Abstract: A face importance level determining apparatus for determining an importance level for a photographer with respect to a face of a person appearing in an image may include the following elements. A face information obtaining unit obtains face size information and position information that are detected from an input image signal. A first calculating unit calculates a first importance level factor on the basis of the size information. A second calculating unit calculates a second importance level factor on the basis of the position information. A third calculating unit calculates the importance level on the basis of the first importance level factor and the second importance level factor.

Abstract: An exposure control apparatus for controlling an exposure adjustment mechanism on the basis of a captured image signal includes the following elements. A face detecting unit detects a face of a person appearing in a captured image on the basis of the captured image signal. A histogram data determining unit determines histogram data by setting a face detection region in the captured image according to detection information and detecting at least a brightness value of the face detection region from the captured image signal. A target brightness setting unit sets a target brightness range for desired brightness of the face. An exposure control amount determining unit determines, when a face is detected, an amount of control for the exposure adjustment mechanism by comparing the target brightness range with a brightness value at a peak of the histogram data or a brightness region in the vicinity of the peak.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to take an image of a subject; a histogram producing unit configured to produce a histogram of image data of the image; a tone correction unit configured to make a tone correction on the image data; a feature histogram table including a plurality of feature histograms respectively corresponding to a plurality of reference image patterns; an input-output characteristic table including a plurality of input-output characteristics respectively corresponding to the plurality of feature histograms; an input-output characteristic adjustment unit configured to calculate the similarity of the histogram produced by the histogram producing unit with respect to each feature histogram, to select an input-output characteristic according to the calculated similarity, and to adjust the selected input-output characteristic in accordance with the similarity, wherein the tone correction unit is configured to make the tone correction based on the input-output characteristi

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling exposure of a digital camera with high precision by setting a proper exposure amount by emitting auxiliary light during auto-focusing, detecting the luminance level of an object, and carrying out an exposure controlling operation. The apparatus detects the luminance level of an object in an AE frame under the outside light prior to emitting the auxiliary light, and detects again the luminance level of the object in an AF frame under the auxiliary light after emitting the auxiliary light. The apparatus further performs an exposure controlling operation based on the luminance level in the AE frame when it has been determined that the exposure amount of the AF frame has increased markedly in a determining step, or based on the luminance level in the AF frame when it has been determined that the exposure amount of the AF frame has not increased markedly in the determining step.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus can photograph without making a user feel a wasteful photographing impossible time and stress. The imaging apparatus has a light emission unit; an anticipated temperature calculator that calculates an anticipated temperature of the light emission unit based on a light emission state; and a controller for suppressing a charging current or a light emission energy of the light emission unit based on the anticipated temperature.

Abstract: A digital camera with reduced shutter lag and improved exposure accuracy, and including image pickup lens optics, an iris, an image pickup, a hold/gain control circuit, a luminance level detector, an exposure control circuit, and a control circuit. The exposure control circuit discriminates, based on a luminance level supplied from the luminance level detector, whether or not appropriate exposure is performed. Then, based on the discrimination result, the exposure control circuit arithmetically operates three values of numerical aperture of the iris, shutter speed of an electronic shutter of the image pickup, and gain of the hold/gain control circuit, which are necessary for appropriate exposure. The exposure control circuit arithmetically operates iris control data, electronic shutter control data, and gain control data necessary for the arithmetically operated exposure amounts to be individually reflected on the iris, the electronic shutter of the image pickup, and the hold/gain control circuit.

Abstract: A surgical instrument can be disinfected or sterilized, and has a rechargeable secondary battery incorporated therein. A distal treatment section of the surgical instrument is ultrasonically oscillated using the secondary battery as a driving power source and used to perform surgery on a living tissue. Electromagnetic energy generated by an energy generation unit located outside the surgical instrument is received by a reception coil incorporated in the surgical instrument with the surgical instrument held in noncontact with the energy generation unit. The electromagnetic energy is then converted into charging power with which the secondary battery is recharged. Thus, the surgical instrument can be readily recharged while left clean.

Abstract: An organic electrically conductive compound represented by general formula (1): and an organic electroluminescent device using the compound are provided, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10, k represents any of integers from 2 to n+1, Ar1, Ar1′, Ar2, and Ar2′ are substituted or non-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon rings or heterocyclic rings that share a bond between carbons at 2,3-positions or 4,5-positions of a pyrrole ring in general formula (1) and are fused with the pyrrole ring, respectively, Ar3 is a divalent group of a substituted or non-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon or heterocyclic compound, and R1, R1′, Rk, and Rk′ are aliphatic hydrocarbon groups or substituted or non-substituted aryl or heterocyclic groups, respectively.

Abstract: An organic electrically conductive compound represented by general formula (1): and an organic elctroluminescent device using the compound are provided, wherein n is an integer from 2 to 10, k represents any of integers from 1 to n, Ar1, Ar1′, Ar2, and Ar2′ are substituted or non-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon rings or heterocyclic rings that share a bond between carbons at 2,3-positions or 4,5-positions of a pyrrole ring in general formula (1) and are fused with the pyrrole ring, respectively, and Rk and Rk′ are aliphatic hydrocarbon groups or substituted or non-substituted aryl or heterocyclic groups, respectively.

Abstract: A surgical instrument can be disinfected or sterilized, and has a rechargeable secondary battery incorporated therein. A distal treatment section of the surgical instrument is ultrasonically oscillated or otherwise activated using the secondary battery as a driving power source to perform surgery on a living tissue. Electromagnetic energy generated by an energy generation unit located outside the surgical instrument is received by a reception coil incorporated in the surgical instrument with the surgical instrument by induction from the energy generation unit. The electromagnetic energy is then converted into charging power with which the secondary battery is recharged. Thus, the surgical instrument can be readily recharged without compromising sterility.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling exposure of a digital camera with high precision by setting a proper exposure amount by emitting auxiliary light during auto-focusing, detecting the luminance level of an object, and carrying out an exposure controlling operation.

Abstract: An organic electrically conductive compound represented by general formula (1): 1

Abstract: An organic electrically conductive compound represented by general formula (1): 1

Abstract: A heater comprises a cap 20 formed by joining and fixing together curved peripheries 10a as peripheries of two semi-elliptical heat-generator-containing sheets 10 of generally the same shape. The heat-generator-containing sheet 10 comprises a waterproof inner layer sheet 2, an air-permeable sheet 5 disposed so as to cover the entire surface of the inner layer sheet 2, and a plurality of heat generators 3 interposed between and held by the inner layer sheet 2 and the air-permeable sheet 5, which generate heat when in contact with an air. The heat generators 3 are disposed substantially over the entire surface of the cap 20. The heat-generator-containing sheets 10 are joined and fixed together with the respective inner layer sheets 2 being the inner surface. The heater realizes a simple handling when in use, a small temperature variation, and simple fabrication process.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus capable of preventing occurrence of problems trouble attributable to exhaustion of a battery has an endoscope and a battery-powered light source. The endoscope has a light guide fiber bundle over which illumination light is propagated. The battery-powered light source is freely detachably attached to the endoscope, and includes an illumination lamp and a battery. The illumination lamp supplies illumination light to the incidence end of the light guide fiber bundle on which illumination light falls. The battery serves as a power supply causing the illumination lamp to light. At least one of the endoscope and battery-powered light source has an indication unit for notifying a user of the amount of electrical energy contained in the battery.

Abstract: A hair warming tool of the present invention is in the form of sheet and has at least one heating part in the center thereof and a margin around said heating part. It is designed to wrap tied hair in said heating part and to be held in place to keep the wrapping state by fastening said margin by means of a fastening means such as an elastic band, a string or a wire. A hair treating method of the present invention comprises wrapping tied hair with a hair warming tool of sheet form having at least one heating part while leaving at least the part of the hair near the roots unwrapped to warm the hair.

Abstract: A treatment tool for operation comprises an insertion section (3) inserted into a living body, an operating section (5) including a fixed handle (6) removably connected to the base end side of the insertion section and a movable handle (77) adapted to operate with respect to the fixed handle, and a treatment section drive unit (2) including a treatment section operable and arranged at the forward end side of the insertion section, a drive unit (23) for driving the treatment section and a drive shaft (24) for connecting the drive unit to the operating section and transmitting the operating force of the operating section to the drive unit for operating the treatment section. An engaging section (121) is arranged at the forward end side of the fixed handle, and an engaging/disengaging member (111) is arranged at the base end of the insertion section and is adapted to engage the engaging section as required.

Abstract: A treating instrument for an operation includes an elastic ring for reducing a load on an operator's fingers which contact first and second rings of first and second handle elements. The elastic ring is provided on a section of at least one of the first and second rings which contacts the operator's fingers.

Abstract: The present invention is a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate and a magnetic layer including a binder resin and a plate-like magnetic powder of which easy axis of magnetization exists in a plane, and this magnetic recording medium is excellent in recording and regeneration characteristics.

Abstract: A system for magnetic contact duplication by transferring an information signal recorded on a mother tape onto a blank tape, wherein the mother tape and the blank tape each includes at least one magnetic thin film having columns of magnetic grains grown obliquely, the column gradient .theta..sub.B1 of the magnetic grains in an uppermost magnetic thin film of the blank tape being smaller than the column gradient .theta..sub.M1 of the magnetic grains in an uppermost magnetic thin film of the mother tape, the mother tape and blank tape are superposed such that the column growth direction of the magnetic grains in the uppermost magnetic thin film of the mother tape and the column growth direction of the magnetic grains in the uppermost magnetic thin film of the blank tape intersect and such that these uppermost magnetic films face each other, and a bias magnetic field is applied from the substrate side of the blank tape.