Abstract: A desalination system includes a water tank, a water-repellent particle layer located at a lower portion of the tank and composed of water-repellent particles, and a devolatilizing layer located below the water-repellent particle layer. Liquid is introduced to the tank, the introduced liquid is heated to be evaporated into water vapor, and the water vapor passes through the water-repellent particle layer and is liquefied at the devolatilizing layer, so that fresh water is obtained from the liquid. The desalination system further includes a liquid level controller for determining a level of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with information on relationship between information corresponding to an amount of the liquid introduced to the tank and a surface level of the liquid in the tank, and an introduced amount controller for adjusting the amount of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with the determined liquid surface level.

Abstract: A comment-provided video generating apparatus includes: a display priority calculating unit which calculates a display priority for each of the comments and subject regions to which the comments are provided, based on comment information indicating comments to be superimposed and displayed on a video and display positions of the comments, and user information, by calculating a higher display priority for one of the comments and the subject regions specified by user information; a comment superimposing method determining unit which determines, as a method for superimposing the comments onto a video, an order of displaying the comments and the subject regions such that a comment or a subject region having a higher display priority is displayed at a position frontward than the others, according to the display priority; and an image composing unit which superimposes the comments on the video, according to the comment superimposing method.

Abstract: Upon insertion of an insertion member into a living body vessel by an operator, a force individually applied to the living body vessel by the insertion member is measured by a force measuring unit, and based upon the force measured by the force measuring unit, information to be presented to an experiencing person is determined by a determination unit so that based upon the determined information, the corresponding force is presented to the experiencing person by a force presentation unit.

Abstract: A vehicle charging control apparatus includes: a unit which presents unit prices of charging power; a unit which issues an instruction for preferentially charging a vehicle for which allowable time is short in proportion to request amount; and a unit which determines whether there is another allowable time which is associated with the request amount and meets a condition that the other allowable time is longer than the allowable time and the unit price associated with the other allowable time is lower than the unit price associated with the request amount and the allowable time. The unit prices are set lower when associated with a longer allowable time and also set lower when associated with a smaller request amount. When the other allowable time meets the condition, the other allowable time and the unit price associated with the other allowable time are presented.

Abstract: A polarization image sensor includes: photodiodes arranged on an image capturing plane; a color mosaic filter in which color filters in multiple different colors are arranged to face the photodiodes; an optical low-pass filter which covers the color mosaic filter; and polarization optical elements located closer to a light source than the optical low-pass filter is. Each polarization optical element covers an associated one of the photodiodes and makes light which is polarized in a predetermined direction in a plane that is parallel to the image capturing plane incident onto the optical low-pass filter. The color filters are arranged so that light that has passed through polarization optical elements is transmitted through an associated one of the color filters in a single color. Each color filter covers multiple photodiodes.

Abstract: A moving object detection method includes: extracting NL long-term trajectories (NL?2) over TL pictures (TL?3) and NS short-term trajectories (NS>NL) over TS pictures (TL>TS?2), using movement trajectories; calculating a geodetic distance between the NL long-term trajectories and a geodetic distance between the NS short-term trajectories (S205); calculating an approximate geodetic distance that is a geodetic distance between the NS movement trajectories over the TL pictures, based on the calculated geodetic distance between the long-term trajectories and geodetic distance between the short-term trajectories (S206); and performing segmentation based on the calculated approximate geodetic distance (S207).

Abstract: The image processing device performs processing on a shadow in an image of an object, and includes: an image information obtaining unit obtaining information about an image of the object, the information including luminance information about luminance of light from the object and polarization information about polarization of the light from the object; a shadow area extracting unit extracting an attached shadow area and a cast shadow area from the image of the object based on the luminance information and the polarization information, the attached shadow area appearing on the surface of the object depending on an angle of incidence light, and the cast shadow area appearing on the surface of a material body other than the object when the light is blocked by the object; and an output unit outputting information identifying the attached shadow area and cast shadow area.

Abstract: A moving object detection method includes: extracting NL long-term trajectories (NL?2) over TL pictures (TL?3) and NS short-term trajectories (NS>NL) over TS pictures (TL>TS?2), using movement trajectories; calculating a geodetic distance between the NL long-term trajectories and a geodetic distance between the NS short-term trajectories (S205); calculating an approximate geodetic distance that is a geodetic distance between the NS movement trajectories over the TL pictures, based on the calculated geodetic distance between the long-term trajectories and geodetic distance between the short-term trajectories (S206); and performing segmentation based on the calculated approximate geodetic distance (S207).

Abstract: The normal vector information generating device generates normal vector information on the surface of an object, and includes: an image information obtaining unit obtaining information about an image of the object, the information including luminance information about luminance of light from the object and polarization information about polarization of the light; a shadow area extracting unit extracting an attached shadow area and a cast shadow area from the image based on the luminance information and the polarization information, the attached shadow area appearing on the surface of the object depending on an angle of incidence light, and the cast shadow area appearing on the surface of a material body when the light is blocked by the object; and a normal vector information generating unit generating normal vector information identifying a normal vector on the surface of the object in the attached shadow area using the polarization information.

Abstract: An article holding system includes a recognizing device for recognizing the state of the holding object, a holding method specifying means for specifying the holding method according to the state recognized by the recognizing device, and a holding device for holding the holding object according to the holding method specified by the holding method specifying means.

Abstract: The image processing device performs processing on a shadow in an image of an object, and includes: an image information obtaining unit obtaining information about an image of the object, the information including luminance information about luminance of light from the object and polarization information about polarization of the light from the object; a shadow area extracting unit extracting an attached shadow area and a cast shadow area from the image of the object based on the luminance information and the polarization information, the attached shadow area appearing on the surface of the object depending on an angle of incidence light, and the cast shadow area appearing on the surface of a material body other than the object when the light is blocked by the object; and an output unit outputting information identifying the attached shadow area and cast shadow area.

Abstract: A recycling method of wastes of an electrical appliance containing an article having a circuit soldered with parts soldered with a lead free solder. The method includes discriminating a first article having a circuit soldered with lead free parts from a second article having a circuit soldered with lead containing parts; recovering, grinding and melting each of the first and second articles to separate materials of the first article and materials of the second article; recycling reusable valuables contained in the materials of the first article and second article; and shredding a portion of the first and second article not containing the reusable valuables and burying/treating the portion at a stabilizing dumping ground or a controlled dumping ground for disposal.

Abstract: The normal vector information generating device generates normal vector information on the surface of an object, and includes: an image information obtaining unit obtaining information about an image of the object, the information including luminance information about luminance of light from the object and polarization information about polarization of the light; a shadow area extracting unit extracting an attached shadow area and a cast shadow area from the image based on the luminance information and the polarization information, the attached shadow area appearing on the surface of the object depending on an angle of incidence light, and the cast shadow area appearing on the surface of a material body when the light is blocked by the object; and a normal vector information generating unit generating normal vector information identifying a normal vector on the surface of the object in the attached shadow area using the polarization information.

Abstract: The system includes a sensor for detecting a state of a space; a robot for executing a handling job for an article; an article identifying part for identifying, when an article is handled by a movable body, the article in response to a detection result obtained by the sensor; and an article handling subject identifying part for identifying an article handling subject that handles the article. When the movable body that handles the article is the robot, the article handling subject identifying part identifies a subject having issued a job instruction to the robot as the article handling subject.

Abstract: All images of a plurality of sucked and held electronic components are picked up, sucked and held states of the electronic components are successively recognized by their respective images in an order of placing the electronic components onto a circuit board, and the electronic components for which such recognition processing is completed can be successively placed onto the circuit board in this order during a process of the recognition processing.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an article having a circuit mounted with parts characterized by comprising an electronic part soldered with a lead free solder and having an identification marking indicating no inclusion of lead and an electrical appliance including the same. The present invention also provides a recycling method of wastes of the same. The present invention can offer an article having a circuit mounted with parts and an electrical appliance including the same both of which facilitate identification whether lead which is poisonous to human body is contained or not.

Abstract: An article holding system includes a recognizing device for recognizing the state of the holding object, a holding method specifying means for specifying the holding method according to the state recognized by the recognizing device, and a holding device for holding the holding object according to the holding method specified by the holding method specifying means.

Abstract: All images of a plurality of sucked and held electronic components are picked up, sucked and held states of the electronic components are successively recognized by their respective images in an order of placing the electronic components onto a circuit board, and the electronic components for which such recognition processing is completed can be successively placed onto the circuit board in this order during a process of the recognition processing.

Abstract: All images of a plurality of sucked and held electronic components are picked up, sucked and held states of the electronic components are successively recognized by their respective images in an order of placing the electronic components onto a circuit board, and the electronic components for which such recognition processing is completed can be successively placed onto the circuit board in this order during a process of the recognition processing.

Abstract: A synthesized image showing the situation around a vehicle is produced from images taken with cameras capturing the surroundings of the vehicle and presented to a display. A position computation section computes position information and the reliability of the position information, for a plurality of points in the camera images. An image variable-synthesis section produces a first synthesized image from the camera images using the position information. An image fixed-synthesis section produces a second synthesized image by road surface projection, for example, without use of the position information. A synthesis scheme selection section selects either one of the first and second synthesized images according to the reliability as the synthesized image to be presented.