Abstract: This optical coupler for coupling a plurality of visible light beams having different wavelengths includes: a substrate made of a material different from lithium niobate; and an optical coupling function layer formed on a main surface of the substrate. The optical coupling function layer includes: two multimode-interference-type optical coupling parts; optical-input-side waveguides and an optical-output-side waveguide connected to one multimode-interference-type optical coupling part, and optical-input-side waveguides and an optical-output-side waveguide connected to the other multimode-interference-type optical coupling part. The multimode-interference-type optical coupling parts, the optical-input-side waveguides, and the optical-output-side waveguides are made of a lithium niobate film.

Abstract: A soundproof material may comprise, in order: a first electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer, a charged insulator layer, and a second electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer. A charged site at the charged insulator layer may be electrically insulated from the first electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer and/or the second electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer. When a sound causes vibration of any among the first electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer, the charged insulator layer, and/or the second electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer, this causes alteration of a magnetic field at the first electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer and/or the second electrically conductive ferromagnetic layer, soundproofing being carried out when acoustic energy of the sound wave is lost as thermal energy.

Abstract: Vacuum insulating glass or other such vacuum insulating material may be provided with a first plate and a second plate that are arranged in mutually opposed fashion so as to straddle therebetween a space of a gap that is a vacuum layer. The first plate may have, in order of lamination from the exterior, a first electrically conductive layer, and a first charged insulator. The second plate may have, in order of lamination from the exterior, a second electrically conductive layer, and a second charged insulator which is charged with charge of the same polarity as the first charged insulator. A repulsive force that is a Coulomb force which acts between the first charged insulator and the second charged insulator may substantially balance and counteract a tendency of ambient atmospheric pressure to reduce the length of the gap between the first plate and the second plate.

Abstract: A device that controls charging and discharging of a lithium ion battery (3) that starts an engine starter (1), includes: a voltage sensor (S1) that detects the voltage of the lithium ion battery; a current sensor (S2) that detects the current of the lithium ion battery; and a control section (30) that controls charging and discharging of the lithium ion battery. The control section (30) calculates capacity degradation rates of a cathode and anode of the lithium ion battery based on detected values of the voltage sensor and the current sensor at the time when a first time has elapsed, and at the time when a second time longer than the first time has elapsed, from startup of the engine starter, and limits the charging and discharging of the lithium ion battery based on comparison results between the capacity degradation rates and determination criterion values.

Abstract: A device that estimates the residual capacity of a lithium ion battery (3) that starts an engine starter (1), includes a control section (30) that calculates resistance values of a cathode and anode of the lithium ion battery based on detected values of a voltage sensor (SN1) and a current sensor (SN2) at the time when a first time has elapsed, and at the time when a second time longer than the first time has elapsed, from startup of the engine starter, and estimates the residual capacity from increases over time in the resistance values. The control section (30) starts the engine starter with the lithium ion battery under conditions under which the startup time of the engine starter will be longer when the last startup time of the engine starter is shorter than the second time or when a predetermined time period has elapsed from the last estimation.