Abstract: A force-detecting apparatus comprising an elastic member deformable symmetrically with respect to the center, a first displacement-detecitng means for detecting the displacements of the elastic member at the positions symmetric with respect to the center in the same direction, and a second displacement-detecting means for detecting the displacements of the elastic member at the positions symmetric with respect to the center in the opposite directions.

Abstract: A movable apparatus drive system comprises a driving device for the movable apparatus, a first output device for detecting environmental information around the movable apparatus and for outputting a corresponding signal in response to the environmental information data, a second output device for outputting a command signal to drive the driving device so as to move the movable apparatus to a target position, based on target position data of the movable apparatus to be moved and current position data of the movable apparatus; and a supply device for supplying a composite signal constituted by the environmental information data and the command signal.

Abstract: A force-detecting apparatus includes an elastic member deformable symmetrically with respect to the center. First displacement-detecting means, detect displacements of the elastic member, at positions symmetric with respect to the center, in the same direction with respect to an axis passing through the center of the elastic member, and second displacement-detecting means detect displacements of the elastic member, at the positions symmetric with respect to the center, in opposite directions with respect to an axis passing through the center of the elastic member.

Abstract: In a process for preparing methanol which comprises reacting a gaseous mixture containing hydrogen and either one or both of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the gaseous phase in the presence of a catalyst, the improvement wherein said catalyst comprises(A) a substantially catalytically inert carrier, and(B) supported thereon, from 0.005 to 1 g in total, per gram of the carrier, of catalyst components comprising (i) a copper component, (ii) a zinc component, and optionally (iii) at least one metal component selected from aluminum, chromium, vanadium, magnesium and manganese.

Abstract: A method for controlling the locus of an arm of an arm type robot or the like, wherein a control system which drives a first arm of a two-joint arm under open-loop control and a second arm under feedback control is provided. A bang-bang drive system is used for positioning the first arm in a minimum time. The position of the tip of the second arm can be detected either from the rotational angle of each arm or by means of a position recognizing device. Furthermore, an arm positioning method for rapidly bringing the tip of a multi-joint arm to a desired position while detecting the positions of its tip and its joints by simple calculations is disclosed.

Abstract: An induction type positioning system which accurately stops a movable part without a contact and holds it in the stopped position without depending on the friction force of mechanical contact is disclosed. A primary core consisting of a main pole, an auxiliary pole, and a single phase AC magnetic field generation coil, and a conductive plate which moves relative to this primary core, generate a holding force for suppressing the relative movement between the primary core and the conductive plate by use of the eddy current which is induced on the conductive plate by the field generated by the main pole at the position where the conductive plate is placed on the auxiliary pole and simultaneously the edge of the conductive plate is placed on the main pole, and by use of the eddy current which is induced on the conductive plate by the field generated from the auxiliary pole.

Abstract: A process for preparing a catalyst composition containing a copper oxide, a zinc oxide and an aluminum oxide as essential components and, if desired, containing a boron oxide, which comprises the following steps:(a) a step of precipitating from an aqueous solution of a water-soluble copper salt, which solution, if desired, may contain a water-soluble boron compound, a copper component, together with a boron component if the boron compound is present, with the use of ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate as a precipitant;(b) a step of precipitating from an aqueous solution of a water-soluble zinc salt, which solution, if desired, may contain a water-soluble boron compound, a copper component, together with a boron component if the boron compound is present, with the use of an alkali hydroxide as a precipitant; and(c) a step of calcing a mixture of the precipitates obtained in the steps (a) and (b) in the presence of an alumina precursor compound.