Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a corrosion resistance evaluation method and evaluation device that make it possible to estimate crevice corrosion depth and pitting depth in a short period of time. A corrosion resistance evaluation method according to the present invention is characterized in that the surface potential of a metal under evaluation is measured in a state in which the metal is immersed in a usage-environment liquid, the surface potential distribution of the metal is determined, the surface potential differences in the microstructure of the metal are calculated on the basis of the surface potential distribution, and the corrosion rate of crevice corrosion and corrosion rate of pitting are predicted using the maximum surface potential difference from among the calculated surface potential differences as an evaluation index for corrosion evaluation.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a fluorinated ether compound and a coating liquid capable of forming a surface layer excellent in water/oil repellency, abrasion resistance, fingerprint stain removability and lubricity and an article having a surface layer excellent in water/oil repellency, abrasion resistance, fingerprint stain removability and lubricity. Provided is a fluorinated ether compound represented by [Rf-G-]aZ[-(O—R2)c—SiR3nL3-n]b wherein Rf: a linear polyfluoroalkyl group having at least two carbon atoms, which has at least one etheric oxygen between carbon-carbon atoms, G: —R1—O—, —R1—CONH—, —CONH— or a single bond, R1: an alkylene group, Z: a hydrocarbon group having a valence of (a+b) or the like, R2: an alkylene group, R3: a monovalent hydrocarbon group or the like, L: a hydrolyzable group, n: from 0 to 2, a: an integer of at least 1, b: an integer of at least 1, (a+b): at least 3, when a is 1, b is at least 4, and when a is at least 2, b is at least 1, and c: 0 or 1.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a head drive controller. The liquid discharge head includes an actuator including an electromechanical transducer element. The head drive controller controls the liquid discharge head. The head drive controller includes a drive waveform generator and a voltage updater. The drive waveform generator generates a drive waveform to be applied to the electromechanical transducer element. The voltage updater updates a voltage value of the drive waveform to a larger value with an elapse of time. The voltage updater sets a time interval of update of the voltage value to be longer as a number of times of the update is greater.

Abstract: An input operation detection device to detect input operation input to an image includes a first and second imaging parts and a processor to detect input operation based on data acquired by the first and second imaging parts. The image is divided into first and second images. The optical axes of imaging optical systems of the first and second imaging parts intersect with the image at points on the same side as installation position sides of the corresponding imaging parts with respect to the center of the corresponding images.

Abstract: An operation apparatus includes: an operation plate having an operation surface performed by a pressing operation with an operation body; a vibrator including a movable yoke and a fixed yoke for generating a magnetic circuit for guiding a magnetic flux, and an exciting coil for generating the magnetic flux, and the vibrator vibrating the operation plate through a magnetic force generated by an electrical conduction on the exciting coil; a detector detecting a pressing amount by the pressing operation; a press determinator determining based on the pressing amount detected by the detector whether the pressing operation is performed; and a vibration controller for an electrical conduction on the exciting coil when the press determinator determines that the pressing operation is performed. The detector detects the pressing amount by detecting a change in an electrostatic capacitance generated between the movable yoke and the fixed yoke.

Abstract: An operation apparatus includes: an operation plate on which an operation surface performed by a pressing operation with an operation body; an assembly member assembled with the operation plate; a first elastic member opposite to the operation surface with respect to the operation plate, and between the operation plate and the assembly member to be elastically deformable by a pressing force applied by the operation body; a sensor detecting an elastic deformation changing amount of the first elastic member generated by the pressing operation; a pressing determinator determining whether the pressing operation is performed based on a detection value of the sensor; and a second elastic member between the operation plate and the assembly member to be elastically deformable with the first elastic member by the pressing force. The first and second elastic members are arranged to enable the pressing force applied serially.

Abstract: A capacitive switch device includes an operation panel operated by a user with a touch operation, a film member provided along a surface of the operation panel on an opposite side from a surface operated with the touch operation, and an electrode portion forming a capacitor with a finger of the user and a wiring portion, both the electrode portion and the wiring portion being provided to the film member. The film member is bonded to the operation panel by a pressure-sensitive adhesive at a predetermined first portion of the film member and supported at a second portion of the film member different from the first portion by a supporting portion which allows the film member to move due to thermal expansion and thermal contraction in an in-plane direction of the film member.

Abstract: An distance measurement apparatus includes a light source to emit irradiation light, circuitry to output, to the light source, a first current that changes in accordance of light-emission timing information defining at least turn-on timing of the light source, and a second current that does not change in accordance of the light-emission timing information, a sensor to detect reflection light reflected from an object irradiated with the irradiation light emitted from the light source. The circuitry calculates a distance to the object based on a detection amount of the reflection light detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A distance-measuring apparatus, a mobile object, a robot, a three-dimensional measuring device, a surveillance camera, and a distance-measuring method. The distance-measuring apparatus, a mobile object includes a light source to emit light, an imaging element to receive and photoelectrically convert the light into a plurality of electrical signals, and to obtain the electrical signals upon being sorted into a plurality of phase signals, and a computing unit to calculate distance to the object based on the phase signals. In the distance-measuring apparatus, a period of time during which the imaging element obtains the phase signals is different from a light emitting period of the light source in length. The distance-measuring method includes determining whether or not aliasing is present based on a light emitting period of the light source, a period of time during which the plurality of phase signals are obtained, and a result of the calculating.

Abstract: A range finding apparatus includes a light emission unit including a light source and a light source driver, a light detection unit, and circuitry. The light source driver supplies a plurality of drive pulses having different pulse width at different time periods. The light detection unit receives the light emitted from the light emission unit and then reflected from an object. The circuitry calculates a range to the object based on a time difference between one time point when a pulse light is emitted from the light source and another time point when light reflected from the object is received by the light detection unit. One of the drive pulses set with a smaller pulse width is set with a sine wave pattern, and another one of the drive pulses set with a greater pulse width is set with a rectangular wave pattern.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a head drive controller. The liquid discharge head includes an actuator including an electromechanical transducer element. The head drive controller controls the liquid discharge head. The head drive controller includes a drive waveform generator and a voltage updater. The drive waveform generator generates a drive waveform to be applied to the electromechanical transducer element. The voltage updater updates a voltage value of the drive waveform to a larger value with an elapse of time. The voltage updater sets a time interval of update of the voltage value to be longer as a number of times of the update is greater.

Abstract: A range-finding device including a light-emitting device, an imaging unit, a calculator, and a controller. The image unit receives pulsed light reflected from an object within the space for a plurality of time periods in a time-division manner, electrically converts the pulsed light into an electrical signal, and accumulates electric charge of the electrical signal for each of the plurality of time periods. The calculator calculates a time difference between emission of the pulsed light and reception of the pulsed light reflected from the object based on the electric charge accumulated for each of the plurality of time periods and determine a distance to the object based on the time difference. The controller controls the timing of reception of the pulsed light for each of the plurality of time periods at the imaging unit according to an intensity of the pulsed light reflected from the object.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes a projection optical system, a light-receiving system to receive light projected from projection optical system and reflected by an object; and a correction system to correct a difference in timing of light emission between the plurality of light sources. The projection optical system includes a plurality of light sources and a plurality of drive circuits to drive the plurality of light sources.

Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).

Abstract: A sensor includes a light source to emit a pulse light, a light receiver to receive light, emitted from the light source and reflected from an object, a range information acquisition unit to calculate information of a range to the object based on light emission timing at the light source and light reception timing at the light receiver and a speed of the pulse light emitted from the light source, and a pulse controller to control a pulse pattern of the pulse light emitted from the light source based on the range information calculated by the range information acquisition unit.

Abstract: The life of a sacrificial anode for use in a pump device, such as a seawater pump, is extended, thus extending the life of a corrosion protection system of the seawater pump device. A pump device includes corrosion system including: a measurement unit located at a portion of a column pipe to be immersed into seawater; and a temperature control device located at an installation site of the pump device. In this corrosion protection system, a sacrificial anode electrically conductive with the column pipe and capable of being controlled in temperature is attached through a heating/cooling unit and a thermal conduction sheet to the column pipe. The temperature control device is configured to control, based on the temperature of the sacrificial anode measured by the measurement unit, the temperature of the sacrificial anode using the heating/cooling unit attached through the thermal conduction sheet to the sacrificial anode.

Abstract: An input operation detection device to detect input operation input to an image includes a first and second imaging parts and a processor to detect input operation based on data acquired by the first and second imaging parts. The image is divided into first and second images. The optical axes of imaging optical systems of the first and second imaging parts intersect with the image at points on the same side as installation position sides of the corresponding imaging parts with respect to the center of the corresponding images.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a corrosion resistance evaluation method and evaluation device that make it possible to estimate crevice corrosion depth and pitting depth in a short period of time. A corrosion resistance evaluation method according to the present invention is characterized in that the surface potential of a metal under evaluation is measured in a state in which the metal is immersed in a usage-environment liquid, the surface potential distribution of the metal is determined, the surface potential differences in the microstructure of the metal are calculated on the basis of the surface potential distribution, and the corrosion rate of crevice corrosion and corrosion rate of pitting are predicted using the maximum surface potential difference from among the calculated surface potential differences as an evaluation index for corrosion evaluation.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, an input-operation detection device for detecting a user input operation performed on at least a portion of a displayed image includes; a light emitter that emits detection light, an imaging unit including an imaging optical system and an image sensor and configured to capture an image of at least one of the displayed image and the input operation, and a processing unit that detects position, at which the input operation is performed, or motion, by which the input operation is provided, based on a result of image capture output from the imaging unit. The position where optical axis of the imaging optical system intersects a display surface of the displayed image and center of the displayed image are on the same side relative to a position where the imaging unit is mounted.

Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).