Abstract: Provided is a surgical imaging apparatus that includes a multi-link, multi-joint structure including a plurality of joints that interconnect a plurality of links to provide the multi-link, multi-joint structure with a plurality of degrees of freedom, at least one video camera being disposed on a distal end of the multi-link, multi-joint structure; at least one actuator that drives at least one of the plurality of joints; and circuitry that detects a joint force experienced at the at least one of the plurality of joints in response to an applied external force, and controls the at least one actuator based on the joint force so as to position the video camera.

Abstract: Low-oxygen clean steel is provided containing C, Si, Mn, P, and S as chemical components, and further containing, by mass %, 0.005% to 0.20% of Al, greater than 0% to 0.0005% of Ca, 0.00005% to 0.0004% of REM, and greater than 0% to 0.003% of T.O, wherein the REM content, the Ca content, and the T.O content satisfy 0.15?REM/Ca?4.00 and Ca/T.O?0.50, nonmetallic inclusions which have a maximum predicted diameter of 1 ?m to 30 ?m measured using an extreme value statistical method under the condition in which a prediction area is 30,000 mm2, and contain Al2O3 and REM oxide are dispersed in the steel, an average proportion of the Al2O3 in the nonmetallic inclusions is greater than 50%, the REM is one or two or more of rare-earth elements La, Ce, Pr, and Nd, and the steel is Al-deoxidized steel or Al—Si-deoxidized steel.

Abstract: A spring steel according to the present embodiment has a chemical composition consisting of, in mass %, C: 0.4 to 0.7%, Si: 1.1 to 3.0%, Mn: 0.3 to 1.5%, P: 0.03% or less, S: 0.05% or less, Al: 0.01 to 0.05%, rare earth metal: 0.0001 to 0.002%, N: 0.015%, O or less: 0.0030% or less, Ti: 0.02 to 0.1%, with the balance being Fe and impurities. In the spring steel, the number of oxide inclusions having an equivalent circular diameter of equal to or greater than 5 ?m is equal to or less than 0.2/mm2, the oxide inclusions each being one of an Al-based oxide, a complex oxide containing REM, O and Al, and a complex oxysulfide containing REM, O, S, and Al. Further, a maximum value among equivalent circular diameters of the oxide inclusions is equal to or less than 40 ?m.

Abstract: A spring steel according to the present embodiment has a chemical composition consisting of, in mass %, C: 0.4 to 0.7%, Si: 1.1 to 3.0%, Mn: 0.3 to 1.5%, P: 0.03% or less, S: 0.05% or less, Al: 0.01 to 0.05%, rare earth metal: 0.0001 to 0.002%, N: 0.015%, O or less: 0.0030% or less, Ti: 0.02 to 0.1%, with the balance being Fe and impurities. In the spring steel, the number of oxide inclusions having an equivalent circular diameter of equal to or greater than 5 ?m is equal to or less than 0.2/mm2, the oxide inclusions each being one of an Al-based oxide, a complex oxide containing REM, O and Al, and a complex oxysulfide containing REM, O, S, and Al. Further, a maximum value among equivalent circular diameters of the oxide inclusions is equal to or less than 40 ?m.

Abstract: Low-oxygen clean steel is provided containing C, Si, Mn, P, and S as chemical components, and further containing, by mass %, 0.005% to 0.20% of Al, greater than 0% to 0.0005% of Ca, 0.00005% to 0.0004% of REM, and greater than 0% to 0.003% of T.O, wherein the REM content, the Ca content, and the T.O content satisfy 0.15?REM/Ca?4.00 and Ca/T.O?0.50, nonmetallic inclusions which have a maximum predicted diameter of 1 ?m to 30 ?m measured using an extreme value statistical method under the condition in which a prediction area is 30,000 mm2, and contain Al2O3 and REM oxide are dispersed in the steel, an average proportion of the Al2O3 in the nonmetallic inclusions is greater than 50%, the REM is one or two or more of rare-earth elements La, Ce, Pr, and Nd, and the steel is Al-deoxidized steel or Al—Si-deoxidized steel.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical/electronic material which has low contact resistance, excellent corrosion resistance, high hardness, high flexing strength and excellent processability. The electrical/electronic material is characterized by being composed of 20-40% by mass of Ag, 20-40% by mass of Pd, 10-30% by mass of Cu and 1.0-20% by mass of Pt and having a hardness of 340-420 HV at the time of precipitation hardening after metal forming and an adequate flexing strength.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine structural steel excellent in machinability and strength properties that has good machinability over a broad range of machining speeds and also has high impact properties and high yield ratio, which machine structural steel comprises, in mass %, C: 0.1 to 0.85%, Si: 0.01 to 1.5%, Mn: 0.05 to 2.0%, P: 0.005 to 0.2%, S: 0.001 to 0.15%, total Al: greater than 0.05% and not greater than 0.3%, Sb: less than 0.0150% (including 0%), and total N: 0.0035 to 0.020%, solute N being limited to 0.0020% or less, and a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: The present invention provides machining steel superior in machinability, accompanied with little melt loss of plate refractories of continuous casting sliding nozzles, and superior in ductility in hot rolling and able to prevent deterioration of the surface properties due to hot rolling, containing, by mass %, C: 0.005 to 0.2%, Si: 0.001 to 0.5%, Mn: 0.3 to 3.0%, P: 0.001 to 0.2%, S: 0.30 to 0.60%, B: 0.0003 to 0.015%, O: 0.005 to 0.012%, Ca: 0.0001 to 0.0010%, and Al?0.01%, having an N content satisfying N?0.0020% and 1.3×B?0.0100?N?1.3×B+0.0034, and having a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, wherein, regarding the MnO in the steel, in a cross-section of the steel material perpendicular to the rolling direction, the area of MnO of a circle equivalent diameter of 0.5 ?m or more being 15% or less of the area of the total Mn-based inclusions.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine structural steel excellent in machinability and strength properties that has good machinability over a broad range of machining speeds and also has high impact properties and high yield ratio, which machine structural steel comprises, in mass %, C: 0.1 to 0.85%, Si: 0.01 to 1.5%, Mn: 0.05 to 2.0%, P: 0.005 to 0.2%, S: 0.001 to 0.15%, total Al: greater than 0.05% and not greater than 0.3%, Sb: less than 0.0150% (including 0%), and total N: 0.0035 to 0.020%, solute N being limited to 0.0020% or less, and a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium storing a data collection program for easily performing a process to collect data from a plurality of core systems at desired timing, and combine and analyze the data and data in a local database. An access request decomposer determines at least one remote database to be accessed, based on an access request accepted by an information management unit, and decomposes the access request into remote access requests each for accessing each of the remote databases. An access unit accesses the remote databases based on the remote access requests created by the access decomposer and extracts data from the remote databases. An aggregation unit aggregates the data extracted by the access unit, and then the aggregation result is displayed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitating logging-while-drilling (LWD) using a multi-pole acoustic transmitter source. The multi-pole transmitter source enables measurement of formation velocities, including shear wave velocities through formations that are slower than velocities through local fluids. The methods and apparatus may be utilized for LWD and wireline seismic surveys in which both the seismic or acoustic source and receivers are both deployed in a borehole, but may also be used for VSPs (vertical seismic profiling).

Abstract: In order to search a file to be searched which includes records having fields allocated to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels and is constructed so that records having a same key character string in a field at a same hierarchical level are arranged in series, an index file is created by obtaining start position information and number information about records having a key character string contained in the hierarchical level of each node on the file to be searched, or a pointer to node management information of a lower hierarchical level, and by recording the information obtained for the nodes of all the hierarchical levels. Further, data is extracted from the file to be searched by using the record start position information, the record number information, and the pointer to the node management information of a lower hierarchical level recorded in the index file.

Abstract: A cast steel with excellent workability, characterized in that not less than 60% of the total cross section thereof is occupied by equiaxed crystals, the diameters (mm) of which satisfy the following formula: D<1.2X1/3+0.75, wherein D designates each diameter (mm) of equiaxed crystals in terms of internal structure in which the crystal orientations are identical, and X the distance (mm) from the surface of the cast steel. The cast steel and the steel material obtained by processing the cast steel have very few surface flaws and internal defects.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitating logging-while-drilling (LWD) using a multi-pole acoustic transmitter source. The multi-pole transmitter source enables measurement of formation velocities, including shear wave velocities through formations that are slower than velocities through local fluids. The methods and apparatus are particularly well suited for LWD and wireline seismic surveys in which both the seismic or acoustic source and receivers are both deployed in a borehole, but may also be used for VSPs (vertical seismic profiling).

Abstract: An apparatus for and a computer program for managing a database, which performs a search of data from a database based on predetermined information selected by a user from among information registered as a dictionary, includes a personal dictionary registering unit that registers information on either of or both management and analysis of the data stored in the database to the dictionary as a personal dictionary that is accessible only by a predetermined user, and a dictionary reference unit that outputs the information registered in the dictionary including the information registered as the personal dictionary, and accepts a selection of the predetermined information by the user from among the information output.

Abstract: A cast steel with excellent workability, characterized in that not less than 60% of the total cross section thereof is occupied by equiaxed crystals, the diameters (mm) of which satisfy the following formula: D<1.2X1/3+0.75, wherein D designates each diameter (mm) of equiaxed crystals in terms of internal structure in which the crystal orientations are identical, and X the distance (mm) from the surface of the cast steel. The cast steel and the steel material obtained by processing the cast steel have very few surface flaws and internal defects.

Abstract: In order to search a file to be searched which includes records having fields allocated to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels and is constructed so that records having a same key character string in a field at a same hierarchical level are arranged in series, an index file is created by obtaining start position information and number information about records having a key character string contained in the hierarchical level of each node on the file to be searched, or a pointer to node management information of a lower hierarchical level, and by recording the information obtained for the nodes of all the hierarchical levels. Further, data is extracted from the file to be searched by using the record start position information, the record number information, and the pointer to the node management information of a lower hierarchical level recorded in the index file.

Abstract: A cast steel with excellent workability, characterized in that not less than 60% of the total cross section thereof is occupied by equiaxed crystals, the diameters (mm) of which satisfy the following formula:

Abstract: In a straight barrel type vacuum refining apparatus, use is made of a combination of: a decarburization method wherein the flow rate of oxygen fed into a vacuum tank and the flow rate of an inert gas fed into the vacuum tank are regulated and, at the same time, the flow rate of oxygen gas blown is reduced at a rate of 0.5 to 12.5 Nm3/h/t/min in a low carbon concentration region having a carbon concentration of not more than the critical carbon concentration; and a vacuum refining apparatus provided with dust accumulation preventing means.

Abstract: A method for vacuum decarburization refining of a molten steel includes providing a vacuum tank having a one-legged, straight barrel snorkel as a lower portion of the vacuum tank. The a degree of vacuum in the vacuum tank is regulated at a high carbon concentration region to a value in a range of −35 to −20 in terms of G defined by the following equation (1): G=5.96×10−3×T×ln(P/Pco)  (1), wherein Pco=760{10(−13800/T+8.75)}×(% C)/(% Cr)  (2), and wherein P<760, T represents molten steel temperature, K, and P represents the degree of vacuum in the vacuum tank, Torr.