Abstract: There is provided a detection signal processing circuit and a detection signal processing method for an eddy current sensor that are less easily influenced by a change in ambient environment than conventional technologies. A detection signal processing apparatus includes a converter configured to convert a first analog signal output by a detection coil into a first digital signal, a converter configured to convert a second analog signal output by a dummy coil into a second digital signal, and a detector which is a digital signal processing circuit configured to detect the first digital signal and the second digital signal.

Abstract: An external force estimation device is configured to estimate an external force acting on a motor. The external force estimation device includes a processor. The processor is configured to: calculate an output torque of the motor by using a value of a current supplied to the motor; estimate an inertia torque of the motor by using rotational position information of the motor; estimate a first friction torque of the motor by using the rotational position information of the motor; perform temperature-based correction for the first friction torque by using temperature information of the motor; and estimate the external force by subtracting the inertia torque and the first friction torque after the temperature-based correction from the output torque.

Abstract: A control system according to an embodiment includes a motor configured to drive a link, a first sensor configured to detect information about the driving by the motor or information about a relation between the driving means and the load member as first sensor information, a second sensor configured to detect information about a displacement of the link as second sensor information, and a control unit configured to perform feedback control of the driving means so as to follow a command value in a two-inertial system model including an inertial system on a load side and an inertial system on a driving side. The control unit includes a disturbance observer configured to estimate a disturbance, and a filter configured to convert an estimated value of the disturbance into a driving force of the motor.

Abstract: A control device that controls an ultraviolet emission device such that the inside of a vehicle is sterilized is provided. The control device includes a vehicle state acquiring unit configured to acquire a state of the vehicle, a determination unit configured to determine whether a person is present inside of the vehicle based on the state of the vehicle, and a control unit configured to control the ultraviolet emission device with reference to a result of determination of whether a person is present inside of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of accurately detecting an end point of substrate polishing using an acoustic sensor is disclosed. The method includes: detecting an acoustic event occurring with polishing of a substrate and outputting the acoustic event as acoustic signals; generating power spectra from the acoustic signals, each of the power spectra indicating a spectrum of a sound-pressure level; generating a power spectrum map indicating a temporal change in power spectrum by arranging the power spectra in a time-series order; and detecting a polishing end point of the substrate based on a change in the sound-pressure level in the power spectrum map.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus of accurately detecting an end point of substrate polishing using an acoustic sensor is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus for polishing a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing pad, includes: an acoustic sensor configured to detect an acoustic event occurring with polishing of a substrate and output the acoustic event as acoustic signals; a power-spectrum generator configured to generate power spectra from the acoustic signals, each of the power spectra indicating a spectrum of a sound-pressure level; a map updating device configured to generate a power spectrum map indicating a temporal change in power spectrum by arranging the power spectra in a time-series order; and an end-point determiner configured to detect a polishing end point of the substrate based on a change in the sound-pressure level in the power spectrum map.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of acquiring accurate film thickness distribution information is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table, a plurality of film thickness sensors, and a controller. The controller analyzes film thickness distribution information of a substrate while identifying a notch position of the substrate based on the measured film thickness information, and outputs visualization information of the film thickness distribution with the notch position as a reference position.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for performing polishing between a polishing pad and a semiconductor wafer disposed to face the polishing pad includes a polishing table for holding the polishing pad, a top ring for holding the semiconductor wafer, a swing arm for holding the top ring, and a swing shaft motor for causing the swing arm to swing. The polishing apparatus further includes an arm torque detection section that detects an arm torque imparted to the swing arm when the swing arm is swinging in a predetermined angle range, and an endpoint detection section that detects a polishing endpoint indicating the end of polishing on the basis of the arm torque detected by the arm torque detection section.

Abstract: An eddy current sensor for detecting an eddy current that can be generated in a wafer includes a magnetic core. The core has a base, a central wall provided on the base in the center of the base in a first direction, and end walls provided on the base at either end portion of the base in the first direction. The eddy current sensor includes exciting coils which are disposed on the end walls and which generates an eddy current in the wafer, and a detecting coil which is disposed on the central wall and which detects the eddy current.

Abstract: A conveyor belt monitoring system includes an imaging device which sequentially images a longitudinal predetermined range of a conveyor belt in running from above the conveyor belt. Image data captured by the imaging device is displayed in a monitor, and then is sequentially input into a control unit as detection data. The control unit causes a meander suppressing device to reduce a meander width of the conveyor belt on the basis of the image data.

Abstract: A test sample of a vulcanized rubber material is placed under a preset placement condition in a fixing frame in a test tank having a predetermined ozone concentration, and digital image data is acquired by capturing at a fixed point, over time, with at least one camera device, images of a surface of the test sample that has been placed in the test tank; and determining a change in a surface state of the test sample between a plurality of points in time by analyzing, with a computation device, the image data that has been acquired. Such evaluation method for evaluating ozone deterioration of a vulcanized rubber material can accurately determine a change over time in ozone deterioration while reducing working man-hours.

Abstract: An eddy current sensor has an exciting coil and a detection coil. A holding circuit holds reference data indicating a characteristic of an output signal output from the detection coil at a reference state and outputs the reference data at a state other than the reference state. A pseudo signal generating circuit generates and outputs a balance coil pseudo signal corresponding to the output signal output from the detection coil at the reference state from the reference data output from the holding circuit. A bridge circuit, at the state other than the reference state, receives the output signal output from the detection coil and the balance coil pseudo signal and outputs a bridge output signal corresponding to a difference between the output signal and the balance coil pseudo signal as a bridge output signal.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus 100 includes a first electric motor 14 that rotationally drives a polishing table 12, and a second electric motor 22 that rotationally drives a top ring 20 that holds a semiconductor wafer 18. The polishing apparatus 100 includes: a current detection portion 24; an accumulation portion 110 that accumulates, for a prescribed interval, current values of three phases that are detected by the current detection portion 24; a difference portion 112 that determines a difference between a detected current value in an interval that is different to the prescribed interval and the accumulated current value; and an endpoint detection portion 29 that detects a polishing endpoint that indicates the end of polishing of the surface of the semiconductor wafer 18, based on a change in the difference that the difference portion 112 outputs.

Abstract: It is possible to effectively prevent lowering of work efficiency while stabilizing an operation of a robot or the like. A torque estimation system estimates friction torque of a rotation mechanism. The torque estimation system inclues angular velocity detecting means for detecting an angular velocity of the rotation mechanism, and limit value setting means for setting an upper limit value and a lower limit value according to the angular velocity of the rotation mechanism detected by the angular velocity detection means, the upper limit value and the lower limit value limiting an upper limit and a lower limit, respectively, of the friction torque of the estimated friction torque.

Abstract: To reduce a learning time while improving learning accuracy. A learning method includes generating first time-series data by performing sampling from a predetermined sensor value at a first sampling cycle, generating second time-series data by performing sampling from the predetermined sensor value at a second sampling cycle different from the first sampling cycle, and generating learning data by combining the generated first and second time-series data with each other, and performing learning by using the generated learning data.

Abstract: A pneumatic fender monitoring system is provided. Image data captured by using at least one of a front view imaging device that successively images an external shape in a front view of a pneumatic fender used disposed between a vessel and a vessel or a side view imaging device that successively images the external shape in a side view of the pneumatic fender is successively input into a control unit and successively displayed on a monitor, and the control unit determines, on the basis of the image data, whether an amount of deformation of the external shape of the pneumatic fender is within a preset tolerance range or outside of a preset tolerance range.

Abstract: An eddy current sensor assembly includes an eddy current sensor and an output signal processing circuit that processes an output signal from the eddy current sensor. The output signal processing circuit includes a mixer circuit that accepts the output signal and a signal of the predetermined frequency as input, multiplies the two signals received as input, and outputs an output signal obtained by the multiplication, and a low-pass filter that accepts the output signal output by the mixer circuit as input, cuts a high-frequency signal included in the output signal received as input, and outputs at least a direct-current (DC) signal.

Abstract: An end-point detection sensor 50 detects an end point of polishing, the end-point detection sensor 50 being arranged in a polishing table 100. The end-point detection sensor 50 has a pot core. The pot core 60 has a bottom portion 61a, a magnetic core base portion 61b and a peripheral wall base portion 61c. The end-point detection sensor 50 has an exciting coil 62, and a detection coil 63. The back surface 101b of the polishing pad 101 has a space 30 which is arranged at a portion facing the polishing table 100 and houses a magnetic core extension portion 8 and a peripheral wall extension portion 11. The magnetic core extension portion 8 and the peripheral wall extension portion 11 extending to the space 30 are located in the space 30.

Abstract: A computing device performs computation for controlling operations of a mobile manipulator configured to hold a plurality of target objects with a manipulator and move the target objects to predetermined positions. The computing device includes a storage and a calculator. The storage stores a trained machine learning model trained by inputting a plurality of training data sets, which are combinations of state variables and pieces of determination data associated with the state variables. The training data sets are acquired in advance. The calculator outputs a movement-target object to be moved to a predetermined position at current time by inputting the state variable to the trained machine learning model read from the storage. The state variable contains relative positions of the target objects to a specific portion of the mobile manipulator. The determination data associated with the state variable represents the movement-target object.

Abstract: The eddy current sensor for measuring the film thickness of a conductive film formed on a substrate includes a core made of a magnetic material that has a base portion, and outer legs provided to the base portion at both end portions in a first direction of the base portion respectively, an excitation coil that is arranged on the core and forms an eddy current in the conductive film, and a detection coil that is arranged on the core and detects the eddy current formed in the conductive film. The length of the base portion in the first direction is not less than the length of the base portion in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction.