Abstract: To determine the state of a subject person with a simple structure, an image determining device includes: an imaging unit that captures an image from a first direction, the image including the subject person; a first detector that detects size information from the image, the size information being about the subject person in the first direction; a second detector that detects position-related information, the position-related information being different from the information detected by the first detector; and a determining unit that determines the state of the subject person, based on a result of the detection performed by the first detector and a result of the detection performed by the second detector.

Abstract: The quality of the briquettes granulated by a briquetting machine is improved. A briquetting machine control device samples the briquette that have been produced to measure an apparent density and a crush strength of the sampled briquette (step S10), and controls each operation set value adjusting unit (4, 6, 7) of the briquetting machine so that the actual measurement values come closer to predefined briquette quality target values (step S20 to step S60).

Abstract: The quality of the briquettes granulated by a briquetting machine is improved. A briquetting machine control device samples the briquette that have been produced to measure an apparent density and a crush strength of the sampled briquette (step S10), and controls each operation set value adjusting unit (4, 6, 7) of the briquetting machine so that the actual measurement values come closer to predefined briquette quality target values (step S20 to step S60).

Abstract: A method is proposed for the preparation of porous calcium carbonate particles of which each of the particles is not an aggregate but has ink bottle-shaped pores each not communicating with the others. The method comprises: (a) blending particles of heavy calcium carbonate having a specific particle size distribution with from 0.1 to 0.3% by weight of a porosity-forming agent, e.g., sodium chloride; (b) calcining the powder blend at a temperature in the range from 800.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C. to decarbonate the calcium carbonate particles into particles of calcium oxide having pores developed therein; (c) slaking the particles of calcium oxide with steam to convert the calcium oxide particles into particles of calcium hydroxide; (d) drying the particles of calcium hydroxide at a temperature in the range from 100.degree. C. to 350.degree. C.; and (e) carbonating the dried particles of calcium hydroxide with carbon dioxide gas at a temperature in the range from 600.degree. C. to 750.degree.C.