Abstract: An illumination system (1) includes a lighting device (3); a manipulation device (6) for a user to manipulate when the user intends to fall asleep; a control unit (2) for detecting a start time of measuring a sleep latency based on a manipulation time at which the manipulation device is manipulated, the sleep latency being a time period from a time at which the user intends to fall asleep to a time at which the user falls asleep; and a memory unit (14) for storing a reference time obtained based on the start time of measuring the sleep latency detected by the control unit. The control unit includes a lighting device control (15) subunit performing an illumination control to reduce the user's melatonin suppression from a preset timing before the reference time stored in the memory.

Abstract: A method of inspecting granular material and an inspection device for conducting that method, wherein agents (10a, 10b) to be inspected are imaged, the pixel value of each pixel of images thus picked up is digitized, a plurality of reference points are dispersed along the outlines of massive regions corresponding to the agents (10a, 10b) in digital images, the numbers of other reference points that can be viewed through massive regions from individual reference points are counted, a reference point giving a minimum counted value is extracted as a base point, and the number of these base points is counted as the number of granular materials. Accordingly, the number of granular materials can be counted accurately even if a plurality of granular materials to be inspected overlap each other, are in contact with each other, or any agent having a groove in one surface is erected.

Abstract: A massage machine comprises a drive shaft rotatably driven in forward and reverse directions; a pair of inclined shafts mounted on both ends of the drive shaft so as to have an arbitrary inclination relative to an axial direction of the drive shaft; a pair of left and right massage ball units including massage balls and rotatably connected to outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of inclined shafts, respectively; and switching means for switching an axial rotation position of one inclined shaft of the pair of inclined shafts. The massage ball units each comprise a swing arm having one end rotatably connected to the outer peripheral surface of the inclined shaft; and a support arm connected to the other end of the swing arm and having mounted thereon multiple massage balls at a vertical distance from each other.

Abstract: An electrostatic atomizer equipped with an electrostatic atomization pole having superior migration-proof. The atomizer comprises the electrostatic atomization pole, a liquid supply mechanism that supplies the pole with liquid, and a power supply that supplies the pole with high voltage to electrostatically atomize the liquid held on the pole. A coating is formed on the surface of the pole, and the coating is formed of simple metal or alloy, which displays resistance to migration.

Abstract: An optical hair removing device includes a light emitting unit for emitting a light and an irradiation unit for irradiating the light emitted from the light emitting unit to body hairs on a skin. Further, the optical hair removing device includes a control unit for controlling the light emission unit. The irradiation unit has a movement detection unit for detecting a movement of the irradiation unit on a skin and a contact detection unit for detecting a contact between the irradiation unit and the skin.

Abstract: In a wake-up apparatus for waking up a sleeper by light stimulus, it wakes the sleeper comfortably without feeling glare. A lighting device has a first lighting unit at a position that a light emitting face cannot be observed directly by the sleeper, and a second lighting unit at a position that a light emitting face can be observed directly by the sleeper. A control device activates the lighting device a predetermined time before a preset wake-up time so as to vary illuminance of light emitted from the lighting device in an order of low illuminance, middle illuminance and high illuminance, to light only the first lighting unit in a low illuminance condition and a middle illuminance condition, and to light both of the first lighting unit and the second lighting unit in a high illuminance condition, and quickly varies from the middle illuminance condition to the high illuminance condition.

Abstract: A multicast repeater is located on a host computer system on a network. One or more other multicast repeaters on other networks are discovered. These other multicast repeaters are located on networks that are separated from the network comprising the host by at least one networking device that is not configured to route UDP multicast addressing. Each time that a UDP multicast request packet is received via multicast, the multicast repeater determines whether the multicast repeater has previously forwarded the UDP multicast request packet. If the multicast repeater has previously forwarded the UDP multicast request packet, it ignores the UDP multicast request packet. However, if the multicast repeater has not previously forwarded the UDP multicast request packet, the multicast repeater sends the UDP multicast request packet via TCP/IP to the one or more other multicast repeaters that have been discovered.

Abstract: A dual wiring system with improved function expandability is provided. A base unit is mounted in a wall surface of a structure, and connected to both of an electric power line and an information line previously installed in the structure. Each of function units has at least one of functions for providing electric power from the electric power line, outputting information from the information line and inputting information into the information line when connected with the base unit. The base unit is detachably connected with one of the function units by use of a joining member, so that electric power is supplied from the base unit to the function unit through a power transmission means, and a signal transmission between the base unit and the function unit is obtained through a signal transmission means.

Abstract: A battery-operated equipment comprises a battery; a constant voltage power source that derives a constant voltage from a battery voltage across the battery; and a microcomputer that incorporates an A/D converter(s) and has terminals for the A/D converter and a power input terminal. The microcomputer is connected with the battery via the power input terminal to use the battery voltage as its power source voltage. The converter is connected with the constant voltage power source via a specific terminal of the terminals for the converter to use the constant voltage as a voltage for the converter.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate is anodized to be shaped into an optical lens. Prior to being anodized, the substrate is finished with an anode pattern on its bottom surface so as to be consolidated into a unitary structure in which the anode pattern is precisely reproduced on the substrate. The anodization utilizes an electrolytic solution which etches out oxidized portion as soon as it is formed as a result of the anodization, to thereby develop a porous layer in a pattern in match with the anode pattern. The anode pattern brings about an in-plane distribution of varying electric field intensity by which the porous layer develops into a shape complementary to a desired lens profile. Upon completion of the anodization, the semiconductor substrate is shaped into the lens by etching out the porous layer and the anode pattern from the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate is shaped to have a curved surface profile by anodization. Prior to being anodized, the substrate is finished with an anode pattern on its bottom surface so as to be consolidated into a unitary structure in which the anode pattern is precisely reproduced on the substrate. The anodization utilizes an electrolytic solution which etches out oxidized portion as soon as it is formed as a result of the anodization, to thereby develop a porous layer in a pattern in match with the anode pattern. The anode pattern brings about an in-plane distribution of varying electric field intensity by which the porous layer develops into a shape complementary to a desired surface profile. Upon completion of the anodization, the curves surface is revealed on the surface of the substrate by etching out the porous layer and the anode pattern from the substrate.

Abstract: In an optical attenuator, there are a first optical waveguide 3A connected to an input optical waveguide 1, a second optical waveguide 3B connected to an output optical waveguide 2 and a connecting optical waveguide 4, which are connected with each other in series. A first recess 13A and a second recess 13B are formed in a positional relationship of opposite directions with respect to an axial direction of an optic axis of light that is inputted through the input optical waveguide 1, transmitted through the first optical waveguide 3A, the connecting optical waveguide 4 and the second optical waveguide 3B and outputted from the output optical waveguide 2.

Abstract: In a method for forming a photoelectric composite board (10) on which a photoelectric transducer (5) is mounted, photo-masks (111, 112, 113) which are used in processes to form the photoelectric composite board (10) are respectively disposed on the basis of a reference mark (33) previously formed on a metal thin film (101). In addition, openings (22) are formed on solder resist layers (8) by irradiating laser beams at positions defined on the basis of a reference point (4a) defined above a light deflector (4) formed on an end of a light guide (3).

Abstract: In a chair massager, a stretching operation is performed with utilizing airbags which is expanded and shrunk, effectively. Airbags 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b which perform air-massage by expansion and shrinkage are disposed on a shoulder portion 3 and a lumbar portion 4 of a backrest 2, and a seat 5 of a main body 1 of the massager. Arm airbags 6a and 6b which perform air-massage by expansion and shrinkage are disposed on armrests 6 at both sides of the seat 5. In the stretching operation, for example, a shoulder airbag 3b on the shoulder portion 3 is expanded and shrunk in a state that an arm airbag 6a on one armrest 6 is expanded to hold an arm of the user 200. Thereby, the balance of a human body of the user 200 is broken down so that high stretch effect can be obtained.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate with anode pattern is anodized to be shaped into an optical lens. The anodization utilizes an electrolytic solution which etches out oxidized portion as soon as it is formed as a result of the anodization, to thereby develop a porous layer in a pattern in match with the anode pattern. After being removed of the porous layer, the substrate is treated to smooth out minute projections remaining in the top surface of the substrate, thereby obtaining the lens of good transmissivity.

Abstract: A power supply system is capable of feeding electric power from a power adapter to a plurality of load devices. The power adapter includes a primary core; and a primary coil wound around the primary core for serving as a output port of the power adapter to output an alternating current. The load devices include secondary cores for simultaneously forming magnetic circuits between the primary core and the load devices; and secondary coils wound around the secondary cores for feeding output power to the load devices. The primary core has two pairs of protrusions, and the secondary cores are arranged on opposite sides of the primary core in such a manner that the primary core lies between the secondary cores to feed electric power simultaneously to the load devices.

Abstract: An impact power tool includes an impact mechanism for applying a striking impact to an output shaft by using an output power of a motor. A strike detection unit detects the striking impact applied by the impact mechanism to obtain a striking timing and a striking speed detection unit calculates a striking speed from the striking timing obtained by the strike detection unit and a rotation angle of the motor obtained by a rotation angle detection unit. A control unit counts the number of striking impact detected by the strike detection unit and stops the motor if the number of striking impact reaches a predetermined strike number. The control unit is designed to correct the predetermined strike number when the striking speed obtained in the striking speed detection unit is equal to or lower than a specified striking speed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a displacement detector which can compensate a change in temperature coefficient of impedance of a coil to a displacement of a core. The detector comprises a constant-current supply unit for outputting a constant current including an alternating current, a coil portion, to which the constant current is supplied, a magnetic core supported to be movable relative to the coil portion in a movable range, and a signal processing circuit for determining a displacement of the core to the coil portion according to a change in output voltage of the coil portion under the supply of the constant current to the coil portion, characteristic-value extracting unit for extracting a characteristic value(V1) from the output voltage of the coil portion, and a level shift circuit for adding a level shift voltage (Vsh) to the characteristic value.

Abstract: Plug-socket connector apparatus for optical fiber termination comprises first and second plugs and a socket. The first and second plugs are both single ferrule plugs. The socket is a molded interconnect device and a plug holder, and includes terminals located on the bottom face of the socket, first and second bores located at one side of the socket, and first and second retainers. The retainers retain latches formed in the plugs so as to prevent the plugs from falling out of the bores and to restrict rotation angles of the plugs around the axes within predetermined rotation angle ranges, when the plugs is plugged in the bores.

Abstract: There is provided an electrostatic atomizer that electrostatically atomizes a liquid supplied to a discharge electrode by electric discharge caused by an electric field formed in response to voltage application to the discharge electrode. The electrostatic atomizer has a high-voltage generation circuit that generates a pulse voltage to be applied to the discharge electrode, and the high-voltage generation circuit includes a high-voltage control circuit that converts an input AC signal to a pulse signal, and an igniter that steps up the pulse signal obtained by the high-voltage control circuit to a voltage value of the pulse voltage to be applied to the discharge electrode.