Abstract: An electromagnetic linear valve which can effectively suppress a self-excited oscillation of a plunger is provided. A resilient member 64 urges a plunger 22 in a direction in which the core-opposing portions 70, 78 move away from a core portion 28, and moves the plunger 22 in a direction in which the core-opposing portions 70, 78 approach the core portion 28 in the case where an electric current is supplied to a coil 24.

Abstract: In image capturing processor in one embodiment comprises: an image capturing section including an image sensor that captures a polarization image of an object being illuminated with an illuminating light beam; and an image processing section. The image processing section has: a light intensity image generator which generates a light intensity image based on the output of the image sensor; a polarization degree image generator which generates a polarization degree image by calculating the degree of polarization on a pixel-by-pixel basis; a retouching section which generates a retouched polarization image by enhancing the degree of polarization of the polarization degree image at depressions on a micro-geometric surface of the object and by correcting at least one of its hue, saturation and value; and an image synthesizing section which synthesizes the retouched polarization image and the light intensity image together.

Abstract: A polarization image processing apparatus includes an illumination unit, a splitter, first and second polarization imaging devices, and a processing unit. The illumination unit illuminates a first surface of a transparent or translucent object with first illumination light polarized in a first direction and second illumination light polarized in a second direction, which crosses the first direction, alternately. Illumination axes of the first illumination light and second illumination light substantially coincide with an imaging axis of the polarization image processing apparatus. The splitter divides returning light into at least two light components. The first and second polarization imaging devices receive the light components. The processing unit detects a condition of a second surface of the object on the basis of first and second polarization images obtained by the first polarization imaging device and third and fourth polarization images obtained by the second polarization imaging device.

Abstract: A polarization image sensor includes: photodiodes arranged on an image capturing plane; a color mosaic filter in which color filters in multiple different colors are arranged to face the photodiodes; an optical low-pass filter which covers the color mosaic filter; and polarization optical elements located closer to a light source than the optical low-pass filter is. Each polarization optical element covers an associated one of the photodiodes and makes light which is polarized in a predetermined direction in a plane that is parallel to the image capturing plane incident onto the optical low-pass filter. The color filters are arranged so that light that has passed through polarization optical elements is transmitted through an associated one of the color filters in a single color. Each color filter covers multiple photodiodes.

Abstract: An exemplary 3D image shooting apparatus comprises: a polarized light source; an image capturing section that sequentially captures an image of the object that is being illuminated with each of plane polarized light rays, and an image processor. The image capturing section includes: a lens; an image sensor; and an incoming light transmitting section which has a transparent area and a plurality of polarization filter areas. The polarization filter areas are arranged outside of the transparent area, generally have a concentric ring shape, and include left and right filter areas so that their polarization transmission axis directions define an angle ? (0<?<90 degrees). The image processing section generates a plurality of images from light that has been transmitted through the transparent area and light that has been transmitted through the plurality of polarization filter areas.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an element 106 transform, with a voltage, non-polarized light into plane polarized light with an arbitrary plane of polarization. A synchronizer 112 gives the plane of polarization control element 106 an instruction to rotate the plane of polarization, thereby getting the plane of polarization of the illumination rotated and casting that polarized light toward the object. At the same time, the synchronizer 112 sends a shooting start signal to an image sensor 110, thereby getting video. The synchronizer 112 performs these processing steps multiple times. A captured video signal is sent to an image processing processor 108, where LL, RR and CC images are separately generated as images of light rays that have passed through left and right polarizing areas and the central non-polarizing area and left and right parallax signals are generated and sent to a 3D display section 122.

Abstract: A polarization image processing apparatus includes an illumination unit, a splitter, first and second polarization imaging devices, and a processing unit. The illumination unit illuminates a first surface of a transparent or translucent object with first illumination light polarized in a first direction and second illumination light polarized in a second direction, which crosses the first direction, alternately. Illumination axes of the first illumination light and second illumination light substantially coincide with an imaging axis of the polarization image processing apparatus. The splitter divides returning light into at least two light components. The first and second polarization imaging devices receive the light components. The processing unit detects a condition of a second surface of the object on the basis of first and second polarization images obtained by the first polarization imaging device and third and fourth polarization images obtained by the second polarization imaging device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an illumination unit in which illumination axes of first and second illumination light substantially coincide with an imaging axis and which illuminates an object with the first and second illumination light alternately, the first and second illumination light being respectively polarized in a first direction and a second direction that crosses the first direction; a splitter that divides returning light into at least two returning light components; and first and second polarization imaging devices that receive the returning light components. The first polarization imaging device obtains first and second polarization images polarized in the first direction while the object is being illuminated with the first and second illumination light, respectively. The second polarization imaging device obtains third and fourth polarization images polarized in the second direction while the object is being illuminated with the first and second illumination light, respectively.

Abstract: The present disclosure is an optical filter which includes: a Fabry-Perot resonator equipped with a laminated structure including one sheet of first metal layer, one sheet of second metal layer, and a dielectric layer; and one sheet of plate-shaped wire grid polarizer. The second metal layer is parallel to the first metal layer, the dielectric layer is interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the one sheet of plate-shaped wire grid polarizer is embedded in the dielectric layer, the one sheet of plate-shaped wire grid polarizer comprises three or more metal wire layers, the metal wire layers are parallel to one another, and the one sheet of plate-shaped wire grid polarizer is parallel to the first metal layer. In the optical filter according to the present invention, the effective extinction ratio of the wire grid polarizer is increased.

Abstract: Provided is an image generation device generating a high-quality image of an object under a pseudo light source at any desired position, based on geometric parameters generated from a low-quality image of the object. The image generation device includes: a geometric parameter calculation unit that calculates a first geometric parameter regarding a shape of a surface from light source position, viewpoint position, and geometric normal information regarding the shape; a high-resolution database unit that stores an exemplum indicating a mesostructure of a portion of the surface and has a spatial resolution higher than the geometric normal information; an exemplum expansion unit that increases the exempla to be spatially expanded; a geometric parameter modification unit that modifies the first geometric parameter using the increased exempla; and an image generation unit that generates an output image by applying the modified geometric parameter to a reflection model.

Abstract: An electromagnetic valve includes a housing, a valve element, a movable core, a spring, a coil, and a stationary core. The housing includes a cylinder portion that houses the movable core so that the movable core is movable in an axial direction. An axial intermediate portion of the cylinder portion is formed as a non-magnetic portion that surrounds an outer circumference of an axial intermediate portion of the movable core. Both axial sides of the non-magnetic portion are formed as a one-side magnetic portion and an another-side magnetic portion that surround an outer circumference of the movable core.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with first and second illuminating light beams polarized in first and second directions. First and second polarization images are generated based on signals representing light transmitted through polarizers having the polarization transmission axis in respective directions that are parallel to, and intersect with, the first direction while the object is being irradiated with the first illuminating light beam, and third and fourth polarization images are generated based on signals representing light transmitted through polarizers having the polarization transmission axis in respective directions that are parallel to, and intersect with, the second direction while the object is being irradiated with the second illuminating light beam.

Abstract: In an embodiments, an apparatus includes: a polarized light source which sequentially illuminates an object with three or more plane polarized light rays; and an image sensor which sequentially captures an image of the object that is being illuminated with each plane polarized light ray and which obtains polarization images by sequentially changing the direction of the polarized light transmission axis at each pixel while the object is being illuminated with each polarized light rays. The apparatus further includes: a processing section for generating an intensity maximizing angle image YPH and a degree of intensity modulation image YD; and a distribution estimating section which estimates, based on YPH and YD, the distribution in a single pixel of the azimuth angles of V-grooves on the object's surface.

Abstract: An embodiment of an image processing apparatus includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first and second illuminating light beams polarized in different directions. The section emits the polarized light beams sequentially so that the wavelength ranges of the light beams do not overlap with each other. The apparatus further includes: a polarization image sensor; a polarization mosaic processing section which obtains a first polarization image while the object is being irradiated with the first illuminating light beam and a second polarization image while the object is being irradiated with the second illuminating light beam; a depressed area detecting section which detects a depressed area on the surface of the object based on the polarization images; and an image forming section which forms an image representing the depressed area in an enhanced form.

Abstract: In an electromagnetic linear valve, a resilient member urges a plunger in a direction in which the core-opposing portions move away from a core portion, and moves the plunger in a direction in which the core-opposing portions approach the core portion where an electric current is supplied to a coil. Where no electric current is supplied to the coil, an axially opposing surface area as a surface area of portions of the core-opposing portions which respectively oppose inner peripheral surfaces of recessed portions is smaller than a radially opposing surface area as a surface area of portions of the core-opposing portions which respectively oppose bottom surfaces of the recessed portions, and the axially opposing surface area becomes larger than the radially opposing surface area where an electric current is supplied to the coil and the core-opposing portions approach most to the core portion.

Abstract: In a learning process, first, images having different resolutions are obtained from a target region of the subject (S101). Further, the subject characteristic of the target region is obtained (S102). Then, the resolution conversion rules are learned from the images having different resolutions, and those are recorded to a storage device along with the subject characteristics (S103). When converting the resolutions, the resolution conversion rules learned for the corresponding subject characteristics are applied to each region of the original image so as to convert the resolutions of the original image.

Abstract: In image capturing processor in one embodiment comprises: an image capturing section including an image sensor that captures a polarization image of an object being illuminated with an illuminating light beam; and an image processing section. The image processing section has: a light intensity image generator which generates a light intensity image based on the output of the image sensor; a polarization degree image generator which generates a polarization degree image by calculating the degree of polarization on a pixel-by-pixel basis; a retouching section which generates a retouched polarization image by enhancing the degree of polarization of the polarization degree image at depressions on a micro-geometric surface of the object and by correcting at least one of its hue, saturation and value; and an image synthesizing section which synthesizes the retouched polarization image and the light intensity image together.

Abstract: An image processor (101) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a polarized light source (102) and a polarization camera (103). In shooting an object (104), the object is irradiated with polarized light (105) that rotates its polarization plane. The polarized light is reflected from the object's surface and the polarized reflected light (106) reaches the polarization camera (103), thereby recording an image there. The polarization camera (103) includes a polarization image sensor (201), an intensity and polarization information processing section (202), a polarization plane control section (204), and an image capturing control section (205). By capturing an image every time the polarization plane control section (204) changes the polarization state of the polarized light, an intensity image Y and a polarization phase image P are obtained in association with each polarization state.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus that includes a color and polarization image capturing section 201, a whole sky polarization map getting section 202, a weather determining section 203, a fine-weather sky part separating section 204, a cloudy-weather normal estimating section 207, and a pseudo 3D image generating section 208. The apparatus obtains polarization information outdoors with the polarization state of the sky taken into account, and estimates surface normal information at an object's surface on a two-dimensional image, thereby generating a surface normal image. Using that normal image, the apparatus divides the object into multiple ranges, extracts three-dimensional information and generates a viewpoint changed image, thereby generating a pseudo 3D image.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an element 106 transforms non-polarized light into plane polarized light with an arbitrary plane of polarization. A synchronizer 112 gives the element 106 an instruction to rotate the plane of polarization, thereby getting the plane of polarization of the illumination rotated and casting that polarized illumination toward the object. At the same time, the synchronizer 112 sends a shooting start signal to an image sensor 110, thereby getting video. The synchronizer 112 performs these processing steps multiple times. A captured video signal is sent to an image processing processor 108. Candidates for the azimuth angle of a surface normal are obtained based on an intensity maximizing angle image, the zenith angle of the surface normal is obtained based on a degree of intensity modulation image, and the ambiguity of the azimuth angle is solved, thereby generating a surface groove normal image.