Abstract: A method for predicting an arousal level used by a computer of an arousal level prediction apparatus that predicts an arousal level of a user is provided. The method includes obtaining current biological information regarding the user detected by a sensor, and calculating a current arousal level of the user based on the current biological information. The method further includes obtaining current environment information indicating a current environment around the user, and predicting a future arousal level, which is an arousal level a certain period of time later, based on the current arousal level and the current environment information. Based on the predicted future arousal level, the method further issues a notification to the user, or controls an operation of a device.

Abstract: A cloud server (104) receives environmental information of respective installation sites of a plurality of appliances (101a, 101b, 101c, 102a, 102b) via a network (1000), and determines one or more appliances that are installed in a same room among the plurality of appliances (101a, 101b, 101c, 102a, 102b), based on the received environmental information.

Abstract: A control method of a personal authentication apparatus and a personal authentication apparatus stores a piece of authentication information of a predetermined user. The method and apparatus estimates an emotion felt by a target user, based on a physical quantity acquired by a sensor, generates identification information that identifies an object that causes the target user to feel the estimated emotion, based on the physical quantity acquired by the sensor or presentation information presented by a presenter, and determines whether the target user is the predetermined user based on the estimated emotion and the generated identification information and the piece of authentication information of the predetermined user.

Abstract: A method for predicting an arousal level used by a computer of an arousal level prediction apparatus that predicts an arousal level of a user includes obtaining current biological information regarding the user detected by a first sensor, calculating a current arousal level of the user on the basis of the current biological information, obtaining current environment information indicating a current environment around the user detected by a second sensor, predicting a future arousal level, which is an arousal level a certain period of time later, on the basis of the current arousal level and the current environment information, and (i) issuing a notification to the user or (ii) controlling another device, on the basis of the future arousal level.

Abstract: A radiation receiving sensor includes an infrared receiver including a plurality of infrared receiving devices that receive infrared radiation, a lens that allows infrared radiation to enter the infrared receiver, a rotator that rotates the infrared receiver and the lens about a part of the lens, and a cover member that faces the infrared receiver through the lens and that has translucency.

Abstract: A thermal image sensor including: a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and rotors that scan the detection area in a scanning direction to detect, with the plurality of infrared detector elements, infrared light in an area to be captured as a single thermal image. The plurality of infrared detector elements include infrared detector elements arranged in mutually different positions in a rotational direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the plurality of infrared detector elements.

Abstract: A control method for an information presenting apparatus includes: estimating an emotion felt by a user, based on a physical quantity acquired by a sensor; generating identification information that identifies a cause that causes the user to feel the estimated emotion, based on the physical quantity acquired by the sensor or information that a presenter included in the information presenting apparatus presents to the user; and controlling presentation performed by the information presenting apparatus, by using information obtained by executing predetermined processing using the estimated emotion and the generated identification information.

Abstract: A wakefulness induction control device includes a sleepiness detector that detects a sleepiness level indicating a degree of sleepiness of a user; a controller that actuates a wakefulness inducer that induces wakefulness in the user when the sleepiness level detected by the sleepiness detector meets a predetermined reference, and stops the wakefulness inducer when a predetermined duration has passed after actuation of the wakefulness inducer, and an output that outputs actuating information of the wakefulness inducer. The actuating information includes time information indicating the duration left until the controller stops the wakefulness inducer.

Abstract: A radiation receiving sensor includes an infrared receiver including a plurality of infrared receiving devices that receive infrared radiation, a lens that allows infrared radiation to enter the infrared receiver, a rotator that rotates the infrared receiver and the lens about a part of the lens, and a cover member that faces the infrared receiver through the lens and that has translucency.

Abstract: A thermal image sensor including: a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and rotors that scan the detection area in a scanning direction to detect, with the plurality of infrared detector elements, infrared light in an area to be captured as a single thermal image. The plurality of infrared detector elements include infrared detector elements arranged in mutually different positions in a rotational direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the plurality of infrared detector elements.

Abstract: A bio-information acquiring terminal for acquiring bio-information includes a bath device. The bath device is provided with a bio-information measuring unit configured to measure bio-information of a user taking a bath, and a fingerprint authentication unit configured to specify the user. According to the above configuration, it is possible to easily manage daily changes of the health condition of the user in his or her daily life.

Abstract: A sleepiness estimating device includes an environmental information detector that detects a plurality of conditions of an environment surrounding a user and outputs environmental information indicating the detected conditions of the environment, a calculator that calculates an environmental level indicating a degree of how likely the user becomes sleepy in the environment in accordance with the environmental information output by the environmental information detector, and an output that outputs the environmental level calculated by the calculator.

Abstract: A lens allows infrared light to pass therethrough. An infrared sensor includes infrared detection elements arranged in two or more columns. The infrared sensor is rotated around a scan rotation axis that passes through part of the lens to scan a detection range, and outputs an output signal indicating a thermal image of the detection range. At least two infrared detection elements in the infrared sensor are located at positions displaced from each other with respect to the scan rotation axis. Among the infrared detection elements, the number of first infrared detection elements having a smaller half-width of a point spread function in a scan direction than that in the direction of the scan rotation axis is larger than the number of second infrared detection elements having a larger half-width of a point spread function in the scan direction than that in the direction of the scan rotation axis.

Abstract: A sensor mounting device (100) of the present disclosure includes: a power supply unit (110) configured to generate power that is to be supplied to the device; a sensor (120) configured to acquire information of the environment around of the device; a first control unit (130) configured to give an instruction based on the information acquired by the sensor (120); and a second control unit (150) configured to control the device in accordance with the instruction of the first control unit (130). Power to the sensor (120) and the first control unit (130) is directly supplied from the power supply unit (110). Power to the second control unit (150) is supplied from the power supply unit (110) via a switching unit (140) whose ON/OFF state is controlled by the first control unit (130).

Abstract: A management method manages a plurality of devices provided in a structure, a server includes storage storing operation information related to a plurality of devices and time information of a time at which it is expected that no one is present. The method specifies, for each device, operation times at which an operation is performed, operation information, specifying in-structure-absence times when it is expected that no one is present, both in accordance with the time information. For each device, time differences for the specified operation times are calculated. For each device, a performed certain operation is a behavior pattern correlated to a behavior when the person continues being present when a ratio of a frequency of the calculated time differences regarding the corresponding device, which is lower than a particular value, is equal to or lower than an other value.

Abstract: A lens allows infrared light to pass therethrough. An infrared sensor includes infrared detection elements arranged in two or more columns. The infrared sensor is rotated around a scan rotation axis that passes through part of the lens to scan a detection range, and outputs an output signal indicating a thermal image of the detection range. At least two infrared detection elements in the infrared sensor are located at positions displaced from each other with respect to the scan rotation axis. Among the infrared detection elements, the number of first infrared detection elements having a smaller half-width of a point spread function in a scan direction than that in the direction of the scan rotation axis is larger than the number of second infrared detection elements having a larger half-width of a point spread function in the scan direction than that in the direction of the scan rotation axis.

Abstract: A method for estimating thermal sensation calculates, on the basis of a thermal image, a first temperature, which is a surface temperature of a first area, and a second temperature, which is a surface temperature of a second area, calculates a first amount of heat lost on the basis of the first temperature and first information, calculating a second amount of heat lost on the basis of the second temperature and second information, obtains an area ratio of the first area to the second area, calculates a total amount of heat lost, which is an amount of heat lost from a whole body of a person in a unit area, on the basis of the first amount of heat lost, the second amount of heat lost, and the area ratio, and estimates thermal sensation, which indicates a degree of warmth or coldness of the person, on the basis of the total amount of heat lost.

Abstract: A sensor control method that is executed by an air-conditioning apparatus includes: acquiring a first thermal image by scanning an air-conditioned space using the infrared sensor in accordance with a first scanning scheme, the air-conditioning apparatus being placed in the air-conditioned space; extracting a subject thermal image from the first thermal image, based on a difference between a background thermal image of the air-conditioned space when no subject is present therein and the first thermal image; determining a second scanning scheme different from the first scanning scheme, when the subject thermal image has a size smaller than a threshold size; and acquiring a second thermal image by scanning an area corresponding to the subject thermal image of the air-conditioned space using the infrared sensor in accordance with the determined second scanning scheme.

Abstract: A management method manages devices in a home includes, receiving operation information on one of the devices when an operation is performed for the one of the devices, specifying times at which the operation was performed, in accordance with the information, and receiving, whenever a state is entered when no one is expected to be home, time information when the state has been entered. Specifying in-home-absence times at which a state has been entered when no one is expected to be home, according to the time information, for each of the devices, calculating time differences for the specified operation times, and for each of the devices, specifying the performed operation as a first behavior of the person correlated to a behavior before the person leaves home, when variation of the calculated time differences of the corresponding one of the devices is equal to or lower than a threshold.

Abstract: An information providing method for providing a user who uses a device with information via a mobile owned by the user, the method generating the information to be provided to the user, in accordance with: lifestyle information obtained by a lifestyle information obtaining unit receiving the lifestyle information from the device used by the user, the lifestyle information being information on a state of operation of the device; and location information obtained by a location information obtaining unit receiving the location information indicating a location to which the user traveled.