Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: A LIDAR device includes a light source, a mirror, a rotatable shaft, and a motor. The light source configured to emit a light beam having a predetermined light beam width for scanning a scanning zone. The rotatable shaft has a center axis parallel to a reflective surface of the mirror and is connected to a back surface of the mirror. The motor is configured to rotate the shaft to cause the mirror to swing between a first position and a second position. The light source and the mirror are arranged to have a positional relationship such that a mirror center is aligned with the light beam center when the mirror is at the first position, and the mirror center shifts within a motion area when the mirror is swinging between the first position, non-inclusive, and the second position, inclusive.

Abstract: An optical detector includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that receives a reflected light reflected by a measurement object. The light receiving unit has a detection element and a condenser lens system that collects the reflected light to the detection element. The condenser lens system has a plurality of lenses. The condenser lens system has a temperature change factor that increases the optical power at a high temperature than at a low temperature, and a chromatic aberration factor that decreases the optical power at a long wavelength than at a short wavelength. The optical power of each of the plurality of lenses is adjusted based on a correspondence between a change in temperature and a shift amount of the peak wavelength, so that the chromatic aberration factor balances with the temperature change factor within a predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: An optical distance measurement apparatus includes a casing, a light emitting unit, a mirror, a rotating unit, a light receiving unit, a window portion, and a reference angle marker. The light emitting unit emits laser light. The mirror is arranged inside the casing and reflects the laser light that is emitted from the light emitting unit. The rotating unit rotates the mirror. The light receiving unit includes a light receiving element for receiving incident light. The window portion is provided in the casing and is for emitting the laser light that is reflected by the mirror outside the casing. The reference angle marker is provided in at least either of the casing and the window portion, and is detected by the light receiving unit based on a rotation angle of the mirror being a reference rotation angle that is prescribed in advance.

Abstract: An optical distance measuring device using light includes a light-emitting part in which a first and second light-emitting elements that have a light-emitting region, in which a length in a first direction is longer than that in a second direction intersecting the first direction, are separated from each other in the second direction; two projection lenses that are respectively provided to correspond to the first and second light-emitting elements, and are separated from each other in the second direction and arranged at positions overlapping each other in the first direction; a scanner that scans a measurement region with emitted beams emitted from the light-emitting part and have passed through the projection lenses; a light receiving part that receives reflected light of the emitted beams emitted from the light-emitting part; and a measurement section measuring a distance to an object according to a time period from light emission to light reception.

Abstract: An optical detector includes a light emitter having a light emitting window extended in an extension direction to emit a projection beam from the light emitting window toward a measurement area and to detect a return beam from the measurement area. The optical detector includes a scanning mirror that scans by reflecting the projection beam. The scanning mirror swings within a finite angular range around a rotation axis that is along a direction corresponding to the extension direction.

Abstract: A LIDAR device includes a light source, a mirror, a rotatable shaft, and a motor. The light source configured to emit a light beam having a predetermined light beam width for scanning a scanning zone. The rotatable shaft has a center axis parallel to a reflective surface of the mirror and is connected to a back surface of the mirror. The motor is configured to rotate the shaft to cause the mirror to swing between a first position and a second position. The light source and the mirror are arranged to have a positional relationship such that a mirror center is aligned with the light beam center when the mirror is at the first position, and the mirror center shifts within a motion area when the mirror is swinging between the first position, non-inclusive, and the second position, inclusive.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: An optical detector is configured to project a projection beam toward a measurement area and detect a return beam from the measurement area. The optical detector includes: a projecting optical system that forms a projection optical axis to project the projection beam; a receiving optical system that forms a receiving optical axis to receive the return beam, and a housing having a housing chamber to house the projecting optical system and the receiving optical system, and an optical window for the projection beam and the return beam to travel between the housing chamber and the measurement area. The projection optical axis and the receiving optical axis are offset from each other to define an overlap region inside the housing chamber where footprints of the projection beam and the return beam overlap with each other.

Abstract: A visual ability improvement device installed in a vehicle includes a noise generator, a surrounding situation detector, a driver status detector, a vehicle status detector, an operation switch, and a noise output device. A controller of the noise generator determines an optimum strength based on the surrounding situation from the surrounding situation detector, the driver's status from the driver status detector, the vehicle's status from the vehicle status detector, and the correspondence of the optimum representative noise to the above situation and statuses from the correspondence memory. Then the controller generates a noise with the determined the optimum representative noise strength, and outputs to the noise output device such as passenger compartment light a control signal which depends on the generated noise.

Abstract: A sleep prevention system captures a facial image of a driver, determines a sleepiness level from the facial image and operates warning devices including neck air conditioner, seatbelt vibrator, and brake controller if necessary based on the sleepiness determination. A sleepiness determination device determines sleepiness from facial expression information such as distances between corners of a mouth, distance between an eyebrow and eye, tilt angle of a head, and other facial feature distances. The facial distances are calculated from captured images and from reference information gather during wakefulness. The sleepiness degree is determined based on the determination results including combinations thereof.

Abstract: In a portable biological information monitor apparatus, a pulse wave detection signal obtained by light emission from a green LED and a body motion detection signal obtained by light emission from an infrared LED are detected as biological information. This biological information is analyzed to compute various barometers. In a wake normal mode of a set generation mode, body motion and pulse are calculated as wake evaluation barometers for evaluation of a test subject's status in wake. In a wake steady state motion mode, body motion, pulse, and pitch are calculated as motion evaluation barometers for evaluation of the test subject's status in steady state motion. In a sleep mode, body motion, pulse, and autonomic nervous function are calculated as sleep evaluation barometers for evaluation of the test subject's status in sleep. Necessary barometers are thereby generated regardless of the test subject's action using the portable monitor apparatus alone.

Abstract: A sleep prevention system captures a facial image of a driver, determines a sleepiness level from the facial image and operates warning devices including neck air conditioner, seatbelt vibrator, and brake controller if necessary based on the sleepiness determination. A sleepiness determination device determines sleepiness from facial expression information such as distances between corners of a mouth, distance between an eyebrow and eye, tilt angle of a head, and other facial feature distances. The facial distances are calculated from captured images and from reference information gather during wakefulness. The sleepiness degree is determined based on the determination results including combinations thereof.

Abstract: A microcomputer included in a physical condition monitoring system calculates the amount of autonomic nerve activity during sleep based on physical information during sleep collected by a physical information collecting device 1. The physical information contains heart rates, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and the amount of body movement. The microcomputer also receives various kinds of information including training conditions via an input device. Then, it displays the amount of autonomic nerve activity and the training conditions on a display device in a manner that connections between them are indicated.

Abstract: A visual ability improvement device installed in a vehicle includes a noise generator, a surrounding situation detector, a driver status detector, a vehicle status detector, an operation switch, and a noise output device. A controller of the noise generator determines an optimum strength based on the surrounding situation from the surrounding situation detector, the driver's status from the driver status detector, the vehicle's status from the vehicle status detector, and the correspondence of the optimum representative noise to the above situation and statuses from the correspondence memory. Then the controller generates a noise with the determined the optimum representative noise strength, and outputs to the noise output device such as passenger compartment light a control signal which depends on the generated noise.

Abstract: A visual recognition support system includes a noise area determination function for determining a noise area where a visual noise is output to improve sensitivity of visual recognition of an object in need of attention of an operator of a vehicle. The intensity of the visual noise is determined based on a threshold of the visual perception.

Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring a biological condition of a living body, a light emitting unit emits individually first and second lights to a measurement portion of the living body. The first and second lights have first and second wavelengths, respectively. The first and second wavelengths are different from each other. A light receiving unit receives first and second reflection lights to generate first and second detection signals based on the first and second reflection lights, respectively. The first and second reflection lights are based on the first light reflected from the measurement portion and the second light reflected therefrom, respectively. The first and second detection signals have different characteristics from each other due to the difference between the first and second wavelengths. A measuring unit measures the biological condition based on the different characteristics of the first and second detection signals.

Abstract: A driver's condition detection device is for detecting a first life information indicating a driver's degree of activity. The driver's condition classification device is for classifying the first life information into at least two regions. The driver's condition determination device is for determining the driver's condition based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions.