Abstract: A first liquid and a second liquid are sealed in a cell, and the first liquid and the second liquid are not mixed with each other, and have different refractive indexes, with the interface of the two liquids being remained stationary by an edge portion of a movable opening member that is made in contact with the interface of the two liquids so that an actuator that is coupled to the movable opening member controls a shape of the interface of the two liquids by driving the movable opening member.

Abstract: A working robot arm and an object recognizing unit used for recognizing a moving body such as a person and an animal are prepared, and while an object recognized by the object recognizing unit is blocked by a shielding operation by the use of one portion of a robot mechanism unit, a job is carried out by the working robot arm so that it becomes possible to actively ensure a working space of the robot mechanism unit, and consequently to continue the job safely.

Abstract: A plane thin-type polymer actuator is provided with a conductive active member serving as a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer, with at least a first electrolytic layer made in contact with the active member layer being sealed between the two electrode layers, so that by applying an electric field between the two electrode layers, the active member layer is expanded and contracted, and in this structure, the first electrolytic layer is a solid-state electrolyte having a specific elastic modulus, or a liquid-state electrolyte, and a holding member that maintains the thickness between the active member layer and the second electrode layer is installed.

Abstract: Two conductive polymer films, one of which swells and the other of which shrinks by an oxidation-reduction reaction, are connected to a link mechanism for reciprocally converting shrinkage-directional displacements of one film to swell-directional displacements of the other film, so that driving force in the expansion direction of one conductive polymer film can be generated by driving force in contraction direction of the other conductive polymer film.

Abstract: A laminated-type multi-joint portion drive mechanism includes a bone member having at least two elastic deformation portions, a laminated-type pneumatic tube member having at least twoline-tubes which are stacked on the bone member and which are connected to a pneumatic drive source, and a planar-type joint-portion deformation member which is stacked on the laminated-type pneumatic tube member and has pneumatic operation chambers which are placed at joint portions confronting the deformation portions, respectively, and which are connected to the tubes, wherein when pneumatic pressure is applied to one of the pneumatic operation chambers, the joint portion corresponding to the pneumatic operation chamber to which the pneumatic pressure is applied is deformable.

Abstract: An actuator as a drive source of robots and the like usable for housekeeping assistance, job assistance, and nursing help, in which a drive source itself is small-size, light-weighted, and flexible as well as safe, and a manufacturing method for a planar electrode support therefor are provided. The actuator has an electrolyte layer in contact with a conductive polymer layer disposed in between an electrode having the conductive polymer layer attached thereto and an opposite electrode, for deforming the conductive polymer layer to be swelled and shrunken by application of electric fields to between both electrodes, in which the electrode having the conductive polymer layer attached thereto is a planar electrode which is patterned so that rigidity in a longitudinal direction that is an expansion and contraction direction of the conductive polymer layer is low.

Abstract: Two conductive polymer films, one of which swells and the other of which shrinks by an oxidation-reduction reaction, are connected to a link mechanism for reciprocally converting shrinkage-directional displacements of one film to swell-directional displacements of the other film, so that driving force in the expansion direction of one conductive polymer film can be generated by driving force in contraction direction of the other conductive polymer film.

Abstract: A laminated-type multi-joint portion drive mechanism includes a bone member having at least two elastic deformation portions, a laminated-type pneumatic tube member having at least two-line tubes which are stacked on the bone member and which are connected to a pneumatic drive source, and a planar-type joint-portion deformation member which is stacked on the laminated-type pneumatic tube member and which are placed at joint portions confronting the deformation portions, respectively, and which are connected to the tubes, in which when pneumatic pressure is applied to pneumatic operation chamber, the joint portion corresponding to the pneumatic operation chamber to which the pneumatic pressure is applied is deformable.

Abstract: A magnetic head for reproducing a signal recorded on a recording medium, includes a substrate, a magnetic head core provided on the substrate, having a magnetic gap, and a magnetoresistance device provided on the magnetic head core. The magnetic head core is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the magnetic head core around the magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: A multi-joint drive mechanism includes a bone-member layer member in which a plurality of bone members are arranged in arrays and in a generally planar fashion, the plurality of bone members being movably coupled at coupling portions, and elastically expanding/contracting members which are arranged so as to stretch over the coupling portions on one side or both sides of the bone-member layer member and moreover which are fixed between the plurality of bone members, wherein the multi-joint drive mechanism drives flexural motions of joints between the plurality of adjoining bone members by expanding or contracting the elastically expanding/contracting member.

Abstract: A head support mechanism includes a head and a slider for carrying the head, the head being caused to track by main driver, wherein the head support mechanism further includes sub-driving device including a thin film and causing the head to have a micro-movement; and the sub-driving device causes the head to have a micro-movement by utilizing flexural deformation of the thin film.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric film made of PZT; a pair of electrodes (a lower electrode and an upper electrode) arranged with the piezoelectric film being interposed therebetween; and a base film made of PLT having a thickness of about 50 nm to 200 nm and provided between the piezoelectric film and the lower electrode. The piezoelectric element, as a whole, is provided on a substrate, which may be a stainless steel substrate (polycrystalline), a heat-resistant glass substrate (amorphous), a silicon substrate (single crystal), etc. A piezoelectric element having a good piezoelectric characteristic can be provided on a substrate other than a single crystal substrate.

Abstract: On a substrate are configured piezoelectric elements composed of a mirror device, piezoelectric thin films, electrodes, and elastic members, and application of a voltage to the electrodes causes flexure deformation in the piezoelectric thin films, so that the mirror device is actuated. A plurality of the piezoelectric elements are arranged in parallel with a longitudinal direction thereof, and torsion springs are provided so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and so as to hold the mirror device in connection with the substrate. The mirror device is connected to the piezoelectric elements through strain absorbers. In such a configuration, the torsion springs serve as a rotation axis, and the mirror device is inclined about the rotation axis.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a preferable construction for downsizing, in which chip part(s) and a cap are not short-circuited, is provided. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a first surface with a cavity and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a semiconductor chip arranged in the cavity; a chip part mounted on the second surface of the substrate; a heat sink which is mounted on the second surface of the substrate and transfers heat liberated from the chip; a cap which is fitted to the substrate, covers the second surface of the substrate, and is joined to the heat sink; and an insulator provided between the cap and the chip part. By providing the insulator, short-circuiting of the chip part and the cap is prevented. Consequently, a distance between the cap and chip part can be shortened to downsize the size of semiconductor device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printer that can print effectively print requests from plural terminals. The printer includes a print execution unit and a control unit for controlling the operation of the print execution unit. The control unit controls the operation of the print execution unit in response to an external print request to perform a printing operation. The control unit also includes plural logical printers each which performs a virtual printing process corresponding to plural jobs. The control unit controls the operation of the print execution unit when each of the logical printers has completed a virtual printing operation for the page, and thus prints actually data for one page. The printer is applicable to a remote printer which prints in response to a print request from a terminal via a network such as a LAN.

Abstract: An actuator of the present invention includes a shape maintaining sheet, a piezoelectric member provided integrally on the shape maintaining sheet, and a pair of electrodes formed to sandwich the piezoelectric member, wherein the shape maintaining sheet is formed of synthetic resin. Since the piezoelectric member is thin, the stiffness is increased by the shape maintaining sheet made of synthetic resin, and thus resonance frequency can be adjusted.

Abstract: A magnetic head for reproducing a signal recorded on a recording medium, includes a substrate, a magnetic head core provided on the substrate, having a magnetic gap, and a magnetoresistance device provided on the magnetic head core. The magnetic head core is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the magnetic head core around the magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a preferable construction for downsizing, in which chip part(s) and a cap are not short-circuited, is provided. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a first surface with a cavity and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a semiconductor chip arranged in the cavity; a chip part mounted on the second surface of the substrate; a heat sink which is mounted on the second surface of the substrate and transfers heat liberated from the chip; a cap which is fitted to the substrate, covers the second surface of the substrate, and is joined to the heat sink; and an insulator provided between the cap and the chip part. By providing the insulator, short-circuiting of the chip part and the cap is prevented. Consequently, a distance between the cap and chip part can be shortened to downsize the size of semiconductor device.

Abstract: A magnetic head for reproducing a signal recorded on a recording medium, includes a substrate, a magnetic head core provided on the substrate, having a magnetic gap, and a magnetoresistance device provided on the magnetic head core. The magnetic head core is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the magnetic head core around the magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic head for reproducing a signal recorded on a recording medium, includes a substrate, a magnetic head core provided on the substrate, having a magnetic gap, and a magnetoresistance device provided on the magnetic head core. The magnetic head core is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the magnetic head core around the magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium.