Abstract: A vehicle controller includes a processor configured to: determine a driving plan when a lane change from a host vehicle lane to another lane is requested. The driving plan represents travel behavior of a vehicle until completion of the lane change and satisfies a safety condition that the vehicle will collide with none of objects around the vehicle detected from a sensor signal obtained by a sensor mounted on the vehicle. The processor is further configured to: set a completion condition indicating a position or time at which the completion of the lane change is required, determine whether the completion condition is satisfied when the vehicle is driven according to the driving plan, control the vehicle to make the lane change according to the driving plan when the completion condition is satisfied, and restrict execution of the lane change when the completion condition is not satisfied.

Abstract: A travel controller detects a vehicle traveling behind a host vehicle from situation data depending on the situation around the host vehicle; controls travel of the host vehicle to maintain a predetermined distance or more between the host vehicle and the detected vehicle behind; causes the host vehicle to perform a first action when the distance between the host vehicle and the vehicle behind is greater than a distance threshold; causes the host vehicle to perform a second action when the distance is less than the distance threshold, the second action contributing to safe travel of the host vehicle more than the first action; sets the distance threshold at a first value when a travel situation around the host vehicle does not satisfy a predetermined short-distance condition; and sets the distance threshold at a second value smaller than the first value when the travel situation satisfies the short-distance condition.

Abstract: A speech communication device includes microphones configured with: microphones M1 and M2 disposed at positions which are axisymmetric with a centerline in a width direction of a housing as a symmetric axis; and a microphone M3 disposed at a position which is on the centerline and closer to a speaker than the microphones M1 and M2 are. The speech communication device is further equipped with: a sound processor which includes: a beam former which is connected to the microphones M1 and M2 and forms a bidirectionality in which directionality is strong in two directions each perpendicular to the centerline and is weak in two directions each along the centerline; and an echo cancel unit which is connected to the beam former and the microphone M3 and removes a sound signal having been output from the microphone M3 from a sound signal having been output from the beam former.

Abstract: Provided is a method of conveying a storage container from a placing table to a conveyance place using a conveying mechanism in a substrate processing apparatus. The storage container hermetically stores a substrate and includes a flange portion formed on the top thereof. The conveying mechanism includes a hand portion provided with a flange insertion portion. The substrate processing apparatus is provided with at least two placing tables arranged side by side in a first horizontal direction. The method includes moving the placing table to the conveyance place in the second horizontal direction by a predetermined distance; sliding the hand portion from a side of a placing table neighboring to the placing table in the first horizontal direction such that the flange portion is inserted into the flange inserting portion; and conveying the storage container from the placing table to the conveyance place through the hand portion.

Abstract: A speech communication device includes microphones configured with: microphones M1 and M2 disposed at positions which are axisymmetric with a centerline in a width direction of a housing as a symmetric axis; and a microphone M3 disposed at a position which is on the centerline and closer to a speaker than the microphones M1 and M2 are. The speech communication device is further equipped with: a sound processor which includes: a beam former which is connected to the microphones M1 and M2 and forms a bidirectionality in which directionality is strong in two directions each perpendicular to the centerline and is weak in two directions each along the centerline; and an echo cancel unit which is connected to the beam former and the microphone M3 and removes a sound signal having been output from the microphone M3 from a sound signal having been output from the beam former.

Abstract: Provided is a method of conveying a storage container from a placing table to a conveyance place using a conveying mechanism in a substrate processing apparatus. The storage container hermetically stores a substrate and includes a flange portion formed on the top thereof. The conveying mechanism includes a hand portion provided with a flange insertion portion. The substrate processing apparatus is provided with at least two placing tables arranged side by side in a first horizontal direction. The method includes moving the placing table to the conveyance place in the second horizontal direction by a predetermined distance; sliding the hand portion from a side of a placing table neighboring to the placing table in the first horizontal direction such that the flange portion is inserted into the flange inserting portion; and conveying the storage container from the placing table to the conveyance place through the hand portion.

Abstract: A flat panel speaker has a construction in which an actuator 10 vibrates a panel to radiate sound, the panel being held at a peripheral portion thereof on a frame by gaskets, wherein the gasket provided at a position opposite from a position at which the actuator is placed has a higher hardness than that of the gasket provided at another position. The side on which the gasket having the higher hardness is placed is a substantially fixed end to facilitate vibration of the panel, thereby improving sound quality.