Abstract: A method includes: (a) causing a robotic arm to position a contacting structure of the arm laterally in a horizontal direction in relation to a first subject on a target object; (b) causing the arrn to bring the contacting structure into contact with at least three locations on the first subject; (c) detecting positions of the contacting structure in relation to the robot when contacting the locations; (d) detecting a position of the first subject in relation to the robot by using the detected positions of the contacting structure; (e) performing same steps as the steps (a) to (d) for a second subject on the target object; and (f) detecting a position of the robot in relation to the target object by using the positions of the subjects in relation to the robot and using positions of the subjects in relation to the target object.

Abstract: Provided is a remote work-support system including a first display device to be worn on a first user working at a work site, a surrounding imaging device disposed on the work site, and an information processing device provided at a predetermined spot, configured to be communicable with the first display device and the surrounding imaging device, and operated by a second user. The first display device includes a first communication unit transmitting first image data to the information processing device. The surrounding imaging device includes a second communication unit transmitting second image data to the information processing device. The information processing device includes second display devices displaying the first and second image data, an operation unit through which data is input, and a third communication unit transmitting data input by the second user through the operation unit to the first display device.

Abstract: A holding device according to the present invention is a holding device that holds a workpiece having flexibility. A controller sets the workpiece to a reference state in such a manner that with first and second holding mechanisms holding the workpiece, a moving mechanism moves at least one of the first and second holding mechanisms in a length direction based on a length, detected by a detector, of the workpiece in a held state and a length, prestored in a storage, of the workpiece in a reference state.

Abstract: A cap assembly for a cultivation bottle for growing mushrooms is provided. The cap assembly (10) includes a bottle fitting member (20) configured to fit onto a mouth part (54) of the cultivation bottle (50) and a bowl-shaped member (30) configured to be placed on the bottle fitting member. The cap assembly being connected to the bottle prior to fruiting such that the mushrooms grow up through the mouth of the bottle and the attached cap assembly. The bowl-shaped member being separable from the bottle and attached bottle fitting member to facilitate harvesting of the mushroom fruiting bodies and removal of a section of the elongated hard tip portion.

Abstract: A blood flow analysis device according to the present invention detects blood flow distribution by using a visible light image, compares blood flows between different measurement regions by using the blood flow distribution, and analyzes a correlation between blood flows simultaneously generated in different measurement regions.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus that dispenses a sample into a well of a microplate, including a light emitter that emits light to the well, a light receiver that receives light emitted by the light emitter and returned from the well; and a control unit that determines whether foreign matter is present in the well based on information on the light received by the light receiver.

Abstract: A dispensing robot of an assay robot system includes a first contact surface oriented in a downward direction or an obliquely downward direction in a vertical direction and dispenses when the dispensing robot operates a pipette that allows a tip to be attached to a lower end of the pipette and the attached tip to be detached by pressing a tip ejector, the dispensing robot comprising: a robot arm having a hand to hold a pipette holding piece attached thereto; and a controller controls the robot arm such that the robot arm holds the pipette with the tip attached thereto by causing the hand to hold the pipette holding piece and that the robot arm is elevated and the tip ejector is pressed by bringing an upper end portion of the tip ejector of the held pipette into contact with the first contact surface from the downward direction.

Abstract: A transport device transports a container used in a sample measurement device or a rack housing the container. The transport device may include: a robotic arm configured to transport the container or the rack between a first sample measurement device and each of other sample measurement devices different from the first sample measurement device; and a controller that controls operation of the robotic arm.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes: an optical scanning unit configured to repeatedly scan an irradiation destination of irradiation light to a predetermined trajectory; a light emission control unit configured to control light emission of the irradiation light to irradiate irradiation points to the predetermined trajectory; and a driving signal generation unit configured to generate a driving signal for driving the optical scanning unit, wherein the light emission control unit irradiates the irradiation points to the predetermined trajectory so that the irradiation points are substantially uniformly dispersed in a region in which a density of the irradiation points is relatively low in a region in which the irradiation light is irradiated.

Abstract: A sample pretreatment apparatus includes: a plurality of sample pretreatment sections, each of which executes a sample pretreatment prior to a measurement; and a robotic arm including: an articulated arm member; and a hand attached to the articulated arm member. The plurality of sample pretreatment sections includes a sample dispenser that dispenses a sample in a first sample container into a second sample container. For a first measurement, the robotic arm holds the second sample container with the hand and transports the second sample container to a pretreatment group of the plurality of sample pretreatment sections, the pretreatment group including the sample dispenser. For a second measurement, the robotic arm holds the second sample container with the hand and transports the second sample container to another pretreatment group of the plurality of sample pretreatment sections, the another pretreatment group including the sample dispenser.

Abstract: A chemical decontamination method includes a dissolution step in which a radioactive insoluble substance containing a metal oxide, the radioactive insoluble substance being adhered to a decontamination object including carbon steel, is dissolved in a decontamination solution and a metal-ion removal step in which the decontamination solution containing the metal ion, the decontamination solution being produced in the dissolution step, is brought into contact with a cation-exchange resin in order to remove the metal ion, the dissolution step including a reductive dissolution step conducted using a decontamination solution containing formic acid, ascorbic acid and/or erythorbic acid, and a corrosion inhibitor.

Abstract: Provided is a remote work-support system including a first display device to be worn on a first user working at a work site, a surrounding imaging device disposed on the work site, and an information processing device provided at a predetermined spot, configured to be communicable with the first display device and the surrounding imaging device, and operated by a second user. The first display device includes a first communication unit transmitting first image data to the information processing device. The surrounding imaging device includes a second communication unit transmitting second image data to the information processing device. The information processing device includes second display devices displaying the first and second image data, an operation unit through which data is input, and a third communication unit transmitting data input by the second user through the operation unit to the first display device.

Abstract: To propose an optical scanning method for a video device including an optical scanning unit in which one end of a light guide path has a protruding beam-shaped structure.

Abstract: Provided is a remote work-support system including a first display device to be worn on a first user working at a work site, a surrounding imaging device disposed on the work site, and an information processing device provided at a predetermined spot, configured to be communicable with the first display device and the surrounding imaging device, and operated by a second user. The first display device includes a first communication unit transmitting first image data to the information processing device. The surrounding imaging device includes a second communication unit transmitting second image data to the information processing device. The information processing device includes second display devices displaying the first and second image data, an operation unit through which data is input, and a third communication unit transmitting data input by the second user through the operation unit to the first display device.

Abstract: Both uniformity of brightness and uniformity of color of the outside world are seen via a waveguide. A video image is reflected by a partial reflection surface inside the waveguide that includes an incident surface on which video image light is incident, first and second internal reflection surfaces that propagate the video image light incident from the incident surface while totally reflecting the video image light, and are substantially parallel to each other. A plurality of partial reflection surfaces that reflect a part of the video image light propagating by being totally reflected by the first and second internal reflection surfaces, output the part of the video image light as output light from the first internal reflection surface to the outside of the waveguide, and transmit the part of the video image light being incident, and are disposed substantially parallel to each other inside the waveguide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lid closing device and a lid closing method, each of which does not require a high degree of accuracy when performing a lid closing operation. A holding portion moves such that a lid is located at a position above a container. Holding of the lid by the holding portion is released at the position above the container. The lid falls to cover the container. Thus, the lid closing operation is performed.

Abstract: To provide a wide eye box and are capable of displaying a video having uniform luminance, it is provided a video display apparatus comprising: a video projection unit configured to project video light; a video light replication unit configured to replicate the video light; and a light guiding unit configured to transmit the video light through an inside of the light guiding unit, wherein the video light replication unit is configured to transmit the video light emitted from the video projection unit to the light guiding unit, wherein the light guiding unit is configured to transmit the video light that has entered through the inside to output the video light, and wherein the video light replication unit is configured to replicate the video light that has entered the video light replication unit so that a luminance distribution of the video light output from the light guiding unit is uniform.

Abstract: A method of attaching a tip to a pipette, which is executed in a robot system, includes: making an end effector of a robot hold a pipette; bringing a vicinity portion of a distal end of the pipette into contact with or close to an edge of an opening formed in a base of a tip while tilting an axis direction of the pipette by a predetermined angle with respect to an axis direction of the tip; attaching the tip to the pipette by inserting the distal end of the pipette and the vicinity portion of the distal end of the pipette into the tip while raising the pipette such that the axis direction of the pipette is aligned with the axis direction of the tip; and separating the pipette and the tip attached to the pipette from the predetermined spot.

Abstract: A liquid surface detecting apparatus including: a retaining section that retains liquid as sample or reagent; a light emitter that emits light toward the liquid retained in the retaining section; an image capturing device that captures an image of the liquid retained in the retaining section; and a detecting device that detects a level of a liquid surface of the liquid retained in the retaining section based on the image of the liquid captured by the image capturing device, wherein the image capturing device is provided at a position such that the light, emitted by the light emitter and reflected by the liquid surface of the liquid, directly enters the image capturing device.

Abstract: To propose an optical scanning method for a video device including an optical scanning unit in which one end of a light guide path has a protruding beam-shaped structure.