PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thawing device and a thawing method which, when thawing a frozen matter of biological-origin contained in a container, is capable of preventing the content from being heated excessively.SOLUTION: A thawing device 10 which thaws a frozen matter of biological origin 14 contained in a container 12 having a form of a flexible bag comprises: a warming unit 22 which warms the frozen matter of biological origin 14 contained in the container 12； a load measuring mechanism (a sensor array 24 composed of plural load sensors 23) capable of measuring loads at plural positions horizontally different from each other； and an estimation unit 30 for estimating the thawing state of the frozen matter of biological origin 14 contained in the container 12 on the basis of a measurement result of the loads.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2COPYRIGHT: (C)2019,JPO&INPIT【課題】容器内の生体由来凍結物を融解する際に、内容物に対する過加熱を防止することが可能な融解装置及び融解方法を提供する。【解決手段】軟質バッグの形態を有する容器１２内に収容された生体由来凍結物１４を融解する融解装置１０は、容器１２内の生体由来凍結物１４を加温する加温部２２と、水平方向に互いに異なる複数位置において荷重を測定可能な荷重測定機構（複数の荷重センサ２３からなるセンサアレイ２４）と、荷重の測定結果に基づいて容器１２内の生体由来凍結物１４の融解状態を推定する推定部３０と、を備える。【選択図】図２
