Abstract: A road obstacle monitoring device is disclosed, in which a monitoring imaging section monitors and images a road section, where road obstacles by wave flooding, land slip, etc. are foreseen, to output image signals; the image signals thus generated are data-processed by an image processing section so that component data corresponding to the road obstacles are extracted; and the component data corresponding to the road obstacles thus extracted are measured by a measuring recognizing section for measuring the component data corresponding to the road obstacles thus extracted so that it is detected from a result of measurements whether there exist the road obstacles or not and a result of recognition thus obtained is displayed for warning so as to inform passengers, drivers of vehicles, etc. passing therethrough of the road obstacles by wave flooding, land slip, etc. in the road section to be monitored.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for identifying a person by making use of his fingerprint. The uneven fingerprint surface of a finger is scanned by a laser beam through a transparent plate. The distance between positions of the surface of the transparent plate serving as a reference surface of reflection and of the uneven surface of the fingerprint is detected as a deviation value due to the scanning. Pattern information obtained from the deviation value is indicative of undulation of the uneven surface of the fingerprint. The pattern information is collated with registered fingerprint data so as to determine whether or not the person whose fingerprint has been detected is registered or not.