the control unit in FIG. 6 . 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is in an appropriate attached state. FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 8 . 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when a gel pad is not attached. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 10 . 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is not properly attached. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 12 . 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is not properly attached. FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 14 . 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the attachment state determination process executed by the control unit in FIG. 6 . 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is in an appropriate attached state. FIG. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 17 . 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when a gel pad is not attached. FIG. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 19 . 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is not properly attached. FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 21. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is not properly attached. FIG. FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a reflection level in the state shown in FIG. 23. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a rear surface of an application unit according to one modified example. 26 is a schematic diagram showing a gel pad corresponding to the application unit of FIG. 25. 27 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the gel pad shown in FIG. 26 is attached to the application section shown in FIG. 25 . 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which light is received by a sensor unit when the gel pad is in an appropriate attached state. FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the electrical stimulation application system according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The electrical stimulation application system is composed of an electrical stimulation application device 1 and a gel pad 30. The same reference numerals are used to designate the same components in each drawing.

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the exterior of an electrical stimulation application device 1 according to one embodiment. The electrical stimulation application device 1 applies electrical stimulation to a living body or living tissue (hereinafter also simply referred to as "living body, etc."). Diseases are treated by applying electrical stimulation.

The electrical stimulation applied by the electrical stimulation application device 1 may be a weak electrical stimulation. In this specification, the electrical stimulation applied by the electrical stimulation application device 1 is described below as being a weak electrical stimulation. However, in this disclosure, the electrical stimulation applied by the electrical stimulation application device 1 is not limited to being a weak electrical stimulation.

Weak electrical stimulation is electrical stimulation at a level that does not induce depolarization in a living body, etc. Electrical stimulation at a level that does not induce depolarization does not cause muscle contraction or a sense of stimulation in the living body, so the user (patient) cannot sense the applied electrical stimulation. The electrical stimulation is applied to the living body, etc., for example, as a pulsed direct current. The pulsed direct current is applied at a frequency of, for example, 55 Hz. The pulse width of the pulsed direct current is, for example, 100 μsec. However, the electrical stimulation is not limited to this, and any appropriate electrical stimulation that is effective in treating a disease may be used. For example, the frequency of the pulsed direct current may be other than 55 Hz, and the pulse width of the pulsed direct current may be other than 100 μsec.

The electrical stimulation application device 1 further heats the living body, etc. In other words, the electrical stimulation application device 1 applies heat to the living body, etc. Therefore, the electrical stimulation application device 1 can apply a combination of electrical stimulation and heat to the living body, etc. In this case, a disease is treated by applying weak electrical stimulation and heat.

The warm heat is a temperature several degrees higher than the normal temperature of a living body. For example, when the electrical stimulation application device 1 is applied to the human body, the warm heat may be a temperature several degrees higher than the normal body temperature of the human body, between 38°C and 45°C.

Treatment using the electrical stimulation application device 1 is performed with the electrical stimulation application device 1 attached to at least a part of a living body, etc. For example, the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached to the living body, etc. via an adhesive gel pad. With the electrical stimulation application device 1 attached to the living body, etc., for example, when a user (patient) of the electrical stimulation application device 1 performs a predetermined operation input to the electrical stimulation application device 1 to start treatment using the electrical stimulation application device 1, treatment is performed by applying electrical stimulation and heat.

Here, the electrical stimulation application device 1 according to this embodiment outputs electrical stimulation when a conductive gel is applied. When outputting the electrical stimulation, the electrical stimulation application device 1 determines the state of application of the conductive gel to the electrical stimulation application device 1. The conductive gel may be provided on a gel pad, for example. When the electrical stimulation application device 1 determines that the application state of the gel pad is appropriate, it performs treatment by outputting electrical stimulation.

The electrical stimulation application device 1 determines whether the gel pad is appropriately attached at least one of before and after the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached to a living body, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electrical stimulation application device 1 is configured by combining a main body unit 10 and an application unit 20. The main body unit 10 is configured as a housing. The application unit 20 is configured in a flat plate shape. In this embodiment, the application unit 20 is formed in a rectangular shape having long sides and short sides. The main body unit 10 is combined with the application unit 20 on one side of the flat plate-shaped application unit 20. In this specification, the side of the flat plate-shaped application unit 20 to which the main body unit 10 is combined is referred to as the front side. Also, the side of the flat plate-shaped application unit 20 to which the main body unit 10 is not combined, which is opposite to the front side, is referred to as the back side. The back side corresponds to "one side" in this disclosure.

The main body 10, which is configured as a housing, has various functional units therein for controlling the operation of the electrical stimulation application device 1. The main body 10 also has an input unit that accepts operational input from a user. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the main body 10 has a first input unit 101a and a second input unit 101b as input units.

The first input unit 101a and the second input unit 101b may both be configured as a pressable operation button (operation key), as shown in FIG. 1, for example. However, the form of the first input unit 101a and the second input unit 101b is not limited to a pressable operation button. In addition, the number of input units provided in the main body unit 10 is not limited to two. Furthermore, the arrangement of the first input unit 101a and the second input unit 101b is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

In this embodiment, the first input unit 101a and the second input unit 101b are operation buttons that execute different functions. Specifically, the first input unit 101a is an operation button that switches the power of the electrical stimulation application device 1 on and off. The second input unit 101b is an operation button that starts a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad. That is, in this embodiment, when the operation button of the second input unit 101b is pressed, a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad is started.

The main body 10 is also provided with a display unit that displays information. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the main body 10 is provided with a first indicator light 104a, a second indicator light 104b, and a third indicator light 104c as a display unit. The display unit can display various information and the status of the electrical stimulation application device 1 by turning on, off, or blinking the first indicator light 104a, the second indicator light 104b, and the third indicator light 104c.

The display unit is one aspect of the notification unit in this disclosure. The main body unit 10 does not necessarily have to include a display unit as a notification unit. The main body unit 10 may include other mechanisms as a notification unit that notifies the user of information, instead of or in addition to the display unit. For example, the main body unit 10 may include a speaker that notifies the user of information by sound. For example, the main body unit 10 may include a vibrator that notifies the user of information by vibration. The notification unit is not limited to the examples shown here, and may be any mechanism that can notify the user of information.

The back surface of the application unit 20 is attached to a living body or the like via an adhesive gel pad. The application unit 20 includes an electrode unit that outputs electrical stimulation, a heater that generates heat, and a sensor unit used to determine the state of attachment of the conductive gel. The application unit 20 applies electrical stimulation and heat to the living body or the like with the back surface attached to the living body or the like.

2 is an external perspective view of the electrical stimulation application device 1 of FIG. 1 as viewed from the back side. As shown in FIG. 2, the application unit 20 has two electrode units, a first electrode unit 102a and a second electrode unit 102b. The first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b are exposed to the outside on the back side. For example, electrical stimulation is output by grounding one of the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b and changing the voltage of the other electrode unit. In this specification, when the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b are not distinguished from each other, they are collectively referred to simply as "electrode unit 102".

In this embodiment, the electrode unit 102 has a substantially semicircular shape. That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the electrode unit 102 has an outer edge formed by a straight portion 120 and an arc portion 121 on the back side of the application unit 20. The electrode unit 102 is arranged so that the straight portion 120 is parallel to the short side of the application unit 20. The electrode unit 102 is also arranged so that the arc portion 121 is closer to the short side of the application unit 20 than the straight portion 120.

As shown in FIG. 2, the application unit 20 includes a first sensor unit 110a and a second sensor unit 110b. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first sensor unit 110a and the second sensor unit 110b are disposed between the respective straight line portions 120 of the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b, and are positioned in rotational symmetry around the point where the two diagonals of the rectangular application unit 20 intersect. In this specification, when the first sensor unit 110a and the second sensor unit 110b are not to be distinguished from each other, they are collectively referred to simply as "sensor unit 110".

The sensor unit 110 is exposed to the outside on the back side. Each sensor unit 110 has a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The light emitting unit irradiates light to the outside. For example, the light emitting unit irradiates light in a direction perpendicular to the back side of the application unit 20. The light emitting unit is composed of a light emitting element that emits light, such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or an LD (Laser Diode). The light receiving unit receives light. The light receiving unit may be configured to receive light, particularly when the light emitting unit is irradiating light. The light receiving unit is composed of a light receiving element, such as a PT (Photo Transistor) or a PD (Photo Diode). Each sensor unit 110 outputs a sensor output according to the light receiving intensity of the light receiving unit to the control unit 103 of the main body unit 10 described later.

The application unit 20 has a heater inside. That is, the application unit 20 has a heater between the front and back surfaces. By heating the heater, heat is transferred to the living body, etc., with the back surface attached to the living body, etc., and the living body, etc. is warmed.

Figure 3 is an external perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the gel pad 30 used when attaching the electrical stimulation application device 1 to a living body, etc. The gel pad 30 includes a support 31 and two sheets of conductive gel 32.

The support 31 is made of a non-conductive material such as resin. It is preferable that the support 31 is made of a flexible material. This is because the support 31 is made of a flexible material, so that the gel pad 30 can be easily bent to fit the surface of the living body when attached to the living body.

The outer shape of the support 31 is formed to be approximately the same size as the outer shape of the application unit 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, the outer shape of the support 31 is formed to be a rectangle having a long side and a short side. The support 31 supports two sheets of conductive gel 32. Specifically, the support 31 has two openings (through holes) for arranging the two sheets of conductive gel 32. The two openings are formed at positions that correspond to the positions where the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b are arranged when the gel pad 30 is attached to an appropriate position on the back side of the application unit 20. The appropriate position refers to the position when the entire electrode unit 102 is covered by the conductive gel 32.

The two sheets of conductive gel 32 are placed in the two openings of the support 31. The conductive gel 32 is, for example, made of a translucent gel. The two sheets of conductive gel 32 are insulated from each other by the non-conductive support 31. The conductive gel 32 has adhesiveness, so that the electrical stimulation application device 1 can be attached to a living body or the like. When the gel pad 30 is attached to the back side of the application unit 20, the two sheets of conductive gel 32 are in contact with the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b in a one-to-one correspondence, respectively. As a result, when the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached to a living body or the like by the gel pad 30 and an electrical stimulation is output from the electrode unit 102, the electrical stimulation is applied to the living body or the like via the two sheets of conductive gel 32.

In this embodiment, the conductive gel 32 has a substantially semicircular shape, for example, as shown in Fig. 3. That is, in this embodiment, the conductive gel 32 has an outer edge formed by a straight portion 130 and an arc portion 131, as shown in Fig. 3. The conductive gel 32 is arranged so that the straight portion 130 is parallel to the short side of the support 31. The conductive gel 32 is also arranged so that the arc portion 131 is closer to the short side of the support 31 than the straight portion 130.

The gel pad 30 has a reflective marker on the support 31. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the gel pad 30 has a first reflective marker 33a and a second reflective marker 33b. The first reflective marker 33a and the second reflective marker 33b are formed at positions that correspond to the positions of the first sensor unit 110a and the second sensor unit 110b, respectively, when the gel pad 30 is attached to an appropriate position on the back side of the application unit 20. In this specification, when the first reflective marker 33a and the second reflective marker 33b are not to be distinguished from each other, they are collectively referred to simply as "reflective marker 33".

The reflective marker 33 is an area formed in the support 31 so as to have a different reflectance from that of the support 31. For example, the reflective marker 33 may have a light reflectance equal to or greater than a predetermined reflectance. In this case, the support 31 has a light reflectance less than the predetermined reflectance. It is preferable that there is a large difference between the light reflectance of the reflective marker 33 and the light reflectance of the support 31. The greater the difference in reflectance, the easier it is to improve the accuracy of determining whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate, as described below.

For example, it is preferable that the reflective marker 33 is white and the support 31 is black. This makes it possible to increase the difference in light reflectance between the reflective marker 33 and the support 31. In the present embodiment, the following description will be given assuming that the reflective marker 33 is white and the support 31 is black.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the state when the gel pad 30 is attached at an appropriate position on the electrical stimulation application device 1, and is a schematic diagram of the application unit 20 with the gel pad 30 attached, viewed from the back side. That is, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the electrical stimulation application system 2, viewed from the back side. With the above-mentioned configuration of the application unit 20 and gel pad 30, when the gel pad 30 is attached at an appropriate position on the electrical stimulation application device 1, the entire electrode unit 102 is covered with conductive gel 32. At this time, the entire sensor unit 110 is covered with a reflective marker 33.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the state when the gel pad 30 is attached to an inappropriate position on the electrical stimulation application device 1, and is a schematic diagram of the application unit 20 with the gel pad 30 attached, viewed from the back side. When the gel pad 30 is attached to an inappropriate position, at least a portion of the electrode unit 102 is not covered by the gel pad 30. At this time, at least a portion of the sensor unit 110 (the entirety in the example shown in Figure 5) is also not covered by the reflective marker 33.

The user replaces the gel pad 30 periodically or irregularly. In other words, the user uses the electrical stimulation application device 1 by attaching it to a living body or the like using a new gel pad 30 periodically or irregularly. This prevents the properties of the conductive gel 32 of the gel pad 30 from changing and the electrical conductivity from deteriorating. In addition, by using a new gel pad 30, the adhesiveness of the electrical stimulation application device 1 can be prevented from deteriorating and peeling off from the living body or the like. However, when the gel pad 30 is replaced, the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the application unit 20 may change. The electrical stimulation application device 1 according to this embodiment can determine whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the application unit 20 is appropriate as shown in FIG. 4 or inappropriate as shown as an example in FIG. 5.

In this embodiment, as described above, two electrode units, the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b, are arranged in one component device, the application unit 20. However, the first electrode unit 102a and the second electrode unit 102b may be arranged separately in different component devices, for example. When two electrode units are arranged in one component device, as in this embodiment, the number of component devices to be attached to a living body, etc. can be reduced compared to when the two electrode units are arranged separately in different component devices, thereby improving user convenience.

Figure 6 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electrical stimulation application device 1 of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 6, the electrical stimulation application device 1 includes an input unit 101, an electrode unit 102, a control unit 103, a display unit 104, a timer unit 105, a memory unit 106, a power supply unit 107, a heater 108, and an electrical stimulation output unit 109. The input unit 101, the control unit 103, the display unit 104, the timer unit 105, the memory unit 106, the power supply unit 107, and the electrical stimulation output unit 109 are provided, for example, in the main body unit 10. The electrode unit 102 and the heater 108 are provided, for example, in the application unit 20. However, whether each functional unit is provided in the main body unit 10 or the application unit 20 is not limited to the example shown here, as long as it exerts the function described in this specification.

The input unit 101 accepts operation input from the user, and is composed of, for example, operation buttons. In this embodiment, the input unit 101 is composed of two operation buttons, the first input unit 101a and the second input unit 101b, as described above. The input unit 101 may be composed of, for example, a touch screen, and may display an input area for accepting operation input from the user on a part of the display device to accept touch operation input from the user. When the user inputs an operation to the input unit 101, for example, an electrical signal corresponding to the operation input is transmitted to the control unit 103.

The electrode unit 102 outputs electrical stimulation based on a signal received from the electrical stimulation output unit 109. The electrode unit 102 is composed of two electrodes, the first electrode 102a and the second electrode 102b, for example, as described above.

The control unit 103 controls and manages the entire electrical stimulation application device 1, including each functional unit of the electrical stimulation application device 1. The control unit 103 is configured to include at least one processor. The control unit 103 is configured with a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program that defines a control procedure, or a dedicated processor specialized for processing each function.

The control unit 103 determines the attachment state of the gel pad 30 on the back side of the application unit 20. Details of the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 by the control unit 103 will be described later.

The control unit 103 controls the output of electrical stimulation from the electrode unit 102. The control unit 103 can change the output intensity of the electrical stimulation. The control unit 103 can change the output intensity of the electrical stimulation, for example, by changing the magnitude of the pulsed direct current. The control unit 103 controls the treatment processing performed by the electrical stimulation application device 1.

The display unit 104 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or an inorganic EL display. The display unit 104 is one aspect of an alarm unit that alarms information. The display unit 104 displays various information based on the control by the control unit 103. The display unit 104 is composed of, for example, a first indicator light 104a, a second indicator light 104b, and a third indicator light 104c, as described above.

The timer unit 105 measures time based on the control of the control unit 103. For example, the timer unit 105 measures the elapsed time from the start of the treatment phase. Also, for example, the timer unit 105 measures the elapsed time from the application of the pulsed direct current electrical stimulation.

The memory unit 106 can be composed of a semiconductor memory or a magnetic memory. The memory unit 106 stores, for example, various information and programs for operating the electrical stimulation application device 1. The memory unit 106 may also function as a work memory.

The power supply unit 107 is a battery that supplies power to each functional unit of the electrical stimulation application device 1.

The heater 108 applies heat. The heater 108 is composed of a member that generates heat when supplied with power, such as a heating wire. The heater 108 generates heat when supplied with power, for example, from the power supply unit 107. When the heater 108 generates heat, the heat is transferred to a living body to which the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached.

The electrical stimulation output unit 109 outputs electrical stimulation from the electrode unit 102 based on the control of the control unit 103.

Next, details of the control by the control unit 103 of the electrical stimulation application device 1 will be described. The control unit 103 is capable of executing a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30. In this embodiment, the control unit 103 is capable of executing a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 in a state in which the electrical stimulation application device 1 is not attached to a living body, etc., and in a state in which the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached to a living body, etc.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 performed by the control unit 103, and is a flowchart showing an example of a determination process performed when the electrical stimulation application device 1 is not attached to a living body, etc.

A user of the electrical stimulation application device 1 attaches the gel pad 30 to the application unit 20 of the electrical stimulation application device 1 in order to cause the electrical stimulation application device 1 to execute a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30. Then, the user presses the second input unit 101b, which is an operation button, in order to start the process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30.

The control unit 103 determines whether or not an operation input has been performed to start the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 (step S11). Specifically, the control unit 103 determines whether or not the second input unit 101b has been pressed.

If the control unit 103 determines that no operation input has been made to start the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 (No in step S11), it repeats step S11 until it determines that an operation input has been made to start the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30.

When the control unit 103 determines that an operation input has been performed to start the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 (Yes in step S11), it starts the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30.

Specifically, the control unit 103 calculates a value related to the intensity of received light at the light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110. In this embodiment, the control unit 103 calculates a reflection level as the value related to the intensity of received light. In this specification, the reflection level is the difference between the intensity of light received at the light receiving unit when light is being irradiated from the light emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 (when light is emitted) and the intensity of light received at the light receiving unit when light is not being irradiated from the light emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 (when light is turned off).

More specifically, the control unit 103 calculates the reflection level of the first reflective marker 33a (step S12). That is, in step S12, the control unit 103 acquires the sensor output from the light receiving unit when the light emitting unit of the first sensor unit 110a that irradiates light to the first reflective marker 33a in an appropriate attachment state irradiates light (when emitting light) and the sensor output from the light receiving unit when the light emitting unit of the first sensor unit 110a is not irradiated with light (when turned off), and calculates the reflection level based on the sensor output.

The control unit 103 also calculates the reflection level of the second reflective marker 33b (step S13). That is, in step S13, the control unit 103 acquires the sensor output from the light receiving unit when the light emitting unit of the second sensor unit 110b that irradiates light to the second reflective marker 33b in an appropriate attachment state irradiates light (when emitting light) and the sensor output from the light receiving unit when the light emitting unit of the second sensor unit 110b is not irradiating light (when turned off), and calculates the reflection level based on the sensor output.

The control unit 103 may process steps S12 and S13 in sequence, or may process steps S12 and S13 simultaneously.

The control unit 103 judges whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate based on the calculated value related to the received light intensity. In this embodiment, the control unit 103 judges whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate based on the calculated reflection level. Specifically, the control unit 103 judges whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate by comparing the calculated reflection level with a predetermined threshold. More specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 103 judges whether all reflection levels are equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold (step S14). The predetermined threshold can be appropriately set as a value that can confirm that the received light intensity at the light receiving unit is the intensity of light irradiated from the light emitting unit reflected by the reflective marker 33. In this embodiment, since the reflective marker 33 is white, the predetermined threshold can be set to a value that can confirm that the received light intensity at the light receiving unit is the intensity of light received when the light irradiated from the light emitting unit is reflected by the white reflective marker 33.

When the control unit 103 determines that all reflection levels are equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold (Yes in step S14), it determines that the attachment state is appropriate and notifies the display unit 104, which is the notification unit, that the attachment state is appropriate (step S15). This is because when all reflection levels are equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold, it is estimated that all sensor units 110 are covered by the reflective markers 33.

On the other hand, when the control unit 103 determines that at least a portion of the reflection level is below the predetermined threshold (No in step S14), it determines that the attachment state is inappropriate, and notifies the display unit 104, which is the notification unit, that the attachment state is inappropriate (step S16). This is because when at least a portion of the reflection level is below the predetermined threshold, it is estimated that at least a portion of the sensor unit 110 is not covered by the reflective marker.

The user can know whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate or not by checking the notification in step S15 or step S16. If the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is not appropriate, the user can reattach the gel pad 30 to the application unit 20 and execute the determination process again to determine whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate or not.

Here, we will explain some examples of the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the electrical stimulation application device 1 and the reflex level calculated by the control unit 103, with reference to the drawings.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is in an appropriate attachment state, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the gel pad 30 and the application unit 20. Figure 9 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 8. In the graph shown in Figure 9, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

When performing the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 when the electrical stimulation application device 1 is not attached to a living body, etc., a protective film 34 for protecting the gel pad 30 may be attached to the surface of the gel pad 30 that is attached to the living body, etc. (i.e., the surface that is not attached to the application unit 20), as shown in FIG. 8. The protective film 34 is peeled off from the gel pad 30 when the gel pad 30 is attached to the living body, etc. It is preferable that the protective film 34 has a reflectance different from that of the reflective marker 33. The protective film 34 may be configured so that the reflectance is equivalent to that of the support 31, for example. In this specification, the reflectance of the protective film 34 is assumed to be intermediate between the reflectance of the reflective marker 33 and the support 31.

When the gel pad 30 is attached appropriately, the sensor unit 110 is covered by the reflective marker 33 as shown in FIG. 8. In this case, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 is reflected by the white reflective marker 33. When light is emitted from the light-emitting unit (when emitting light), the light-receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 receives the reflected light reflected by the white reflective marker 33. In this case, the received light intensity is assumed to be 100 as a numerical value as shown in FIG. 9. In this specification, the higher the numerical value indicating the received light intensity, the higher the received light intensity, and the lower the numerical value, the lower the received light intensity. On the other hand, when the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 is not emitting light (when the light is off), the received light intensity by the sensor unit 110 is assumed to be 20 as shown in FIG. 9 as an example. The received light intensity detected by the sensor unit 110 when the light is off is not the reflected light at the reflective marker 33 because light is not irradiated from the light-emitting unit, but is the received light intensity of external light entering the light-receiving unit from the outside.

The control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity of 100 when the light is on and the received light intensity of 20 when the light is off, and sets this difference, 80, as the reflection level. In this way, the reflection level excludes the received light intensity of external light, so by calculating the reflection level, the control unit 103 can determine the attachment state without the influence of external light. Here, for example, assume that the threshold for determining whether the attachment state is appropriate is 60. The reflection level of 80 is equal to or greater than the threshold of 60, so in this case, the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is not attached to the application unit 20, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the application unit 20. Figure 11 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 10. In the graph shown in Figure 11, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

When the gel pad 30 is not attached to the application unit 20 as shown in Figure 10, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 is not reflected by the gel pad 30. Therefore, when the light is on and when the light is off, the light-receiving unit receives only external light received from the outside. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the light receiving intensity value of the light received by the light-receiving unit when the light is on and when the light is off is 20.

In this case, the control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity 20 when the light is on and the received light intensity 20 when the light is off, and sets this difference, 0, as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 0 is less than the threshold value 60, in this case, the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold. When the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold in this way in at least some of the sensor units 110, it determines that the attachment state is not appropriate, as described in the flow of Figure 7.

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is not properly attached, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the gel pad 30 and the application unit 20. Specifically, Figure 12 is a diagram showing a schematic cross section when the sensor unit 110 is covered with conductive gel 32. Figure 13 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 12. In the graph shown in Figure 13, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

If the gel pad 30 is not properly attached and the sensor unit 110 is covered with the conductive gel 32, the light emitted from the light emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 passes through the semi-transparent conductive gel 32 to reach the protective film 34 and is reflected by the protective film 34. The light reflected by the protective film 34 passes through the semi-transparent conductive gel 32 and is received by the light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110. The light emitted from the light emitting unit is partially absorbed by the semi-transparent conductive gel 32, and further partially absorbed by the protective film 34. The light receiving intensity when the light is emitted by the light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 is assumed to be 50, for example, as shown in FIG. 13. On the other hand, the light receiving intensity when the light is off by the sensor unit 110 is assumed to be 20, as shown in FIG. 13, for example.

The control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity of 50 when the light is on and the received light intensity of 20 when the light is off, and sets the difference of 30 as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 30 is less than the threshold value of 60, in this case the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold. When the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold in this way in at least some of the sensor units 110, it determines that the attachment state is not appropriate, as described in the flow of Figure 7.

Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is not properly attached, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the gel pad 30 and the application unit 20. Specifically, Figure 14 is a diagram showing a schematic cross section when the sensor unit 110 is covered with a support 31. Figure 15 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 14. In the graph shown in Figure 15, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

If the gel pad 30 is not attached properly and the sensor unit 110 is covered by the support 31, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 reaches the black support 31. The support 31 may reflect some of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit, but ideally most of the light is absorbed. Therefore, the light receiving intensity when the light-receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 emits light is ideally 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 15. On the other hand, the light receiving intensity when the sensor unit 110 is turned off is 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 15.

The control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity 20 when the light is on and the received light intensity 20 when the light is off, and sets this difference, 0, as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 0 is less than the threshold value of 60, in this case the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold. When the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold in this way in at least some of the sensor units 110, it determines that the attachment state is not appropriate, as described in the flow of Figure 7.

As explained with reference to Figures 8 to 15, the control unit 103 of the electrical stimulation application device 1 can determine the attachment state of the gel pad 30 based on the reflection level as a value related to the intensity of received light at the sensor unit 110.

Figure 16 is a flowchart showing another example of a process for determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30 performed by the control unit 103, and is a flowchart showing an example of a determination process performed when the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached to a living body, etc.

A user of the electrical stimulation application device 1 attaches the electrical stimulation application device 1 to a living body or the like via the gel pad 30. Then, to start the process of determining the attachment state of the gel pad 30, the user presses the second input section 101b, which is an operation button.

In Figure 16, steps S11 to S16 are similar to steps S11 to S16 described in Figure 7, so detailed explanation is omitted here.

In step S14, the control unit 103 determines that all reflex levels are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (Yes in step S14), notifies the user that the attachment state is appropriate (step S15), and starts treatment for the user (step S17). Specifically, the control unit 103 starts treatment for the disease by applying weak electrical stimulation and heat.

The control unit 103 may determine whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the electrical stimulation application device 1 is appropriate by executing the processes of steps S12 to S14 while treating the user. For example, if the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the electrical stimulation application device 1 shifts during treatment and becomes inappropriate, the control unit 103 may notify the user that the attachment state is inappropriate, as described in step S16. In this way, the control unit 103 can determine whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the electrical stimulation application device 1 is appropriate while treating the user.

When the control unit 103 determines that the treatment has ended based on a predetermined condition, it stops the application of the weak electrical stimulation and heat and ends the treatment for the user (step S18). For example, the control unit 103 can end the treatment when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the treatment for the user in step S17.

7, the user can know whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate by checking the notification in step S15 or step S16. If the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is not appropriate, the user can reattach the gel pad 30 to the application unit 20, attach the electrical stimulation application device 1 to a living body, etc., and execute the determination process again to determine whether the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate.

Here, we will explain some examples of the attachment state of the gel pad 30 to the electrical stimulation application device 1 and the reflex level calculated by the control unit 103, with reference to the drawings.

Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is in an appropriate attachment state, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the gel pad 30, the application unit 20, and the user's abdomen as a living body to which the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached. Figure 18 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 17. In the graph shown in Figure 18, the vertical axis is the sensor output value indicating the intensity of received light.

When the gel pad 30 is attached appropriately, the sensor unit 110 is covered by the reflective marker 33 as shown in FIG. 17. In this case, light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 is reflected by the white reflective marker 33. That is, the light-receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 receives the reflected light reflected by the white reflective marker 33 when emitting light. The received light intensity in this case is, for example, 100 as shown in FIG. 18. On the other hand, the received light intensity by the sensor unit 110 when the light is off is, for example, 20 as shown in FIG. 18.

The control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity of 100 when the light is on and the received light intensity of 20 when the light is off, and determines the difference, 80, as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 80 is equal to or greater than the threshold value of 60, in this case the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value.

Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is not attached to the application unit 20, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the application unit 20 and the user's abdomen. Figure 20 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 19. In the graph shown in Figure 20, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

As shown in Figure 19, when the gel pad 30 is not attached to the application unit 20, the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached directly to the abdomen, such as a living body. In this case, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 is reflected by the abdomen. In this case, the light receiving intensity when the light-receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 emits light is assumed to be 50, for example, as shown in Figure 20. On the other hand, the light receiving intensity when the sensor unit 110 is turned off is assumed to be 20, as shown in Figure 13, for example.

In this case, the control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity of 50 when the light is on and the received light intensity of 20 when the light is off, and sets this difference of 30 as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 30 is less than the threshold value of 60, in this case, the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold. When the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold in this way in at least some of the sensor units 110, it determines that the attachment state is not appropriate, as explained in the flow of Figure 16.

Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is in an improperly attached state, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross-section of the gel pad 30, the application unit 20, and the user's abdomen. Specifically, Figure 21 is a diagram showing a schematic cross-section when the sensor unit 110 is covered with conductive gel 32. Figure 22 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 21. In the graph shown in Figure 22, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

If the gel pad 30 is not properly attached and the sensor unit 110 is covered with the conductive gel 32, the light emitted from the light emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 passes through the semi-transparent conductive gel 32 to reach the user's abdomen and is reflected by the user's abdomen. The light reflected by the user's abdomen passes through the semi-transparent conductive gel 32 and is received by the light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110. The light emitted from the light emitting unit is partially absorbed by the semi-transparent conductive gel 32, and further absorbed by the user's abdomen. The light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 receives light with a light intensity of 50, as shown in FIG. 22, for example. On the other hand, the light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 receives light with a light-off state with a light intensity of 20, as shown in FIG. 22, for example.

The control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity of 50 when the light is on and the received light intensity of 20 when the light is off, and sets the difference of 30 as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 30 is less than the threshold value of 60, in this case the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold. When the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold in this way in at least some of the sensor units 110, it determines that the attachment state is not appropriate, as described in the flow of Figure 16.

Figure 23 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which light is received by the sensor unit 110 when the gel pad 30 is in an improperly attached state, and is a diagram showing a schematic cross-section of the gel pad 30, the application unit 20, and the user's abdomen. Specifically, Figure 23 is a diagram showing a schematic cross-section when the sensor unit 110 is covered with a support body 31. Figure 24 is a diagram explaining the reflection level in the state shown in Figure 23. In the graph shown in Figure 24, the vertical axis is the value of the sensor output indicating the intensity of received light.

If the gel pad 30 is not attached properly and the sensor unit 110 is covered by the support 31, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the sensor unit 110 reaches the black support 31. The support 31 may reflect some of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit, but ideally most of the light is absorbed. Therefore, the light receiving intensity when the light-receiving unit of the sensor unit 110 emits light is ideally 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 24. On the other hand, the light receiving intensity when the sensor unit 110 is turned off is 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 24.

The control unit 103 calculates the difference between the received light intensity 20 when the light is on and the received light intensity 20 when the light is off, and sets this difference, 0, as the reflection level. Since the reflection level of 0 is less than the threshold value of 60, in this case the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold. When the control unit 103 determines that the reflection level is less than the predetermined threshold in this way in at least some of the sensor units 110, it determines that the attachment state is not appropriate, as described in the flow of Figure 16.

As explained with reference to Figures 17 to 24, the control unit 103 of the electrical stimulation application device 1 can determine the attachment state of the gel pad 30 based on the reflection level as a value related to the light reception intensity at the sensor unit 110, even when the electrical stimulation application device 1 is attached to the user's abdomen.

In the above embodiment, the reflective marker 33 is white and the support 31 is black. By making the light reflectance of the reflective marker 33 and the support 31 different in this way, the attachment state of the gel pad 30 can be determined from the difference in the light receiving intensity at the light receiving unit of the sensor unit 110. When the reflective marker 33 is white, which has a light reflectance equal to or greater than a predetermined reflectance, and the support 31 is black, as in the above embodiment, the control unit 103 can determine that the sensor unit 110 is covered by the reflective marker 33 and that the attachment state of the gel pad 30 is appropriate when the value related to the light receiving intensity at the light receiving unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

The relationship between the light reflectance of the reflective marker 33 and the support 31 may be the opposite of that in the above embodiment. That is, the light reflectance of the reflective marker 33 may be less than a predetermined reflectance, and the light reflectance of the support 31 may be equal to or greater than the predetermined reflectance. Typically, the reflective marker 33 may be black, and the support 31 may be white. In this case, the control unit 103 can determine that the sensor unit 110 is covered by the reflective marker 33 when a value related to the light receiving intensity at the light receiving unit (e.g., reflection level) is less than a predetermined threshold value.

In the above embodiment, the reflection level is used as the value related to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit. However, the value related to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit does not have to be the reflection level, which is the difference between the light receiving intensity when the light is emitted and the light receiving intensity when the light is turned off. The control unit 103 can determine the attachment state of the gel pad 30 using the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit at least when the light emitting unit is irradiating light. For example, the value related to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit may be a numerical value of the light receiving intensity itself when the light is emitted. However, when the reflection level is used as the value related to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit, the influence of external light can be excluded as described above, so that the attachment state of the gel pad 30 can be determined with higher accuracy.

In the above embodiment, it has been described that the electrical stimulation application device 1 has two sensor units 110, and the gel pad 30 has two corresponding reflective markers 33. However, the electrical stimulation application device 1 does not necessarily have to have two sensor units 110. The electrical stimulation application device 1 only needs to have at least one sensor unit 110. The gel pad 30 has reflective markers 33 in a number and arrangement corresponding to the sensor units 110 provided in the electrical stimulation application device 1.

In addition, the arrangement of the sensor unit 110 in the application unit 20 is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment. The arrangement of the sensor unit 110 can be determined as appropriate. Similarly, the arrangement of the reflective markers 33 in the gel pad 30 can be determined as appropriate to correspond to the arrangement of the sensor unit 110.

In addition, when the gel pad 30 has multiple reflective markers 33, the multiple reflective markers 33 do not necessarily have to have the same light reflectance. The light reflectance of the multiple reflective markers 33 may be different. The gel pad 30 may have multiple reflective markers 33 with opposite light reflectances. An example (variant) of this case will be described with reference to Figures 25 to 28.

Figure 25 is a schematic diagram showing the back surface of the application unit 40 according to one modified example. Figure 26 is a schematic diagram showing a gel pad 50 corresponding to the application unit 40 of Figure 25. Figure 27 is a schematic diagram showing the gel pad 50 shown in Figure 26 attached to the application unit 40 shown in Figure 25.

25, in this modified example, the application unit 40 has two electrode units, a first electrode unit 402a and a second electrode unit 402b. In this modified example, the application unit 40 has four sensor units, a first sensor unit 410a, a second sensor unit 410b, a third sensor unit 410c, and a fourth sensor unit 410d. The first sensor unit 410a and the second sensor unit 410b are arranged in close proximity to each other, and the third sensor unit 410c and the fourth sensor unit 410d are arranged in close proximity to each other. In addition, the first sensor unit 410a and the third sensor unit 410c, and the second sensor unit 410b and the fourth sensor unit 410d are arranged in positions that are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the point where the two diagonals of the rectangular application unit 40 intersect. The configurations of the first sensor unit 410a, the second sensor unit 410b, the third sensor unit 410c, and the fourth sensor unit 410d may be similar to that of the sensor unit 110 in FIG. 2, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

26, in this modified example, the gel pad 50 includes a support 51 and two sheets of conductive gel 52. The configurations of the support 51 and the conductive gel 52 may be similar to those of the support 31 and the conductive gel 32 in FIG. 3, respectively, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

In this modified example, the gel pad 50 includes a first reflective marker 53a, a second reflective marker 53b, a third reflective marker 53c, and a fourth reflective marker 53d. As shown in FIG. 27, the first reflective marker 53a, the second reflective marker 53b, the third reflective marker 53c, and the fourth reflective marker 53d are formed at positions that correspond to the positions of the first sensor unit 410a, the second sensor unit 410b, the third sensor unit 410c, and the fourth sensor unit 410d, respectively, when the gel pad 50 is attached to an appropriate position on the back side of the application unit 40.

In this modified example, the first reflective marker 53a and the third reflective marker 53c have a light reflectance equal to or greater than a predetermined first reflectance. The second reflective marker 53b and the fourth reflective marker 53d have a light reflectance equal to or less than a predetermined second reflectance. However, the first reflectance is higher than the second reflectance. In this modified example, the first reflective marker 53a and the third reflective marker 53c are white, and the second reflective marker 53b and the fourth reflective marker 53d are black.

Figure 28 is a schematic diagram showing the state of light reception by the sensor unit when the gel pad 50 of this modified example is in an appropriate attachment state. Figure 28 is a diagram showing a state in which an electrical stimulation application device equipped with an application unit 40 is attached to a user's abdomen as a living body, etc., and is a diagram showing a schematic cross-section of the gel pad 50, the application unit 40, and the user's abdomen as a living body, etc. to which the electrical stimulation application device is attached.

When the gel pad 50 is attached to the application unit 40 in an appropriate state, as shown in FIG. 28, the first sensor unit 410a is covered by the first reflective marker 53a, and the second sensor unit 410b is covered by the second reflective marker 53b. In this case, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the first sensor unit 410a is reflected by the white first reflective marker 53a. That is, the light-receiving unit of the first sensor unit 410a receives the reflected light reflected by the white first reflective marker 53a when emitting light. On the other hand, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit of the second sensor unit 410b is reflected by the black second reflective marker 53b. That is, the light-receiving unit of the second sensor unit 410b receives the reflected light reflected by the black second reflective marker 53b when emitting light. Therefore, when the attachment state of the gel pad 50 is appropriate, the value of the light intensity received by the light receiving unit of the first sensor unit 410a is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, and the value of the light intensity received by the light receiving unit of the second sensor unit 410b is less than a predetermined second threshold. Here, the first threshold is a value greater than the second threshold. The control unit of the electrical stimulation application device can determine the attachment state of the gel pad 50 based on whether the value of the light intensity received by the light receiving unit of the first sensor unit 410a is equal to or greater than the first threshold, and the value of the light intensity received by the light receiving unit of the second sensor unit 410b is less than the second threshold. The same concept can be applied to the third sensor unit 410c and the fourth sensor unit 410d.

In this way, the possibility of false detection can be reduced by having multiple reflective markers with different light reflectances. For example, assume that all reflective markers are white. Suppose that the electrostimulation application device is placed on a white desk so that the sensor unit is in contact with the surface of the white desk, with no gel pad attached to it. In this case, since the light irradiated by the light emitting unit of the sensor unit is reflected by the white desk, the control unit of the electrostimulation application device may erroneously determine that the attachment state is appropriate based on the value related to the light receiving intensity at the light receiving unit. In contrast, when multiple reflective markers have different light reflectances, the attachment state is not determined to be appropriate unless the condition related to the value related to the light receiving intensity at the light receiving unit is satisfied for each of these reflective markers with different reflectances, so the possibility of false detection is reduced. In other words, the accuracy of determining the attachment state is improved.

The above-mentioned electrical stimulation application device 1 may also be configured to be capable of communicating with an external device. For example, the electrical stimulation application device 1 is configured to be capable of wired or wireless communication with an external device. The external device may be, for example, a mobile phone, a computer, or other device. The electrical stimulation application device 1 transmits information on the determination result, for example, whether the attachment state is appropriate, to the external device. The external device can notify the information by displaying the received information on the determination result, for example, on a display or the like.

The electrical stimulation application system and determination method according to the present disclosure are not limited to the configurations specified in the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims. For example, the functions included in each component, step, etc. can be rearranged so as not to cause logical contradictions, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or divided.

The present disclosure relates to an electrical stimulation application system and a determination method.

1: Electrical stimulation application device 2: Electrical stimulation application system 10: Main body 20, 40: Application unit 30, 50: Gel pad 31, 51: Support 32, 52: Conductive gel 33: Reflective marker 33a, 53a: First reflective marker 33b, 53b: Second reflective marker 34: Protective film 40: Application unit 53c: Third reflective marker 53d: Fourth reflective marker 101: Input unit 101a: First input unit 101b: Second input unit 102: Electrode unit 102a, 402a: First electrode unit 102b, 402b: Second electrode unit 103: Control unit 104: Display unit 104a: First indicator light 104b: Second indicator light 104c: Third indicator light 105: Timer unit 106: Memory unit 107: Power supply unit 108: Heater 109: Electrical stimulation output unit 110: Sensor unit 110a, 410a: First sensor unit 110b, 410b: Second sensor unit 120, 130: Straight line portion 121, 131: Circular arc portion 410c: Third sensor unit 410d: Fourth sensor unit

Claims (7)

An electrical stimulation application system including a gel pad having a conductive gel and an electrical stimulation application device that applies an electrical stimulation to a living body or a living tissue with the gel pad attached,
The electrical stimulation application device includes:
An electrode unit that is exposed to the outside on one surface of the electrical stimulation application device and outputs the electrical stimulation;
A sensor unit disposed on the one surface and including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit;
A control unit that determines the attachment state of the gel pad on the one surface based on the light receiving intensity at the light receiving unit when the light emitting unit is emitting light;
An electrical stimulation application system comprising: The gel pad is
A support for supporting the conductive gel;
A reflective marker is formed on the support at a position that corresponds to the position where the sensor unit is disposed when the gel pad is attached to an appropriate position of the electrical stimulation application device, and has a light reflectance different from that of the support;
The electrical stimulation application system of claim 1 . The reflective marker has a light reflectance equal to or greater than a predetermined reflectance,
The control unit determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is appropriate when the value relating to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is inappropriate when the value relating to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit is less than the threshold value.
The electrical stimulation application system according to claim 2 . The reflective marker has a light reflectance less than a predetermined reflectance,
The control unit determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is appropriate when the value related to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit is less than a threshold value, and determines that the attachment state of the gel pad is inappropriate when the value related to the light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit is equal to or greater than the threshold value.
The electrical stimulation application system according to claim 2 . The electrical stimulation application system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the value relating to the received light intensity is the difference between the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit when light is being irradiated from the light emitting unit and the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit when light is not being irradiated from the light emitting unit. The electrical stimulation application system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the control unit, when determining that the gel pad is not properly attached, causes the notification unit to notify that the gel pad is not properly attached. The electrical stimulation application system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the electrical stimulation application device includes a plurality of the sensor units.

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