Biological Observation System

Abstract

It may be useful to obtain the biological information regarding the state of the tissue or organ inside the living body of the subject organism in combination with the image corresponding to the field of view of the subject organism. 【Solution means】The biological observation system 1 is for obtaining biological information regarding the state of the tissue or organ inside the living body of the subject organism 90 having a field of view. The biological observation system 1 includes one or more observation probes 10 partially embedded inside the living body of the subject organism 90, a field-of-view camera 30 for imaging an image corresponding to the field of view of the subject organism, and a storage device 100 for storing the information obtained by the observation probe 10 and the imaging result of the field-of-view camera 30. With the biological observation system 1, it is possible to obtain the biological information regarding the state of the tissue or organ inside the living body of the subject organism in combination with the image corresponding to the field of view of the subject organism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a biological observation system used when acquiring biological information regarding the state of tissues or organs inside the body of a test subject organism.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, devices and methods for observing the state of organisms have been proposed.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1 below, in order to perform long-term biological observation and behavior grasping of small animals in a waking state, the small animals are placed on a base fixed to a microscope platform or an anti-vibration stage, and synchronous drug administration stimulation and recording of electrophysiological signals are performed, thereby enabling detailed observation of the physiological state and behavioral changes of the small animals.

[0004] In addition, Patent Document 2 below discloses the structure of a camera head that houses an image sensor and a light source inside, emits light from the tip, and captures the light incident from the observation object.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, when acquiring biological information of a test subject organism, it may be useful in the interpretation and analysis of observation results to grasp information regarding what actions the organism is performing. For example, in the case of an organism with vision, if information regarding what is in the field of vision of the organism can be acquired together with the biological information to be acquired, more effective consideration according to the purpose of the observation becomes possible.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a biological observation system capable of acquiring together biological information regarding the state of a tissue or an organ inside the living body of a test subject organism and an image corresponding to the visual field of the test subject organism.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The biological observation system of the first invention is a biological observation system for acquiring biological information regarding the state of a tissue or an organ inside the living body of a test subject organism having a visual field, and includes one or more observation probes partially embedded inside the living body of the test subject organism, a field camera for imaging an image corresponding to the visual field of the test subject organism, and a storage device for storing information obtained by the observation probes and the imaging result of the field camera.

[0009] With such a configuration, it is possible to acquire together biological information regarding the state of a tissue or an organ inside the living body of a test subject organism and an image corresponding to the visual field of the test subject organism, and it is possible to improve the interpretation accuracy of the observation result and the usefulness of the data.

[0010] Further, in the biological observation system of the second invention, with respect to the first invention, the observation probe has a detection unit that detects light emitted from a tissue or an organ inside the living body via an optical element provided at the tip.

[0011] With such a configuration, it is possible to acquire biological information corresponding to the light emitted from a tissue or an organ inside the living body.

[0012] Further, in the biological observation system of the third invention, with respect to the second invention, the observation probe is configured to be able to emit light from a light source to a tissue or an organ inside the living body via an optical element.

[0013] With such a configuration, it is possible to reliably acquire biological information corresponding to the light emitted from tissues or organs inside the living body.

[0014] Further, in the biological observation system of the fourth invention, with respect to the first invention, at least one observation probe is attached to the head of the subject organism, and it has an attachment structure for attaching a field-of-view camera to a part of the housing of the observation probe attached to the head.

[0015] With such a configuration, it is possible to integrally acquire the imaging result of the field-of-view camera as biological information with a biological observation system having a simple configuration.

[0016] Further, in the biological observation system of the fifth invention, with respect to the fourth invention, the attachment structure has a direction adjustment structure for changing the direction of the field-of-view camera.

[0017] With such a configuration, it is possible to easily acquire the appropriate imaging result of the field-of-view camera.

[0018] Further, in the biological observation system of the sixth invention, with respect to the first invention, the field-of-view camera is a member separated from the observation probe and is attached to a fixture attached to the head of the subject organism.

[0019] With such a configuration, it is possible to reliably acquire the imaging result of the field-of-view camera corresponding to the field of view of the subject organism.

[0020] Further, in the biological observation system of the seventh invention, with respect to the sixth invention, the fixture has a camera holding portion for holding the field-of-view camera and a band portion connected to the camera holding portion, and the band portion is wound around the upper jaw portion so that the camera holding portion is fixed on the upper jaw portion of the subject organism and is attached to the head.

[0021] With such a configuration, it is possible to reliably attach the field-of-view camera to the subject organism.

[0022] In addition, in the biological observation system of the eighth invention, with respect to the seventh invention, the test subject organism is an organism classified as a rodent, and the attachment is attached to the head such that the band portion passes through the dental space between the incisors and molars of the test subject organism. It is a biological observation system.

[0023] With such a configuration, the vision camera can be reliably attached to the test subject organism.

[0024] In addition, the biological observation system of the ninth invention is a biological observation system that includes a holding structure for holding the storage device on the test subject organism with respect to the first invention.

[0025] With such a configuration, the biological observation system can be held on the test subject organism, and the degree of freedom of the observation method can be improved.

[0026] In addition, the biological observation system of the tenth invention is a biological observation system that, with respect to the first invention, the storage device includes a storage unit in which information obtained by the observation probe and the imaging result of the vision camera are stored, a communication unit that communicates with an external device by wireless communication, and an information transmission unit that transmits the information stored in the storage unit to the external device by the communication unit.

[0027] With such a configuration, the information acquired by the biological observation system can be easily acquired by an external device.

Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the biological observation system of the present invention, biological information regarding the state of tissues or organs inside the living body of the test subject organism and an image corresponding to the field of view of the test subject organism can be acquired together.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of a biological observation system and the like will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, components denoted by the same reference numerals are generally configured in the same manner, and thus the description may be omitted again.

[0031] In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tubular observation probe may be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction along an arc centered on the central axis of the observation probe along the longitudinal direction may be referred to as the circumferential direction. Further, in the following, the direction toward the tip in the longitudinal direction may be referred to as "front", and the opposite direction may be referred to as "rear". For example, in this way, a certain direction may be indicated to explain the shape and positional relationship of each part, but the indication of the direction is only for the convenience of explanation and does not limit the orientation and posture of each device according to the present invention during use. In addition, the expressions indicating the direction and the expressions indicating the states such as horizontal, vertical, and orthogonal only indicate that they can be roughly understood in that way, and are not necessarily to be construed as being strictly in accordance with the expressions.

[0032] The biological observation system is used to acquire information (hereinafter sometimes referred to as biological information) regarding the state of a tissue or organ (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a target site) inside the living body of a test subject organism having a field of view.

[0033] The test subject organism refers to an animal such as a mammal or other vertebrate, and may also be referred to as a test animal. Note that the test subject organism is not limited to this, and also includes invertebrates such as insects and other worms.

[0034] Biological information includes, for example, an image showing the state of a target site detected by an observation probe, other information and numerical values. Also included is information regarding the state of the target site obtained based on these (for example, a determination result, etc.).

[0035] Here, the image may be a still image or a moving image (video). A moving image may be considered to include a plurality of still images. Also, the format of the data recorded or output as an image is not limited.

[0036] Note that outputting information to, or outputting to a device, is an expression that includes displaying on a display or the like, printing on a medium by a printer or the like, transmitting information to another device through a network, and delivering it to a subsequent process in information processing performed by a computer or the like.

[0037] (Embodiment 1)

[0038] The outline of Embodiment 1 is as follows. In this embodiment, information obtained by an observation probe and an imaging result of a field camera for imaging an image corresponding to the visual field of the test subject organism are configured to be storable.

[0039] The observation probe has, for example, a detection unit that detects light emitted from a tissue or organ inside the living body via an optical element provided at the tip, and can be configured to emit light from a light source to a tissue or organ inside the living body via the optical element.

[0040] The observation probe is attached to the head, and a vision camera can be attached to a part of its housing using a fixing part. The fixing means may have a direction adjustment structure for changing the orientation of the vision camera. Also, the storage device for storing information may be configured to be held, for example, by having the test subject organism carry it. Note that the storage device is configured to be able to communicate with an external device by wireless communication, and may be configured to transmit the information stored in the storage part to the external device.

[0041] Hereinafter, a configuration example of the biological observation system configured as described above will be described.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a biological observation system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0043] In the present embodiment, the biological observation system 1 includes an observation probe 10, a vision camera 30, and a storage device 100. Although details of each component will be described later, the outline is as follows.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the observation probe 10 is configured to be able to emit light and capture an image of an observation target area. The observation probe 10 may be referred to as a camera head. Also, the vision camera 30 is configured to be able to capture an image with a predetermined angle of view range. The number of observation probes 10 is, for example, one, two, or three, but may be more than this. The number of vision cameras 30 is, for example, one, but may be two or more.

[0045] The storage device 100 is connected so as to be able to receive signals output from each observation probe 10 and the field-of-view camera 30, respectively. Further, in the present embodiment, the storage device 100 is configured to be able to supply power to each of the observation probe 10 and the field-of-view camera 30. That is, the storage device 100 and each observation probe 10 are connected by, for example, a cable capable of transmitting power and signals. Also, the storage device 100 and the field-of-view camera 30 are connected by, for example, a cable capable of transmitting power and signals. Note that each of the observation probe 10 and the field-of-view camera 30 and the storage device 100 may be connected via, for example, individual interfaces to each other, but may be connected by other types of methods such as daisy-chain connection. The cable is configured to have flexibility, but is not limited thereto.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a usage example of the biological observation system 1.

[0047] In FIG. 2, a usage example is shown when an image obtained by imaging the state of the tissue of the subject organism 90 is acquired using the biological observation system 1. Here, the subject organism 90 is, for example, a rodent animal, specifically a mouse. In this usage example, the biological observation system 1 is used to observe the activity of a specific location in the mouse's brain. For example, the tip of the observation probe 10 is inserted near the observation target location in the brain, and light for observation is emitted to the observation target location or the observation target location is photographed to obtain an imaging result.

[0048] For use in such applications, in the present embodiment, a small observation probe 10 is used. For example, the observation probe 10 is configured to have a small diameter of about 1 millimeter to 2 millimeters, is lightweight, and uses a thin optical element (for example, a GRIN lens (gradient-index lens)) at the site to be inserted into the living body. By using such a small observation probe 10, observation can be performed in a state of being minimally invasive to the subject organism 90.

[0049] In addition, in the present embodiment, the storage device 100 is small and relatively lightweight. For example, the storage device 100 is formed in a small and thin box shape. Further, the storage device 100 can be held by the test subject organism 90 by a holding structure 60 attached to the storage device 100. The holding structure 60 is, for example, a belt that can be attached so as to wrap around the body of the test subject organism 90. By attaching the storage device 100 to the body of the test subject organism 90 by the holding structure 60, the storage device 100 can be arranged on the back side and held by the test subject organism 90 in a manner of carrying on the back.

[0050] Note that the storage device 100 may be configured to be divided into two or more units as a hardware configuration so that it can be distributed and arranged on both sides of the body of the test subject organism 90. Thereby, the load applied to the test subject organism 90 when being held by the test subject organism 90 can be dispersed. In this case, the units arranged in a distributed manner may be connected via a flexible signal line such as a flexible cable, and may be configured to operate consistently as one storage device 100 as a whole.

[0051] In addition, as the holding structure 60, a structure may be used in which a pocket capable of accommodating the storage device 100 or each unit constituting the same, and an engaged portion engageable with an engaging portion provided on the storage device 100 side are provided on a belt-like belt. For example, such a holding structure 60 may be a structure in which a saddle-shaped bag is attached to a belt. Further, as the holding structure 60, a holding garment worn by the test subject organism 90 may be used. In this case, for example, a pocket for accommodating the storage device 100 may be provided in a part of the holding garment so that the storage device 100 can be held by the holding structure. Further, an engaged portion engageable with an engaging portion provided on the storage device 100 side may be provided in a part of the holding garment, so that the storage device 100 can be held by the holding structure 60.

[0052] By using such a biological observation system 1, observations can be made and the imaging results of the observation probes 10 can be obtained while the tips of the three observation probes 10 are embedded in the living body and the storage device 100 connected to the observation probes 10 via cables is held by the test subject organism 90. Observation can be continuously performed in a state that is minimally invasive to the test subject organism 90 and does not significantly interfere with the normal activities of the test subject organism 90. Therefore, it becomes possible to conduct experiments under conditions that were difficult when using a conventional large camera head or in the observation mode.

[0053] Here, in the present embodiment, the field-of-view camera 30 is attached to and used on the head of the test subject organism 90. Specifically, for example, it is attached to one observation probe 10 via an attachment structure 50 so that it can capture an angle of view corresponding to the field of view of the test subject organism 90. The field-of-view camera 30 can transmit the imaging results to the storage device 100. By providing the field-of-view camera 30 in this way, it becomes possible to obtain the biological information of the test subject organism 90 acquired using the observation probe 10 and the image corresponding to the field of view of the test subject organism 90 acquired using the field-of-view camera 30 together.

[0054] Note that in the present embodiment, the biological observation system 1 can be used together with an external device 80. The system composed of the biological observation system 1 and the external device 80 is referred to here as the overall system 1000. The overall system 1000 may further include a terminal device 600 used by a user or the like who conducts observations and experiments using the biological observation system 1.

[0055] The information obtained by each observation probe 10 and the vision camera 30 is stored in the storage device 100. The information stored in the storage device 100 can be transmitted from the storage device 100 to the external device 80 or retrieved by other means, so that it can be acquired by the external device 80. That is, the biological observation system 1 is configured to be able to record the information obtained by each observation probe 10 and the vision camera 30 as an image or output it to a device provided inside or outside. Thereby, the user can access the external device 80 using, for example, the terminal device 600, utilize the external device 80, and utilize the information obtained by each observation probe 10 and the vision camera 30 and the information based thereon.

[0056] Note that the external device 80 is, for example, a so-called server device, but may also be a general personal computer, smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like. When the storage device 100 is configured to be capable of wireless communication, it is desirable that the external device 80 be configured to be able to transmit and receive information by performing wireless communication with the storage device 100. The storage device 100 has, for example, a removable medium configured to be removable as an information storage unit, and information can be acquired by the external device 80 or the like via the removable medium. The communication means between the external device 80 and the terminal device 600 is not limited. It may be considered that the terminal device 600 is used instead of the external device 80.

[0057] Next, the specific configuration of the biological observation system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the biological observation system 1.

[0059] The storage device 100 is a device configured to include, for example, a computer or the like, and to drive the observation probe 10 and the vision camera 30 to acquire biological information such as imaging results or to capture images. In the present embodiment, the storage device 100 is configured to record imaging results, output the imaging results to an external device 80 or the like, and display them on a display of the external device 80, the terminal device 600, or the like.

[0060] In the present embodiment, the storage device 100 includes, for example, a storage unit 110, a reception unit 130, a processing unit 140, a probe drive unit 150, a communication unit 160, and a power supply 170.

[0061] The power supply 170 supplies power to each part of the storage device 100 to drive it. The power supply 170 serves as a power source for the power supplied to the vision camera 30 and the observation probe 10. The power supply 170 is, for example, a battery, but is not limited thereto. Also, the vision camera 30 and the observation probe 10 may be configured to have their own batteries or the like, or to receive power supply from other power sources.

[0062] The storage unit 110 is preferably a non-volatile recording medium, but can also be realized with a volatile recording medium. Information acquired in the storage device 100 is stored in the storage unit 110 respectively. The process of storing information etc. is not limited to a specific process. For example, information etc. may be stored via a recording medium, information etc. transmitted via a communication line etc. may be stored, or information etc. input via an input device may be stored. The storage of information in the storage unit 110 may be temporary storage.

[0063] In the present embodiment, as will be described later, information obtained by the observation probe 10 and the imaging result of the vision camera 30 are stored in the storage unit 110.

[0064] Note that the storage unit 110 may use a recording medium which is a removable medium. In this case, the recording medium can be removed from the storage device 100, and the information stored in the storage unit 110 can be read by an external device 80 or the like.

[0065] The reception unit 130 receives the imaging result by the observation probe 10, the information received by the communication unit 160, etc. as the information input to the storage device 100. The received information is temporarily or permanently stored in the storage unit 110, or used in the processing by other units.

[0066] Note that the reception unit 130 may be able to receive the information input by an input means. The input means may be anything, such as a numeric keypad, a keyboard, a mouse, or a menu screen. In this case, the reception unit 130 can be realized by a device driver of an input means such as a numeric keypad or a keyboard, or control software of a menu screen.

[0067] The processing unit 140 includes an accumulation processing unit 141 and an information transmission unit 145. The processing unit 140 acquires an image or the like captured by the observation probe 10 or the field camera 30, and transmits it to the external device 80.

[0068] In the present embodiment, the accumulation processing unit 141 acquires, as an image, the imaging result acquired by the detection unit 14 of the observation probe 10 and transmitted to the storage device 100 via a cable. The accumulation processing unit 141 stores the acquired image in the storage unit 110. Further, the accumulation processing unit 141 acquires the image captured by the field camera 30 and stores it in the storage unit 110.

[0069] The information transmission unit 145 controls the communication unit 160 to transmit information such as the imaging results of the observation probe 10 and the imaging results of the field of view camera 30 stored in the storage unit 110 to an external device 80 or the like. The transmission timing or the like is not limited. When the biological observation system 1 and the external device 80 are connected so as to be always communicable, the information may be transmitted at a predetermined transmission timing, or the imaging results acquired and stored in the storage device 100 may be immediately transmitted to the external device 80. Further, when the connection between the biological observation system 1 and the external device 80 is established, the information accumulated in the storage unit 110 until then may be collectively transmitted to the external device 80.

[0070] The probe driving unit 150 is configured to supply power to the detection unit 14 and the light source 15 of the observation probe 10, drive each unit, and control the operation of each unit. Further, the probe driving unit 150 is configured to supply power to the field of view camera 30 to drive it and control the operation of the field of view camera 30.

[0071] The processing unit 140 and the probe driving unit 150 are configured to be operable, for example, when a computer executes a predetermined control program, but are not limited thereto.

[0072] The communication unit 160 connects the storage device 100 to be communicable with an external device. The communication unit 160 is realized by, for example, wireless or wired communication means, but may be realized by means for receiving a broadcast or broadcast means. In the present embodiment, the communication unit 160 is configured to perform wireless communication with an external device 80 or the like and transmit an image, which is an imaging result of the observation probe 1 and the field of view camera 30, to the external device 80. That is, the storage device 100 is configured to output the biological information obtained using the observation probe 10 and the image captured using the field of view camera 30 together.

[0073] Note that the processing unit 140 may be configured to perform predetermined information processing on the information stored by the storage processing unit 141 to obtain information and store the obtained information in the storage unit 110. For example, biological information can be obtained based on the information obtained by the observation probe 10, or information based on the imaging result of the field of view camera 30 or the like can be obtained. In this case, the information transmission unit 145 may be configured to output the biological information obtained as a result of such information processing by the processing unit 140 to the external device 80. For example, by automatically performing information processing in light of the purpose of observation so that the obtained biological information is stored or transmitted to the external device 80, the user can efficiently perform observation.

[0074] Here, in the present embodiment, the storage device 100 is configured to be able to store the information obtained by the observation probe 10 and the information obtained by the field of view camera 30 in time synchronization. Storing in time synchronization may be said to store so that the temporal correspondence relationship between both pieces of information can be specified.

[0075] For example, in the present embodiment, the storage processing unit 141 acquires time synchronization information capable of specifying a time or timing, and uses the time synchronization information to store the information obtained by the observation probe 10 and the imaging result of the field of view camera 30 in a manner that enables time synchronization. The time synchronization information is, for example, information specified based on a timer or the like provided in the processing unit 140, but is not limited thereto, and may be information included in at least one of the information obtained by the observation probe 10 and the imaging result of the field of view camera 30.

[0076] The accumulation processing unit 141, for example, identifies the time synchronization information at the time when information is acquired from the observation probe 10 as the timing at which the information is obtained, and accumulates it in the storage unit 110 in association with the information. Further, the accumulation processing unit 141, for example, identifies the time synchronization information at the time when the imaging result is acquired from the field-of-view camera 30 as the timing at which the information is obtained, and accumulates it in the storage unit 110 in association with the information. Thereby, among the both pieces of information accumulated in the storage unit 110, the information at a specific timing can be specified.

[0077] Note that information in which the acquisition times (an example of time synchronization information) of the field-of-view camera 30 and the observation probe 10 are respectively specified in advance may be accumulated in the accumulation device 100. Even in this case, it can be said that the accumulation processing unit 141 accumulates the information obtained by the observation probe 10 and the imaging result of the field-of-view camera 30 in a manner that enables them to be temporally synchronized using the time synchronization information.

[0078] The field-of-view camera 30 is a camera for imaging an image corresponding to the visual field of the subject organism. As the field-of-view camera 30, one having a known configuration may be used. The field-of-view camera 30 can image an image within the angle of view using, for example, the power supplied from the accumulation device 100 and transmit it to the accumulation device 100 via a cable.

[0079] In the present embodiment, the observation probe 10 has, for example, substantially the same internal structure as the camera head described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 7488619). That is, the observation probe 10 has a detection unit 14 that is a camera module and a light source 15.

[0080] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the observation probe 10.

[0081] As shown in the figure, the observation probe 10 has an elongated shape as a whole. In the figure, the left is the front and the right is the rear.

[0082] The observation probe 10 includes, for example, a housing 11, an optical element 13, a detection unit 14, a light source 15, and a light guide unit 60.

[0083] The housing 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape. It can also be said that the housing 11 is formed in a tubular shape. The material of the housing 11 is not limited. It can be any material such as metal, ceramic, resin, etc. Each part of the observation probe 10, except for the optical element 13, is housed inside the housing 11. It can also be said that these parts are inside the housing 11.

[0084] The optical element 13 is arranged on the tip 12 side of the observation probe 10. In the present embodiment, the optical element 13 is, for example, a refractive index distribution type lens and has a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. The optical element 13 is attached to the front end of the housing 11 that houses the other parts of the observation probe 10, and is configured to emit light emitted from the front end of the housing 11 or its vicinity from the tip 12, or to make light incident from the tip 12 incident from the front end of the housing 11.

[0085] Note that the type and shape of the optical element 13 are not limited to this. An optical module configured using a prism, a reflector, or other types of lenses, etc. may be used as the optical element 13.

[0086] The detection unit 14 is a module in which an imaging device and an optical system such as a lens are packaged. As the detection unit 14, for example, one with a known structure can be used. The detection unit 14 has a structure in which, in the longitudinal direction of the observation probe 10, a light receiving part where light to be imaged is incident on the tip side, an optical system including a lens, etc., and an imaging device are arranged in a row. Although not shown in the figure, a wiring connected to the imaging device is connected to the rear end of the detection unit, that is, the rear end of the imaging device, and is bundled into a cable and connected to an accumulation device 100 or the like.

[0087] The light source 15 is a light source that irradiates the imaging region of the target site during imaging using the observation probe 10. The light source 15 is, for example, an LED chip, but is not limited thereto. The light source 15 may use other types of light sources such as laser diodes. An electric wire (not shown) wired through a cable is connected to the light source 15, and power is supplied from an accumulator 100 or the like to turn it on. In the present embodiment, a plurality of light sources 15 configured to emit lights of different wavelengths are provided, but it is not limited thereto. The light source 15 is arranged at a position farther from the tip 12 than the detection unit 14 in the longitudinal direction, whereby the observation probe 10 can be configured to be thin.

[0088] The light guide unit 60 is arranged on the radially outer side of the outer surface of the detection unit 14. The light guide unit 60 guides the light emitted from each of the light sources 15 to the vicinity of the rear end of the optical element 13 so as to irradiate the imaging region.

[0089] In the present embodiment, the light guide unit 60 has an optical fiber. Note that an element different from the optical fiber, for example, an optical waveguide formed using resin or glass, may be used. In the present embodiment, the light guide unit 60 has an optical fiber corresponding to each light source 15. For one light source 15, elements such as two or more optical fibers that guide light so that light is emitted from different positions in the radial direction or the circumferential direction may be provided.

[0090] The observation probe 10 can be used with a part thereof embedded in the living body of the subject organism 90. For example, in the observation probe 10, the optical element 13 arranged at the tip 12 is embedded and used in the living body. The observation probe 10 is configured to be able to emit the light from the light source 15 to the target site inside the living body via the optical element 13. Further, the light (which may be reflected light) emitted from the target site is configured to be detectable by the detection unit 14 via the optical element 13.

[0091] Next, the attachment of the visual field camera 30 to the observation probe 10 using the attachment structure 50 will be described.

[0092] FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining the attachment structure of the visual field camera 30 in the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the attachment structure of the visual field camera 30.

[0093] In the present embodiment, the visual field camera 30 is fixed to the housing 11 of one visual field camera 10 using the attachment structure 50. Since the visual field camera 30 is fixed to the attachment structure 50 fixed to the head of the test subject organism 90, the posture of the visual field camera 30 changes according to the posture of the head of the test subject organism 90. Therefore, an imaging result corresponding to the visual field of the test subject organism 90 can be obtained.

[0094] Here, it is assumed that, for example, the visual field camera 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape and can be imaged through a lens provided at the tip, but the form of the visual field camera 30 is not limited to this.

[0095] As shown in the figure, the attachment structure 50 has a probe attachment portion 51 and a camera attachment portion 52. A plate-shaped connection member 53 is attached to the probe attachment portion 51, and the camera attachment portion 52 is rotatably connected to the connection member 53 by a screw 56.

[0096] The probe attachment portion 51 can be arranged so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the housing 11 of the observation probe 10 in a posture such that the vertical direction in the figure is the longitudinal direction of the observation probe 10, and has a portion provided with a slit in the vertical direction. By arranging the housing 11 at this portion and narrowing the width of the slit using a screw 57, the housing 11 can be configured to be tightened. That is, the probe attachment portion 51 is a member configured in a slit collar shape that can be fixed to the observation probe 11 using a screw 57.

[0097] The camera mounting portion 52 is configured to be able to hold the cylindrical field-of-view camera 30 in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the observation probe 11 fixed to the probe mounting portion 51, for example. The camera mounting portion 52 includes a recess in which the field-of-view camera 30 can be disposed, and is configured to be able to fix the field-of-view camera 30 disposed in the recess by narrowing the width dimension of the recess with a screw 56 disposed such that a direction different from the longitudinal direction of the observation probe 10 is the axial direction.

[0098] Here, the camera mounting portion 52 is rotatably connected to the connection member 53 around the screw 56. By rotating the posture of the camera mounting portion 52 with respect to the connection member 53, the posture of the field-of-view camera 30 can be changed. That is, it can be said that the mounting structure 50 includes a direction adjustment structure 55 for changing the direction of the field-of-view camera 30 with respect to the observation probe 10. Thereby, the direction of the field-of-view camera 30 can be adjusted so as to be an appropriate direction for obtaining an imaging result corresponding to the field of view according to the position and posture of fixing the observation probe 10 to the subject organism 90.

[0099] In the present embodiment, the probe mounting portion 51 can be fixed to the observation probe 11 in an arbitrary direction in the circumferential direction of the observation probe 10. That is, the posture of the field-of-view camera 30 can be changed with respect to three axes, namely, the circumferential direction with respect to the observation probe 10, the circumferential direction with respect to the mounting axis of the camera mounting portion 52 to the connection member 53, and the circumferential direction of the field-of-view camera 30. Including this point, it may be considered that the mounting structure 50 includes a direction adjustment structure 55 capable of changing the posture of the field-of-view camera 30 with respect to three axes.

[0100] Note that the connection member 53 may be rotatable with respect to the probe mounting portion 51. Also, the rotation axis of the camera mounting portion 52 may be provided separately from the screw 56. Further, the camera mounting portion 52 is not limited to being configured to be rotatable around an axis, and the direction of the field-of-view camera 30 may be changeable by being configured such that the camera mounting portion 52 can be fixed to the connection member 53 in a plurality of postures.

[0101] Note that each part of the mounting structure 50 is, for example, a metal member, but it is not limited to this. It may be composed of resin members. Further, the mounting structure 50 may be integrally formed, or may be composed of a combination of more members. The fixing method of the observation probe 10 and the fixing method of the field of view camera 30 are not limited to the clamping method as described above. For example, the mounting structure 50 may be fixed to the observation probe 10 using screws, nuts, etc., or the mounting structure 50 may be held in a state of sandwiching the observation probe 10 by a spring or the like. Further, since the housing 11 of the observation probe 10 and the mounting structure 50 configured to be able to hold the field of view camera 30 have an engaging structure that can engage with each other, the mounting structure 50 may be fixed to the observation probe 10.

[0102] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain the biological information of the target site of the test subject organism 90 and the video corresponding to the field of view of the test subject organism together. By using the biological observation system 1, it is possible to integrally obtain the biological information of the test subject organism 90 and the video corresponding to the field of view, and enable highly accurate observation. For example, in fields such as animal ethology, neuroscience, and pharmacology, the quality and efficiency of research can be improved.

[0103] The field of view camera 30 can be easily attached to the observation probe 10 by the attachment structure 50. Therefore, the preparation for observation can be easily performed.

[0104] Since the orientation of the field of view camera 30 can be adjusted by the mounting structure 50, it is possible to secure an optimal field of view according to the movement and posture of the head of the test subject organism 90, and obtain highly accurate observation results. Further, since it is possible to record the biological information and the video corresponding to the field of view in a temporally corresponding manner, it is possible to provide the biological observation system 1 that is useful for observing the behavior and changes in the target site of the test subject organism 90 with high accuracy and efficiency.

[0105] In this embodiment, the storage device 100 can manage and analyze data in cooperation with an external device 80, and can monitor observation results in real time. As a result, researchers can quickly obtain feedback and optimize the progress and condition settings of experiments.

[0106] In addition, due to the miniaturization and weight reduction of the field camera 30 and the observation probe 10, long-term observation and experiments can be performed while minimizing the burden on the test subject organism 90, and detailed behavioral analysis and long-term tracking of biological reactions, which have been difficult until now, can be realized. Further, due to the modularization of the biological observation system 1, each component can be easily replaced and adjusted according to the purpose, so that a wide range of experimental needs can be met.

[0107] (Embodiment 2)

[0108] The outline of Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with respect to the parts different from Embodiment 1 described above. In Embodiment 2, the observation probe 10 and the storage device 10 having the same configuration as in Embodiment 1 are used. In this embodiment, the mounting method of the field camera 30 is different from that in Embodiment 1.

[0109] That is, in this embodiment, the field camera 30 is a member separated from the observation probe 10 and is attached to a fixture attached to the head 91.

[0110] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a usage example of the biological observation system 201 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the mounting mode of the field camera 30 using the fixture 250 of the biological observation system 201.

[0111] In FIG. 8, a view of the tip of the upper jaw portion 92 of the head 91 of the test subject organism 90 as seen from the side is shown.

[0112] In the present embodiment, the test subject organism 90 is an organism classified as a rodent. More specifically, it is a mouse used as an experimental animal, but it may also be a rat or the like. Further, it is not limited to these, and organisms such as hamsters, guinea pigs, degus, chinchillas, etc. may also be used. Incisors 93 grow at the tip of the upper jaw portion 92, and molar teeth 95 grow deeper inside with a diastema 97 in between.

[0113] In the present embodiment, the biological observation system 201 includes an observation probe 10, a field-of-view camera 30, and an accumulation device 100 by a holding structure 60. In the biological observation system 201, the field-of-view camera 30 is attached by a fixture 250 fixed to the head 91 of the test subject organism 90. The fixture 250 is disposed at a position separated from the observation probe 10. That is, the fixture 250 is used.

[0114] The fixture 250 includes a camera holding portion 252 placed on the upper side of the upper jaw portion 92 of the test subject organism 90, and a belt-like band portion 251 connected to the camera holding portion 252. The band portion 251 may be filamentous. Inside the camera holding portion 252, the field-of-view camera 30 is disposed. The camera holding portion 252 is arranged at the upper part of the nose of the test subject organism 90 such that the field-of-view camera 30 is positioned between both eyes. Then, the fixture 250 is fixed to the head 90 in a state where the band portion 251 is wound around the upper jaw portion 92 so that the camera holding portion 252 is fixed at the above-mentioned position of the upper jaw portion 92.

[0115] Here, as shown in the figure, the band portion 251 is arranged to wind around the upper jaw portion 92 so as to pass through the diastema 97 between the incisors 93 and the molar teeth 95. Thereby, the field-of-view camera 30 can be fixed to the head 91 of the test subject organism 90 so as to be less likely to be affected by the activities of the test subject organism 90 and less likely to fall off. The fixture 250 can be attached by winding the band portion 251.

[0116] Thus, also in the second embodiment, the vision camera 30 can be fixed to the head 91, and the imaging results corresponding to the field of view of the test subject organism 90 can be accumulated together with the biological information. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

[0117] Note that, in the second embodiment, the attachment position of the fixture 250 is not limited to the upper jaw portion. For example, it may be attached to the lower jaw portion of the head 91. Also, it may be attached to a position closer to the top of the head among the head 91. Further, instead of the belt-like portion, the fixture 250 may be attached to a part of the head 91 using an engaging portion or the like formed according to the shape of the head 91.

[0118] (Others)

[0119] In the above embodiment, each component of the storage device may be configured by dedicated hardware, or for components that can be realized by software, they may be realized by executing a program. For example, each component can be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory. At the time of its execution, the program execution unit may execute the program while accessing the storage unit and the recording medium. Also, the program may be executed by being downloaded from a server or the like, or may be executed by reading a program recorded on a predetermined recording medium (for example, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, etc.). Further, this program may be used as a program constituting a program product.

[0120] In the above-described embodiment, the transfer of information performed between each component may be carried out, for example, when two components that transfer the information are physically different, by the output of information by one component and the reception of information by the other component, or when two components that transfer the information are physically the same, by moving from the processing phase corresponding to one component to the processing phase corresponding to the other component.

[0121] In the above-described embodiment, information related to the processing executed by each component, for example, information received, acquired, selected, generated, transmitted, or received by each component, or information such as thresholds, mathematical formulas, addresses, etc. used by each component in the processing, may be temporarily or permanently stored in a recording medium not shown, even if not specified in the above description. Further, the accumulation of information in the recording medium not shown may be performed by each component or an accumulation unit not shown. Further, the reading of information from the recording medium not shown may be performed by each component or a reading unit not shown.

[0122] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and various modifications are possible, and these are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0123] An embodiment may be configured by appropriately combining the components of the above-described embodiments and modification examples. For example, each component of the above-described embodiments and modification examples may be appropriately replaced or combined with components of other modification examples, etc. Further, some components and functions may be omitted from the above-described embodiments and modification examples.

[0124] The storage device itself may have a display and be configured to be able to display the captured image. The storage device may be, for example, a personal computer itself or the like.

[0125] The observation probe is not limited to being configured to be able to acquire images. For example, it may have a sensor for acquiring signals or the like that are biological information.

[0126] The light source does not have to be housed inside the observation probe. For example, a light source may be provided in an accumulation device or the like, and light guided to the observation probe via an optical fiber or the like may be emitted from the observation probe. Also, the observation probe does not have to be configured to be able to emit light to the target site.

[0127] Note that as the field-of-view camera, for example, it may have a power source and a wireless transmission unit, and be able to transmit the captured information to the accumulation device by wireless communication or the like. Also, the field-of-view camera may be configured to internally accumulate the images being observed independently of the accumulation device. That is, by causing the imaging results accumulated in the field-of-view camera to be accumulated in the accumulation device at an appropriate timing after the observation is completed, the information obtained by the observation probe and the imaging results of the field-of-view camera may be accumulated together in the accumulation device.

Industrial Applicability

[0128] As described above, the biological observation system according to the present invention has the effect of being able to acquire together biological information regarding the state of tissues or organs inside the living body of the test subject organism and an image corresponding to the field of view of the test subject organism, and is useful as a biological observation system or the like.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0129] 1 Biological observation system 10 Observation probe 11 Housing 12 Tip 13 Optical element 14 Detection unit 15 Light source 30 Field-of-view camera 50 Mounting structure 55 Direction adjustment structure 60 Holding structure 80 External device 90 Test subject organism 91 Head 93 Incisor 95 Molar 97 Interproximal space 100 Storage device 110 Storage section 140 Processing section 141 Storage processing section 145 Information transmission section 160 Communication section 250 Fixture 251 Band section 252 Camera holding section

Claims

1. A biological observation system for acquiring biological information on the state of tissues or organs inside a living body of a subject organism that is classified as a rodent, comprising: One or more observation probes, a part of which is embedded in the living body of the subject organism; A field of view camera attached to the head of the subject organism for capturing an image according to the field of view of the subject organism; a storage device that stores information obtained by the observation probe and an imaging result of the field of view camera in a time-synchronized manner; The field of view camera is attached to a mounting fixture that is a member separate from the observation probe and is attached to the head of the subject organism; The mounting fixture includes: A camera holder for holding the field of view camera; A strap portion connected to the camera holding portion, The strap is attached to the head of the subject organism so as to wrap around the upper jaw so that the camera holder is fixed on the upper jaw of the subject organism; A biological observation system, wherein the attachment is attached to the head so that the band passes through the gap between the incisors and molars of the test subject.

2. 2. The organism observation system according to claim 1, wherein the observation probe has a detection section that detects light emitted from tissue or an organ inside the organism via an optical element provided at a tip portion.

3. 3. The organism observation system according to claim 2, wherein the observation probe is configured to be capable of emitting light from a light source to tissue or an organ inside the organism via the optical element.

4. The organism observation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a holding structure for holding the storage device on the subject organism.

5. The storage device includes: a storage unit for storing information obtained by the observation probe and the imaging results of the field of view camera; A communication unit that communicates with an external device via wireless communication; 2. The organism observation system according to claim 1, further comprising an information transmission section which transmits the information stored in said storage section to said external device via said communication section.

Images