Patent Description:
In general, it is considered that the wider a movable range of a finger of a player who plays a musical instrument such as a piano, the more favorably the player can play. Therefore, it is assumed that by quantitatively measuring the movable range of the finger, a playing skill of the player to play the musical instrument can be enhanced.

Here, in Patent Document <NUM>, a measurement device which can quantitatively measure a movable range of a finger, for example, in order for a patient performing rehabilitation to confirm effect of daily rehabilitation is disclosed.

In the meantime, conventionally, since the measurement device which measures the movable range of the finger for a purpose of the rehabilitation, as disclosed in Patent Document <NUM>, has a large device configuration which leads to inconvenience in carrying around and is expensive, the measurement device is not suitable for use for a purpose of enhancing the playing skill as described above. Therefore, it is considered that when a measurement device which is further inexpensive, is small-sized, and is thereby convenient in carrying around is available, individual players can easily measure a movable range of a finger of each of the players on a daily basis. Accordingly, measurement devices, each of which is small-sized and easily measures the movable range of the finger, have been demanded.

In view of the above-described circumstances, the present disclosure has been made and enables measurement of the movable range of the finger in a further small-sized and easy manner.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a measurement device according to independent claim <NUM>.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a measurement method according to independent claim <NUM>.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a program according to independent claim <NUM>.

Further aspects of the present invention are set forth in the dependent claims, the drawings and the following description.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a measurement device includes: a first linear motion mechanism that has a contacting part contacting a back of a hand and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction, the back of the hand serving as reference of measurement; a second linear motion mechanism that moves together with a finger targeted for the measurement and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction; and a rotation mechanism that rotatably connects one end of the first linear motion mechanism and one end of the second linear motion mechanism and has a sensor detecting a rotation amount of the second linear motion mechanism, the second linear motion mechanism rotating with respect to the first linear motion mechanism.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a measurement method performed by a measurement device including a first linear motion mechanism that has a contacting part contacting a back of a hand and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction, the back of the hand serving as reference of measurement, a second linear motion mechanism that moves together with a finger targeted for the measurement and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction, and a rotation mechanism that rotatably connects one end of the first linear motion mechanism and one end of the second linear motion mechanism and has a sensor detecting a rotation amount of the second linear motion mechanism, the second linear motion mechanism rotating with respect to the first linear motion mechanism, includes: device obtaining current values of the rotation amount being detected by the sensor; and calculating a measured value of a joint angle from a threshold value being updated by a maximum value of the current values, the measured value showing a movable range of the finger.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a program causes a computer of a measurement device including a first linear motion mechanism that has a contacting part contacting a back of a hand and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction, the back of the hand serving as reference of measurement, a second linear motion mechanism that moves together with a finger targeted for the measurement and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction, and a rotation mechanism that rotatably connects one end of the first linear motion mechanism and one end of the second linear motion mechanism and has a sensor detecting a rotation amount of the second linear motion mechanism, the second linear motion mechanism rotating with respect to the first linear motion mechanism, to execute measurement processing including: obtaining current values of the rotation amount being detected by the sensor; and calculating a measured value of a joint angle from a threshold value being updated by a maximum value of the current values, the measured value showing a movable range of the finger.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, the measurement device is provided with the first linear motion mechanism that has the contacting part contacting the back of the hand and linearly moves along the longitudinal direction, the back of the hand serving as the reference of measurement; the second linear motion mechanism that moves together with the finger targeted for the measurement and linearly moves along the longitudinal direction; and the rotation mechanism that rotatably connects one end of the first linear motion mechanism and one end of the second linear motion mechanism and has the sensor detecting a rotation amount of the second linear motion mechanism, the second linear motion mechanism rotating with respect to the first linear motion mechanism, the current values of the rotation amount detected by the sensor are obtained, and the measured value of the joint angle is calculated from the threshold value updated by the maximum value of the current values, the measured value showing the movable range of the finger.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a specific embodiment to which the present technology is applied will be described in detail.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing a configuration example of one embodiment of a measurement device to which the present technology is applied.

As shown in <FIG>, the measurement device <NUM> includes a device housing <NUM>, a guide part <NUM>, a linear motion part <NUM>, a rotation mechanism <NUM>, a guide part <NUM>, a linear motion part <NUM>, and a retaining part <NUM>. In addition, in <FIG>, fingers of a measured person targeted for measurement of a movable range of a finger are shown by a broken line, and the measurement device <NUM> is attached to a finger of the measured person as shown in <FIG>.

The device housing <NUM> has, for example, an information processing substrate to perform measurement processing for measuring the movable range of the finger incorporated thereinto and includes a display unit <NUM> and an operation part <NUM> which are provided on a surface of the device housing <NUM>. In addition, the device housing <NUM> is attached to an upper surface of the guide part <NUM>.

The guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> constitute a linear motion mechanism which linearly moves relatively along mutual longitudinal directions. For example, a lower surface of the guide part <NUM> (a surface facing a side opposite to an upper surface on which the device housing <NUM> is attached) constitutes a contacting part which a back of a hand of the measured person contacts. Then, with the contacting part of the guide part <NUM> contacting the back of the hand of the measured person and the measurement device <NUM> placed, the movable range of the finger is measured. Accordingly, in accordance with movement of the finger made by the measured person, along a direction of a straight arrow shown in <FIG>, the linear motion part <NUM> slides with respect to the guide part <NUM>.

The rotation mechanism <NUM> has a rotation axis which rotatably connects one end of the linear motion part <NUM> and one end of the guide part <NUM> and a sensor which detects a rotation amount of rotation with the rotation axis as a center.

The guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> constitute a linear motion mechanism which linearly moves relatively along mutual longitudinal directions. For example, the linear motion part <NUM> is fixed to the finger targeted for the measurement by the retaining part <NUM>, thereby causing the linear motion mechanism constituted of the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> to move together with the finger targeted for the measurement. At this time, the one end of the guide part <NUM> is connected to the one end of the linear motion part <NUM> via the rotation mechanism <NUM> and in accordance with the movement of the finger made by the measured person, the linear motion part <NUM> thereby slides along the direction of the straight arrow shown in <FIG> with respect to the guide part <NUM>.

The retaining part <NUM> is provided for the linear motion part <NUM>, and the measured person fits the finger into the retaining part <NUM>, thereby retaining the finger.

When movable ranges in which the finger targeted for the measurement extends and bends are measured, as shown in <FIG>, the measurement device <NUM> configured as described above is attached such that a rotation axis of the rotation mechanism <NUM> is disposed substantially in parallel with a rotation axis of rotation of the finger in each of an extension direction and a bending direction.

With reference to <FIG>, a use example of the measurement device <NUM> in a case where the movable ranges of the finger in which the finger extends and bends will be described.

In a central portion of <FIG>, a state in which a degree at a metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint of an index finger is defined as zero degrees is shown. Then, in an upper portion of <FIG>, a state in which the MP joint of the index finger is moved in a direction in which the MP joint is extended is shown, and in a lower portion of <FIG>, a state in which the MP joint of the index finger is moved in a direction in which the MP joint is bent is shown.

As shown in <FIG>, in accordance with movement of the finger targeted for the measurement in which the finger extends or bends, the linear motion part <NUM> slides with respect to the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> slides with respect to the guide part <NUM>. For example, with the guide part <NUM> contacting the back of the hand, the device housing <NUM> is held by a measurer or the measured person, thereby causing the linear motion part <NUM> to slide with respect to the guide part <NUM> which is fixed in a state parallel with the back of the hand. In addition, the finger is retained by the retaining part <NUM>, thereby causing the linear motion part <NUM> fixed in a state parallel with the finger to slide with respect to the guide part <NUM>.

Thus, by detecting the rotation amount with the rotation axis of the rotation mechanism <NUM> as the center, the measurement device <NUM> can measure the movable range of the finger targeted for the measurement in the extension direction or the bending direction (in an example in <FIG>, a joint angle of the MP joint of the index finger).

In the meantime, in general, since a surface of the back of the hand is not flat and MP joints of fingers are not linearly arranged, positional relationship of the MP joints of the fingers changes by deformation of the back of the hand. Therefore, in order to accurately measure the movable range of the finger by using the measurement device <NUM>, it is required to define a surface serving as reference of the measurement for each of the fingers (the surface of the back of the hand in contact with a contacting surface of the guide part <NUM>), and it is preferable that the measurement targeted for each of the fingers one by one is made.

With reference to <FIG>, an attachment method of the measurement device <NUM> to the finger will be described.

For example, in A of <FIG>, when the linear motion part <NUM> is fixed to the finger by the retaining part <NUM>, a contacting surface of the linear motion part <NUM>, which contacts the finger, is shown in such a way as to be enclosed by a one-dot chain line, and a contacting surface of the guide part <NUM>, which contacts the back of the hand at that time, is shown in such a way as to be enclosed by a two-dot chain line.

Then, in B of <FIG>, contacting portions of the contacting surface of the linear motion part <NUM> are shown in such a way as to be enclosed by a one-dot chain line, and contacting portions of the contacting surface of the guide part <NUM> are shown in such a way as to be enclosed by a two-dot chain line. For example, in a case where the index finger is targeted for the measurement, a proximal phalanx of the index finger is held by the retaining part <NUM>, the contacting surface of the linear motion part <NUM> contacts the back of the index finger in such a way as to come along the back thereof, and the contacting surface of the guide part <NUM> contacts a metacarpal of the index finger of the back of the hand in such a way as to come along the metacarpal thereof. Similarly, in a case where a middle finger is targeted for the measurement, a proximal phalanx of the middle finger is held by the retaining part <NUM>, the contacting surface of the linear motion part <NUM> contacts the back of the middle finger in such a way as to come along the back thereof, and the contacting surface of the guide part <NUM> contacts a metacarpal of the middle finger of the back of the hand in such a way as to come along the metacarpal thereof. In addition, measurement targeted for a third finger and a little finger is similarly made.

As described above, the measurement device <NUM> is attached such that the linear motion mechanism constituted of the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> contacts the back of the finger targeted for the measurement and the linear motion mechanism constituted of the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> contacts the metacarpal of the finger, targeted for the measurement, of the back of the hand in such a way as to come along the metacarpal thereof. The measurement device <NUM> is attached by employing the above-described attachment method, in anatomy, the movable range (in an example in <FIG>, a joint angle of the MP joint) can be accurately measured.

In addition, besides the movable range of the MP joint, the measurement device <NUM> can measure a movable range of a proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint or a distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint. For example, in a case where a movable range of the PIP joint is measured, a middle phalanx of the finger targeted for the measurement is retained by the retaining part <NUM> and the contacting surface of the guide part <NUM> contacts the proximal phalanx and the middle phalanx in such a way as to come along the proximal phalanx and the middle phalanx. In addition, in a case where a movable range of the DIP joint is measured, a distal phalanx of the finger targeted for the measurement is retained by the retaining part <NUM> and the contacting surface of the guide part <NUM> contacts the middle phalanx, the proximal phalanx, and the middle phalanx in such a way as to come along the middle phalanx, the proximal phalanx, and the middle phalanx.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the measurement device <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the measurement device <NUM> can be connected via a network <NUM> to a database <NUM>, an analysis server <NUM>, and an external terminal <NUM>. In addition, the measurement device <NUM> includes a sensor <NUM>, a signal processing part <NUM>, an operation signal acquisition part <NUM>, a storage part <NUM>, a display control part <NUM>, a communication part <NUM>, and a control part <NUM>.

The sensor <NUM> is constituted of, for example, a potentiometer, an encoder, or the like and detects a rotation amount of the linear motion mechanism constituted of the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM>, the linear motion mechanism constituted of the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> rotating with respect to the linear motion mechanism constituted of the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> in <FIG>. Then, the sensor <NUM> supplies a sensor signal showing the rotation amount to the signal processing part <NUM>.

As signal processing on the sensor signal supplied from the sensor <NUM>, the signal processing part <NUM> performs, for example, noise reduction processing for reducing noise of the sensor signal, conversion processing for converting a voltage of the sensor signal into an angle (or a position), and the like. Then, the signal processing part <NUM> supplies a sensor value obtained as a result of subjecting the sensor signal to the signal processing to the control part <NUM>.

The operation signal acquisition part <NUM> acquires an operation signal in accordance with an operation made to the operation part <NUM> (<FIG>) constituted of, for example, kinds of buttons and the like and supplies the operation signal to the control part <NUM>.

The storage part <NUM> is, for example, a non-volatile memory built in the device housing <NUM>, a card type memory which can be attached to and detached from the device housing <NUM>, or the like and stores measured values obtained as a result of the measurement by the measurement device <NUM>. Note that in a case where these measured values are stored in the database <NUM>, the configuration of the measurement device <NUM> may be a configuration in which the storage part <NUM> is not provided.

In accordance with control by the control part <NUM>, the display control part <NUM> performs control to display kinds of display screens (see the later-described <FIG>) on the display unit <NUM> in <FIG>.

The communication part <NUM> performs communication via the network <NUM> and transmits, for example, the measured values obtained as the result of the measurement by the measurement device <NUM>. Note that the communication part <NUM> can perform wired communication or wireless communication and in addition thereto, can directly transmit the measured values to the external terminal <NUM> by infrared communication, short-distance wireless communication, or the like. Furthermore, the measurement device <NUM> may have a configuration in which a two-dimensional code showing the measured values is displayed on the display unit <NUM> and the two-dimensional code is read by the external terminal <NUM>.

The control part <NUM> performs control to blocks constituting the measurement device <NUM> and executes measurement processing described with reference to <FIG>. For example, the control part <NUM> obtains current values of the rotation amount detected by the sensor <NUM> and can calculate the measured value of the joint angle, which shows the movable range of the finger, from a threshold value (hereinafter, referred to as a current threshold value) which is updated by a maximum value of the current values.

Then, the control part <NUM> can perform control to the communication part <NUM> so as to transmit the measured values obtained as the result of the measurement by the measurement device <NUM>, via the network <NUM>, to the database <NUM>, the analysis server <NUM>, and the external terminal <NUM>. As described above, by directly transmitting the measured values from the measurement device <NUM>, seamless measurement and evaluation can be made, for example, without intervention of a personal computer.

For example, the measured values measured by the measurement device <NUM> can be confirmed by the external terminal <NUM> such as a smartphone and a tablet. In addition, by analyzing history data of the measured values recorded in the database <NUM> by the analysis server <NUM>, for example, recommendation and the like of training to widen the movable ranges of the finger can be made.

In addition, the measurement device <NUM> can store the history data of the measured values in the storage part <NUM> and display the history data thereof on the display unit <NUM>, thereby allowing the measured person to confirm the history data thereof. In addition, by directly transmitting the history data of the measured values to the external terminal <NUM> by the communication part <NUM>, the measurement device <NUM> analyzes the history data on the external terminal <NUM>, for example, the recommendation and the like of the training to widen the movable ranges of the fingers can be made.

With reference to a flowchart shown in <FIG>, one example of measurement processing performed on the measurement device <NUM> will be described.

For example, in a state in which the finger targeted for the measurement is retained by the retaining part <NUM> and with the contacting part of the guide part <NUM> contacting the back of the hand of the measured person and the measurement device <NUM> placed, as shown in the central portion of <FIG>, when the finger targeted for the measurement is kept still with the MP joint of the finger targeted for the measurement as zero degrees, the measurement processing is started.

Then, in step S11, the control part <NUM> sets the sensor value supplied from the signal processing part <NUM> at a start time of the measurement processing as an initial value and thereafter, in step S12, the measurement is started.

In step S13, the control part <NUM> obtains sensor values sequentially supplied from the signal processing part <NUM> as current values.

In step S14, the control part <NUM> compares the current values obtained in step S13 and the current threshold value. Here, the current threshold value is the largest value among the sensor values obtained while measurement processing at one time is performed.

In step S15, in accordance with a result of the comparison in step S14, in a case where the current value is larger than the current threshold value, the control part <NUM> updates the current threshold value by the current value. Note that in a case where the current value is the current threshold value or less in the result of the comparison in step S14, the current threshold value is not updated and processing in step S15 is skipped.

In step S16, the control part <NUM> determines whether or not the measurement is finished. For example, when an elapsed time from when the measurement processing is started has reached measurement finish time which is previously set, the control part <NUM> determines that the measurement is finished.

In step S16, in a case where the control part <NUM> determines that the measurement is not finished, the processing returns to step S13 and thereafter, the similar processing is repeatedly performed.

On the other hand, in step S16, in a case where the control part <NUM> determines that the measurement is finished, the processing proceeds to step S17 and the measurement is finished.

In step S18, the control part <NUM> outputs, as the measured value, the current threshold value at the time of finishing the measurement, that is, the largest value among the sensor values obtained while measurement processing this time is performed. For example, the control part <NUM> causes the display unit <NUM> to display the measured value via the display control part <NUM> and causes the external terminal <NUM> to transmit the measured value via the communication part <NUM>.

After the processing in step S18, the measurement processing is finished.

As described above, in the measurement processing performed in the measurement device <NUM>, the measured person can measure the movable range of the finger only by freely moving the finger. In other words, without operating the operation part <NUM>, the measurement device <NUM> automatically measures the movable range of the finger which the measured person moves up to limits, and the largest value among the sensor values obtained during the measurement processing is obtained as the measured value of the joint angle, which shows the movable range of the finger. Thus, the measurement device <NUM> can further easily measure the movable range of the finger.

Of course, the measurement device <NUM> may start or finish the measurement processing by operating the operation part <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, a display example of a measurement result obtained in the measurement processing by the measurement device <NUM> will be described.

Shown in A of <FIG> is the display example of a display screen displayed on the display unit <NUM> during the measurement processing by the measurement device <NUM>.

During the measurement processing by the measurement device <NUM>, on the display unit <NUM>, a display screen in which a numerical value showing a current score (<NUM> shown in A of <FIG>), a message showing an instruction of a direction in which the finger targeted for the measurement is moved (Move to RIGHT shown in A of <FIG>), and the like are displayed is displayed. For example, as the current score, a value based on the current threshold value used in the description of the flowchart in <FIG> can be used. In addition, the instruction to move the finger toward the abduction direction or the adduction direction or the extension direction or the bending direction can be issued by the message. Note that together with the instruction of the direction in which the finger is moved, specific sound (for example, beep sound or the like) may be outputted.

Shown in B of <FIG> is a first display example of the display screen displayed on the display unit <NUM> after the measurement processing by the measurement device <NUM>.

For example, in a case where movable ranges of five fingers are measured by using the measurement device <NUM>, on the display unit <NUM>, a display screen in which the movable ranges of the fingers are shown by a bar graph is displayed. The movable ranges of the five fingers can be easily compared by the above-mentioned display screen.

Shown in C of <FIG> is a second display example of the display screen displayed on the display unit <NUM> after the measurement processing by the measurement device <NUM>.

For example, in a case where a movable range of a certain finger is measured by using the measurement device <NUM>, on the display unit <NUM>, a display screen in which history data of measured values of the movable range of the finger is displayed by a line graph showing time-series change is displayed. Time-series change in the movable range of a specific finger can be easily comprehended. Note that line graphs of the five fingers may be displayed in a superimposed manner.

In addition, shown in A of <FIG>, as with B of <FIG>, is a display example in which a display screen displaying movable ranges of fingers by a bar graph is displayed on a display <NUM> of the external terminal <NUM>. In addition, shown in B of <FIG>, as with C of <FIG>, is a display example in which a display screen displaying history data of measured values of movable ranges of fingers by a line graph showing time-series change is displayed on the display <NUM> of the external terminal <NUM>.

In addition, shown in C of <FIG> is a display example in which in a case where the movable ranges of the five fingers are measured by using the measurement device <NUM>, a display screen displaying numerical values of the movable ranges of the fingers is displayed on the display <NUM> of the external terminal <NUM>.

As described above, the measurement device <NUM> stores the history data of the measured values in the storage part <NUM> and presents the time-series change of the movable ranges of the fingers, thereby allowing the measured person to confirm growth and improvement so as to widen the movable ranges.

In addition, the measurement device <NUM> presents the general numerical values of the movable ranges of the fingers and the measured values of the movable ranges of the fingers of the measured person, thereby allowing strong and weak points as to evaluation items to be conveyed to the measured person. Alternatively, the measurement device <NUM> can perform ranking display among measured persons who have shared data via the network <NUM>. Furthermore, as to history data of measured values of a multitude of measured persons, the measurement device <NUM> performs statistical calculation by the analysis server <NUM>, thereby allowing recommendation of practice as to items, for which effect to further improve among some evaluation items is anticipated, to be made.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, a use example in which the movable ranges of the abduction and the adduction of the finger are measured by using the measurement device <NUM> will be described.

For example, a rotation axis of the finger made when the finger rotates in each of an abduction direction and an adduction direction is orthogonal to a rotation axis of the finger made when the finger rotates in each of an extension direction and a bending direction at <NUM> degrees. Accordingly, when movable ranges in which the finger is abducted and adducted are measured, the measurement device <NUM> is attached to the finger of the measured person in a state in which the measurement device <NUM> is rotated at <NUM> degrees with respect to a direction in which the measurement device <NUM> is attached when the movable ranges in which the finger extends and bends are measured.

In other words, as shown in <FIG>, the measurement device <NUM> is attached to the finger of the measured person such that a surface on which the display unit <NUM> and the operation part <NUM> of the device housing <NUM> are provided faces upward with respect to the back of the hand and the guide part <NUM> contacts the back of the hand. Accordingly, a direction in which the retaining part <NUM> is provided for the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> is also a direction which is rotated at <NUM> degrees with respect to a direction in which the movable ranges are measured when the finger extends and bends. For example, retaining parts <NUM> which are different from each other between when the movable ranges in which the finger extends and bends are measured and when the movable ranges in which the finger is abducted and adducted are measured may be provided according to directions of the measurement, or a rotation mechanism which rotates retaining parts <NUM> which are the same as each other according to the directions of the measurement may be provided.

Thus, when the movable ranges in which the finger targeted for the measurement is abducted and adducted are measured, the measurement device <NUM> is attached such that the rotation axis of the rotation mechanism <NUM> substantially matches a rotation axis of rotation of the finger in the abduction direction and the adduction direction.

In addition, in a case where the rotation axis of the rotation of the finger in the abduction direction and the adduction direction matches the rotation axis of the rotation mechanism <NUM>, a distance from a center of the rotation up to the retaining part <NUM> is substantially constant. Therefore, in this case, the necessity for sliding the linear motion part <NUM> with respect to the guide part <NUM> is low, and fixing the guide part <NUM> and the linear motion part <NUM> by a fixing member <NUM> allows further accurate measurement to be performed.

With reference to <FIG>, a use example of the measurement device <NUM> upon measuring the movable ranges of the abduction and the adduction of the finger will be described.

On an upper side of <FIG>, a state in which a MP joint of an index finger is moved in the abduction direction is shown, and on a lower side of <FIG>, a state in which the MP joint of the index finger is moved in the adduction direction is shown. As shown therein, in a case where the movable ranges of the abduction and the adduction of the finger are measured, the rotation axis of the rotation of the finger in each of the abduction direction and the adduction direction can substantially match the rotation axis of the rotation mechanism <NUM>.

As described above, in a state in which the measured person places the device housing <NUM> on the back of the hand and fixes a palm of the hand on a flat surface of a desk or the like, the measured person moves the finger targeted for the measurement to the maximum in right and left directions, thereby allowing the measured person to measure the movable ranges of the abduction and the adduction of the finger.

Note that as described above, although the measurement device <NUM> includes the single-axis rotation mechanism <NUM>, the measurement device <NUM> can include, for example, a dual-axis rotation mechanism which rotates on two axes. For example, the measurement device <NUM> including the dual-axis rotation mechanism can measure the movable ranges in the extension direction and the bending direction and the movable ranges in the abduction direction and the adduction direction without reattachment.

In addition, in a case where the measurement is performed with one part of the back of the hand and a back of the proximal phalanx as reference, instead of the sensor which detects the rotation amount of the rotation mechanism <NUM>, in the measurement device <NUM>, inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, each of which detects acceleration and an angular velocity of each of the guide part <NUM> and the guide part <NUM> can be used. For example, each of the IMU sensors is a nine-axis sensor which can measure terrestrial magnetism, besides the acceleration and the angular velocity. Then, the measurement device <NUM> calculates relative angles by the IMU sensor on a side of the guide part <NUM> and the IMU sensor on a side of the guide part <NUM>, thereby allowing the movable ranges of the finger to be measured.

As described above, the measurement device <NUM> to which the present technology is applied is compact and can be manufactured at further low costs, for example, as compared with the measurement device disclosed in the above-described Patent Document <NUM>. Accordingly, the measurement device <NUM> is convenient in carrying around and enables easy measurement of the movable ranges of the finger. Thus, players who play musical instruments such as pianos can quantitatively measure the movable ranges of the finger in their home on a daily basis, hence allowing playing skills to be enhanced.

Next, the above-described series of processes (information processing method) can be performed by hardware and can be performed by software. In a case where the series of processes is performed by the software, a program constituting the software is installed in a general-purpose computer or the like.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing a configuration example of one embodiment of the computer in which the program executing the above-described series of processes is installed.

The program can be previously recorded in a hard disc <NUM> or a ROM <NUM> as a recording medium built in the computer.

Alternatively, the program can be stored (recorded) in a removable recording medium <NUM> which is driven by a drive <NUM>. Such a removable recording medium <NUM> can be provided as the so-called package software. Here, as the removable recording medium <NUM>, there are, for example, a flexible disc, a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), a magneto optical (MO) disc, a digital versatile disc (DVD), a magnetic disc, a semiconductor memory, and the like.

Note that the program is installed in the computer from the removable recording medium <NUM> as described above and in addition thereto, the program can be downloaded into the computer via a communication network or a broadcasting network and can be installed in the built-in hard disc <NUM>. In other words, the program can be transferred, for example, from a download site, to the computer in a wireless manner via an artificial satellite for digital satellite broadcasting or to the computer in a wired manner via a network such as a local area network (LAN) and the Internet.

The computer has a central processing unit (CPU) <NUM> built therein, and an input-output interface <NUM> is connected via a bus <NUM> to the CPU <NUM>.

When a command is inputted via the input-output interface <NUM> by an operation of an input unit <NUM> made by a user or the like, in response thereto, the CPU <NUM> executes the program stored in the read only memory (ROM) <NUM>. Alternatively, the CPU <NUM> loads the program stored in the hard disc <NUM> to a random access memory (RAM) <NUM> and executes the program.

Thus, the CPU <NUM> performs processing in accordance with the above-described flowcharts or processing performed by the configuration of the above-described block diagram. Then, the CPU <NUM> outputs a processing result as needed, for example, via the input-output interface <NUM> from an output unit <NUM> or, for example, transmits the processing result from a communication unit <NUM> and further, records the processing result in the hard disc <NUM>, and does others.

Note that the input unit <NUM> is constituted of a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, and the like. In addition, the output unit <NUM> is constituted of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a loudspeaker, and the like.

Here, in the present description, it is not necessarily required to perform the processing, which the computer performs in accordance with the program, in chronological order along the order described in the flowcharts. In other words, the processing, which the computer performs in accordance with the program, also includes processing executed parallelly or individually (for example, parallel processing or processing by an object).

In addition, the program may be a program processed by one computer (processor) or may be a program processed by a plurality of computers in a distributed manner. Furthermore, the program may be a program which is transferred to a remote computer to be executed.

Furthermore, in the present description, a system means aggregate of a plurality of constituent elements (an apparatus, a module (component), and the like), and it does not matter whether or not all the constituent elements are in the same one housing. Accordingly, either of a plurality of apparatuses which is housed in separate housings and is connected via a network or one apparatus in which a plurality of modules is housed in one housing is a system.

In addition, for example, a configuration described as one apparatus (or one processing unit) may be divided and the configuration may be configured as a plurality of apparatuses (or processing units). Conversely, a configuration described as a plurality of apparatuses (or processing units) may be configured as one apparatus (or one processing unit). In addition, of course, a configuration other than the above-described configuration may be added to the configuration of the apparatuses (or the processing units). Furthermore, as long as the configuration and operation of the whole system is substantively the same, a part of a configuration of a certain apparatus (or a certain processing unit) may be included in other apparatus (or other processing unit).

In addition, for example, the present technology can adopt a configuration of cloud computing in which one function is shared by a plurality of apparatuses via a network and is processed in a cooperative manner.

In addition, for example, the above-described program can be executed on any apparatus. In this case, it is only required for that apparatus to have necessary functions (functional blocks or the like) and to be operable to acquire necessary information.

In addition, for example, the steps described with reference to the above-described flowcharts are executed by one apparatus and in addition thereto, the steps can be executed by a plurality of apparatuses in a shared manner. Furthermore, in a case where a plurality of processes is included in one step, the plurality of processes can be executed by one apparatus or in addition thereto, the plurality of processes can be executed by a plurality of apparatuses in a shared manner. In other words, a plurality of processes included in one step can also be executed as processes of a plurality of steps. Conversely, the processes described as the plurality of steps can be collectively executed as one step.

Note that as to the program executed by the computer, the processes of the steps which describe the program may be executed in a time-series manner along the order described in the present description or may be individually executed in a parallel manner or at necessary timing such as timing at which calling-out is made. In other words, as long as no inconsistency is caused, the processes of the steps may be executed in order different from the above-described order. Furthermore, the processes of the step describing this program may be executed in parallel with processes of other program or may be executed in combination with processes of other program.

Note that each of the plurality of kinds of the present technology described in the present description can be singly implemented in an independent manner as long as no inconsistency is caused. Of course, the plurality of kinds of the present technology described therein can also be implemented in combination with any plurality of kinds of the present technology. For example, one part or all of the present technology described in any of the embodiments can also be implemented in combination with one part or all of the present technology described in the embodiment other than any of the embodiments. In addition, one part or all of the above-described any of the present technology can also be implemented in combination with other technology which is not described above.

Note that the present technology can adopt configurations described blow.

Claim 1:
A measurement device (<NUM>) comprising:
a first linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>) that has a contacting part contacting a back of a hand and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction, the back of the hand serving as reference of measurement;
a second linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>) that moves together with a finger targeted for the measurement and linearly moves along a longitudinal direction; and
a rotation mechanism (<NUM>) that rotatably connects one end of the first linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>) and one end of the second linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>) and has a sensor (<NUM>) detecting a rotation amount of the second linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>), the second linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>) rotating with respect to the first linear motion mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>).