Abstract: The invention is directed to an absorbent article, which is preferably a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner, comprising: a body contacting layer; a garment contacting layer; and an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer. The absorbent core has a core edge. The core edge defines a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region. The body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extend outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region. In one aspect of the invention, the garment contacting layer has a graphic printed on the body facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region. In another aspect of the invention, the body contacting layer has a graphic printed on the garment facing surface at least in a portion of the outer region. The body contacting layer has a first light transmittance so that the graphic can be seen through the body contacting layer in the outer region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a detection apparatus, an input apparatus, an individual identification apparatus, and a recording medium that utilize information about users' bodies which disables the fraud of impersonating authorized users and is extremely difficult to forge and is obtained without giving the users a sense of inhibitions, without restraining their bodies during use, and independent of their mental states and health. A FIFO memory outputs, as one set of features, a total of 60 voltage values, which are broken down as 20 voltage values sampled every 12.5 ms (80 Hz) before the instant when timing is inputted at the peak position of an amplitude waveform signal generated by one click operation, 39 voltage values sampled every 12.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object identifying system is disclosed which identifies a three-dimensional shape object optically such as a part of a human body for preventing an information apparatus such as a personal computer from being used by any other illegitimate user than a legitimate user. The three-dimensional object identifying system has a function generating unit which generates modulation signals, light emitting elements which emit lights based on the modulation signals to a three-dimensional object, light receiving elements which receive reflected lights from the three-dimensional object and which produce detection signals, a correlation detecting unit which detects correlation information between each detection signal and modulation signal, and an identifying unit which performs identifying processing for the three-dimensional object on the basis of both pre-cataloged correlation information and the detected correlation information.

Abstract: Each of optical fibers has a core and stress applying members disposed around the core. End portions of the optical fibers are mounted on a fusion-splicing apparatus, and aligned through the image observation from two different lateral directions of the optical fibers. Then, a distance between positions of a bright portion end and a luminance peak closest to the bright portion end is obtained on each bright portion end of a luminance distribution of the optical fiber obtained from at least one picked-up image. The optical fibers are fusion-spliced by aligning the stress applying members so that the sum of the distances is adjusted to be minimum. Alternatively, a distance between positions of the luminance peaks respectively closest to the respective bright portion ends is obtained and the optical fibers are fusion-spliced by aligning the stress applying members so that the distance is adjusted to be maximum.

Abstract: A method of forming a reversible color image of forming a multi color image to a reversible heat sensitive color recording medium in which recording layers each containing independently a plurality kinds of reversible heat color forming compositions having tone of formed color and color erasure starting temperature different from each other are formed on a support, the method comprising forming colors of all the compositions in the initial state and heating the color formed compositions not imagewise at different temperatures thereby erasing the color of the composition (recording layer 2). The color image can be formed simply and rapidly at a high energy efficiency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in which the liquid crystal material having cross-over frequency is used for displaying an image, the liquid crystal material is dispersed in the transparent polymer in a phase-separated state, a first voltage signal having a first frequency lower than the cross-over frequency is applied to the liquid crystal material to orient reversibly the liquid crystal material to a first direction to display temporary information, then a second voltage signal having a magnitude higher than the first voltage is selectively applied to orient permanently the liquid crystal material to the first direction to display permanent information and a third voltage signal having a second frequency higher than the cross-over frequency is selectively applied to orient the liquid crystal material perpendicularly to the first direction, to erase the permanent information.

Abstract: An optically addressing liquid crystal displaying and recording device is capable of obtaining good images free of non-uniformity of density without impairing the characteristics of a light modulating layer. The device includes a light modulating layer 1 including liquid crystals, a photoconductive layer 2 laminated on one side of the light modulating layer 1 and a voltage controlling device 3 for controlling the polarity of the voltage applied to the light modulating layer 1 and the photoconductive layer 2. The device further includes an exposing device 4 for repeatedly scanning a beam on the photoconductive layer 2, a detecting device 5 for detecting scanning of a beam and a controlling device 3 for controlling a timing when the voltage is applied in accordance with a detecting signal outputted by the detecting device 5.

Abstract: Light-controlling layer which contains at least a liquid crystal as a component is combined with photoconductive layer that is provided on the side of the layer closer to exposing unit and the impedance of which varies in accordance with the intensity of input light. Exposing unit exposes the photoconductive layer to write image into the light-controlling layer. Gradation control unit modulates the output light of the exposing unit on the basis of a signal indicative of the multi-level density of the image to be written, thereby controlling the light transmittance of the light-controlling layer.

Abstract: A heating sensor is disposed within a pipe with a clearance between an inner wall of the pipe and an outer surface of the heating sensor such that a measurement of thermal conductivity is free from any influence of a convective heat transfer. Temperatures of the fluid and the heating sensor are measured and a differential temperature therebetween in steady state heating is determined. A correlation is established between the differential temperature and a thermal conductivity of the fluid and is utilized to obtain the thermal conductivity of this fluid.