Abstract: The present invention provides contact sensors capable of determining the pressure distribution over the whole surface of each of joint units having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle, and constituting robot arms. In order to provide a technology enabling real-time drive control of the robot arms by using detected values from these sensors, the points of intersection of the electrodes are distributed across the whole surface of each joint by forming a pressure-sensitive sheet sensor in which column electrodes arranged in parallel, and row electrodes arranged in a wound-string shape, are combined, these joints having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle. In addition, by making an electrode structure that covers a prescribed width in both rows and columns, the number of signal output terminals is reduced and the operation processing load is lightened.

Abstract: The present invention provides contact sensors capable of determining the pressure distribution over the whole surface of each of joint units having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle, and constituting robot arms. In order to provide a technology enabling real-time drive control of the robot arms by using detected values from these sensors, the points of intersection of the electrodes are distributed across the whole surface of each joint by forming a pressure-sensitive sheet sensor in which column electrodes arranged in parallel, and row electrodes arranged in a wound-string shape, are combined, these joints having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle. In addition, by making an electrode structure that covers a prescribed width in both rows and columns, the number of signal output terminals is reduced and the operation processing load is lightened.

Abstract: In a plant cultivating apparatus for cultivating plants by using an artificial light source, partition walls having a high light reflectance are arranged in a cultivation area to divide the cultivation area into small spaces and in each small space a light-reflecting plate is arranged, and the distance between an artificial light source and a plant is narrowed to irradiate the plant with a light having a low illuminance. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, there is provided a plant cultivating apparatus comprising sets of pallets which have plants placed therein and are arranged in rows in a growing chamber where environmental conditions which are artificially controlled and which are moved in a direction radial to the row direction in accordance with the growth of plants, wherein all the peripheral surface of the growing chamber are covered with a reflecting plate having a high light reflectance.

Abstract: A nuclear fusion apparatus comprises a central support stay device having a central support stay portion and a plurality of radial portions radially extending from the central support stay portion and circumferentially spaced from each other at predetermined angles, a plurality of poloidal coils disposed in the circumferential direction of the central support stay device and supported by the radial portions, and a plurality of toroidal coils radially disposed around the central support stay device and adjacent the radial outer ends of the radial portions.