Abstract: A thermal transportation method utilizes polyvinyl alcohol which is added to a liquid, and the liquid is cooled to form an ice slurry that is pumped through a pipe to effect the thermal transportation.

Abstract: A power assist apparatus includes an autonomously mobile base on which a manipulator for holding a load is mounted. The movement of the mobile base is controlled such that when the manipulator tip is within a prescribed operating region relative to the mobile base, the mobile base is maintained stationary, but when the manipulator tip moves outside the operating region, the mobile base is moved to decrease the distance between the mobile base and the manipulator tip. The power assist apparatus assists with the carrying of loads by amplifying an operational force applied to the manipulator.

Abstract: A field emission cathode capable of emitting electrons under a low voltage. Lead-out electrodes are formed on an insulating layer and openings are formed at a lamination between the insulating layer and each of the lead-out electrodes. Emitters each are arranged in each of the openings. The insulating layer is provided on a lower surface thereof with a photoresist layer modified by heating. The modified photoresist layer is electrically connected through a resistive layer to a cathode electrode. The cathode electrode is formed in a pattern on a cathode substrate made of glass or the like. The emitters each are constituted by a distal end of each of projections of the modified photoresist layer exposed from the insulating layer. The photoresist is modified by heating, resulting in being provided with electrical conductivity and exhibiting stable electron emitting characteristics under a low voltage.

Abstract: An angle compensation method compensates for the angle of the light-receiving surface of a photodiode disposed in an inclination detection device. The light-receiving surface is divided into four parts by an a-axis and a b-axis disposed perpendicular to each other and receives light reflected from an object surface that is an X-Y plane. The inclination detection device seeks the inclination of the object surface from changes in the irradiation position of the light reflected onto the photodiode light-receiving surface.

Abstract: A slider mechanism includes two parallel guide rails, a first slider and a second slider constituted as separate members that are frictionally retained by and slidable along the guide rails, a first actuator for driving the first slider to change frictional force between it and the guide rails, a second actuator connecting the first and second sliders and adapted to move the second slider in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails, and a driving device for applying to the first actuator and second actuator a drive command that periodically produces a drive operation composed of four sequentially executed drive operation stages each consisting of a linear drive operation.

Abstract: A marine plant field survey method includes the step of using a submarine mobile video system capable of taking images underwater to measure degree of macrophyte coverage in a marine plant field by taking wide-field images of macrophytes from above and a step of using the submarine mobile video system to discriminate species of macrophytes by taking images of macrophytes from a direction other than from above. A marine plant survey system includes a camera for taking wide-field images of macrophytes from above and a camera for taking images of macrophytes from a direction other than from above.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing metallic oxides, when synthesizing an oxide of a metal A, controls oxygen partial pressure by using an oxygen partial pressure control agent containing an oxide of a metal B capable of assuming multiple valence numbers. The method satisfies an ionization tendency relationship of A1+<Bj+<A0, where i is the valence number of the metal A in the oxide to be synthesized and j is the valence number of the metal B in the oxygen partial pressure control agent.

Abstract: A semiconductor magneto-optical material includes a semiconductor dispersed with fine magnetic material particles and is characterized by exibiting magneto-optical optical effect at ordinary room temperature.

Abstract: A slider mechanism includes two parallel guide rails, a first slider and a second slider constituted as separate members that are frictionally retained by and slidable along the guide rails, a first actuator for driving the first slider to change frictional force between it and the guide rails, a second actuator connecting the first and second sliders and adapted to move the second slider in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails, and a driving device for applying to the first actuator and second actuator a drive command that periodically produces a drive operation composed of four sequentially executed drive operation stages each consisting of a linear drive operation.

Abstract: A thin-film fabrication method includes a spray step in which at least one thin-film composition material in liquid form is sprayed into a vacuum vessel via a spray nozzle provided for each thin-film composition material and deposited on a substrate, and a heat treatment step in which the material deposited on the substrate is heat treated. The substrate temperature in the spray step and/or the heat treatment step is controlled within a prescribed temperature range.

Abstract: A dual gate structure field-effect transistor is manufactured by forming a trench in an SOI substrate comprised of a semiconductor support substrate, a buried insulation layer formed on the support substrate and an SOI semiconductor layer formed on the insulation layer, so as to extend from an upper surface of the SOI substrate through the SOI semiconductor layer and the buried insulation layer to the semiconductor support substrate, thereby dividing the SOI semiconductor layer into two SOI semiconductor layer regions that form a source electrode and a drain electrode; forming a gate electrode constituted of low resistance material in a portion of the trench in contact with the buried insulation layer, thereby self-aligning with the source electrode and drain electrode; forming a gate insulation layer on the gate electrode in contact with the buried insulation layer around the trench; forming a semiconductor conduction channel layer on the gate insulation layer in contact with the two SOI semiconductor layer

Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring human finger manipulation data includes at least one finger motion detector consisting of a force sensor to be fitted on a human fingertip, at least three links and at least four angle detectors; and a base supporting the finger motion detector. The base can be attached to an external mount or a human hand. The force sensor is connected to the base through a link mechanism constituted by the links, and the angle detectors are attached at pivots between the links and optionally at a pivot between the link mechanism and the base. Three-dimensional motion of the finger is determined by measuring data of the angle detectors of the link mechanism, and fingertip contact force is measured by the force sensor. Up to five finger motion detectors, one for the thumb and each finger, can be supported on the base.

Abstract: A copper-based high-temperature superconducting material includes a carrier supply layer overdoped with carriers; and a superconducting layer comprised of at least three CuO2 layers that are selectively doped with the carriers; whereby a high superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is maintained to be not less than 116 K, critical current density (Jc) is improved to be 5×106 A/cm2 (77 K, 0 T), and irreversible field (Hirr) is improved to be not less than 7 T.

Abstract: A diamond semiconductor has an exciton light-emission intensity characteristic that varies nonlinearly.

Abstract: A porous ceramic film having micropores of uniform diameter is formed on a substrate by depositing on the substrate a layer of a ceramic sol containing polyethylene glycol or polyethylene oxide and then heating the substrate. This porous ceramic film is used as a catalyst or catalyst support. When the ceramic of this film is titanium oxide, the film is particularly useful as a photocatalyst for the decomposition of harmful and malodorous substances.

Abstract: A Mg-doped high-temperature superconductor having low superconducting anisotropy includes a two-dimensional layered structure constituted by a charge reservoir layer and a superconducting layer, wherein some or all atoms constituting the charge reservoir layer are Cu and O atoms, metallizing or rendering the charge reservoir layer superconducting, a portion of the Ca of the CunCan−1O2n constituting the superconducting layer is replaced by Mg, increasing superconductive coupling between CuO2 layers, a thickness of the superconducting layer is increased, and therefore coherence length in a thickness direction is increased based on the uncertainty principle, lowering superconducting anisotropy.

Abstract: A method of forming a film of ultrafine particles includes the steps of accelerating ultrafine particles within a vacuum chamber to cause them to collide with a substrate and be deposited, and, at least before said ultrafine particles collide with said substrate, irradiating the ultrafine particles and the substrate with an ionic, atomic or molecular beam or low-temperature plasma or other high-speed, high-energy beam of high-energy atoms or molecules, whereby the surfaces of the ultrafine particles and substrate are activated without being fused, thus promoting bonding between said ultrafine particles and substrate or between the ultrafine particles to form a dense deposit that has good film properties and good adhesion to the substrate while maintaining the crystal properties of the ultrafine particles.

Abstract: A method of fabricating Cu&agr;(InxGa1−x)&bgr;(SeyS1−y)&ggr; films for solar cells includes forming an electrode on a substrate and supplying the substrate and electrode with Cu, In, Ga, Se, and S to form a Cu&agr;(InxGa1−x)&bgr;(SeyS1−y)&ggr; film. Simultaneously with the supplying of Cu, In, Ga, Se and S, the substrate is supplied with water vapor or a gas that contains a hydroxyl group.

Abstract: An angle compensation method compensates for the angle of the light-receiving surface of a photodiode disposed in an inclination detection device. The light-receiving surface is divided into four parts by an a-axis and a b-axis disposed perpendicular to each other and receives light reflected from an object surface that is an X-Y plane. The inclination detection device seeks the inclination of the object surface from changes in the irradiation position of the light reflected onto the photodiode light-receiving surface.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a semiconductor substrate, an n-type diffusion layer region and a p-type diffusion layer region formed adjacent to each other on the light-receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate, a first electrode electrically connected to the n-type diffusion layer region, a second electrode electrically connected to the p-type diffusion layer region, an adhesive layer formed on the opposite surface of the semiconductor substrate and containing an inorganic binder and a filler, and a supporting substrate adhered to the adhesive layer.