Abstract: A method of treating a battery having a laminated electrode that includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate with a separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, the battery being either a lithium ion battery or a solid-state battery, includes: an immersion step of immersing the laminated electrode in water after lithium is deactivated; and a separation step of separating the laminated electrode by applying an electrical pulse to the laminated electrode.

Abstract: A route planning apparatus configured to create a travel plan that includes a planned travel route for a leading vehicle to electronically tow a following vehicle using inter-vehicle communication, the route planning apparatus comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive a request to stop at a waypoint during traveling by the electronic towing, the stop-over request being input on a second information processing apparatus that is used by an occupant of the following vehicle: a searching unit configured to search, for a waypoint according to the request, the planned travel route and a surrounding region of the planned travel route; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit information regarding a found waypoint and a route to the waypoint to a first information processing apparatus that is used by an occupant of the leading vehicle.

Abstract: A method for treating a secondary battery that can recover materials constituting the secondary battery safely and efficiently and contributes to energy efficiency. The method for treating a secondary battery containing metallic lithium in a negative electrode includes bringing water vapor at 40° C. to 175° C. into contact with a battery cell.

Abstract: To adsorb an adsorbate rapidly on a heat storage material with good energy efficiency. A chemical heat storage device includes an adsorbate, a heat storage material, and a sprayer. The adsorbate is in a liquid state at normal temperature. The heat storage material releases heat of adsorption in response to adsorption of the adsorbate on the heat storage material and stores the heat of adsorption in response to desorption of the adsorbate from the heat storage material. The sprayer sprays the adsorbate on the heat storage material in a heat release period of causing the heat storage material to release the heat of adsorption. With the above-described configuration, it is possible to increase a speed of diffusion of the adsorbate in the heat storage material through spraying of the adsorbate on the heat storage material.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to sinter a MOF sufficiently firmly at a low temperature while ensuring the MOF sufficient adsorption performance. The present inventors have found that if a binder having a hydroxy group is mixed with a MOF having a terephthalic acid-based ligand, a sufficiently firm MOF can be obtained by sintering at a low temperature while ensuring sufficient adsorption performance, and thus the present invention has been completed. The MOF sintered body of the present invention contains a MOF having a terephthalic acid-based ligand and a binder having a hydroxy group OH. According to the present aspect, the sufficiently firm MOF can be obtained by sintering at a low temperature while ensuring sufficient adsorption performance.

Abstract: An object is to sufficiently lower the melting point of a heat storage material that includes sodium acetate trihydrate as a main component and to sufficiently narrow the range of a melting peak while ensuring a sufficient heat storage density. A heat storage material contains sodium acetate trihydrate that serves as a main component 21 and a melting point adjuster that is any one of potassium nitrate, potassium chloride or sodium nitrate. The content of the melting point adjuster in the heat storage material is equal to or greater than 10% by weight. The present inventors have confirmed that by setting the content of the melting point adjuster to be equal to or greater than 10% by weight, the range of a melting peak serving as a melting temperature range can be sufficiently narrowed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to inhibit the phase separation of a salt hydrate used as a main component of a heat storage material. The inventors have made the present invention based on findings that when added to a heat storage material including a salt hydrate and a supercooling inhibitor, graphene oxide can inhibit the phase separation of the salt hydrate. The present invention is directed to a heat storage material including: a salt hydrate as a main component; a supercooling inhibitor that promotes solidification of the salt hydrate; and graphene oxide. The technical features help to inhibit the phase separation of salt hydrates.

Abstract: A control device of a vehicle is configured to control travelling of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows a preceding vehicle based on information received from the preceding vehicle, and determine, based on information regarding a cargo space of the preceding vehicle, an inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle when the vehicles stop. Upon the preceding vehicle having stopped, the device stops the vehicle such that a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle becomes the inter-vehicle distance determined by the device.

Abstract: A control device of a vehicle is provided. The device controls travelling of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows another vehicle based on information received from the other vehicle; and determines whether to allow the vehicle to start to follow another vehicle based on at least one of whether a user of the vehicle is inside the vehicle or an instruction from the user. The processor starts to follow another vehicle in a case where the travel control circuit is allowed to follow the other vehicle.

Abstract: A system designed such that a following vehicle performs following travel to follow a leading vehicle is provided. A departure point and a destination point desired by a user of the following vehicle is obtained. Search for the leading vehicle to be followed by the following vehicle is performed based on the departure point and the destination point. A travel plan including a section of the following travel as at least a part of travel between the departure point and the destination point is generated. Information representing the section of the following travel to a user of the leading vehicle is transmitted.

Abstract: There is provided with a vehicle following travel system configured to cause a following vehicle to perform following travel following a leading vehicle. A departure point and a destination desired by a user of the following vehicle. Based on the departure point and the destination, for the leading vehicle that the following vehicle follows is searched. A travel plan that includes a section of the following travel in at least a part between the departure point and the destination. A reward to the leading vehicle for the following travel is calculated based on the travel plan.

Abstract: A control device of a vehicle is configured to control travelling of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows a preceding vehicle based on information received from the preceding vehicle, and determine, based on information regarding a cargo space of the preceding vehicle, an inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle when the vehicles stop. Upon the preceding vehicle having stopped, the device stops the vehicle such that a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle becomes the inter-vehicle distance determined by the device.

Abstract: There is provided with an information processing method performed by a vehicle following travel system configured to cause a following vehicle to perform following travel following a leading vehicle. A departure point and a destination desired by a user of the following vehicle and information representing a drivable distance of the following vehicle is obtained. Based on the departure point and the destination, for the leading vehicle that the following vehicle follows is searched. A travel plan including a section of the following travel in at least a part between the departure point and the destination while judging whether to stop by a facility for increasing the drivable distance in accordance with the drivable distance of the following vehicle is generated.

Abstract: There is provided with an information processing method performed by a vehicle following travel system configured to cause a following vehicle to perform following travel following a leading vehicle. An information representing motion performance of each of the following vehicle and the leading vehicle is obtained. Based on the information representing the motion performance of each of the following vehicle and the leading vehicle, for the leading vehicle that the following vehicle follows is searched.

Abstract: There is provided with a vehicle following travel system configured to cause a following vehicle to perform following travel following a leading vehicle. A departure point and a destination desired by a user of the following vehicle and a rest condition desired by the user of the following vehicle is obtained. Based on the departure point and the destination, for the leading vehicle that the following vehicle follows is searched. A travel plan that includes a section of the following travel in at least a part between the departure point and the destination and further includes a rest complying with the rest condition is generated.

Abstract: A control device of a vehicle is provided. The device executes a following operation of controlling travelling of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows another vehicle based on information received from the other vehicle and a parking operation of controlling travelling of the vehicle to park the vehicle at a parking space, determines whether the vehicle is at a position at which the parking operation can be started; and notifies the other vehicle that leading can be finished, in a case where it is determined that the vehicle is at a position at which the parking operation can be started while the device is executing the following operation.

Abstract: A route planning apparatus configured to create a travel plan that includes a planned travel route for a leading vehicle to electronically tow a following vehicle using inter-vehicle communication, the route planning apparatus comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive a request to stop at a waypoint during traveling by the electronic towing, the stop-over request being input on a second information processing apparatus that is used by an occupant of the following vehicle; a searching unit configured to search, for a waypoint according to the request, the planned travel route and a surrounding region of the planned travel route; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit information regarding a found waypoint and a route to the waypoint to a first information processing apparatus that is used by an occupant of the leading vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle following traveling system including a leading vehicle and a following vehicle is provided. The leading vehicle is a two-wheel vehicle. The following vehicle determines the possibility that the leading vehicle turns over or understeers; and performs control such that the following vehicle is caused to execute a risk aversion operation based on the determined possibility that the leading vehicle turns over or understeers.

Abstract: A control device of a vehicle is provided. The device controls traveling of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows another vehicle based on information received from the other vehicle; and determines whether to allow the vehicle to start to follow another vehicle based on at least one of whether a user of the vehicle is inside the vehicle or an instruction from the user. The processor starts to follow another vehicle in a case where the travel control circuit is allowed to follow the other vehicle.