Abstract: A communication system includes a master device, a connector, a superordinate trunk cable connecting the master device and the connector, a superordinate slave device connected to the connector, a subordinate slave device, and a subordinate trunk cable connecting the connector and the subordinate slave device. The connector includes a superordinate power line via which power is supplied from the master device, a power branching unit to divide the superordinate power line into a first power line connected to the superordinate slave device and a second power line connected to the subordinate slave device, a superordinate signal line via which communication data between the master device and the superordinate slave device is configured to be transmitted, and a subordinate signal line via which communication data between the superordinate slave device and the subordinate slave device is configured to be transmitted.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prepare a functional intestinal organoid from pluripotent stem cells. An intestinal organoid is prepared from pluripotent stem cells, by the following steps (1) to (4): (1) differentiating pluripotent stem cells into endoderm-like cells; (2) differentiating the endoderm-like cells obtained in step (1) into intestinal stem cell-like cells; (3) culturing the intestinal stem cell-like cells obtained in step (2) to form spheroids; and (4) differentiating the spheroids formed in step (3) to form an intestinal organoid, the step including culture in the presence of a MEK1/2 inhibitor, a DNA methylation inhibitor, a TGF-? receptor inhibitor, and a ?-secretase inhibitor, in addition to an epidermal growth factor, a BMP inhibitor, and a Wnt signal activator.

Abstract: An object is to prepare an intestinal organoid having a characteristic close to the small intestine of a living body, from a pluripotent stem cell. An intestinal organoid is prepared from a pluripotent stem cell, by the following steps of: (1) differentiating the pluripotent stem cell into an endoderm-like cell; (2) differentiating the endoderm-like cell obtained in step (1) into an intestinal stem cell-like cell; (3) culturing the intestinal stem cell-like cell obtained in step (2) in the presence of an epidermal growth factor, a fibroblast growth factor, a TGF ? receptor inhibitor, a GSK-3 ? inhibitor, and a ROCK inhibitor; (4) culturing the cell obtained in step (3) to form a spheroid; and (5) differentiating the spheroid formed in step (4) to form an intestinal organoid, wherein the differentiation includes culturing in the presence of an epidermal growth factor, a BMP inhibitor, and a Wnt signal activator.

Abstract: Included are: an action detection unit (16) detecting action information preset for each type of discomfort factor from behavior information corresponding to a discomfort factor of a user; a discomfort period estimating unit (20) acquiring an estimation condition (174) for a discomfort period (?t) of the user corresponding to the action information and estimating the discomfort period (?t) using history information corresponding to the estimation condition (174); a discomfort estimator (21) estimating a discomfort state of the user based on multiple pieces of biological information (X, Y) of the user; a discomfort estimator learning unit (22) estimating reaction time (tx, ty) to discomfort factors in the multiple pieces of biological information (X, Y) based on the discomfort period (?t), and synchronizing input timing of the multiple pieces of biological information (X, Y) to the discomfort estimator (21) based on the discomfort period (?t) and the reaction time (tx, ty); and a discomfort determination unit

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prepare a functional intestinal organoid from pluripotent stem cells. An intestinal organoid is prepared from pluripotent stem cells, by the following steps (1) to (4): (1) differentiating pluripotent stem cells into endoderm-like cells; (2) differentiating the endoderm-like cells obtained in step (1) into intestinal stem cell-like cells; (3) culturing the intestinal stem cell-like cells obtained in step (2) to form spheroids; and (4) differentiating the spheroids formed in step (3) to form an intestinal organoid, the step including culture in the presence of a MEK1/2 inhibitor, a DNA methylation inhibitor, a TGF-? receptor inhibitor, and a ?-secretase inhibitor, in addition to an epidermal growth factor, a BMP inhibitor, and a Wnt signal activator.

Abstract: A state estimation device includes an action detecting unit that checks behavioral information against action patterns stored in advance, and detects a matching action pattern; a reaction detecting unit that checks the behavioral and biological information about a user against reaction patterns stored, and detects a matching reaction pattern; a discomfort determining unit that determines that the user is in an uncomfortable state, when a matching action pattern is detected, or a matching reaction pattern is detected and the detected reaction pattern matches a discomfort reaction pattern; a discomfort zone estimating unit that acquires an estimation condition, and estimates a discomfort zone; and a learning unit that refers to the history information, and acquires and stores the discomfort reaction pattern based on the estimated discomfort zone and the occurrence frequencies of the reaction patterns in a zone other than the discomfort zone.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a lip image recognition unit 103 to recognize a user state from image data which is information other than speech; a non-speech section deciding unit 104 to decide from the recognized user state whether the user is talking; a speech section detection threshold learning unit 106 to set a first speech section detection threshold (SSDT) from speech data when decided not talking, and a second SSDT from the speech data after conversion by a speech input unit when decided talking; a speech section detecting unit 107 to detect a speech section indicating talking from the speech data using the thresholds set, wherein if it cannot detect the speech section using the second SSDT, it detects the speech section using the first SSDT; and a speech recognition unit 108 to recognize speech data in the speech section detected, and to output a recognition result.

Abstract: There are provided a recognition result candidate comparator 205 that compares a plurality of server-side voice recognition result candidates received by a receiver 204, to detect texts having a difference, and a recognition result integrator 206 that integrates a client-side voice recognition result candidate and a server-side voice recognition result candidate on the basis of the client-side voice recognition result candidate, the server-side voice recognition result candidate, and a detection result provided by the recognition result candidate comparator 205, to decide a voice recognition result.

Abstract: A speech recognition device: transmits an input voice to a server; receives a first speech recognition result that is a result from speech recognition by the server on the transmitted input voice; performs speech recognition on the input voice to obtain a second speech recognition result; refers to speech rules each representing a formation of speech elements for the input voice, to determine the speech rule matched to the second speech recognition result; determines from the correspondence relationships among presence/absence of the first speech recognition result, presence/absence of the second speech recognition result and presence/absence of the speech element that forms the speech rule, a speech recognition state indicating the speech element whose speech recognition result is not obtained; generates according to the determined speech recognition state, a response text for inquiring about the speech element whose speech recognition result is not obtained; and outputs that text.

Abstract: There are provided a recognition result candidate comparator 205 that compares a plurality of server-side voice recognition result candidates received by a receiver 204, to detect texts having a difference, and a recognition result integrator 206 that integrates a client-side voice recognition result candidate and a server-side voice recognition result candidate on the basis of the client-side voice recognition result candidate, the server-side voice recognition result candidate, and a detection result provided by the recognition result candidate comparator 205, to decide a voice recognition result.

Abstract: A packet communication system includes a communication control apparatus 8 for searching for an IP address corresponding to a destination telephone number when receiving a connection request including the destination telephone number from a VoIP terminal, and a multiplexing control apparatus 9 for identifying both a multiplexing transmission apparatus 11 or 10 which manages a VoIP terminal associated with the address searched for by the communication control apparatus 8, and a multiplexing transmission apparatus 10 or 11 which manages the VoIP terminal which is the transmission source of the connection request, and for notifying each of both the identified multiplexing transmission apparatus 10 and 11 of the address of the multiplexing transmission apparatus 11 or 10 on the other end of connection and the address of the VoIP terminal.

Abstract: A high-efficiency and high-flexibility gateway system is disclosed which is capable of making a connection with even a gateway apparatus that supports only the standard IP packet format and capable of performing a high-efficiency transmission even when only one channel is used in a particular direction.

Abstract: The discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes: a direct current power supply E; switching elements Q1 and Q2 for switching a direct current supplied from the direct current power supply E so as to generate a high frequency current; a discharge lamp load circuit LAC1 which is constructed in a manner that a discharge lamp LA and a coupling capacitor C4 are connected in series, and the discharge lamp LA is lit by a high frequency current generated by the switching elements Q1 and Q2; a switching element control circuit IC1 for controlling the switching elements Q1 and Q2. The discharge lamp lighting apparatus is further provided with a protective circuit NP2 which distinguishes a fault of the discharge lamp LA by detecting a voltage generated in the coupling capacitor C4, and outputs a control signal to the switching element control circuit IC1.

Abstract: A handwriting verification device includes: a normalizing section for normalizing an inputted handwriting which has been subjected to sampling at regular intervals; a registered handwriting dictionary in which registered handwriting is accommodated; a correspondence making section for making the inputted handwriting, which has been normalized in accordance with the sampling points in the sampling, correspond to the registered handwriting, so that a portion of the inputted handwriting and a portion of the registered hand writing, which coincide with each other, can be made to correspond to each other; a segment making section for making the inputted handwriting and the registered handwriting to be a segment by allotting an interval between at least two continuous sampling points as a segment in accordance with the result of making correspondence; a characteristic extracting section for extracting the characteristics of the inputted handwriting and the registered handwriting for each segment; and a handwriting

Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device in which dim control can be performed for a discharge lamp continuously and stably in a wide range, and which is simple in circuit configuration and low in price. The discharge lamp lighting device comprises: an inverter (IV) for turning on/off switching elements (Q2, Q3) by an oscillation output signal of an IV control integrated circuit (IC2) to thereby invert a voltage of a DC power supply (E) into high-frequency electric power, a discharge lamp (LA) capable of being lighted by the high-frequency electric power from the inverter (IV), a feedback circuit (FB) having delay time T (unit: second) expressed by 1/f≦T≦1/10,000 when the frequency of the high-frequency electric power is f, the feedback circuit (FB) including a reference value setting means (R15) for setting a reference value, the feedback circuit outputting a voltage for controlling the IV control integrated circuit (IC2) to make the high-frequency electric power equal to the reference value.

Abstract: A current flowing through a discharge lamp 4 is detected by a current detecting circuit 5, and the detected current is outputted as a lamp current signal A to a feedback control circuit 7 where a difference between the lamp current signal A and the dimming control signal B is obtained and amplified, and then a simplified signal D is outputted to an adder 12 which adds the amplified signal D to the dimming control signal B to constitute a control signal E. The control signal is fed back to a high frequency power supply 2. When a comparing circuit 15 detects that the light level of the dimming control signal B with respect to the full light becomes higher than or equal to 40% to 60%, the feedback circuit is disconnected by operating a switch 13 provided between an error amplifying circuit 9 and an adder 12 to stop the feedback control.

Abstract: A current flowing through a discharge lamp 4 is detected by a current detecting circuit 5, and the detected current is outputted as a lamp current signal A to a feedback control circuit 7 where a difference between the lamp current signal A and the dimming control signal B is obtained and amplified, and then a amplified signal D is outputted to an adder 12 which adds the amplified signal D to the dimming control signal B to constitute a control signal E. The control signal is fed back to a high frequency power supply 2. When a comparing circuit 15 detects that the light level of the dimming control signal B with respect to the full light becomes higher than or equal to 40% to 60%, the feedback circuit is disconnected by operating a switch 13 provided between an error amplifying circuit 9 and an adder 12 to stop the feedback control.