Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a state includes a processor configured to, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determine that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarge the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle. A method for determining a state includes, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determining that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarging the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle.

Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.

Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign and an activation condition is satisfied, the controller executes rest area informing process that informs the driver of a rest area. The activation condition of the rest area informing process is set from a viewpoint of a relationship between a location of the rest area and a target route of the vehicle, or an expected time required for the vehicle to reach the rest area.

Abstract: This paper discloses a careless driving determination apparatus. The careless driving determination apparatus captures a plurality of face images of a driver of a vehicle in a predetermined period using a driver monitor camera. Then, it determines whether each of the plurality of face images shows first status in which the driver wears a wearing object or second status in which the driver does not wear the wearing object, the wearing object covering a part of a face of the driver. Then, it calculates a distribution range of angles of face directions or angles of gaze directions of the driver. Then, it sets a threshold range based on ratio of face images that show the first status and ratio of face images that show the second status. Then, it determines that the driver is in a careless driving state when the distribution range is included in the threshold range.

Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign and an activation condition is satisfied, the controller executes rest area informing process that informs the driver of a rest area. The activation condition of the rest area informing process is set from a viewpoint of a relationship between a location of the rest area and a target route of the vehicle, or an expected time required for the vehicle to reach the rest area.

Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign, the controller executes a first drowsiness sign notification process that gives a first drowsiness sign notice to the driver through display or vibration without using audio. When it is determined again that the driver shows the drowsiness sign after the first drowsiness sign notification process, the controller executes a second drowsiness sign notification process that gives a second drowsiness sign notice to the driver through audio.

Abstract: An eye opening degree calculation device includes: a processor configured to: calculate a degree of eye opening of a crew, based on an image in which a face of the crew appears; calculate a face direction angle of the crew with respect to a predetermined reference direction, based on the image; calculate a line-of-sight angle of the crew with respect to the predetermined reference direction, based on the image; correct the degree of eye opening or a threshold value which will be compared with the degree of eye opening, when a difference between the face direction angle and the line-of-sight angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and determine an eye opening state of the crew, based on the corrected degree of eye opening or a comparison result of the degree of eye opening with the corrected threshold value.

Abstract: A closed eye determination device includes an eye opening degree detection unit that detects a degree of eye opening of a driver from each of a series of face images of a driver in time series in a latest certain period of time being acquired by a driver monitor camera, a local minimum value extraction unit that extracts a local minimum value of the degree of eye opening from a change in time series of the degree of eye opening in the certain period of time, a reference lower limit value-setting unit that sets, as a reference lower limit value of the degree of eye opening, a local minimum value in order corresponding to a blinking number of the driver in the certain period of time in order from the smallest local minimum value among local minimum values of the degree of eye opening in the certain period of time, a threshold value setting unit that sets a closed eye determination threshold value, based on the reference lower limit value, and a closed eye determination unit that determines that an eye of the dr

Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.

Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign, the controller executes a first drowsiness sign notification process that gives a first drowsiness sign notice to the driver through display or vibration without using audio. When it is determined again that the driver shows the drowsiness sign after the first drowsiness sign notification process, the controller executes a second drowsiness sign notification process that gives a second drowsiness sign notice to the driver through audio.

Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign and an activation condition is satisfied, the controller executes rest area informing process that informs the driver of a rest area. The activation condition of the rest area informing process is set from a viewpoint of a relationship between a location of the rest area and a target route of the vehicle, or an expected time required for the vehicle to reach the rest area.

Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system that gives a drowsiness sign notice to a driver that shows a drowsiness sign includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects the driver state being a state of the driver. The controller executes a drowsiness level estimation process in which a drowsiness level of the driver from a plurality of drowsiness levels based on the driver state. And, the controller executes an accumulation process in which a drowsiness point that is numerical value corresponding to the drowsiness level estimated in the drowsiness level estimation process is accumulated. Then, when an accumulation value of the drowsiness point calculated in the accumulation process exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller determines that the driver shows the drowsiness sign.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a state includes a processor configured to, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determine that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarge the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle. A method for determining a state includes, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determining that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarging the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle.

Abstract: An eye opening degree calculation device includes: a processor configured to: calculate a degree of eye opening of a crew, based on an image in which a face of the crew appears; calculate a face direction angle of the crew with respect to a predetermined reference direction, based on the image; calculate a line-of-sight angle of the crew with respect to the predetermined reference direction, based on the image; correct the degree of eye opening or a threshold value which will be compared with the degree of eye opening, when a difference between the face direction angle and the line-of-sight angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and determine an eye opening state of the crew, based on the corrected degree of eye opening or a comparison result of the degree of eye opening with the corrected threshold value.

Abstract: A closed eye determination device includes an eye opening degree detection unit that detects a degree of eye opening of a driver from each of a series of face images of a driver in time series in a latest certain period of time being acquired by a driver monitor camera, a local minimum value extraction unit that extracts a local minimum value of the degree of eye opening from a change in time series of the degree of eye opening in the certain period of time, a reference lower limit value-setting unit that sets, as a reference lower limit value of the degree of eye opening, a local minimum value in order corresponding to a blinking number of the driver in the certain period of time in order from the smallest local minimum value among local minimum values of the degree of eye opening in the certain period of time, a threshold value setting unit that sets a closed eye determination threshold value, based on the reference lower limit value, and a closed eye determination unit that determines that an eye of the dr

Abstract: Provided is a functional air filter which can maintain a sufficient function of suppressing breeding of mold and undesired bacteria for a long period thus being hygienic, exhibiting high safety and possessing deodorizing property. In a functional air filter which is manufactured by, at intersections between wefts and warps made of a thermoplastic sheath-core type composite monofilament which is a composite fiber consisting of a core material and a sheath material made of a resin having a lower melting point than the core material, heat-fusing the sheath materials to each other, the composite monofilament is configured such that some particles blended into the sheath material are exposed from a surface of the sheath material. The particle is a mixed particle where fine particles are fixedly adhered to a surface of a coarse particle.

Abstract: A functional material of the present invention is characterized in that it has: a loading component selected from functional components comprising the group consisting of catechins, vitamins, tannins, natural moisturizing factors and essential oils being derived from plants; and a functional ingredient being constituted of an organic polymer material in which the loading component is loaded on the surface or in the inside thereof, and which is a fine particle; and it exhibits dispersibility with respect to linseed oil. Since the functional material comprising the functional ingredient with the functional component loaded exhibits high dispersibility with respect to the oil, it turns out that it is possible to provide a functional material which exhibits good properties as fragrant cosmetics of good stability. In particular, a function material prepared by means of a spray-drying method is preferable.

Abstract: A functional composition, in which an increase in particle size due to secondary flocculation of particles in a mixed system of a plant-originated functional component (A) and a ceramics component (C) is effectively prevented; a functional resin composition made of the functional composition, which can be applied to various utilities; and a functional molding made of the functional composition, which is superior in deodorizing properties, antimicrobial properties, moldability, post-processing properties such as stretching properties, physical properties, are provided. The functional composition contains a mixture of a plant-originated functional component (A), a finely divided tabular mineral (T) having a low hardness and cleavage, and a ceramics component (C) other than the mineral (T). The functional resin composition contains the foregoing components and a resin (R). The functional molding is made of a molding of the resin (R) having the foregoing components formulated thereinto.

Abstract: An industrially advantageous process for producing at once a composite material of an organic component having functionality and a ceramic component based on an idea different from the conventional techniques, in which (C) an aqueous slurry in a fine droplet form containing (A) an organic component having a functionality and (B) a ceramic component, is supplied into a chamber of a spray dryer, and simultaneously hot air is blown into the chamber, whereby drying and fine powderization of the droplets are attained through contact of the droplets with the hot air in the chamber, to produce at once a fine powdery hybrid material through hybridization of the organic component (A) and the ceramic component (B).