Abstract: A landing shock absorbing device 18 disposed in a foot mechanism 6 of a leg of a robot, wherein an inflatable bag-like member 19 (a variable capacity element) is provided at a ground-contacting face side of the foot mechanism 6. The bag-like member 19 is constructed of an elastic material such as rubber and has a restoring force. An interior portion of the bag-like member 19 is communicated with the atmosphere side through a flow passage 20. During a landing motion of the leg, the bag-like member 19 makes contact with the ground to be compressed, and the air in the interior portion thereof flows out into the atmosphere through the flow passage 20, so that its outflow resistance is generated. Accordingly, a landing shock is reduced. In a lifting state of the leg, the restoring force of the bag-like member 19 allows the bag-like member 19 to be inflated while the air flows into the interior portion thereof.

Abstract: User is caused to select, from among a plurality of pieces of data reproducing equipment, particular data reproducing equipment to be used, and the selected particular data reproducing equipment is registered in association with the user. A plurality of items of content is searched for particular content reproducible with the data reproducing equipment registered in association with the user. Content displaying information indicative of the searched-out content is supplied to the user. Thus, with reference to the supplied content displaying information, the user can determine whether or not to acquire (purchase or test-use) necessary content.

Abstract: A pointing position detection device is provided which, along with enabling a human being to perform pointing operation in a natural manner, can perform detection at high accuracy. The device detects the presence of a human being from an image photographed by cameras and a position at which the human being is pointing, and which includes: a section which, based upon the image, detects a head position of the human being, including at least distance information; a section which, based upon tile image, detects a hand position of the human being, including at least distance information; a section which, based upon the hand position, calculates a hand tip position and a main axis of the hand; and a section which detects a pointing direction, based upon the head position, the hand tip position, and the main axis, wherein the pointing position is detected based upon the pointing direction.

Abstract: A pear or egg-shaped nozzle housing having a main jet nozzle at the tapered end, and several auxiliary nozzles at the other end of the housing. Inside the housing are two ultrasonic vibrators, one, a disc vibrator facing the auxiliary nozzles thus forming a hemisphere with the other housing end and the other a ring vibrator at the throat of the main jet nozzle.