Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes an active region in which a semiconductor device is formed, and a peripheral region which is located between the active region and an edge surface of the semiconductor substrate. A first insulating layer including conductive particles is formed above at least a part of the peripheral region. By constructing the semiconductor apparatus in this manner, generation of a high electric field in the peripheral region can be suppressed. Therefore, voltage endurance characteristics of the semiconductor apparatus can be improved.

Abstract: Provided is a technology capable of ensuring drivability of an electric vehicle while preventing thermal destruction of its parts and deterioration of a battery, caused by an LC resonance. The present specification discloses a motor controller for an electric vehicle having a battery, a converter circuit, an inverter circuit, a smoothing capacitor, and a motor, the motor controller configured to control a drive of the motor by controlling an operation of the inverter circuit. In this motor controller, an operating region of the motor that causes a resonance of an LC circuit configured by a reactor of the converter circuit and the smoothing capacitor is set as a resonance region. In this motor controller, execution of square-wave control on the motor is permitted only over a predetermined time period, when the converter circuit is not boosting the DC power and an operating point of the motor is included in the resonance region.

Abstract: A semiconductor module that can be connected with simple wiring is provided. A semiconductor device of the semiconductor module is provided with a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the one surface. The semiconductor module is provided with a first electrode plate being in contact with the first electrode, a second electrode plate being in contact with the second electrode, and a first wiring member connected to the second electrode plate and penetrating the first electrode plate in a state of being insulated from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate, the semiconductor device, and the second electrode plate are fixed with each other by an application of a pressure pressurizing the semiconductor device on the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate.

Abstract: Provided is a walking assist device capable of changing a battery to be used without decreasing a capability to assist walking A walking assist device comprises a leg attachment, a battery, and a controller. The leg attachment has an actuator for applying torque on a joint of one leg of a user. The battery supplies electric power to the actuator. The battery (a first battery) is configured by a plurality of battery cells being connected. A battery in which at least one battery cell is electrically separated from the first battery corresponds to a second battery. The controller changes a power source of the actuator from the first battery to the second battery while the other leg is making contact with ground.

Abstract: A walking assist device having a safety mechanism that mitigates an impact upon falling is provided. A walking assist device has an upper and lower leg links, a motor, and a controller. The controller controls the motor to apply torque to the lower leg link. The walking assist device also has a one-way damper which generates a resisting force against rotation of the lower leg link in the knee bending direction, and does not generate a resisting force against rotation of the lower leg link in the knee straightening direction. The controller engages the one-way damper while controlling the motor to apply torque to the lower leg link in the knee straightening direction, and disengages the one-way damper while controlling the motor to apply torque to the lower leg link in the knee bending direction.

Abstract: A leg assist device with a control law suitable for assisting standing up motion is provided. The leg assist device is provided with an upper leg link, a lower leg link, a rotary joint, and a controller. The upper leg link and the lower leg link is attached to a leg of a user. The rotary joint rotatably connects the lower leg link to the upper leg link. The rotary joint also has an actuator which rotates the lower leg link. The controller controls the actuator so that the lower leg link angle matches a target angle. The controller has a torque limiter that limits the magnitude of the command torque that is output to the actuator. The controller sets a standing position angle corresponding to a user's standing position to the target angle, and raises an upper limit of the torque limiter as a user's hip height rises.

Abstract: A signal transmitting apparatus that may suppress generation of a noise voltage attributable to a common mode voltage is provided. A transistor P1 is connected between a first terminal of a sending coil and a power supply voltage. A transistor N1 is connected between the first terminal and a ground voltage. A transistor P2 is connected between a second terminal of the sending coil wand the power supply voltage. A transistor N2 is connected between the second terminal and the ground voltage. In a period-PE1, a coil current flowing in a positive direction is generated by turning on the transistors P1 and N2 and turning off the transistors P2 and N1, and then the transistor N1 is turned on in response to turning off the transistor P1. In a period PE2, a coil current flowing in a negative direction is generated by turning off the transistors P1 and N2 and turning on the transistors P2 and N1, and then the transistor N2 is turned on in response to turning off the transistor P2.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes irradiating light to an effective region of a semiconductor substrate. A wavelength of the light is a wavelength adapted so that light absorptance of the semiconductor substrate increases if an intensity of the light increases. The light is irradiated so that a focus point of the light is made within the semiconductor substrate in the irradiating.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining a grounding timing of a biped walking robot. Firstly, a ZMP equation which represents a trajectory of a center of gravity including a first single-leg grounded period in which the robot stands only with a first leg and a second single-leg grounded period in which the robot stands only with a second leg, following the first single-leg grounded period, is solved using a predetermined grounding timing. A second leg ZMP position representing a ZMP position in the second single-leg grounded period is then calculated. When the calculated second leg ZMP position is out of the second leg ZMP permissible area, the grounding timing is modified so that the second leg ZMP position is located in a second leg ZMP permissible area which is defined corresponding to a possible grounding area of the second leg.

Abstract: A power supply device in which a plurality of power supplying bodies are stacked is provided with a plurality of holes that extend from one end side to the other end side in the stacking direction of the power supply device and through which coolant flows. The power supply device is also provided with a guide portion that leads coolant that has passed through a first hole which is provided in a first region of the power supply device into a second hole which is provided in a second region of the power supply device which radiates heat better than the first region does.

Abstract: A device that supports a motion for restoring an inclination angle of a body to a reference direction is provided. A balance device comprises a sensor, at least one flywheel, and a controller. The sensor is configured to detect an inclination angle of the body with respect to the reference direction. The at least one flywheel is arranged on the balance device so that an axis of the flywheel is non-parallel to a yaw axis of the body when the balance device is attached to a user. The yaw axis of the body corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the body. In addition, the yaw axis coincides with the reference direction when the user stands erect. The controller is configured to change a rotation rate of the flywheel based on an inclination angle detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device including an electrode having low contact resistivity to a nitride semiconductor is provided. The manufacturing method includes a carbon containing layer forming step of forming a carbon containing layer containing carbon on a nitride semiconductor layer, and a titanium containing layer forming step of forming a titanium containing layer containing titanium on the carbon containing layer. A complete solid solution Ti (C, N) layer of TiN and TiC is formed between the titanium containing layer and the nitride semiconductor layer. As a result, the titanium containing layer comes to be in ohmic contact with the nitride semiconductor layer throughout the border therebetween.

Abstract: A tactile device of a tactile display slides above an object. The tactile device comprises three rods which are free to move up and down. Lower ends of the rods are in contact with a surface of the object. Upper ends of respective rods touch a palmar-side skin equivalent to positions of three joints of a first finger or a second finger. When the tactile device is slid, upper ends of respective rods move up and down in accordance with a surface relief of the object. In response to the movement of the tactile device, the three rods push three finger joint positions of the palmar-side skin with a stroke equal to a height of the relief.

Abstract: To provide a power storage apparatus which can achieve improved heat radiation of a power storage unit, a power storage apparatus has a power storage unit including an electrode element placed with an electrolyte layer, and a case housing the power storage unit and a cooling fluid which is used for cooling the power storage unit and is in contact with at least the electrode element.

Abstract: Nitrogen concentration in a fuel-cell stack is estimated more accurately, hence the life of the fuel-cell is prevented from being reduced by operation performed when the impurity concentration in the anode increases. The fuel-cell system comprises: stack temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the fuel-cell stack; fuel electrode pressure detection means for detecting the pressure of the fuel electrode; and standing time measuring means for measuring the standing time.