Abstract: A flexible thin film is supported by a frame member through two end portions opposing each other. A reflection surface is provided on the flexible thin film to reflect light. A first electrode is provided integrally with the flexible thin film. A second electrode is substantially fixed to the frame member so as to oppose the first electrode on an opposite side of the reflection surface. A third electrode is substantially fixed to the frame member so as to oppose the first electrode on the same side as the reflection surface. An optical opening for introducing light into the reflection surface is provided on the side of the reflection surface. At least one of the second and third electrodes is divided in the direction connecting the two end portions. The configuration of the reflection surface is controlled to a desired configuration by applying a desired voltage selectively to between the first electrode and the divided second or third electrode.

Abstract: An optical unit is constructed by superposing and cementing the first substrate having fixed electrodes and the second substrate having a sheet-like member in which a moving plate-spring-like electrode is provided. Concentric through holes are provide at the middles of the sheet-like member of the first substrate and the second substrate, and an optical element, such as a lens, a mirror, or a prism, is mounted to the through hole of the sheet-like member. When voltages applied between the fixed electrodes and the moving electrode are controlled, the sheet-like member is displaced and thereby the optical element is deformed.

Abstract: A variable-profile optical device includes a light-transmission elastic member in which an elasticity of a first surface is set to be higher than that of a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, wherein a pressure is applied to the second surface of the elastic member, so that the second surface of the elastic member is selectively deformed, and a focus distance may be varied.

Abstract: A flexible thin film is supported by a frame member through two end portions opposing each other. A reflection surface is provided on the flexible thin film to reflect light. A first electrode is provided integrally with the flexible thin film. A second electrode is substantially fixed to the frame member so as to oppose the first electrode on an opposite side of the reflection surface. A third electrode is substantially fixed to the frame member so as to oppose the first electrode on the same side as the reflection surface. An optical opening for introducing light into the reflection surface is provided on the side of the reflection surface. At least one of the second and third electrodes is divided in the direction connecting the two end portions. The configuration of the reflection surface is controlled to a desired configuration by applying a desired voltage selectively to between the first electrode and the divided second or third electrode.

Abstract: A shake compensating device for optical devices includes an optical system for forming an image of an object; a reflecting surface placed in the optical path of the optical system, a first substrate having a first electrode, placed adjacent to the reflecting surface; a second substrate fixed to an optical device, placed opposite to the first substrate and having a second electrode at a position opposite to the first electrode; a voltage control circuit for applying voltages across the first electrode and the second electrode, one of which is divided into a plurality of electrodes; and a detecting unit for detecting the shake angle of the optical device. In this case, the voltage control circuit controls the voltages applied across the divided electrodes and the other electrode opposite thereto in accordance with the output of the detecting unit.

Abstract: A variable-profile optical device includes a light-transmission elastic member in which an elasticity of a first surface is set to be higher than that of a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, wherein a pressure is applied to the second surface of the elastic member, so that the second surface of the elastic member is selectively deformed, and a focus distance may be varied.

Abstract: A deformable mirror device is configured so that a deformable mirror of the type driven by electrostatic force is housed in a sealed package made of ceramic or plastic. The package is provided with a transparent window on the entrance and exit side of light. Light is incident on a reflecting surface of the deformable mirror through the window, and the light reflected at the reflecting surface emerges through the window.

Abstract: A flexible thin film is supported by a frame member through two end portions opposing each other. A reflection surface is provided on the flexible thin film to reflect light. A first electrode is provided integrally with the flexible thin film. A second electrode is substantially fixed to the frame member so as to oppose the first electrode on an opposite side of the reflection surface. A third electrode is substantially fixed to the frame member so as to oppose the first electrode on the same side as the reflection surface. An optical opening for introducing light into the reflection surface is provided on the side of the reflection surface. At least one of the second and third electrodes is divided in the direction connecting the two end portions. The configuration of the reflection surface is controlled to a desired configuration by applying a desired voltage selectively to between the first electrode and the divided second or third electrode.

Abstract: A Web page creation support system includes a customer terminal unit (300), a Web page creation support server (100) which is accessible from the customer terminal unit (300) via a network, and a creator terminal unit (400) for performing a Web page creation job. The Web page creation support server (100) controls Web page information of the customer terminal unit (300) in relation to template information. The server can cause the creator terminal unit (400) to create the Web page information in response to a creation request from the customer terminal unit (300) in accordance with the template information, thereby providing an environment in which Web page creation can be easily carried out on the network.

Abstract: A variable-profile optical device includes a light-transmission elastic member in which an elasticity of a first surface is set to be higher than that of a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, wherein a pressure is applied to the second surface of the elastic member, so that the second surface of the elastic member is selectively deformed, and a focus distance may be varied.

Abstract: A focal-length adjusting unit for photographing apparatuses includes a distance-measuring means for detecting the amount of defocus to an object by using a light beam of the object passing through a photographing optical system; at least two optical elements located in an optical path for distance measurement, deflecting incident light from the object to introduce the light into an image sensor or a distance-measuring sensor; a variable optical-property element constituting at least one of the optical elements, capable of changing the deflection of light in accordance with an applied voltage or an applied current; and a voltage applying means or a current applying means for applying a voltage or a current in accordance with the distance-measuring output of the distance-measuring means. In this case, before a distance measurement is made by the distance-measuring means, the function of light deflection of the variable optical-property element is set to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A system capable of public presentation materials making in a publishing server is provided. A presentation material publishing system includes a presenter, a reader, and a presentation material publishing server which can be accessed by the presenter and the reader via a network. The presentation material publishing server makes public presentation materials which are uploaded from the presenter on condition of the registration of predetermined public information. The reader can browse the presentation materials permitted by the presentation material publishing server via the network.

Abstract: A variable shape mirror comprises a frame member having an opening, and a thin film having a first region including a reflecting plane and a second region of higher rigidity than the first region disposed in the outer periphery of the first region, being supported in the opening of the frame member. Other variable shape mirror comprises a frame member having a first opening and a second opening, a first thin film having a reflecting plane, forming an electrode, and supported in the first opening of the frame member, a second thin film forming an electrode electrically conducting with the electrode of the first thin film, and supported in the second opening of the frame member, and a substrate bonded to the frame member at a specified interval, and having an electrode at a position opposite to the electrode of the second thin film.

Abstract: An acoustic impedance measuring apparatus emits ultrasonic waves to a target measurement object and measures the acoustic impedance of the target measurement object by ultrasonic waves fed back from the target measurement object. This acoustic impedance measuring apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer, pulse signal generator, signal separator, frequency converter, parameter extractor, and acoustic impedance calculator. The pulse signal generator generates a pulse signal to be applied to the ultrasonic transducer. The signal separator separates, from an output from the ultrasonic transducer, an immediate ultrasonic response signal resulting from ultrasonic waves reflected by the surface of the target measurement object. The frequency converter obtains the frequency characteristics of the immediate ultrasonic response signal. The parameter extractor extracts predetermined parameters from the frequency characteristics.

Abstract: A laser diode monitoring apparatus activates the laser diode in a manner of impulse, measures the sag of light output level, and judges the light emitting performance to be deteriorated if the sag is greater than the reference value. The value of sag comprehends the inequality of light output characteristics of individual laser diodes and the variation of ambient temperature, enabling the accurate decay determination.

Abstract: A optical recording/playback apparatus projects a laser beam on to a recording medium to read out precoded address data and record or read out data in the data recording area of the recording medium. The reflected light from the recording medium is detected by photosensors which produce currents from the received light intensity, and the currents are converted into voltage signals by current-to-voltage converting amplifiers and the signals are summed by a summing amplifier. The summing amplifier has a switching means, by which the gain is brought to unity or near-unity value during the period of reading the data recording area, so that the summed output has a smaller difference of voltage levels for the address area and data recording area even though the detected light intensity has a large difference between these portions.

Abstract: A multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator includes a flexible tube having a plurality of flex portions provided therealong, a plurality of actuators made of shape memory alloy and respectively provided near the flex portions to correspond to the flex portions, for flexing the flex portions, two common energy transmission paths, extending along the flexible tube, for transmitting an energy to the actuators, and selective energy supply members, provided between the common energy transmission paths and the actuators in series, for controlling the energy supplied from the common energy transmission path to the actuators, thereby respectively independently driving the actuators to bend the flexible tube.

Abstract: A current detector detects a driving current Im flowing through a light emitting device (laser diode); a temperature sensor is arranged in the vicinity of the light emitting device; a microcomputer is supplied with the outputs of the current detector and temperature sensor; a temperature correction coefficient specific to the light emitting device, obtained based on a driving current value IT1 at a temperature T1 and a driving current value IT2 at a temperature T2 (>T1), is stored in memory; a deterioration threshold current Id for a detected temperature Ti is calculated; and when the deterioration threshold current Id for the detected temperature Ti is exceeded by the detected current, a driver is controlled so as to inhibit the supply of the driving current to the light emitting device. Since the operating temperature also is taken into consideration, deterioration of the light emitting device can be accurately estimated, thereby preventing erroneous recording/reproduction of data.

Abstract: A multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator includes a flexible tube having a plurality of flex portions provided therealong, a plurality of actuators made of shape memory alloy and respectively provided near the flex portions to correspond to the flex portions, for flexing the flex portions, two common energy transmission paths, extending along the flexible tube, for transmitting an energy to the actuators, and selective energy supply members, provided between the common energy transmission paths and the actuators in series, for controlling the energy supplied from the common energy transmission path to the actuators, thereby respectively independently driving the actuators to bend the flexible tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording a defective-position indicating signal on a nonrecorded WO disk, comprising a laser beam source such as a laser diode for generating a laser beam to be irradiated onto the disk; an optical detector supplied with the laser beam reflected from the disk; an FM demodulator for demodulating the FM output signal of the optical detector; a defect detector for detecting a defect on the disk by comparing the output signal level of the FM demodulator with a reference value; and a laser power controller normally functioning to modulate the power of the laser beam by a fixed-frequency signal, or functioning, in response to detection of a defect, to maintain the laser beam power at an adequate recordable level for a first predetermined time after such detection. A detection controller is also included for interrupting the operation of the defect detector under control for a second predetermined time after the detection of the defect.