Abstract: Water-absorbing resin particles have a repulsion rate of 5% or more according to the formula (h3?h2)/h1×100(%) when a cylinder with an inner diameter of 25.4 mm, which has a mesh-like bottom onto which 0.2 g of the water-absorbing resin particles are sprinkled, is placed in a container having ion exchange water in an amount of 30 times a mass of the water-absorbing resin particles, where h1 represents a free swelling height (mm) of the water-absorbing resin particles after 1 minute from initiation of water absorption, h2 represents a height (mm) of the water-absorbing resin particles after a load of 1.3×103 Pa is applied to the water-absorbing resin particles for 1 minute after 1 minute from initiation of the water absorption, and h3 represents a height (mm) of the water-absorbing resin particles after 1 minute from release of the load applied when measuring h2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a monitoring device, monitoring method, control device, control method, and program that use information on a face direction or gaze direction of a person to cause a device to perform processing in accordance with a movement or status of the person. A target detector 251 detects a target object. A face direction/gaze direction detector 252 detects a face direction and gaze direction of a person, determines a movement or status of the person on the basis of the relationship between the detected target object and the face direction or gaze direction of the person, and notifies face direction/gaze direction information using portions 253-1 to 253-3 of a result of the determination. The face direction/gaze direction information using portions 253-1 to 253-3 cause the device to execute predetermined processing on the basis of the result of the determination. The present invention can be applied to, for example, an on-vehicle system.

Abstract: A line of sight detecting method includes estimating a face direction of an object person based on a shot face image of the object person, detecting a part of an eye outline in the face image of the object person, detecting a pupil in the face image of the object person, and estimating the direction of a line of sight of the object person based on the correlation of the pupil position in the eye outline and the face direction with respect to the direction of the line of sight, and the pupil position and the face direction of the object person.

Abstract: A tracking apparatus and method in which the possible position of a current face is estimated based on the face positions previously determined as well as plural pieces of ambient information corresponding to the possible positions obtained. The current face position is estimated based on the position of the ambient information that is most similar to the ambient information obtained from previous detections.

Abstract: An object determining device for selecting a target face for processing from plural faces in an image, includes a face detecting unit that detects faces from an image; a face information recording unit that records the face detected in the past by the face detecting unit and the detection history relating to this detection as associated with each other; and a face selecting unit that selects a target face for processing, from the faces included in the image based upon the detection history. The object determining device includes a face information updating unit that, in a case where the face detected by the face detecting unit is not present in the face information recording unit, newly registers the face, and in a case where the face is present, updates the face information.

Abstract: To provide an apparatus capable of easily displaying a magnified image of a subject intended for by the user. An intended subject such as the face of a man is detected from the image displayed on the screen, and in accordance with the position and size of the intended subject detected, the display area and the magnification rate for magnified display of the intended subject are determined. In accordance with the display area and the magnification rate thus determined, the magnified display is conducted on the screen. In the case where a plurality of intended subjects exist in the image, the intended subjects are classified into a plurality of masses and the magnified display may be conducted for each mass.

Abstract: A line of sight detecting method includes estimating a face direction of an object person based on a shot face image of the object person, detecting a part of an eye outline in the face image of the object person, detecting a pupil in the face image of the object person, and estimating the direction of a line of sight of the object person based on the correlation of the pupil position in the eye outline and the face direction with respect to the direction of the line of sight, and the pupil position and the face direction of the object person.

Abstract: An original pupil color of a subject person in an image in which an abnormality such as a red-eye or gold-eye occurs is estimated. Further, whether an image correction is required or not and to produce an image having a natural pupil color in the image correction by estimating the original pupil color from the image is judged. A pupil color estimating device has a skin color of a subject person specified from an inputted image, regardless of whether an abnormality such as a red-eye or gold-eye occurs. This skin color is substituted in an approximate equation based upon a statistical result carried out in advance, and thereby a normal color component of a pupil is estimated from the skin color of the subject person.

Abstract: A look-away detecting system for a vehicle has an image pickup device having a camera configured to capture a face image of a driver, and a look-away detecting apparatus. The look-away detecting apparatus has a sight-line detecting unit configured to detect a direction of the driver's sight-line, a look-away detecting unit configured to detect the driver's look-away in vertical and horizontal directions based on the direction of the driver's sight-line, and to judge a degree of risk due to the driver's look-away, and a vehicle control unit that is configured to indicate the degree of risk to the driver.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a monitoring device, monitoring method, control device, control method, and program that use information on a face direction or gaze direction of a person to cause a device to perform processing in accordance with a movement or status of the person. A target detector 251 detects a target object. A face direction/gaze direction detector 252 detects a face direction and gaze direction of a person, determines a movement or status of the person on the basis of the relationship between the detected target object and the face direction or gaze direction of the person, and notifies face direction/gaze direction information using portions 253-1 to 253-3 of a result of the determination. The face direction/gaze direction information using portions 253-1 to 253-3 cause the device to execute predetermined processing on the basis of the result of the determination. The present invention can be applied to, for example, an on-vehicle system.

Abstract: To improve a safety of a driving by a person of advanced age without imposing a burden on the driver. An age estimation device, based on a facial image photographed by a photographing device, estimates an age of a driver. An inattentiveness detection device sets conditions of detecting an inattentiveness to be laxer in order that it becomes easier to detect the inattentiveness as the driver's age rises. In the event that the driver's age is of an advanced age group, an obstacle detection warning unit accelerates a timing of warning of an approximation to an obstacle, an other vehicle detection warning unit accelerates a timing of warning of an approximation to another vehicle, a cornering control unit, when the vehicle itself turns right, controls a cornering in such a way that the vehicle itself passes through a trajectory outside a normal one, and a left and right check warning unit gives a warning when the driver does not make a left and right check at an intersection.

Abstract: More accurate detection of an act of looking aside is to be achieved. A direction-of-face detection unit detects the orientation of face of a driver, and a direction-of-sight line detection unit detects the orientation of sight line of the driver, based on an image photographed by the photographing unit. A field-of-view detection unit uses the sight line orientation of the driver as a reference to detect a range depending on the difference between the face orientation and sight line orientation of the driver as the field of view of the driver. A judging unit judges that the act of looking aside is going on when the face orientation of the driver is out of the face orientation-judging range. Also, the judging unit judges based on the driver's field of view whether or not the driver is looking aside when the face orientation of the driver is within the face orientation-judging range. The invention is applicable to an apparatus for detecting an act of looking aside by a driver.

Abstract: More accurate detection of an act of looking aside is to be achieved. A direction-of-face detection unit detects the orientation of face of a driver, and a direction-of-sight line detection unit detects the sight line orientation of the driver, based on an image photographed by a photographing unit. A judging unit judges whether or not the driver is looking aside, based on the face orientation of the driver. When the judging unit judges that the driver is not looking aside, a judging unit judges whether or not the driver is looking aside based on the sight line orientation of the driver. The invention is applicable to an apparatus for detecting an act of looking aside by a driver.

Abstract: An object determining device for selecting a target face for processing from plural faces in an image, includes a face detecting unit that detects faces from an image; a face information recording unit that records the face detected in the past by the face detecting unit and the detection history relating to this detection as associated with each other; and a face selecting unit that selects a target face for processing, from the faces included in the image based upon the detection history. The object determining device includes a face information updating unit that, in a case where the face detected by the face detecting unit is not present in the face information recording unit, newly registers the face, and in a case where the face is present, updates the face information.

Abstract: A tracking apparatus and method in which the possible position of a current face is estimated based on the face positions previously determined as well as plural pieces of ambient information corresponding to the possible positions obtained. The current face position is estimated based on the position of the ambient information that is most similar to the ambient information obtained from previous detections.

Abstract: A technique by which whole and close-up high-quality moving pictures can be easily photographed, recorded and reproduced. An imaging unit picks up an image at a higher resolution than a resolution of pixels for moving picture recording. An image processing unit converts the resolution of an original image obtained by picking up the image into a whole image of the pixels for moving picture recording, while generating a partial image of the pixels for moving picture recording from a part of the original image. A whole moving picture comprising the whole images and a partial moving picture composed of the partial images are recorded in association with each other.

Abstract: This invention provides a unit capable or photographing an object person having an expression desired by user easily. A memory device preliminarily stores a feature acquired from an image (image selected by user) containing a face having an expression desired by user as an expression judging feature. Upon photographing, an image pickup device picks up a plurality of images corresponding to an image pickup instruction by user. A determining device determines the degree of similarity by comparing an expression judging feature stored preliminarily with an expression judging feature acquired from a face of each picked up image. Then, an image containing a face whose expression judging feature is determined to be similar is recorded as an image for output.

Abstract: To provide an apparatus capable of easily displaying a magnified image of a subject intended for by the user. An intended subject such as the face of a man is detected from the image displayed on the screen, and in accordance with the position and size of the intended subject detected, the display area and the magnification rate for magnified display of the intended subject are determined. In accordance with the display area and the magnification rate thus determined, the magnified display is conducted on the screen.

Abstract: An original pupil color of a subject person in an image in which an abnormality such as a red-eye or gold-eye occurs is estimated. Further, whether an image correction is required or not and to produce an image having a natural pupil color in the image correction by estimating the original pupil color from the image is judged. A pupil color estimating device has a skin color of a subject person specified from an inputted image, regardless of whether an abnormality such as a red-eye or gold-eye occurs. This skin color is substituted in an approximate equation based upon a statistical result carried out in advance, and thereby a normal color component of a pupil is estimated from the skin color of the subject person.

Abstract: A face of an object can be easily or automatically set in a frame at the time of shooting. A frame adjustment device determines whether the face of the object is included in the frame or not by detecting a characteristic point from an image taken preliminarily. Then, the frame adjustment device determines whether the face protrudes from the frame or not based on the characteristic point. When the face of the object protrudes from the frame, the frame adjustment device acquires an adjustment amount of the frame based on the position of the detected characteristic point or the position of the face.