Abstract: An autonomous robot is controlled by the local robot information controller which is connected to a robot application network to which the transceiver to communicate with the autonomous robot is attached. The robot application network, a user LAN adaptive controller an information distribution manager and the third party information provider subsystem are linked with a public network. The information distribution manager acquires the information from the third party information provider subsystem on the schedule which is set by the user LAN adaptive controller. The local robot information controller receives the information distribution manager and covert it into the data that generates robot gestures. The robot performs actions in accordance to the gesture data received from the local robot information controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for projection exposure which projects a pattern of a mask onto a work is provided. The apparatus has a base, a source of light, an optical system, a mask support mechanism, a work support mechanism and an alignment mechanism. The optical system constitutes light rays into projection light rays carrying image information of the mask, guiding the projection light rays through a predetermined optical path so that the projection light rays can be projected onto an exposure surface of the work. The optical system includes a projection optical system and an illumination optical system. The projection optical system is adapted to be disposed vertical relative to the base. The mask and work support mechanisms vertically support the mask and work relative to the base, respectively. In this way, the exposure surface of the work can coincide with an image forming plane in the optical path.

Abstract: This image processing device comprises a distance image capture device which captures a distance image based upon three dimensional coordinate values obtained for various points upon object surfaces by a distance sensor; a plane detection device which detects planes from said three dimensional coordinate values upon said object surfaces obtained from said distance image; an edge detection device which detects edges from said distance image; a singular spot decision device which decides whether or not said edges include singular spots, according to whether or not the edges which have been detected by said edge detection device and the planes which have been detected by said plane detection device satisfy predetermined conditions; and a singular spot map storage device which stores said singular spots, based upon the results from said singular spot decision device.

Abstract: An apparatus 1 for controlling a movable robot recognizes the person to be followed up from an image taken by a camera C by an image processing portion 20, controls leg portions R1 of a movable robot A so as to keep a prescribed interval between the movable robot A and the person by a portion 50 for detecting an action, and notify the degree of the distance between the movable robot A and the person to the person by a voice from a voice outputting portion 62.

Abstract: The image processing device includes: a distance image capture device which captures a distance image based upon three dimensional coordinate values obtained, by measuring the distances to various points upon body surfaces in the forward visual field of a distance sensor, for those points upon those body surfaces; a straight line extraction device which obtains three dimensional coordinate values of two points from a viewpoint picture element in the distance image and a picture element which is separated by a predetermined distance from that viewpoint picture element, and which extracts a plurality of straight lines in a horizontal plane using two dimensional coordinate values by ignoring the vertical component among these three dimensional coordinate values; and a plane detection device which obtains points on the body surfaces which lie upon various straight lines which have been extracted by the straight line extraction device, and detects points which lie upon the same straight line as being upon the same

Abstract: To automate the work of recognizing a guest, check the appointment, notify a host of the arrival of the guest and conduct the guest to a designated place, a robot having a function to autonomously travel is equipped with camera/microphone for recognizing a guest at least according to image information. The system comprises management database adapted to communicate with the robot and equipped with an information database for identifying the recognized guest, and identifies the guest according to the information obtained from the camera/microphone and management database. The robot recognizes the guest from the image thereof, and the recognized guest is identified and verified by comparing the image of the visitor with the information contained in the database so that the robot can automatically conduct the guest to the designated meeting room according to the information of the appointment stored in the database.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of imaging devices, a measurement device for measuring a current position and direction of the imaging devices, a map data storing section which stores map data including at least registered information on positions of stationary objects, a recognized distance calculating section which obtains a parallax for a plurality of images, a reference distance calculating section which calculates a reference distance from the imaging devices to a front border of each stationary object, a retracting section for determining a range of image processing, which selects a set of pixels to be processed so as to generate a retracted image, a detecting section for detecting objects from the retracted image, a transport device, and a transport controller for controlling movement of the transport device according to information about the objects detected by the detecting section.

Abstract: A nonfired agglomerated ore which is satisfactory in reduction property in the shaft of a blast furnace and excellent in rapid heating bursting property and a production method thereof are provided. A carbon containing nonfired agglomerated ore for blast furnace which is prepared in such a way that iron oxide and a carbonaceous material are blended with each other to prepare a mixture, a binder is added to the mixture, and the mixture is kneaded, formed, and cured, wherein the agglomerated ore contains carbon in the content of 80 to 120% of the theoretical carbon quantity required to reduce the reducible oxygen in the iron ores to form metallic iron, and the binder is selected so that the crushing strength may be 7,850 kN/m2 or more at room temperature.

Abstract: A road image display device for displaying an image of a road whereon a vehicle is travelling on a display screen by scrolling the road image at a specified speed as one would feel driving a vehicle thereon viewing the image from a fixed viewing point, which display device is provided with an input control section for inputting road design data concerning a straight line area, a clothoid curve (relaxed-curvature curve) area and a circular-arc area for a travelling road distance, and an electronic control unit for generating a road image representing a straight-line area, clothoid curve area and a circular-arc area according to the input road design data and which can easily generate any desired road image according to a free road design and more particularly can represent an image of a curved road portion by a curve having a relaxed curvature for joining a straight-line with a circle of a constant curvature.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting apparatus is disclosed, with which obstacles can be reliably detected so that a self-controlled robot or vehicle can drive safely.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a position detection apparatus that is able to easily detect self-position during autonomous movement by a humanoid robot that moves by the use of legs or automobile.

Abstract: The image processing device includes: a distance image capture device which captures a distance image based upon three dimensional coordinate values obtained, by measuring the distances to various points upon body surfaces in the forward visual field of a distance sensor, for those points upon those body surfaces; a straight line extraction device which obtains three dimensional coordinate values of two points from a viewpoint picture element in the distance image and a picture element which is separated by a predetermined distance from that viewpoint picture element, and which extracts a plurality of straight lines in a horizontal plane using two dimensional coordinate values by ignoring the vertical component among these three dimensional coordinate values; and a plane detection device which obtains points on the body surfaces which lie upon various straight lines which have been extracted by the straight line extraction device, and detects points which lie upon the same straight line as being upon the same

Abstract: This image processing device comprises a distance image capture device which captures a distance image based upon three dimensional coordinate values obtained for various points upon object surfaces by a distance sensor; a plane detection device which detects planes from said three dimensional coordinate values upon said object surfaces obtained from said distance image; an edge detection device which detects edges from said distance image; a singular spot decision device which decides whether or not said edges include singular spots, according to whether or not the edges which have been detected by said edge detection device and the planes which have been detected by said plane detection device satisfy predetermined conditions; and a singular spot map storage device which stores said singular spots, based upon the results from said singular spot decision device.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting apparatus is disclosed, with which obstacles can be reliably detected so that a self-controlled robot or vehicle can drive safely.

Abstract: A straight-line detecting method for detecting a straight line in an image by using a combinatorial Hough transform at a high speed by restricting a voting area to assure detection of a short line segment without decreasing a processing rate, which method comprises the steps of: determining parameters of Hough transform of a straight line passing a remarkable edge point (x1, y1) and another edge point (x2, y2) in a X-Y plane according to the transform equations .theta.=-a tan{(x1-x2)/(y1-y2)} and .rho.=x1 cos .theta.+y1 sin .theta.; voting of pixels corresponding to parameters (.theta., .rho.); and detecting a straight line existing in the X-Y plane by the number of votes in a plane of .rho.-.theta. parameters and which is characterized in that another edge point (x2, y2) is a point existing in any of specified neighboring areas positioned at right and left and above and below from a center area where the remarkable edge point (x1, y1) is located.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which a three-way catalyst (12) for purification of the exhaust gas is arranged in the exhaust passage, wherein the relationship between the magnitude of the stress causing deterioration of the three-way catalyst (12), for example the catalytic bed temperature, and the rate of deterioration of the performance of the catalyst is found. A durability test is performed by raising the catalytic bed temperature higher than that of the vehicle under market driving. The length of the durability test at this time is determined from the relationship between the catalytic bed temperature and the rate of deterioration of the performance of the catalyst so as to give the same degree of deterioration of the performance of the catalyst as with market driving. The length of the durability test required for giving the same degree of deterioration of the performance of the catalyst is much shorter than the market driving time.

Abstract: A device for evaluating catalyst performance deterioration includes an air-fuel ratio sensor and a temperature sensor. The degree of catalyst performance deterioration per unit time is calculated based on the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas and the temperature of the catalyst. The deterioration of the catalyst is evaluated on the basis of the accumulated value of the degree of catalyst performance deterioration per unit time.

Abstract: Exhaust gas purifying method and apparatus for internal combustion engines in which the temperature of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst is detected and, as desired, oxygen content of exhaust gas is further detected, and in which the actual air-fuel ratio is varied toward the higher air-fuel ratio side and the lower air-fuel ratio side with respect to the theoretical air-fuel ratio, in accordance with the frequency and amplitude preset dependent on the kind of the catalyst and set based on these measured values.