Abstract: An occupant monitoring device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image obtained by imaging a region in which there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present in a vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether the captured image acquired by the acquisition unit corresponds to a first image including the face a part of which is hidden by an accessory or a second image including the face a part of which is hidden by a non-accessory object other than the accessory; and a processing unit that detects face information regarding the face of the occupant based on the captured image in different modes according to a determination result in the determination unit, and monitors a state change of the face of the occupant based on a detection result.

Abstract: In a gas sensor assembling apparatus configured to integrate first and second gas sensor components, a posture adjustment part configured to adjust the posture of a first member in a horizontal plane adjusts the posture of the first member to an insertion possible posture determined in advance while holding the first member having been transferred from a conveyance mechanism at a posture adjustment position fixedly determined in advance, and transfers the first member in the insertion possible posture to the conveyance mechanism while maintaining at the posture adjustment position, the conveyance mechanism conveys, to an integration position, the first member in the insertion possible posture, and at the integration position, the first member and the second member are integrated with each other by inserting a sensor element of a second member into an insertion port of the first member in the insertion possible posture.

Abstract: An occupant modeling device includes: an acquisition section acquiring an image by imaging a region where there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present; a model fitting section generating a model of the face based on a first image acquired by the acquisition section; a tracking section adapting the model to a second image acquired after the first image; a determination section determining correctness of a facial part position included in the second image to which the model is adapted, by using learned information obtained through learning based on correct information and incorrect information regarding the facial part position; and a processing section determining whether a process in the tracking section is to be continuously executed or a process in the model fitting section is to be executed again according to a determination result in the determination section.

Abstract: An occupant monitoring device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image obtained by imaging a region in which there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present in a vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether the captured image acquired by the acquisition unit corresponds to at least a first image not including a feature portion of the face of the occupant but including at least a part of a body of the occupant or a second image not including the body of the occupant; and a processing unit that monitors a state change of the face of the occupant based on the captured image, and switches whether or not an occupant parameter set for monitoring the state change of the face of the occupant is to be reset according to a determination result in the determination unit.

Abstract: An occupant modeling device includes: an acquisition section acquiring an image by imaging a region where there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present; a model fitting section generating a model of the face based on a first image acquired by the acquisition section; a tracking section adapting the model to a second image acquired after the first image; a determination section determining correctness of a facial part position included in the second image to which the model is adapted, by using learned information obtained through learning based on correct information and incorrect information regarding the facial part position; and a processing section determining whether a process in the tracking section is to be continuously executed or a process in the model fitting section is to be executed again according to a determination result in the determination section.

Abstract: An occupant monitoring device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image obtained by imaging a region in which there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present in a vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether the captured image acquired by the acquisition unit corresponds to at least a first image not including a feature portion of the face of the occupant but including at least a part of a body of the occupant or a second image not including the body of the occupant; and a processing unit that monitors a state change of the face of the occupant based on the captured image, and switches whether or not an occupant parameter set for monitoring the state change of the face of the occupant is to be reset according to a determination result in the determination unit.

Abstract: An occupant monitoring device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image obtained by imaging a region in which there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present in a vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether the captured image acquired by the acquisition unit corresponds to a first image including the face a part of which is hidden by an accessory or a second image including the face a part of which is hidden by a non-accessory object other than the accessory; and a processing unit that detects face information regarding the face of the occupant based on the captured image in different modes according to a determination result in the determination unit, and monitors a state change of the face of the occupant based on a detection result.

Abstract: In a gas sensor assembling apparatus configured to integrate first and second gas sensor components, a posture adjustment part configured to adjust the posture of a first member in a horizontal plane adjusts the posture of the first member to an insertion possible posture determined in advance while holding the first member having been transferred from a conveyance mechanism at a posture adjustment position fixedly determined in advance, and transfers the first member in the insertion possible posture to the conveyance mechanism while maintaining at the posture adjustment position, the conveyance mechanism conveys, to an integration position, the first member in the insertion possible posture, and at the integration position, the first member and the second member are integrated with each other by inserting a sensor element of a second member into an insertion port of the first member in the insertion possible posture.

Abstract: A method for assembling a gas sensor includes fitting through holes of annular mounting parts with an element dummy disposed vertically and whose cross-sectional shape perpendicular is similar to that of a sensor element. The annular mounting parts are a plurality of parts including a ceramic powder compact. A tubular body is fitted with outer peripheries of the annular mounting parts, and then, the element is abuttingly disposed on an upper end of the dummy. Subsequently, the dummy is moved vertically downward to fit the through holes of the annular mounting parts with the element, thereby obtaining a workpiece. The workpiece is vertically inverted, and with the element tip being in contact with a sealing assist jig that has a buffer performance, the upper end of the uppermost annular mounting part is pressed vertically downward to compress the powder compact, thereby sealing an inside of the tubular body.

Abstract: An insulating layer is formed on a substrate made of silicon carbide. By performing etching using a mask layer formed on the insulating layer, a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose a contact region, which is a portion of a main surface of the substrate. The step of forming the contact hole includes a step of providing the contact region with a surface roughness Ra of not less than 0.5 nm. An electrode layer is formed in contact with the contact region. By heating the electrode layer and the substrate, siliciding reaction is caused between the electrode layer and the contact region.

Abstract: An insulating layer is formed on a substrate made of silicon carbide. By performing etching using a mask layer formed on the insulating layer, a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose a contact region, which is a portion of a main surface of the substrate. The step of forming the contact hole includes a step of providing the contact region with a surface roughness Ra of not less than 0.5 nm. An electrode layer is formed in contact with the contact region. By heating the electrode layer and the substrate, siliciding reaction is caused between the electrode layer and the contact region.

Abstract: A method for assembling a gas sensor includes fitting through holes of annular mounting parts with an element dummy disposed vertically and whose cross-sectional shape perpendicular is similar to that of a sensor element. The annular mounting parts are a plurality of parts including a ceramic powder compact. A tubular body is fitted with outer peripheries of the annular mounting parts, and then, the element is abuttingly disposed on an upper end of the dummy. Subsequently, the dummy is moved vertically downward to fit the through holes of the annular mounting parts with the element, thereby obtaining a workpiece. The workpiece is vertically inverted, and with the element tip being in contact with a sealing assist jig that has a buffer performance, the upper end of the uppermost annular mounting part is pressed vertically downward to compress the powder compact, thereby sealing an inside of the tubular body.

Abstract: A lanthanum boride sintered body includes a phase including lanthanum and silicon at grain boundaries between crystal grains of lanthanum boride. In this lanthanum boride sintered body, the phase exists in various configurations such as a phase present at a triple point of grain boundary, and a phase present along the grain boundary. This phase is based on a lanthanum silicide (represented by the composition formula LaSix (0<x?2)). The lanthanum boride sintered body is fabricated through a sintering step of sintering a lanthanum boride green compact by press-free sintering in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum in the presence of a silicon-containing material around and/or within the green compact. The lanthanum boride sintered body having this structure exhibits a relative density of not less than 92%, and more preferably not less than 94%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Ti3SiC2 based material that exhibits excellent arc resistance, an electrode, a spark plug, and methods of manufacturing the same. A Ti3SiC2 based material according to the present invention includes Ti3SiC2 as a main phase, the Ti3SiC2 based material having a TiC content of 0.5 mass % or less and an open porosity of 0.5% or less. It may be preferable that 0 to 30 mol % of Si in the main phase Ti3SiC2 be substituted with Al. A spark plug according to the present invention includes an electrode formed using the Ti3SiC2 based material.

Abstract: A lanthanum boride sintered body 10 includes a phase 16 including lanthanum and silicon at grain boundaries 14 between crystal grains 12 of lanthanum boride. In this lanthanum boride sintered body 10, the phase 16 exists in various configurations such as a phase 16a present at a triple point of grain boundary 14, and a phase 16b present along the grain boundary 14. This phase 16 is based on a lanthanum silicide (represented by the composition formula LaSix (0<x?2)). The lanthanum boride sintered body 10 is fabricated through a sintering step of sintering a lanthanum boride green compact by press-free sintering in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum in the presence of a silicon-containing material around and/or within the green compact. The lanthanum boride sintered body 10 having this structure exhibits a relative density of not less than 92%, and more preferably not less than 94%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Ti3SiC2 based material that exhibits excellent arc resistance, an electrode, a spark plug, and methods of manufacturing the same. A Ti3SiC2 based material according to the present invention includes Ti3SiC2 as a main phase, the Ti3SiC2 based material having a TiC content of 0.5 mass % or less and an open porosity of 0.5% or less. It may be preferable that 0 to 30 mol % of Si contained in the main phase Ti3SiC2 be substituted with Al. A spark plug according to the present invention includes an electrode formed using the Ti3SiC2 based material.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor optical device includes a first step of growing a stacked semiconductor layer including a first III-V group compound semiconductor layer for an active layer on a substrate; a second step of forming a silicon oxide film on the stacked semiconductor layer, the silicon oxide film having a predetermined film stress and a predetermined thickness; a third step of forming a strip-shaped groove in the silicon oxide film by etching the silicon oxide film, using a resist pattern formed on the silicon oxide film, until a surface of the stacked semiconductor layer is exposed; and a fourth step of growing a second III-V group compound semiconductor layer in the groove using the silicon oxide film as a selective mask.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor laser diode prevents not only the adhesion of the upper electrode but the heat dissipation of the mesa from degrading. The laser diode includes a substrate, portion of which forms a mesa including an active layer, an insulating layer formed so as to bury the mesa, and an electrode formed on the mesa and the insulating layer. This insulating layer may be selected from SiO2, SiON, SiN, Al2O3 or ZrO2 and formed by the inductive coupling plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) technique.

Abstract: A process for the semiconductor laser diode is disclosed, which prevents the abnormal growth occurred at the second growth for the burying region of the buried hetero structure. The ICP (Induction-Coupled Plasma) CVD apparatus forms a silicon oxide file with a thickness of above 2 ?m as adjusting the bias power PBIAS. Patterning the silicon oxide mask and dry-etching the semiconductor layers, a mesa structure including the active layer may be formed. As leaving the patterned silicon oxide film, the second growth for the burying region buries the mesa structure. The residual stress of the silicon oxide film is ?250 to ?150 MPa at a room temperature, while, it is ?200 to 100 MPa at temperatures from 500 to 700° C.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor optical device includes a first step of growing a stacked semiconductor layer including a first III-V group compound semiconductor layer for an active layer on a substrate; a second step of forming a silicon oxide film on the stacked semiconductor layer, the silicon oxide film having a predetermined film stress and a predetermined thickness; a third step of forming a strip-shaped groove in the silicon oxide film by etching the silicon oxide film, using a resist pattern formed on the silicon oxide film, until a surface of the stacked semiconductor layer is exposed; and a fourth step of growing a second III-V group compound semiconductor layer in the groove using the silicon oxide film as a selective mask.