Press release

Good news for researchers in brain function measurement
Succeeded in commercialization of optical encephalography measuring equipment, that uses spread spectrum modulation in leading-edge light modulation technology

Adoption of the spread spectrum modulation in the leading-edge light modulation technology has achieved the downsizing, high performance, and low cost for the first time in the industry.

January 5, 2009
 
Spectratech, Inc.

 Spectratech, Inc. (President Mitsuo Ohashi) has succeeded in commercialization of the multi-channel, small-sized, high-performance, and low-cost optical encephalography measuring equipment using the spread spectrum modulation uniquely developed in the leading-edge light modulation technology. It is based on the research that was presented at the 7th Seminar of Japan Optical Functional Brain Imaging Society in July of the year before last. ( http://jofbis.umin.jp/index.html )

 As for the optical encephalography measuring equipment, the two methods of so-called TDMAø1 that splits and transmits every fixed time, and so-called FDMAø2 that transmits by dividing into different modulation frequencies have been used as the modulation system to split and transmit the multiple optical signals into brain. The spread spectrum modulation for the in-vivo use developed by Spectratech this time is a new method that transmits optical signals using the random numbers that are different each other. It is generally called CDMAø3 that is based on the same leading-edge technology, which is utilized for the cellular phone or GPS. It is a modulation method of great promise, that is tolerant of turbulence light, corresponding to multiple channels, high SNRø4, and circuit downsizing.

 The optical encephalography measuring equipment, Spectratech OEG-16 developed by Spectratech has adopted the spread spectrum modulation technique developed uniquely, and it succeeded in making the equipment high-performance, still compact, and possible to be moved while measuring. It has a function to measure the 16-channel measure points simultaneously though the size is about a half of the notebook PC. The low cost is achieved for the purpose of research by making it only for the frontal lobe.

 The product was developed under the guidance of Mr. Munetaka Haida, a medical professor of Tokai University, who is a leader in the optical encephalography research field.

 The optical encephalography measuring equipment measures the cerebral blood flow change noninvasively in real-time at multiple points, and it is getting a lot of attention recently in many research usages including psychology, pedagogy, linguistics, health education, nursing study, and BMI (Brain Machine Interface) beyond the medical settings. However, the past models of other companies have not become widely used easily in the research usages because they are about the size of a desk, weigh 100Kg or more, not easy to be moved freely, and expensive (about 20 million yen ~ 70 million yen) though they are multi-channel and high-performance.

 The price of Spectratech OEG-16 is 1.88 million yen (not including consumption tax). The preliminary order acceptance began last December, and March this year is scheduled for mass production. In addition, it is scheduled to start selling the qualified medical devices by the end of this fiscal year through the affiliated medical-equipment companies.

 Spectratech is a venture company whose primary business represents development, fabless production, and sales of the medical equipments, and who has high technologies with novelty like the patents related to the medical devices, etc. utilizing the spread spectrum technology centering on the researchers and the engineers in the medical treatment, the semiconductor, and the image field.

 

Contact information

Mitsuo Ohashi
Spectratech, Inc.
Headquarters : CH101 4-22-3 Kaminoge, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo 158-0093 Japan
Main office : 3rd Floor, New Yokohama IO Bldg. 1-3-10 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-Ku,
Yokohama-City, Kanagawa-Prefecture 222-0033 Japan
Phone : 81-45-471-4893  Fax : 81-45-471-4894
E-mail : info@spectratech.co.jp
URL : www.spectratech.co.jp

 

 

Back to the table

BACK