Abstract: A culture vessel includes at least a first port used for medium supply and a second port used for medium discharge, and A medium supplying vessel serves as a mixing vessel for adjusting a concentration of A new medium to be supplied to the culture vessel. A cell culture method includes: transferring a portion of a used medium in the culture vessel from the culture vessel to the mixing vessel; creating a concentration-adjusted medium by mixing the new medium and the portion of the used medium in the mixing vessel; and filling the culture vessel with the concentration-adjusted medium by discharging a remaining used medium from the culture vessel while the concentration-adjusted medium is transferred from the mixing vessel to the culture vessel.

Abstract: Provided is a cell culture system capable of detecting a proliferative property of cells in a culture vessel at a desired timing during a culture when the cells are statically cultured in the culture vessel formed of a gas permeable member. A cell culture system is a system for statically culturing cells with a culture vessel at least partially formed of a gas permeable member. The cell culture system includes an oxygen concentration sensor that measures an oxygen concentration in a vicinity of a culture surface inside the culture vessel, and a proliferation detection unit that detects a proliferative property of the cells based on an oxygen permeability of the gas permeable member, a measurement value of the oxygen concentration sensor, an oxygen concentration around the culture vessel, and an oxygen consumption per cell of the cells.

Abstract: A ranging device includes a light emitting circuit configured to emit light and a splitter configured to split the light into multiple beams. The ranging device includes a scanning circuit configured to perform scanning in two axial directions while aiming the multiple beams toward an emission area. The ranging device includes multiple light receiving circuits configured to respectively receive beams obtained from the multiple beams that are reflected or scattered by an object existing in the emission area, the light receiving circuits being configured to respectively output light reception signals. The ranging device includes a distance-information outputting circuit configured to output distance information about the object, the distance information being obtained based on each of the light reception signals that is output from a corresponding light receiving circuit among the multiple light receiving circuits.

Abstract: A light scanning device includes a light emitter configured to emit light; an optical scanner configured to cause the light to scan; a light receiver configured to receive returning light as scanning light from the optical scanner being reflected or scattered on an object; and an optical scanning controller including processing circuitry configured to control the optical scanner. The optical scanner includes a rotating polyhedron configured to include a plurality of reflective surfaces, to cause the light to scan around a first axis by reflecting the light on a reflective surface while rotating around the first axis; a supporter configured to support the rotating polyhedron; and a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the supporter around a second axis that crosses the first axis, to cause the light reflected on the reflective surface to scan around the second axis.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes an optical scanner including a mirror that includes a light reflection surface, a driving source that causes the mirror to rotate around a rotation axis passing through the center of the light reflection surface in response to a driving signal, and a piezoelectric sensor that outputs a sensor signal corresponding to a rotational angle of the mirror around the rotation axis; and an impedance conversion circuit that receives the sensor signal from the piezoelectric sensor, performs impedance conversion on the received sensor signal, and outputs the impedance-converted sensor signal.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes an optical scanner including a mirror that includes a light reflection surface, a driving source that causes the mirror to rotate around a rotation axis passing through the center of the light reflection surface in response to a driving signal, and a piezoelectric sensor that outputs a sensor signal corresponding to a rotational angle of the mirror around the rotation axis; and an impedance conversion circuit that receives the sensor signal from the piezoelectric sensor, performs impedance conversion on the received sensor signal, and outputs the impedance-converted sensor signal.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror part including a mirror reflecting surface to reflect incident light, a pair of torsion bars configured to support the mirror part from both sides and configured to form a first axis around which to swing the mirror part by a torsional motion thereof so as to deflect the reflected light, and at least one stress alleviation area configured to alleviate a stress generated by the torsional motion of the torsion bars. The alleviation area is provided between an intersection of a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and passing through the center of the mirror reflecting surface and an edge of the mirror reflecting surface, and at least one of the torsion bars.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror part including a mirror reflecting surface to reflect incident light, a pair of torsion bars configured to support the mirror part from both sides and configured to form a first axis around which to swing the mirror part by a torsional motion thereof so as to deflect the reflected light, and at least one stress alleviation area configured to alleviate a stress generated by the torsional motion of the torsion bars. The alleviation area is provided between an intersection of a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and passing through the center of the mirror reflecting surface and an edge of the mirror reflecting surface, and at least one of the torsion bars.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror part including a mirror reflecting surface to reflect incident light, a pair of torsion bars configured to support the mirror part from both sides and configured to forma first axis around which to swing the mirror part by a torsional motion thereof so as to deflect the reflected light, and at least one stress alleviation area configured to alleviate a stress generated by the torsional motion of the torsion bars. The alleviation area is provided between an intersection of a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and passing through the center of the mirror reflecting surface and an edge of the mirror reflecting surface, and at least one of the torsion bars.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror part including a mirror reflecting surface to reflect incident light, a pair of torsion bars configured to support the mirror part from both sides and configured to forma first axis around which to swing the mirror part by a torsional motion thereof so as to deflect the reflected light, and at least one stress alleviation area configured to alleviate a stress generated by the torsional motion of the torsion bars. The alleviation area is provided between an intersection of a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and passing through the center of the mirror reflecting surface and an edge of the mirror reflecting surface, and at least one of the torsion bars.

Abstract: A structure including: a first part including an electrode pad in a predetermined area on a surface; a second part that is bonded to the first part using an adhesive; and a board, including a terminal pad, to which the second part is fixed, wherein the electrode pad and the terminal pad are ultrasonic-bonded, and the second part includes bosses on an area that overlaps the predetermined area in a bonding surface between the second part and the first part.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes: a light source; a lens through which a light emitted from the light source transmits; a reflective member reflecting the light transmitting the lens; and a mirror configured to scan the light reflected by the reflective member. The light is projected in the same direction as an emitting direction of the light from said light source by causing said mirror to swing. The reflective member has a first reflective surface facing toward the light source and a second reflective surface facing toward a light exit surface from which the light exits from the optical scanning apparatus. The light source and the lens are arranged in a longitudinal direction of a case of the optical scanning apparatus. The mirror and the reflective member are arranged in a transverse direction of the case.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The moving portion is driven by equalizing a constant expanding speed of the electro-mechanical transducer with a constant contracting speed of the electro-mechanical transducer and by setting a constant rest time interval after one of contraction of the electro-mechanical transducer and expansion of the electro-mechanical transducer.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The stationary member consists essentially of a base alloy which consists of, by weight, 88 to 97% tungsten, 2 to 11% nickel as a binder, and, as the balance, 0.1 to 2% at least one metal having an ionization tendency which is higher than that of tungsten. The stationary member has a surface without nickel plating.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a static member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. An outer sheath is for covering the driving device. An attitude retaining arrangement retains an attitude of the driving device with respect to the outer sheath.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The vibration friction portion is made of a material having a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more. The moving portion is made of a material which has a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more and which is different from that of the vibration friction portion.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a static member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The driving device is covered with a cabinet. An elastic member lies between the cabinet and the static member.

Abstract: An optical pickup in which constituting components are arranged so that a dead space can be reduced and aberrations can also be reduced at a low manufacturing cost is provided. In an outward path for projecting a laser beam onto a recording surface 12 of an optical disc 11, the laser beam emitted from a laser diode 2 is reflected on a polarization mirror 3, polarized by a quarter wavelength plate 4, and then passed through an objective lens 5 so that the laser beam is focused on the recording surface 12 of the optical disc 11. In a returning path for receiving the laser beam reflected on the recording surface 12, the laser beam reflected on the recording surface 12 and passed through the objective lens 5 is polarized by the quarter wavelength plate 4, transmitted through the polarization mirror 3, reflected on a total reflective film 61 of the quarter wavelength plate 6, and then reflected on the polarization mirror 3 so that the laser beam is received by a photodiode 7.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The vibration friction portion is made of a material having a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more. The moving portion is made of a material which has a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more and which is different from that of the vibration friction portion.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a static member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. An outer sheath is for covering the driving device. An attitude retaining arrangement retains an attitude of the driving device with respect to the outer sheath.