Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt has metal oxide particles as a solid lubricant on a surface of the intermediate transfer belt, in which an average spacing between the metal oxide particles on the surface is 1,000 nm or less, and an average height of the metal oxide particles from the surface is 15 nm or more and 320 nm or less.

Abstract: A voting system and a voting method by which electronic voting can be securely conducted are provided. A voting system includes: a secret sharing unit that generates a plurality of shares from voting information by secret sharing; a plurality of share storage units that store the plurality of shares in a distributed manner; a first blockchain processing unit that transmits, to a node managing a blockchain, transaction data of voting conducted using the voting information in order to record the transaction data in the blockchain; and a secure computation unit that performs secure computation for analyzing the voting by using the shares stored in a distributed manner.

Abstract: A method for removing keratotic plugs capable of sufficiently exhibiting an excellent keratotic plug-removing effect without a burden, such as pam and of irritation, on the skin. The method comprises applying a composition comprising (X) one or more selected from (X1) 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol, (X2) 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, and (X3) 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol and a nonionic surfactant to the skin.

Abstract: Provided are a metal material and a connection terminal with which the characteristics of In can be obtained on the surface even after experiencing a high-temperature environment, and a method with which it is possible to manufacture such a metal material. The metal material 1 includes: a substrate 2; an intermediate layer 3 that contains at least Ni and that covers the surface of the substrate 2; and an In coating layer 4 comprising In or an In alloy that does not contain Ni other than as unavoidable impurities, the In coating layer 4 coating the surface of the intermediate layer 3 and being exposed on the outermost surface, In being contained at an amount greater than 7/3 times the amount of Ni as a ratio of the number of atoms in the intermediate layer 3 and the In coating layer 4 combined.

Abstract: An endless belt includes a resin and conductive particles, in which a content of the conductive particles with respect to the endless belt is 5% by volume or more and 20% by volume or less in terms of a volume ratio, a Young's modulus of the endless belt is 3,000 MPa or more, and the number of times of bending endurance of the endless belt measured by an MIT test specified in JIS P8115:2001 is 10,000 or more.

Abstract: An endless belt, in which an outer peripheral surface of the endless belt has a coefficient of dynamic friction of 0.85 or less, and in a case where polyester resin particles having a volume-average particle size of 4.7 ?m are caused to adhere to the outer peripheral surface under a load of 0 g/cm2, and then air is sprayed on the outer peripheral surface from above the outer peripheral surface at a spray pressure that keeps increasing, all the polyester resin particles having adhered to the outer peripheral surface are spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface at the spray pressure of 6 kPa or less.

Abstract: A display system includes: an image acquisition unit that acquires each of a first image of a work site imaged by a first camera and a second image of the work site imaged by a second camera; a viewpoint position calculation unit that calculates a viewpoint position of worker; a luminance adjustment unit that adjusts luminance of at least one of the first image and the second image based on the viewpoint position; and a display control unit that combines the first image and the second image having the luminance adjusted and causes a display device to display the combined image.

Abstract: A termination structure in which a semiconductor active region is surrounded with a guard ring and capable of preventing corrosion of a metal layer connected to the guard ring includes: an active region and a guard ring region surrounding the active region. A guard ring is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and an interlayer insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to cover the guard ring. A field plate is disposed on the interlayer insulating film and is electrically connected to the guard ring via a contact penetrating the interlayer insulating film. A protective film covers the field plate, which has a laminated structure including a first metal in contact with the guard ring and a second metal which is disposed in contact with the first metal and has a lower standard potential than the first metal.

Abstract: To improve an SN ratio of a photoelectric conversion element. A photoelectric conversion element (10) includes an anode (12), a cathode (16), an active layer (14) provided between the anode and the cathode, and a hole transport layer (13) provided between the anode and the active layer. The active layer includes a p-type semiconductor material, which is a polymer compound having an absorption peak wavelength of 900 nm or higher, and an n-type semiconductor material, and an energy gap between an LUMO of the n-type semiconductor material contained in the active layer and a HOMO of a hole transport material contained in the hole transport layer is less than 0.9 eV.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises a controller, the controller being configured to execute: acquiring first data about behavior of an occupant of a first vehicle during a first period from when the first vehicle leaves a point of departure until the first vehicle reaches a first point; and providing driver assistance during a second period from when the first vehicle leaves the first point until the first vehicle reaches a destination.

Abstract: An encoder includes a scale and a sensor. The scale has first and second absolute patterns. The sensor includes a light source, and first and second absolute light receivers. The first and second absolute light receivers receive light from the first and second absolute patterns, respectively. The first absolute light receiver receives light from the first pattern and includes first and second light receiving elements. Each first light receiving elements outputs a first signal with a first phase. Each second light receiving elements outputs a first signal with a second phase. The first and second light receiving elements are arranged alternately. The second absolute light receiver includes third and fourth light receiving elements. Each third light receiving element outputs a second signal with the first phase. The third and fourth light receiving elements are arranged alternately. Each fourth light receiving element outputs a second signal with the second phase.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent core includes: a dispenser for dispensing a fiber; a fiber-stacking drum for stacking the dispensed fiber on the outer circumferential surface while sucking the fiber toward an inside; and a fixed frame for rotatably supporting the fiber-stacking drum. The fiber-stacking drum includes: a rotation shaft; a wheel attached to the distal end of the rotation shaft; and a fiber-stacking ring provided on an outer circumference portion of the wheel for stacking the fiber A suction chamber is fixed to the fixed frame The suction chamber is arranged on an inner side of the fiber-stacking ring and produces a suction force toward an inner circumference of the fiber-stacking ring. The fiber-stacking drum is supported by the fixed frame so as to be slidable in an axial direction of the rotation shaft; and the wheel is removably attached to the distal end of the rotation shaft via a fastener.

Abstract: A first extraction unit that extracts a region of a pulmonary nodule drawn in an image, a second extraction unit that extracts a region of a structure drawn in the image, a setting unit that sets a decision boundary to be at a position away from the pulmonary nodule region by a distance determined on a basis of a size of the pulmonary nodule region, a decision unit that decides whether or not the structure region extracted by the second extraction unit contacts with both a region related to the pulmonary nodule region and the decision boundary, and an acquisition unit that acquires, as a region of a desired structure, the structure region decided by the decision unit to contact with both the pulmonary nodule region and the decision boundary in the structure region extracted by the second extraction unit are included.

Abstract: The method of the present invention includes the steps of: arranging a plurality of non-continuous sheets of a predetermined length intermittently and successively in the conveyance direction on the continuous sheet so that the continuous elastic members are sandwiched between the non-continuous sheets and the continuous sheet; in an overlapping area where the non-continuous sheets overlap with the continuous sheet, attaching the continuous sheet and the non-continuous sheets to each other by welding the sheets to each other in a predetermined pattern, thus producing a continuous laminate; and in a non-overlapping area where the non-continuous sheets do not overlap with the continuous sheet, heating the continuous sheet in the same pattern as said pattern.

Abstract: An encoder includes a disc and a sensor. The disc has a circular surface with a central axis and is rotatable around the central axis. The disc has a slit row provided on the circular surface. The slit row includes slits arranged in a circumferential direction of the circular surface around the central axis and in a radial direction of the circular surface. The sensor is provided opposite to the slit row on circular surface. The sensor has a first light receiver and a second light receiver. The first light receiver is configured to output a first light receiving signal as the slit row rotates along the circumferential direction when the disc rotates around the central axis. The second light receiver is configured to output a second light receiving signal as the slit row moves along the radial direction when the disc rotates around the central axis.

Abstract: An interaction device include a processor. The processor being configured to acquire an alertness level of an occupant of a vehicle, request an utterance from the occupant in a case in which the acquired alertness level is below a threshold value, identify a rest point at which the vehicle can stop, measure a cycle spanning from initiation of an interaction until the alertness level falls below the threshold value again, and repeatedly request an utterance from the occupant at a regular interval that is shorter than the measured cycle during a time period from notifying the occupant that the rest point has been set as a destination of the vehicle to the vehicle arriving at the destination.

Abstract: An information output system includes a speech acquisition unit configured to acquire a speech of a user, a recognition processing unit configured to recognize the content of the acquired speech of the user, and an output processing unit configured to output a question to the user and to perform processing for outputting a response to the content of the speech of the user who has answered the question. The output processing unit is configured to derive a user's positive degree based on the content of the speech of the user who has answered the question and to determine guidance information to be output to the user based on the derived positive degree.

Abstract: An encoder includes a scale and a sensor. The scale has first and second absolute patterns. The sensor includes a light source, and first and second absolute light receivers. The first and second absolute light receivers receive light from the first and second absolute patterns, respectively. The first absolute light receiver receives light from the first pattern and includes first and second light receiving elements. Each first light receiving elements outputs a first signal with a first phase. Each second light receiving elements outputs a first signal with a second phase. The first and second light receiving elements are arranged alternately. The second absolute light receiver includes third and fourth light receiving elements. Each third light receiving element outputs a second signal with the first phase. The third and fourth light receiving elements are arranged alternately. Each fourth light receiving element outputs a second signal with the second phase.

Abstract: The method of the present invention includes the steps of: arranging a plurality of non-continuous sheets of a predetermined length intermittently and successively in the conveyance direction on the continuous sheet so that the continuous elastic members are sandwiched between the non-continuous sheets and the continuous sheet; in an overlapping area where the non-continuous sheets overlap with the continuous sheet, attaching the continuous sheet and the non-continuous sheets to each other by welding the sheets to each other in a predetermined pattern, thus producing a continuous laminate; and in a non-overlapping area where the non-continuous sheets do not overlap with the continuous sheet, heating the continuous sheet in the same pattern as said pattern.

Abstract: An encoder includes a scale and a sensor. The scale has first and second absolute patterns. The sensor includes a light source, and first and second absolute light receivers. The first and second absolute light receivers receive light from the first and second absolute patterns, respectively. The first absolute light receiver receives light from the first pattern and includes first and second light receiving elements. Each first light receiving elements outputs a first signal with a first phase. Each second light receiving elements outputs a first signal with a second phase. The first and second light receiving elements are arranged alternately. The second absolute light receiver includes third and fourth light receiving elements. Each third light receiving element outputs a second signal with the first phase. The third and fourth light receiving elements are arranged alternately. Each fourth light receiving element outputs a second signal with the second phase.