Abstract: An airway adapter includes an airway adapter body including a first tube connection portion, a second tube connection portion, and a detection portion provided between the first tube connection portion and the second tube connection portion, and a support base configured to support the airway adapter body. The support base is configured to support the first tube connection portion at a position higher than a position of the second tube connection portion.

Abstract: An actuator device includes an electroactive polymer actuator that includes two electrodes, a drive unit, and a waveform editing section. The drive unit is configured to drive the electroactive polymer actuator by repeatedly applying, to a section between the two electrodes, a voltage that changes in correspondence with drive waveform data that indicates voltage changes corresponding, to one cycle The waveform editing section is configured to change edit waveform data in correspondence with an operation performed by a user When the edit waveform data is changed during driving of the electroactive polymer actuator, the actuator device is configured to update the drive waveform data such that the changed edit waveform data becomes new drive waveform data and drive the electroactive polymer actuator using the updated drive waveform data.

Abstract: An elastomer piezoelectric element includes a plurality of unit layers disposed along a thickness direction of the elastomer piezoelectric element. Each of the unit layers includes a sheet-shaped dielectric elastomer dielectric portion, a conductive elastomer electrode partially disposed on a first surface of the dielectric portion, and an insulating elastomer insulated portion that is provided in at least a portion of an area surrounding the electrode and brings a thickness of the unit layer in a portion in which the electrode is not disposed close to a thickness of the unit layer in a portion in which the electrode is disposed.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a piezoelectric element of a sheet shape; a restriction section attached to the piezoelectric element, the restriction section configured to restrict a movable area in the piezoelectric element to a polygonal predetermined region; an optical element attached to the movable area of the piezoelectric element; and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the piezoelectric element, the plurality of electrodes configured to be applied with voltage independently, wherein: the electrodes are disposed at adjacent two comers in the movable area; and the piezoelectric element expands and contracts based on voltage applied to the electrodes in a manner that a periphery of the corner where the electrode is disposed in the movable area expands and contracts in multiple directions including two directions along two sides forming the corner.

Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical element; a housing unit configured to accommodate the optical element; a support part configured to pivotally support the optical element to be tiltable with respect to the housing unit; a piezoelectric element configured to connect the optical element and the housing unit to each other; and an electrode arranged at the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a piezoelectric element of a sheet shape; a restriction section attached to the piezoelectric element, the restriction section configured to restrict a movable area in the piezoelectric element to a polygonal predetermined region; an optical element attached to the movable area of the piezoelectric element; and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the piezoelectric element, the plurality of electrodes configured to be applied with voltage independently, wherein: the electrodes are disposed at adjacent two comers in the movable area; and the piezoelectric element expands and contracts based on voltage applied to the electrodes in a manner that a periphery of the corner where the electrode is disposed in the movable area expands and contracts in multiple directions including two directions along two sides forming the corner.

Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical element; a housing unit configured to accommodate the optical element; a support part configured to pivotally support the optical element to be tiltable with respect to the housing unit; a piezoelectric element configured to connect the optical element and the housing unit to each other; and an electrode arranged at the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A projection apparatus includes a light source to emit a light beam, an image display element to provide image information to the light beam, and a noise reduction mechanism disposed between the light source and the image display element. The noise reduction mechanism includes an optical element to transmit the light beam emitted from the light source, a dielectric elastomer fixed to the optical element, and first and second electrodes provided on first and second surfaces of the dielectric elastomer, respectively. The dielectric elastomer is deformed in accordance with the application of a voltage across the first and second electrodes to moves the optical element.

Abstract: Finger parts flex and extend about joint sections. A wire is arranged along each finger part through the joint sections. A motor winds the wires to pull the wires in the flexing direction and cause the finger parts to flex. A polymer actuator arranged to correspond to a part of each wire is formed in an elongated shape of a polymer material and elastically deforms in response to an application of voltage and performs extension and contraction in the axial direction by being restored to the original shape in response to stoppage of the voltage application. A lock mechanism restricts relative movement between the wire and the motor after the wire has been wound up by the motor. The polymer actuator performs extension and contraction while relative movement is restricted by the lock mechanism, thereby pulling the wire in the flexing direction.

Abstract: A projection apparatus includes a light source to emit a light beam, an image display element to provide image information to the light beam, and a noise reduction mechanism disposed between the light source and the image display element. The noise reduction mechanism includes an optical element to transmit the light beam emitted from the light source, a dielectric elastomer fixed to the optical element, and first and second electrodes provided on first and second surfaces of the dielectric elastomer, respectively. The dielectric elastomer is deformed in accordance with the application of a voltage across the first and second electrodes to moves the optical element.

Abstract: A portable device includes a case having wall portions, a battery arranged within the case, and a polymer membrane arranged between at least one of the wall portions and the battery. The polymer membrane couples the battery to the at least one of the wall portions. The polymer membrane has a property of elastically changing at least one of the thickness and the length in a planar direction by being deformed in response to voltage application and restoring its original shape in response to the stoppage of the voltage application. The battery is caused to reciprocate by applying a voltage that changes periodically to the polymer membrane.

Abstract: Finger parts flex and extend about joint sections. A wire is arranged along each finger part through the joint sections. A motor winds the wires to pull the wires in the flexing direction and cause the finger parts to flex. A polymer actuator arranged to correspond to a part of each wire is formed in an elongated shape of a polymer material and elastically deforms in response to an application of voltage and performs extension and contraction in the axial direction by being restored to the original shape in response to stoppage of the voltage application. A lock mechanism restricts relative movement between the wire and the motor after the wire has been wound up by the motor. The polymer actuator performs extension and contraction while relative movement is restricted by the lock mechanism, thereby pulling the wire in the flexing direction.

Abstract: A movable side mounting portion transmits extension and contraction of a polymer actuator to an electric prosthetic hand. The polymer actuator deforms elastically in accordance with voltage application and returns to its original shape in accordance with stoppage of voltage application. A rear end of the polymer actuator is fixed and a front end of the polymer actuator is movable. When one of a pair of electrodes of the polymer actuator is electrically connected to the fixed side mounting portion, the fixed end is fastened by a bolt to the fixed side mounting portion. Also, when the other electrode is electrically connected to the movable side mounting portion, the movable end is fastened by a bolt to the movable side mounting portion.

Abstract: A portable device includes a case having wall portions, a battery arranged within the case, and a polymer membrane arranged between at least one of the wall portions and the battery. The polymer membrane couples the battery to the at least one of the wall portions. The polymer membrane has a property of elastically changing at least one of the thickness and the length in a planar direction by being deformed in response to voltage application and restoring its original shape in response to the stoppage of the voltage application. The battery is caused to reciprocate by applying a voltage that changes periodically to the polymer membrane.