Abstract: Disclosed is a vanishing point detecting system that includes a straight line detecting unit, a vanishing point detecting unit, and a vanishing point outputting unit. In the vanishing point detecting unit, a vanishing point is detected with one evaluation index of vanishing point plausibility being whether or not angles of plural straight lines passing through a point in question or a vicinity thereof are sparsely distributed over a relatively wide range.

Abstract: A recognition system of this invention has feature point detection means (120), Hough transform means (130), and specific pattern output means (140). In the Hough transform means (130), a Hough space is designed so that a magnitude relation of a distance between points in the Hough space is equivalent to a predetermined magnitude relation of an inter-specific-pattern distance indicative of a difference between specific patterns. The recognition system detects the specific patterns using the Hough space. By adopting such a structure to express more similar specific patterns in an image as closer points also in the Hough space, it is possible to achieve an object of this invention.

Abstract: A dispensing device is described that comprises a base, a chip attaching member which is provided movably with respect to the base and to which a dispensing chip is attached removably, a first elastic member for suppressing a movement of the chip attaching member with respect to the base, a second elastic member serving to suppress the movement of the chip attaching member with respect to the base and having a greater elastic constant than an elastic constant of the first elastic member and a detector for detecting that the chip attaching member is moved with respect to the base. An analyzing apparatus is also described.

Abstract: An automatic sample analyzer includes: a pipette, a pipette driving device which moves the pipette to a sample vessel present in a predetermined position to cause the pipette to suck up a sample from the sample vessel, and then moves the pipette to an open vessel provided in another predetermined position to cause the pipette to discharge the sample into the open vessel, and an analyzing section for analyzing the discharged sample, the pipette driving device comprising a vertically movable main arm and an elongated guide arm cantilevered by the main arm and extending horizontally, the guide arm having a smaller flexural rigidity than the main arm, wherein the main arm vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be sucked up from the sample vessel, and the guide arm guides the pipette to the open vessel and then vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be discharged into the open vessel.

Abstract: A dispensing device is described that comprises a base, a chip attaching member which is provided movably with respect to the base and to which a dispensing chip is attached removably, a first elastic member for suppressing a movement of the chip attaching member with respect to the base, a second elastic member serving to suppress the movement of the chip attaching member with respect to the base and having a greater elastic constant than an elastic constant of the first elastic member and a detector for detecting that the chip attaching member is moved with respect to the base. An analyzing apparatus is also described.

Abstract: An automatic sample analyzer includes: a pipette, a pipette driving device which moves the pipette to a sample vessel present in a predetermined position to cause the pipette to suck up a sample from the sample vessel, and then moves the pipette to an open vessel provided in another predetermined position to cause the pipette to discharge the sample into the open vessel, and an analyzing section for analyzing the discharged sample, the pipette driving device comprising a vertically movable main arm and an elongated guide arm cantilevered by the main arm and extending horizontally, the guide arm having a smaller flexural rigidity than the main arm, wherein the main arm vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be sucked up from the sample vessel, and the guide arm guides the pipette to the open vessel and then vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be discharged into the open vessel.

Abstract: An automatic sample analyzer includes: a pipette, a pipette driving device which moves the pipette to a sample vessel present in a predetermined position to cause the pipette to suck up a sample from the sample vessel, and then moves the pipette to an open vessel provided in another predetermined position to cause the pipette to discharge the sample into the open vessel, and an analyzing section for analyzing the discharged sample, the pipette driving device comprising a vertically movable main arm and an elongated guide arm cantilevered by the main arm and extending horizontally, the guide arm having a smaller flexural rigidity than the main arm, wherein the main arm vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be sucked up from the sample vessel, and the guide arm guides the pipette to the open vessel and then vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be discharged into the open vessel.

Abstract: A sample analyzer allowing miniaturization and sufficiently prompt analysis is obtained. This sample analyzer comprises a dispensing part rendered movable above a sample container set part, a reagent container set part and a detection part for sucking a sample and a reagent from the sample container and the reagent container respectively while discharging the sucked sample and the sucked reagent into the detection container. The detection part is arranged oppositely to the sample container set part and the reagent container set part.

Abstract: A container for an analyzer capable of preventing a sample or a reagent from contamination is obtained. This container for an analyzer comprises a container body, having an opening, storing a sample therein, a lid member, coupled to the container body, having a closing part closing the opening of the container body, and a closing state holding part holding the closing part in a state closing the opening.

Abstract: A system and method are provided which are capable of reliably and effectively detecting a white line in an upper region of a road image by dividing the road image into, at least, two regions positioned up and down and using a result from a detection of the white line in a lowest region where the road image is less affected by noise. When a road surface is planar, both intersections of straight lines, by which left and right white lines are approximated, in a lowest region out of regions, positioned up and down, obtained by dividing a road image containing left and right white lines drawn in parallel on the road surface and intersections of straight lines, by which left and right white lines are approximated in an upper region of out of the two regions existing on one horizontal line.

Abstract: Only points on a linear mark image is detected as linear mark characteristic points without influence of surrounding structures and noise, so that reliability is improved on detecting a linear mark. As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is provided with a white-line inside/outside luminance difference computing means 102, a white-line end edge intensity computing means 103, a white-line internal luminance uniformity computing means 104, and a white-line characteristic integrating means 105. A plurality of characteristics including a difference in luminance between the inside and the outside of a white line, edge intensity, and uniformity of luminance in a white line are integrated to compute a likelihood of a white-line.

Abstract: An automatic sample analyzer includes: a pipette, a pipette driving device which moves the pipette to a sample vessel present in a predetermined position to cause the pipette to suck up a sample from the sample vessel, and then moves the pipette to an open vessel provided in another predetermined position to cause the pipette to discharge the sample into the open vessel, and an analyzing section for analyzing the discharged sample, the pipette driving device comprising a vertically movable main arm and an elongated guide arm cantilevered by the main arm and extending horizontally, the guide arm having a smaller flexural rigidity than the main arm, wherein the main arm vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be sucked up from the sample vessel, and the guide arm guides the pipette to the open vessel and then vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be discharged into the open vessel.

Abstract: An automatic sample analyzer includes: a pipette, a pipette driving device which moves the pipette to a sample vessel present in a predetermined position to cause the pipette to suck up a sample from the sample vessel, and then moves the pipette to an open vessel provided in another predetermined position to cause the pipette to discharge the sample into the open vessel, and an analyzing section for analyzing the discharged sample, the pipette driving device comprising a vertically movable main arm and an elongated guide arm cantilevered by the main arm and extending horizontally, the guide arm having a smaller flexural rigidity than the main arm, wherein the main arm vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be sucked up from the sample vessel, and the guide arm guides the pipette to the open vessel and then vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be discharged into the open vessel.

Abstract: In a system for recognizing the environment around a vehicle with an image, to provide a system and method of detecting a road area without lowering the accuracy over the entire of the road area including an upper portion of the road area. The system comprises a computer 100 which is operated under control of a program, an image input device 110, and means for outputting road area data 120. The computer 100 comprises means for calculating statistic for each horizontal line 101, means for fitting the statistic to a function 102, means for processing a threshold value of the road image 103 and means for detecting the road area 104.