Abstract: The associative memory comprises a simplified functional processing unit (SFPU), implemented by an LUT logic network, that implements simplified CAM function g, where g is the function derived from CAM function ƒ by replacing the value showing “invalid” with the don't care, an auxiliary memory that stores the inverse function ƒ?1 of said CAM function ƒ; and an output modifier that checks whether the output value of said SFPU is equal to the output value of the CAM function ƒ; wherein the SFPU produces the operational value (“tentative index value”) for the simplified CAM function g; the auxiliary memory produces the value of the inverse function ƒ?1 when the tentative index value is applied; the output modifier compares the input data with the value of the inverse function ƒ?1, and produces the output of said SFPU if they are the same, otherwise produces the signal showing the “invalid”.

Abstract: To provide an actuator that can flexibly and softly move like muscles, can maintain a stable operation over a long period of time, can generate a strong driving force, has a rapid input response, has a favorable sensitivity, has a high energy conversion efficiency, and can be accurately controlled, a coil is embedded in a magnetic elastomer obtained by mixing a powder-like ferromagnetic or highly magnetic permeable material with an elastomer, so that the coil can be electrically connected. By electrically connecting the coil, a magnetic field generates in the coil and around the coil. The magnetic field penetrates the magnetic elastomer. When the magnetic field generates in the magnetic elastomer, deformation force acts on the magnetic elastomer by the magnetic force acting on each portion in the magnetic elastomer. Thus, driving force can be obtained.

Abstract: Proposed are a brain signal measurement system and the like, capable of carrying out in vivo placement of measurement units for measuring brain signals with a minimally invasive operation, as well as of easily adjusting the position of each measurement unit. The brain signal measurement device includes sensors to be provided in a space between a dura mater and an arachnoid mater, and a holding unit for holding the sensors. The sensors are connected by a shape-memory unit. The sensors are inserted through a hole penetrating through the scalp and so on, into a space between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater. The diameter of the hole can be equal to or smaller than 1 cm. By electrical heating, the shape-memory unit changes its shape to change positions of the sensors, and thus subdural electrodes can be placed with a minimally invasive operation.

Abstract: A test pattern is sequentially selected from an original test pattern sequence constituted by a plurality of test patterns including a don't care bit. Power consumption in each of regions obtained by substantially equally dividing a layout region of a semiconductor integrated circuit in a case where a don't care value is specified in the selected test pattern and this selected test pattern is applied to the semiconductor integrated circuit is estimated. A searching is conducted for a don't care value of the selected test pattern which minimizes a variation in power consumption among the regions by repeatedly changing the don't care value and repeatedly estimating power consumption in the regions. A new test pattern sequence constituted by a plurality of test patterns including no don't care bit is generated by defining the don't care value obtained by the searching as a don't care value of the selected test pattern.

Abstract: A favorable high-frequency signal is generated and practical high-frequency signal interpolation is implemented through simple processing. A digital audio signal reproduced by an instrument, which also carries out compression, is supplied as an original signal to an input terminal 1, and this original signal is then supplied to a digital sample and hold circuit 3 via a band-pass filter 2. The signal from the digital sample and hold circuit 3 is supplied to a ±1 multiplier 6, which then alternately inverts sign bits. The harmonic components of this signal in which the sign bits are inverted alternately are extracted by a high-pass filter (HPF) 7. Meanwhile, the original signal from the input terminal 1 is supplied to a delay circuit 8 equivalent to the processing time consumed by the aforementioned digital sample and hold circuit 3 and related circuits, forming an adjusted, delayed signal.

Abstract: A liquid matrix of a nonmagnetic material is accommodated within an insulative container of a nonmagnetic material, and a pair of electrodes is disposed within the insulative container such that the electrodes face each other via the liquid matrix. Conductive particles are fluidly dispersed in the liquid matrix. A magnetic field generation section is provided externally of the insulative container so as to generate a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to a fuse element to be formed between the paired electrodes through chaining of the solid particles.

Abstract: A personal authentication method comprising imaging, on an image sensor as a laser speckle using an optical system, light reflected from retinal blood vessels of the ocular fundus and a blood vessel layer in ocular fundus internal tissue when a laser beam is expanded and made to irradiate the ocular fundus, calculating a quantity that represents the rate of change with respect to time of the amount of light received for each pixel of the laser speckle, obtaining an ocular fundus blood flow map as a two-dimensional map of the numerical values of the quantity, and comparison-checking against pre-registered personal data utilizing at least one, observed in the blood flow map, of blood flow distribution data, a pattern reflecting the course of retinal blood vessels, a pattern reflecting the course of blood vessels in ocular fundus internal tissue observed superimposed thereon, and data on changes thereof over time, and a device therefor.

Abstract: The address generator has a hash network for producing hashed Y1, which is obtained by hushing X1, to an input vector X=(X1, X2), a tentative address generator Y1 for making an address generation function f(X) to a tentative address A? when no hash collision occurs and otherwise making one of unique addresses A to A?, a data regenerator for producing X?=f?1(A?), a unique address generator for producing A? when X? coincides with X and otherwise producing “invalid value”, a complementary address generator for producing (X) to X, to which the unique address generator produces “invalid value”, and otherwise producing “invalid value”, and an output combiner which produces, when the outputs of the unique address generator and the complementary address generator have values other than the “invalid value”, the values as a unique address A and otherwise produces “invalid value” as A.

Abstract: An acoustic characteristic control apparatus supplies music signal, for example, to input terminal connected to a band-pass filter and a peaking filter. In a zero-cross detection circuit, a pulse signal corresponding to a period while a signal is positive is formed. A pulse-width measuring circuit output a signal corresponding to a pulse width. Next, the output of the pulse-width measuring circuit is inputted to one comparator and another comparator. The one comparator discriminates a time when the pulse width is equal to or larger than a first setting value, and the another comparator discriminates a time when the pulse width is equal to or smaller than a second setting value. The comparator is connected to the up terminal and the down terminal of an up/down counter. The output of the up/down counter is connected to the peaking filter through the subtractor, and acoustic characteristics of the peaking filter is controlled according to the count value of the up/down counter.

Abstract: A channel is formed as an asymmetric diffuser-shaped channel having a narrow channel on a diffuser inlet side and a wide channel on a diffuser outlet side. The narrow channel is communicated with a variable volume chamber which is provided therein with a piezoelectric element. Vibration generated by actuation of the piezoelectric element causes a pressure variation of a fluid in the variable volume chamber to generate a nozzle flow which in turn causes a smooth flow of the fluid from the wide channel to the narrow channel.

Abstract: Provided is a photocatalytic coating in which the coating per se is hardly eroded even when a photocatalyst is excited and a coating surface having strong hydrophobic tendency can be formed. The photocatalytic coating is prepared by dispersing or dissolving at least a photocatalyst, a tetrafluoro-ethylene-based resin obtained by graft polymerization of a sulfonic acid, a compound containing metal ion having an ionic radius not less than an ionic radius of calcium and/or complex ion having an ionic radius not less than the ionic radius of calcium into a solvent. Further, hydroxide is used as the compound containing the metal ion or an electrically neutral surfactant is added to the photocatalytic coating.

Abstract: A flapping flying robot includes: a body 11 with a longitudinal side extending in a front-back direction; left and right wings 14, 15 respectively including left and right front frames 12, 13, base ends of the left and right frames 12, 13 rotatably attached to a front of the body; and a flapping means 24 flapping the left and right wings 14, 15, the means 24 including a crank 17 in the body 11 with a shaft extending in the front-back direction and rotatably driven in one direction by a rotary drive source 16, first and second crank rods 20, 23 rotatably connecting first and second supports 18, 21 of the crank 17 respectively to left and right connecting portions 19, 22 of the left and right frames 12, 13; wherein duration of upstrokes of the left and right wings 14, 15 is shorter than duration of downstrokes of the same to generate lift forces.

Abstract: A method for evaluating an SRAM memory cell in which the time required for designing the SRAM memory cell can be shortened by evaluating static noise margin in a shortened time. A recording medium which records an evaluation program is also provided. The coordinate conversion which rotates the coordinate axis by 45 degrees is applied to the input/output characteristic data of a first inverter of the SRAM memory cell, and the first proximity curve function is specified by fitting the input/output characteristic data of the first inverter to the proximity curve. The coordinate conversion which rotates the coordinate axis by 45 degrees is applied to the input/output characteristic data of a second inverter of the SRAM memory cell, and the second proximity curve function is specified by fitting the input/output characteristic data of the second inverter to the proximity curve.

Abstract: A novel compound having histone deacetylase-inhibiting activity which is a cyclic tetrapeptide derivative represented by the general formula (1) given below and a pharmaceutical composition comprising such compound as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell is provided, wherein it can be produced by a relatively easy and simple process and ensures high conversion efficiency even in cases where the thickness of the porous semiconductor layer is increased. The dye-sensitized solar cell 10 includes, in the interior of or on the conductive-substrate-side surface of the porous semiconductor layer 16, conductive metal film 20, such as a film of tungsten, having a large number of randomly located penetrations 24. Penetrations 24 of the conductive metal film 20 are formed by forming a fine-particle layer on the surface of the porous semiconductor layer, forming a conductive metal film on the surface of the fine-particle layer, and making the fine-particle layer disappear by heating or solvent-cleaning.

Abstract: To provide a tandem dye-sensitized solar cell having a novel structure capable of improving the light absorption efficiency and being manufactured less expensively. A dye-sensitized solar cell 10 is configured by including, in order from the light incident side, an anode substrate 12, a first dye-carrying porous oxide semiconductor layer 14, a first electrolyte layer 16a, an electrolyte redox catalyst layer 18, a second dye-carrying porous oxide semiconductor layer 20, a porous support layer 19, a second electrolyte layer 16b, and a cathode substrate 22. The electrons extracted from a conductor layer 12b by a conductor are introduced into the cathode substrate 22, so that a battery circuit, for example, for a lighting power source is configured.

Abstract: A first wiring pattern is formed on a surface of a first support plate; a semiconductor chip is disposed on the first wiring pattern; and electrode terminals of the semiconductor chip are electrically connected to the first wiring pattern at required positions. Post electrodes connected to a second wiring pattern of a wiring-added post electrode component integrally connected by a second support plate are collectively fixed and electrically connected to the first wiring pattern formed on the first support plate at predetermined positions. After sealing with resin, the first and second support plates are separated; a glass substrate is affixed on a front face side; and external electrodes connected to the second wiring pattern are formed on a back face side.

Abstract: Provided are a squarylium dye having a carboxyindolenine structure and an N-alkyl substituent, and a photoelectric conversion element having high photoelectric conversion efficiency in a near-infrared region and a dye-sensitized solar cell, both of which are produced using the squarylium dye. The photoelectric conversion element or dye-sensitized solar cell uses a compound represented by the formula (1) as the squarylium dye. In the formula (1), R1 and R2 represent a substituted or unsubstituted C5 to C30 alkyl group; X represents C(CH3)2; and A and B represent a carboxy group.

Abstract: A method for adsorption of a photosensitizing dye includes adsorbing the photosensitizing dye to the layer of an electrode material that functions as the working electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell, within a reaction vessel containing a solution of the photosensitizing dye, wherein a flow of the photosensitizing dye solution is generated by means of a flow generation part in a direction perpendicular to the electrode material layer, a direction parallel thereto or both, and the flow rate of the photosensitizing dye solution to the electrode material layer is higher than the diffusion velocity of the photosensitizing dye.

Abstract: The present invention provides a blood flow image diagnosis device comprising: a laser beam irradiation system that irradiates an observation region of a body tissue with a laser beam; a light receiving system having a light receiver including a large number of pixels that detects reflected light from the observation region of the body tissue; an image capture section that continuously captures a plurality of images for a specified time that is one or more cardiac beats on the basis of a signal from the light receiver; an image storage section that stores the plurality of images; an arithmetic section that calculates a blood flow rate in the body tissue from the time variation of the output signal of each pixel corresponding to the plurality of the stored images; and a display section that displays the two-dimensional distribution of the calculation result as a blood flow map; wherein the blood flow image diagnosis device has a function for analyzing the blood flow map, the arithmetic section has a function t