Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer electrode and a polymer actuator employing the polymer electrode, the method including: adhering a shadow mask onto a substrate, forming a hydrophilic electrode pattern on the substrate, coating the hydrophilic electrode pattern of the substrate with a conductive polymer water solution, removing the shadow mask, and drying the conductive polymer water solution, thus forming the polymer electrode. The method may be applied to electrodes disposed on both surfaces of a polymer deformation layer of a polymer actuator.

Abstract: Apparatus and/or method for providing a user interface in a user equipment. At least one background screen of the user interface may be formed from at least one image. Each of the at least one background screen may be associated with a respective application of the user equipment, and each image of the at least one image may represent a respective content associated with the respective application. Then, when a user input at least one of a predetermined gesture input and a predetermined key input, a main menu which allows the user to select a desired application to be executed may be displayed over a current display screen. When a selection input for selecting the desired application is received from the displayed main menu, the user interface having the background screen formed from the at least one image corresponding to the selected desired application may be displayed.

Abstract: Provided are an optical film for use in flat panel display (FPD) devices, and a method for manufacturing the same. Particularly, there is provided a method for imparting surface roughness to an optical film, which includes forming dented craters having a radius of curvature of 10 nm-100 ?m on the surface of an optical film obtained by a solution casting process and forming a plateau between one crater and another crater. There is also provided an optical film obtained by the same method.

Abstract: A method for eliminating noise from an image generated by an image sensor, includes: setting a group of pixels arranged in a square matrix and including a central pixel intended to eliminate the noise in the image and peripheral pixels arranged around the central pixel; obtaining absolute difference values between a luminance value of the central pixel and a luminance value of the peripheral pixels according to directionalities of the peripheral pixels about the central pixel; comparing the obtained absolute difference values with first critical values to determine a region to which the central pixel belongs; when the determined region is the contour region, eliminating noise of the group of the pixels according to directionality of the contour; and when the determined region is the noise region, eliminating the noise of the group of the pixels according to a noise level of the group of the pixels.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a camera including (a) obtaining a two-dimensional (2D) homography that maps each of parallelograms projected onto two images taken by the camera into a rectangle, wherein the 2D homography is defined as a rectification homography and wherein new cameras that have virtual images are defined as rectified cameras and a new infinite homography is generated between the two rectified cameras, the virtual images being transformed from original images by the rectification homography; (b) obtaining an original infinite homography by using the correlations among the new infinite homography, the rectification homography and the original infinite homography; and (c) obtaining intrinsic camera parameters based on the correlation between the original infinite homography and the intrinsic camera parameters, thereby calibrating the camera.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for automatically extracting centroids and features of a spherical object required to measure a flight speed, a flight direction, a rotation speed, and a rotation axis of the spherical object in a system for measuring flight information of the spherical object with a high-speed stereo camera. In order to automatically extract the centroids and the features of the spherical object, the present invention may automatically extract the centroid and the feature by detecting only the pixel of the foreground image including the spherical object generated by excluding the motionless background image from each camera image, sorting the interconnected pixels among the pixels of the detected foreground image into the independent pixel cluster, and then, using, in the extraction of the centroid and the feature, only one pixel cluster having a size similar to the actual spherical object.

Abstract: A varifocal lens structure, a method of manufacturing the varifocal lens structure, an optical lens module, and a method of manufacturing the optical lens module. The varifocal lens structure includes a liquid lens unit including a silicone membrane that includes a first silicone elastomer, a polymer actuator disposed on an upper surface of the silicone membrane, and an adhesive silicone layer that is disposed between the silicone membrane and the polymer actuator and includes a second silicone elastomer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a simulation method of a flying trajectory of a ball which flies while rotating. More particularly, An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an accurate simulation method of a flying trajectory of a flying ball by reflecting a roughness feature of the surface of the ball in which the flying trajectory of the ball is simulated by calculating drag force, lifting force, and gravity applied to the ball which files while rotating and the drag force and the lifting force are adjusted by a function for calculating air density and a function associated with a change in the force of wind.

Abstract: A multilayered electroactive polymer (EAP) device and a method of manufacturing the same is provided. The multilayered EAP device includes a plurality of unit layers. Each unit layer includes an EAP layer formed of an electroactive polymer (EAP), a protecting layer configured to prevent a material from penetrating into the EAP layer, and an active electrode formed using a conductive material. The protecting layer may be formed below the active layer or above the active layer. The active electrode may be interposed between two protecting layers.

Abstract: The present invention makes a privacy protection area set on a video frame always match a masking block for the privacy protection area, thereby preventing video images taken from the privacy protection area from being exposed. One embodiment of the invention sets a masking zone corresponding to a privacy protection area on a taken video frame, keeps examining if the set masking zone does not match the privacy protection area, and adjusts the position of the masking zone on the video frame if it is determined that the masking zone does not match the privacy protection area, thereby preventing video signals taken from the initially set privacy protection area from being outputted.

Abstract: An optical probe and an optical system therefor are provided. The optical probe is includes a housing configured to house the optical system and the housing has a transparent window therein. the optical system includes a light emitting unit, a collimation lens, and a focusing lens. A numerical aperture of the optical system is adjustable by adjusting a pupil diameter of the collimation lens and a focal length of the focusing lens. The pupil diameter of the collimation lens is adjustable based on a variable focal lens or by adjusting a distance between the collimation lens and the light emitting unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for providing an agent-based game service. The apparatus for providing an agent-based game service includes an input data management unit for collecting pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least one user. A data mining unit analyzes patterns of the pieces of input data and then generates and updates mined data according to the result of the pattern analysis. A game agent processing unit creates, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the user and play a game instead of the user, and evolves the game agent to correspond to the updated mined data.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for displaying information as a background of a user interface. In order to display the information as the background of a user interface, information such as user interest information may be received from a user. Based on the received information, contents may be retrieved. Then, the background of the user interface may be formed with at least one image. Each image of the at least one image may represent a respective one of the retrieved contents. The user interface having the background formed with the at least one image may be displayed.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus with artificial ommatidia includes an imaging optical lens group forming a concave focal surface, an artificial ommatidia unit having a curved top surface corresponding to the concave focal surface and a flat bottom surface, and an image sensor disposed under the artificial ommatidia unit. The artificial ommatidia unit is disposed under the imaging optical lens group so that the curved top surface is coincided with the concave focal surface of the imaging optical lens group. The artificial ommatidia unit having a plurality of artificial ommatidia collects light emitting from the imaging optical lens group, and guides the light to the bottom surface thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing a user interface for media contents in a user equipment. In order to provide the user interface, the background screen of the user interface may be formed from at least one image. Each image of the at least one image may represent a respective one of the retrieved media contents. The user interface having the background screen formed from the at least one image may be displayed. A desired image may be selected from the at least one image of the displayed user interface, and a desired media content corresponding to the selected desired image may be played.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of reusing physics simulation results and a game service apparatus using the method. The game service apparatus includes a game service management server, a physics simulation index server, a physics computation cluster, and a rendering server. The game service management server manages physics simulation data corresponding to a game service. The physics simulation index server creates a spatial index structure corresponding to the physics simulation data, and performs spatial indexing for a user area using the spatial index structure. The physics computation cluster performs initial global simulation on the physics simulation data, manages initial global simulation results as reuse data, and performs local simulation on spatial indexing results for the user area. The rendering server merges the reuse data with local simulation results, renders merging results, and provides a game image to a user.

Abstract: Streaming multimedia content from a content server to client, user multimedia devices (UMDs) connected to the content server through a network includes the steps of monitoring storage states, of UMDs connected to the network, for preset multimedia content, and automatically transmitting a starting block of the content to any UMD not yet storing the block. Tasks preparatory to streaming are advantageously off-loaded to the client side and distributed among UMDs, to realize reduced bandwidth and delay and to conserve on storage capacity of a UMD.

Abstract: A histogram stretching apparatus and a histogram stretching method are disclosed to enhance image contrast by stretching a histogram of an input image within a range of a preset maximum expansion level and a preset minimum expansion level. The histogram stretching apparatus performs proper stretching suitable for a characteristic of the input image in due consideration of a saturation portion and a distribution range of a histogram of the input image. The histogram stretching apparatus can improve stretching effects by removing the saturated portion of the input image, and can prevent image distortion even for a monochromatic image. The histogram apparatus can improve histogram stretching effects by adjusting entire image levels of an image having a histogram frequency distribution skewed to a dark or bright side before a stretching operation.

Abstract: A touch panel is provided. The touch panel includes an electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator which is deformable when protruded or depressed locally at a part to which a driving voltage is applied; and a flexible touch sensor which is disposed on the EAP actuator. The flexible touch sensor is deformable locally in correspondence with a deformation of the EAP actuator, and senses an input according to a contact or pressing operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for managing a virtual world. The method for managing a virtual world includes: receiving virtual world management information including user information and communication information; and managing a virtual world, objects in the virtual world, and relationships between the objects using the virtual world management information.