Biomedical subjects

Tohru Kiryu

Publications and source records attributed to Tohru Kiryu.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A Java-based enterprise system architecture for implementing a continuously supported and entirely Web-based exercise solution.

Since machine-based exercise still uses local facilities, it is affected by time and place. We designed a web-based system architecture based on the Java 2 Enterprise Edition that can accomplish continuously supported machine-based exercise. In this system, exercise programs and machines are loosely coupled and dynamically integrated on the site of exercise via the Internet. We then extended the conventional health promotion model, which contains three types of players (users, exercise trainers, and manufacturers), by adding a new player: exercise program creators. Moreover, we developed a self-describing strategy to accommodate a variety of exercise programs and provide ease of use to users on the web. We illustrate our novel design with examples taken from our feasibility study on a web-based cycle ergometer exercise system. A biosignal-based workload control approach was introduced to ensure that users performed appropriate exercise alone.

Exercise Therapy↗

PubMed2006

Low-cost, email-based system for self blood pressure monitoring at home.

We have developed a low-cost monitoring system, which allows subjects to send blood pressure (BP) data obtained at home to health-care professionals by email. The system consists of a wrist BP monitor and a personal computer (PC) with an Internet connection. The wrist BP monitor includes an advanced positioning sensor to verify that the wrist is placed properly at heart level. Subjects at home can self-measure their BP every day, automatically transfer the BP data to their PC each week, and then send a comma-separated values (CSV) file to their health-care professional by email. In a feasibility study, 10 subjects used the system for a mean period of 207 days (SD 149). The mean percent achievement of measurement in the 10 subjects was 84% (SD 12). There was a seasonal variation in systolic and diastolic BP, which was inversely correlated with temperature. Eight of the 10 subjects evaluated the system favourably. The results of the present study demonstrate the feasibility of our email-based system for self-monitoring of blood pressure. Its low cost means that it may have widespread application in future home telecare studies.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Personal customizing exercise with a wearable measurement and control unit.

BACKGROUND: Recently, wearable technology has been used in various health-related fields to develop advanced monitoring solutions. However, the monitoring function alone cannot meet all the requirements of customizing machine-based exercise on an individual basis by relying on biosignal-based controls. We propose a new wearable unit design equipped with measurement and control functions to support the customization process. METHODS: The wearable unit can measure the heart rate and electromyogram signals during exercise performance and output workload control commands to the exercise machines. The workload is continuously tracked with exercise programs set according to personally customized workload patterns and estimation results from the measured biosignals by a fuzzy control method. Exercise programs are adapted by relying on a computer workstation, which communicates with the wearable unit via wireless connections. A prototype of the wearable unit was tested together with an Internet-based cycle ergometer system to demonstrate that it is possible to customize exercise on an individual basis. RESULTS: We tested the wearable unit in nine people to assess its suitability to control cycle ergometer exercise. The results confirmed that the unit could successfully control the ergometer workload and continuously support gradual changes in physical activities. CONCLUSION: The design of wearable units equipped with measurement and control functions is an important step towards establishing a convenient and continuously supported wellness environment.

Artificial Intelligence↗

PubMed2002

Fast and precise independent component analysis for high field fMRI time series tailored using prior information on spatiotemporal structure.

Independent component analysis (ICA) has been shown as a promising tool for the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series. Each of these studies, however, used a general-purpose algorithm for performing ICA and the computational efficiency and accuracy of elicited neuronal activations have not been discussed in much detail. We have previously proposed a direct search method for improving computational efficiency. The method, which is based on independent component-cross correlation-sequential epoch (ICS) analysis, utilizes a form of the fixed-point ICA algorithm and considerably reduces the time required for extracting desired components. At the same time, it is shown that the accuracy of detecting physiologically meaningful components is much improved by tailoring the contrast function used in the algorithm. In this study, further improvement was made to this direct search method by integrating an optimal contrast function. Functional resolution of activation maps could be controlled with a suitable selection of the contrast function derived from prior knowledge of the spatial patterns of physiologically desired components. A simple skewness-weighted contrast function was verified to extract sufficiently precise activation maps from the fMRI time series acquired using a 3.0 Tesla MRI system.

Adolescent↗