Abstract: An information processing apparatus disclosed has a controller configured to execute the processing of, when a first vehicle body unit on which a first vending machine is mounted is laid at a specific place, determining a time for maintenance defined as a time to perform maintenance of the first vending machine, and sending a replacement command to a chassis unit that is configured in such a way as to be capable of travelling autonomously and being coupled to and separated from a vehicle body unit, as per the time for maintenance. The replacement command is a command to transport a second vehicle body unit on which a second vending machine is mounted to the specific place and retrieve the first vehicle body unit from the specific place.

Abstract: A flying drone for shelf label checking includes a flying mechanism, a camera, and a camera interface configured to transmit and receive data to and from the camera. A flight control interface is configured to transmit and receive data to and from the flying mechanism. A processor is configured to acquire a first image of an object from a first distance with the camera, then extract an object region for the object from the first image. The processor then sets a flight path based on the object region and controls the flying mechanism to fly the camera along the flight path to a second distance that is closer to the object than the first distance. A second image of the object is then acquired from the second distance with the camera.

Abstract: A work management apparatus includes a first detecting unit, a second detecting unit, a third detecting unit, and an information acquiring unit. The first detecting unit detects that work was executed in a work area. The second detecting unit detects that the work in the work area ended. The third detecting unit detects that a hand of an operator entered an article area where an article relating to the work is placed. The information acquiring unit acquires information relating to the work in the work area if, from when the third detecting unit detects that the hand of the operator entered the article area until when the second detecting unit detects that the work in the work area ended, the first detecting unit detects that the work was executed in the work area.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes a carriage, a light source, and a camera. The carriage moves in a travel direction. The light source is mounted on the carriage. The camera is attached to the carriage and configured to perform photography. A normal direction is defined orthogonal to the travel direction and a vertical axis. The camera faces a camera direction that is rotated about the vertical axis with respect to the normal direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing device for a gesture-based ordering taking system or the like includes a processor. The processor is configured to detect a person making a particular gesture in image data from a camera, identify each person making the particular gesture in the image data as a first type person, then identify each first type person meeting a candidate condition in the image data as a candidate. The processor then designates a candidate as a subject according to a subject selection condition, and then detects gestured-based input from the subject in additional image data from the camera after the subject has been designated.

Abstract: A wireless tag that is not guaranteed to be located within a predetermined area is prevented from being read as a valid wireless tag. A communication device includes: an antenna; a reference tag; a reception unit; and a determination unit. The reception unit uses the antenna to sequentially receive signals wirelessly transmitted from a reference tag whose relative position to the antenna is known and a reading target tag different from the reference tag. The determination unit determines that the signal transmitted from the reading target tag and received by the reception unit is invalid based on a phase of the signal transmitted from the reference tag and received by the reception unit.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technique that enables customization of a vehicle. In an information processing apparatus, a controller presents vehicle units extracted from among a plurality of types of under units each of which is provided with a driving mechanism configured to cause wheels to rotate and a plurality of types of upper units to be loaded on any of the under units to a user, the vehicle units being combinable as a vehicle. Furthermore, the controller executes: accepting selection by a user from among the presented vehicle units; and calculating a fee in the case of providing the selected vehicle units.

Abstract: A bone conduction speaker is built into a seat of a vehicle and faces the skull of an occupant seated in the seat. An acoustic control ECU individually selects sound to be output from the bone conduction speaker for each of the occupants in the vehicle, according to attribute information of the occupant recorded in a portable terminal device carried by the occupant, and causes the selected sound to be individually output from the bone conduction speaker to each of the occupants.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a photographing device includes a camera interface and a processor. The camera interface supplies a control signal to a camera and acquires a photographed image photographed by the camera. The processor causes the camera to photograph a wide area image in a detection region of target objects set as a photographing range, detects the target objects present in the wide area image photographed by the camera, determines a photographing order of the target objects detected from the wide area image, and causes the camera to photograph a narrow area image of one target object selected according to the photographing order.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a checkout apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to acquire images from a camera positioned to image an interior opening of a basket. The processor is configured to count the total number of items removed from the basket during a registration of items in a sales transaction based on a detection of the items being removed from the basket in the acquired images from the camera, and then compare the number of items registered in the sales transaction to the total number of items removed from the basket to determine if an unregistered item remains.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a checkout apparatus includes a camera interface and a processor. The camera interface acquires an image from a camera positioned to image a work region of the checkout apparatus and its surroundings in which a person performs a registration of items in a sales transaction and settlement of the sales transaction. The processor performs a registration process for registering items in the sales transaction and also a payment process for settlement of the sales transaction based on the items registered in the registration process. The processor detects whether a person has left the work region based on the image from the camera, then output an alert if it is detected that the person left the work region after performance of the registration process is started but before the payment process is completed.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a photographing device includes a camera interface and a processor. The camera interface supplies a control signal to a camera and acquires a photographed image photographed by the camera. The processor causes the camera to photograph a wide area image in a detection region of target objects set as a photographing range, detects the target objects present in the wide area image photographed by the camera, determines a photographing order of the target objects detected from the wide area image, and causes the camera to photograph a narrow area image of one target object selected according to the photographing order.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a photographing device includes a camera interface configured to transmit and receive data to and from a camera and a flight control interface configured to transmit and receive data to and from a flying mechanism attached to the camera. A processor is configured to acquire a first image of an object from a first distance with the camera, then extract an object region for the object from the first image. The processor then sets a flight path based on the object region and controls the flying mechanism to fly the camera along the flight path to a second distance that is closer to the object than the first distance. A second image of the object is then acquired from the second distance with the camera.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes a carriage, a light source, and a camera. The carriage moves in a travel direction. The light source is mounted on the carriage. The camera is attached to the carriage and configured to perform photography. A normal direction is defined orthogonal to the travel direction and a vertical axis. The camera faces a camera direction that is rotated about the vertical axis with respect to the normal direction.

Abstract: A photographing mechanism control apparatus includes an interface, and a processor. The interface communicates with a photographing mechanism that is moved to a position according to an instruction to photograph a shelf for storing commodities, and the processor detects presence of a moving object in a vicinity of a shelf, if the presence of the moving object is detected, gives an instruction to the photographing mechanism to photograph the shelf through the interface, acquires image data from the photographing mechanism through the interface, and confirms whether or not a commodity is stored on the shelf based on the image data.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus disclosed has a controller equipped with at least one processor. The controller is configured to execute the processing of; when a vehicle body unit on which a cultivation field for cultivating a crop is mounted is laid at a first place, determining a time to remove defined as a time to remove the vehicle body unit from the first place to a second place other than the first place; and sending a transportation command to a chassis unit configured to be capable of travelling autonomously and being coupled to and decoupled from any vehicle body unit in accordance with the time to remove, the transportation command being a command to transport the vehicle body unit from the first place to the second place.

Abstract: There is provided a technology that can improve the convenience of users of vehicles. When receiving a vehicle dispatch request containing information designating kitchen equipment and food materials, an information processing apparatus disclosed determines a first unit provided with the kitchen equipment designated by the vehicle dispatch request and a second unit capable of storing the food materials designated by the vehicle dispatch request. The information processing apparatus sends a composition command to a specific composition site. The composition command is a command to compose a vehicle body unit including the first unit and the second unit. Moreover, the information processing apparatus sends an operation command to a chassis unit. The operation command is a command to cause the chassis unit to travel with the vehicle body unit composed at the specific composition site mounted thereon.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus disclosed has a controller configured to execute the processing of accepting a request for retrieving a target vehicle body unit that is laid at a specific place, selecting a chassis unit for retrieval from among chassis units in the state separated from any vehicle body unit, the chassis unit for retrieval being a chassis unit to be used to retrieve the target vehicle body unit, and sending a retrieval command to the chassis unit for retrieval, the retrieval command being a command to retrieve the target vehicle body unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus disclosed includes a controller configured to execute the processing of acquiring a remaining amount of energy source defined as the remaining amount of energy source stored in the storage unit of a first chassis unit coupled with a specific vehicle body unit, and when the remaining amount of energy source is smaller than a predetermined threshold, sending a decoupling command to the first chassis unit and sending a coupling command to a second chassis unit for which replenishment of energy source has been completed. The decoupling command is a command to decouple the first chassis unit from the vehicle body unit, and the coupling command is a command to couple the second chassis unit to the specific vehicle body unit.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technique that enables customization of a vehicle. In an information processing apparatus, a controller presents vehicle units extracted from among a plurality of types of under units each of which is provided with a driving mechanism configured to cause wheels to rotate and a plurality of types of upper units to be loaded on any of the under units to a user, the vehicle units being combinable as a vehicle. Furthermore, the controller executes: accepting selection by a user from among the presented vehicle units; and calculating a fee in the case of providing the selected vehicle units.