Abstract: A method is provided that includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor of a customer terminal so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject, a bright line corresponding to each of a plurality of exposure lines appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject and obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image. The method further includes sending the identification information to a server, obtaining a menu listing a product of the store from the server, displaying the menu on a display of the terminal, and sending product information of the product that is selected by the customer and payment information of the customer to the server.

Abstract: An information communication method of transmitting a signal using a change in luminance is provided. The information communication method includes: determining a pattern of the change in luminance, by modulating the signal to be transmitted; and transmitting the signal, by at least one light emitter changing in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance. The signal has a plurality of blocks. Each block of the plurality of blocks includes (i) address information to indicate a position of a data segment in the signal, and (ii) the data segment. In the transmitting, the signal is transmitted repeatedly at different times.

Abstract: A near-infrared absorbing composition including a near-infrared absorbing dye [A], a resin-based dispersant [B1] having an amine value in the range from 20 to 200 (mg KOH/g), and a binder resin [C] having a weight average molecular weight in the range from 5,000 to 40,000 and an acid value of 130 mg KOH/g or less.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure line. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, obtaining identification information of the subject, and sending the identification information to a server. The method further includes obtaining reservation information related to the identification information from the server, the reservation information related to a content displayed by the subject, and displaying the reservation information on a display of the terminal device.

Abstract: A road structure, an asphalt layer of which is peeled off by electromagnetic induction heating, includes a non-thermoplastic base layer, an asphalt layer located above the base layer, a conductive sheet between the base layer and the asphalt layer, a first bonding layer that bonds the conductive sheet and the base layer; and a second bonding layer that bonds the conductive sheet and the asphalt layer. The conductive sheet is configured to generate heat based on electromagnetic induction. At least the first bonding layer is a thermoplastic bonding layer configured to be softened by the heat.

Abstract: A robot includes a main body, a handlebar disposed on the main body and grippable by a user, a detection unit that detects a load applied to the handlebar, a moving device including a rotating body and moving the robot by controlling the rotation of the rotating body, and a switching unit that switches a support mode for supporting the user with walking. The support mode includes a first mode in which the robot autonomously moves to guide the user who is walking and a second mode in which the robot moves in accordance with a first load detected by the detection unit. When the robot moves in the first mode, the switching unit switches the support mode from the first mode to the second mode on the basis of the second load detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A walking support robot of the present disclosure is a walking support robot that moves in accordance with a handle force while supporting walking of a user. The walking support robot includes a body, a handle that is on the body and is held by the user, a sensor that senses a force applied to the handle, and a moving device that includes a rotating member and moves the walking support robot by controlling rotation of the rotating member in accordance with the force sensed by the sensor. The walking support robot estimates a leg position of the user on a basis of a change of the force sensed by the sensor, and sets a load to be applied to the user on a basis of the leg position.

Abstract: An appliance control method is for controlling a target appliance located in a building to disguise the number of people in the building. The method includes: obtaining an operation history of the target appliance (S101); determining a change in the number of people in the building (S102); creating, based on the operation history and the change in the number of people in the building, control patterns each of which is for controlling the target appliance and corresponds to a different one of the numbers of people including the number of people (S103); selecting, from among the created control patterns each of which corresponds to a different one of the numbers of the people, a control pattern which corresponds to the predetermined virtual number of people (S111); and controlling the target appliance according to the selected control pattern (S112).

Abstract: A walking support robot is presented by the present disclosure. The walking support robot moves in accordance with a handle load while guiding a user to walk along a walking route. The walking support robot includes a body, a handle on the body, a sensor that senses a load applied to the handle, and a moving device that moves the walking support robot by controlling rotation of a rotating member in accordance with the load. Guide information is generated for guiding the user to walk along the walking route. Presented information is presented for guiding the user based on the guide information. A physical task is set by adjusting complexity of the walking route. A degree to which the user follows the walking route is calculated, and the physical task is adjusted based on the degree.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines by capturing the subject that changes in luminance, and obtaining identification information of the subject by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image. The method further includes sending the identification information to a server, obtaining place information indicating a location of the subject from the server, and displaying a location of the terminal device on a map.

Abstract: A life assistance system includes an automatic liftable chair and an autonomous mobile robot connected to the automatic liftable chair via a network. The life assistance system assists a user in the action of standing up from the automatic liftable chair. The life assistance system is configured such that upon reception of a stand-up assist instruction by the autonomous mobile robot, the automatic liftable chair executes a first assisting action and that upon detection of a load applied to a handle of the autonomous mobile robot, the automatic liftable chair executes a second assisting action.

Abstract: An information sharing method that provides a graphical user interface image for sharing information relating to an appliance within a home among a plurality of users includes a receiving step of receiving, as home appliance event information, information on a state change of an appliance within a plurality of homes, a priority determining step of determining a priority of a home that is to be displayed in the graphical user interface image in accordance with an occurrence frequency of the home appliance event information within each home, and a home determining step of determining a home to be displayed in the graphical user interface image in accordance with the priority.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a display, a processor, and a recording medium having a program that causes the processor to execute operations, including obtaining a first image by image capture with a first exposure time by starting exposure for a plurality of exposure lines in an image sensor. The operations also include obtaining a second image, including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing a subject changing in luminance by the image sensor with a second exposure time by starting exposure for the plurality of exposure lines in the image sensor. The operations further include obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained second image, and displaying a first image on the display during a period of obtaining of the second image using the image sensor.

Abstract: A living support system connected to a chair including a movable seat through a communication network includes a robot including a main body, a moving device that moves the main body in a freestanding state, a handle provided at the main body and gripped by a user, and a handle load detector that detects a handle load applied to the handle by the user; a support control device that controls seat movement for a stand-up motion of the sitting user, using the detected handle load; and a communicator that transmits support control information including a movement speed at which the chair moves the movable seat, to the chair through the communication network. The support control device includes a seat speed calculator that calculates a speed at which the movable seat is inclined with respect to a floor on which the chair is placed, as the movement speed using the detected handle load.

Abstract: An article management system includes a transport robot that transports an article and a rack robot that stores the article. The transport robot includes an input that receives a transport request that includes a request to transport the article to the rack robot, a first circuit that transmits the transport request to the rack robot and a movement mechanism that causes the transport robot to move toward the rack robot. The rack robot includes a second circuit that receives the transport request from the first circuit, a conveyor that receives the article based on the transport request from the transport robot and moves the article to a storage location, and a port where the article is transferred to the transport robot. The conveyor moves the article between one of a plurality of racks and the port.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a recording medium having a program, the program causing the processor to execute operations. The operations include providing a normal mode and a visible light communication mode, wherein the normal mode and the visible light communication mode are switchable. In the normal mode, first image data is obtained by image capture with a first exposure time by sequentially starting exposure for a plurality of exposure lines in an image sensor each at a different time and each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps in exposure time an adjacent exposure line. In the visible light communication mode, (i) a second exposure time of the image sensor is set, (ii) a bright line image is obtained, and (iii) information is obtained by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.

Abstract: A lid member for a press-through package, and a press-through package packing body using the same, includes a lid member which is not to be inadvertently torn, while tablets or capsules as its contents can be removed under a uniform opening strength by a predetermined force or more using fingers. The lid member of the packing body includes a resin film, an adhesive, an aluminum foil, and a thermal adhesive layer, in which tapered through holes are formed in the resin film. The resin film is laminated to the aluminum foil to reinforce the lid member so that the lid member is not to be inadvertently torn. When contents of a container are pushed out using fingers, the lid member is broken starting from the tapered through holes provided in the resin film, and so the contents can be easily taken out.

Abstract: An X-ray inspection system of the present application is capable of blocking the effect of heat from an X-ray source, thereby making it possible to place a heat-sensitive circuit component in the same housing space as the X-ray source. The X-ray inspection system includes a housing 10 provided with an upper housing space 11, in which an X-ray source 32 housed in a cooling container 30 is placed. Due to pressure of a pump 36, a cooling medium circulates between the cooling container 30 and a heat radiating device 33, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the cooling container 30. Since the cooling container 30 is placed in the upper housing space 11, the upper housing space 11 serves as a cooling space, suppressing the temperature rise. Therefore, heat-sensitive or heat-producing circuit components can be placed in the upper housing space 11.

Abstract: A robot includes a main body, a handlebar disposed on the main body and grippable by a user, a detection unit that detects a load applied to the handlebar, a moving device including a rotating body and moving the robot by controlling the rotation of the rotating body, and a switching unit that switches a support mode for supporting the user with walking. The support mode includes a first mode in which the robot autonomously moves to guide the user who is walking and a second mode in which the robot moves in accordance with a first load detected by the detection unit. When the robot moves in the first mode, the switching unit switches the support mode from the first mode to the second mode on the basis of the second load detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A robot includes a rotary element capable of rolling over a walking surface on which a user walks, a handle held by the user, a handle load detector that detects a handle load applied to the handle by the user, and a projector that projects light onto the walking surface, the projector being operable to change the light based on the detected handle load.