Abstract: An actuator included in a head substrate of an ink-jet head receives, with an electrode on the surface of the actuator, power fed from the wiring of a wiring substrate arranged opposite the head substrate. A first electrode of the wiring substrate is electrically connected to the wiring, and protrudes to the side of the head substrate. A second electrode is electrically connected to the electrode on the surface of the actuator, protrudes to the side of the wiring substrate and is electrically connected to the first electrode. The head substrate and the wiring substrate are adhered to each other through an adhesive layer such that a space to which the first electrode and the second electrode are exposed is hermetically sealed. The hermetically sealed space is in a vacuum state or is filled with a gas containing a predetermined amount of water or less.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a capacitative element, including: a first electrode formed on a substrate; and a second electrode provided so as to sandwich a dielectric between the first electrode and the second electrode and so as to surround the first electrode on four sides along a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a signal line drive circuit including: a positive voltage supply section; a negative voltage supply section; line buffers; a positive selector; a negative selector; and an output selector, wherein the positive selector is arranged on one side, the negative selector on other side, the positive voltage supply section on the one side, and the negative voltage supply section on the other side, in such a manner that they are symmetrical with respect to the line buffers.

Abstract: A signal-line driving circuit includes an output buffer section configured to amplify input data for driving signal lines in order to generate a positive-polarity signal voltage as well as a negative-polarity signal voltage and selectively supplying the positive-polarity signal voltage as well as the negative-polarity signal voltage to a signal-line pair composing of a first one of the signal lines and a second one of the signal lines, the output buffer section employs: a positive-polarity operational transconductance amplifier; a negative-polarity operational transconductance amplifier; a first output section; a second output section; and a group of switches.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a digital-to-analog converter. The digital-to-analog converter includes: a higher resistor string; a lower resistor string; an operational amplifier; a higher selector; a lower selector; a first switch; a higher capacitor; a second switch; a third switch; and a control circuit.

Abstract: A food product that is suitable for an elderly person or a person who has difficulty in chewing or swallowing is obtained by impregnating a material with an enzyme, said food product having a smooth texture and sufficient softness to be crushed by the gums or tongue in the mouth, while maintaining the natural shape and color of the material. The food product has a compressive strength of 5×104 N/m2 or lower when measured at a compression rate of 10 mm/sec by using a plunger with a diameter of 3 mm and setting the clearance at 30% of the thickness of the specimen.

Abstract: A channel switching system includes two microvalves i.e. a first valve (stopper valve) and a second valve (water retaining valve). The first valve is openable and closable, and the second valve is operable to block fluid flow by a surface tension force. Changing the first valve from an open state to a close state enables to switch the system from a condition that the fluid flows through the channel where the first valve is mounted by blocking the flow at the second valve by the surface tension force to a condition that the fluid flows through the channel where the second valve is mounted by releasing the system from the condition that the flow is blocked at the second valve by the surface tension force.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a capacitative element, including: a first electrode formed on a substrate; and a second electrode provided so as to sandwich a dielectric between the first electrode and the second electrode and so as to surround the first electrode on four sides along a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a digital-to-analog converter. The digital-to-analog converter includes: a higher resistor string; a lower resistor string; an operational amplifier; a higher selector; a lower selector; a first switch; a higher capacitor; a second switch; a third switch; and a control circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric conversion device having a multiplying function and an image sensing device using the same. The photoelectric conversion device essentially comprises three layered structure: a carrier generation/multiplication layer composed of amorphous silicon to have both the function of absorbing light and generating carriers through optical excitation and the function of multiplying the generated carriers; an electron injection inhibiting layer composed of an amorphous silicon carbide of the p-type conductivity to inhibit injection of electrons into the carrier generation/multiplication layer; and a hole injection inhibiting layer composed of an amorphous silicon nitride of the n-type conductivity to inhibit injection of holes into the carrier generation/multiplication layer. The said carrier generation/multiplication layer is provided between said electron injection inhibiting layer and said hole injection inhibiting layer.

Abstract: A form display unit (31) displays a form in which a display item for starting a function that a general operator is prohibited to perform is made invisible. After this, an event processing unit (38) detects an event while the form is being displayed. If the detected event is a specific event, the event processing unit (38) authenticates a current operator as a specific operator, and activates a display change unit (32). The display change unit (32) makes the display item appear on the displayed form.