Abstract: A storage unit stores a first transfer function representing a transfer characteristic of a sound from a sound source for each sound source direction, a sound source direction estimating unit calculates a conversion coefficient of an acoustic signal for each channel in a frequency domain and a spatial spectrum for each sound source direction on the basis of the first transfer function and estimates a sound source direction in which the spatial spectrum becomes a maximum as an estimated sound source direction, a transfer function estimating unit estimates a transfer function for the estimated sound source direction as a second transfer function by normalizing the conversion coefficients among channels, and a transfer function updating unit updates the first transfer function for the estimated sound source direction using the second transfer function.

Abstract: An acoustic signal processing device calculates a signal waveform that a microphone receives when at least one of a sound source and the microphone is moving. The acoustic signal processing device includes a coefficient calculation unit configured to model a steering coefficient gk,m representing how much an amplitude of a sound source signal emitted at an mth discrete time, where m is an integer between 1 and M and M is a length of the sound source signal, is transferred to an amplitude of a signal that the microphone receives at a kth discrete time, where k is an integer between 1 and K and K is a length of a recording signal, using N-order Fourier series expansion where N is an integer of 1 or more, and a recording signal calculation unit configured to calculate the signal waveform that the microphone receives using the modeled steering coefficient gk,m.

Abstract: An external or topical formulation for treatment or prevention of infections involving body surfaces using a depsipeptide antibiotic drug such as lotilibcin having improved efficacy and safety is provided. The antibacterial effect of lotilibcin tested in infectious models is substantially enhanced by addition of boric acid in a low concentration of an additive level which does not produce any pharmacological activity by itself, thereby offering a formulation for external preparations having improved safety due to a decrease in dose, dosing period, and dosing frequency.

Abstract: A sound source localization device includes: a sound receiving unit that includes two or more microphones; and a sound source localization unit that transforms a sound signal received by each of the microphones into a frequency domain, models a steering vector through Fourier series expansion of an N-th (here, N is an integer equal to or larger than “1”) order for the transformed sound signal of the frequency domain for each of the microphones, calculates a steering vector of an arbitrary angle using the modeled steering vector, and performs localization of a sound source using the calculated steering vector of the arbitrary angle.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to one or more embodiment may include: image formation parts each including a developer image development part, a developer container that accommodates a developer, and a deteriorated developer container that accommodates a deteriorated developer discharged from the developer image development part; a collection part that collects a value based on a history of printing rates of each of the image formation parts; a printing rate calculator that calculates a printing rate of a received print data; and an image formation part selector that selects, based on the value based on the history of printing rates of each of the image formation parts collected by the collection part and the printing rate of the received printed data calculated by the printing rate calculator, one of the image formation parts, to be used for performing printing of the received print data.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to one or more embodiment may include: image formation parts each including a developer image development part, a developer container that accommodates a developer, and a deteriorated developer container that accommodates a deteriorated developer discharged from the developer image development part; a collection part that collects a value based on a history of printing rates of each of the image formation parts; a printing rate calculator that calculates a printing rate of a received print data; and an image formation part selector that selects, based on the value based on the history of printing rates of each of the image formation parts collected by the collection part and the printing rate of the received printed data calculated by the printing rate calculator, one of the image formation parts, to be used for performing printing of the received print data.

Abstract: An acoustic signal processing device calculates a signal waveform that a microphone receives when at least one of a sound source and the microphone is moving. The acoustic signal processing device includes a coefficient calculation unit configured to model a steering coefficient gk,m representing how much an amplitude of a sound source signal emitted at an mth discrete time, where m is an integer between 1 and M and M is a length of the sound source signal, is transferred to an amplitude of a signal that the microphone receives at a kth discrete time, where k is an integer between 1 and K and K is a length of a recording signal, using N-order Fourier series expansion where N is an integer of 1 or more, and a recording signal calculation unit configured to calculate the signal waveform that the microphone receives using the modeled steering coefficient gk,m.

Abstract: A sound source localization device includes: a sound receiving unit that includes two or more microphones; and a sound source localization unit that transforms a sound signal received by each of the microphones into a frequency domain, models a steering vector through Fourier series expansion of an N-th (here, N is an integer equal to or larger than “1”) order for the transformed sound signal of the frequency domain for each of the microphones, calculates a steering vector of an arbitrary angle using the modeled steering vector, and performs localization of a sound source using the calculated steering vector of the arbitrary angle.

Abstract: A CNN processing device includes: a kernel storage unit configured to store kernels used in a convolution operation; a table storage unit configured to store a Fourier base function used in the convolution operation; and a convolution operation unit configured to model an element g in coefficients G of the kernels in a convolutional neural network (CNN) using N-order (N is an integer equal to or greater than 1) Fourier series expansion and to perform a convolution operation on processing target information that is information on a processing target through a CNN method using the kernels and the Fourier base function.

Abstract: A transfer function generation apparatus includes: a modeling part that models, using a function which uses an arrival direction of a sound source as a non-discrete argument, a plurality of acoustic transfer functions to a microphone from sound sources present in a plurality of directions and that stores the modeled function; and a transfer function generation part that generates a transfer function of an arbitrary direction by using the modeled and stored function.

Abstract: A transfer function generation apparatus includes: a modeling part that models, using a function which uses an arrival direction of a sound source as a non-discrete argument, a plurality of acoustic transfer functions to a microphone from sound sources present in a plurality of directions and that stores the modeled function; and a transfer function generation part that generates a transfer function of an arbitrary direction by using the modeled and stored function.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet; and a post-processor including a punch unit that forms a punch hole on the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a conveyance control part that controls conveyance of the sheet to be conveyed to the post-processor, and the punch unit includes: a perforating part that forms the punch hole on the sheet; a detection part that performs sheet side end portion detection for detecting a side end portion in a main scanning direction, and paper dust detection for detecting a paper dust amount in a detection region; a swinging part that moves the perforating part to an arbitrary position; and a hardware processor that, when a punch job is performed, controls the detection part to perform the paper dust detection.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to an aspect of one or more embodiments may include: replacement units, each being replaceable and including an expendable part and a developer collection container; and a determination unit. The determination unit is configured to: acquires an expendable part life progress degree representing a degree of progress in used amount of the expendable part relative to a product life of the expendable part and a collection container capacity progress degree representing a degree of progress in used amount of the developer collection container relative to a capacity of the developer collection container for each of the replacement units; and determines a developer collection container as a developer collection destination out of the developer collection containers of the replacement units, based on the acquired expendable part life degrees and the acquired collection container capacity progress degrees.

Abstract: A reading apparatus includes: a conveyor that conveys transfer paper on which an image has been formed by using rotation of a stepping motor; a driver that performs control in such a manner as to supply control pulses to the stepping motor and rotate the stepping motor in predetermined target rotation steps; an encoder that detects the rotation of the stepping motor and obtains detected rotation steps; a reader that reads the image formed on the transfer paper in a state where the transfer paper is being conveyed by the conveyor; and a controller that detects a difference between an ideal value and an actual value of the detected rotation steps in the target rotation steps, and determines, on the basis of the difference, whether a read in the reader is valid or invalid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes halogen lamp heaters, an AC power supply, a temperature detection unit and a control unit. The heaters have a same light distribution and heat a fixing member of an image fixing unit. The detection unit detects a temperature of the fixing member. The control unit determines a combination of the heaters based on output of the detection unit and applies a drive voltage of a half-wave of an AC waveform of the AC power supply to a heater of the heaters. The half-wave is selected based on an application pattern having a duty cycle of a predetermined value or more. The heaters include at least one heater which generates a heat amount being a minimum heat amount required for fixing or less when turned on with the application pattern having the duty cycle of the predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second heaters and a controller. The first and second heaters have a same light distribution and heat a roller of an image fixing unit. The second heater generates a less heat amount than the first heater. The controller applies a drive voltage to a heater of the heaters. When a heat amount generated by the second heater has increased to a first threshold value by the controller controlling the drive voltage, the controller switches the drive-voltage-applied heater from the second heater to the first heater. When a heat amount generated by the first heater has decreased to a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value by the controller controlling the drive voltage, the controller switches the drive-voltage-applied heater from the first heater to the second heater.

Abstract: A reading apparatus includes: a conveyor that conveys transfer paper on which an image has been formed by using rotation of a stepping motor; a driver that performs control in such a manner as to supply control pulses to the stepping motor and rotate the stepping motor in predetermined target rotation steps; an encoder that detects the rotation of the stepping motor and obtains detected rotation steps; a reader that reads the image formed on the transfer paper in a state where the transfer paper is being conveyed by the conveyor; and a controller that detects a difference between an ideal value and an actual value of the detected rotation steps in the target rotation steps, and determines, on the basis of the difference, whether a read in the reader is valid or invalid.

Abstract: There are provided an image recording apparatus and an imaging apparatus. In the image recording apparatus and the imaging apparatus, a control unit identifies whether an input image input by an image input unit is an omnidirectional image or an ordinary image. An image editing unit, based on an omnidirectional image, converts the omnidirectional image into a panoramic image by developing the omnidirectional image in a circumferential direction. Then, the image editing unit records the converted panoramic image on a recording medium. As for an ordinary image, the image editing unit records the input image input by the image input unit on the recording medium.

Abstract: In a saddle-stitching apparatus, when a sheet is transported to a center-folding unit, a folding blade moves from a retrieved position to a nip position between a pair of folding rollers. A forward end of the folding blade comes into contact with a fold of the sheet, so that the sheet is folded along the fold. When the sheet is attached to the nip position between the folding rollers, the folding rollers start rotating and then, the folding blade inserts the center-folded sheet between the folding rollers. After the center-fold finishing is completed, the rotations of the folding rollers stop in timing at which the folding blade is pulled out of the nip position between the folding rollers. When pulling the folding blade out of the nip position between the folding rollers, the rotations of the folding rollers restart.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second heaters and a controller. The first and second heaters have a same light distribution and heat a roller of an image fixing unit. The second heater generates a less heat amount than the first heater. The controller applies a drive voltage to a heater of the heaters. When a heat amount generated by the second heater has increased to a first threshold value by the controller controlling the drive voltage, the controller switches the drive-voltage-applied heater from the second heater to the first heater. When a heat amount generated by the first heater has decreased to a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value by the controller controlling the drive voltage, the controller switches the drive-voltage-applied heater from the first heater to the second heater.