Abstract: An input key which is assigned a plurality of information items to be inputted, of the present invention, includes a key top which can incline relative to a support plate for supporting the input key; a key top supported portion provided on an opposite surface in the key top to the support plate and arranged to be pushed together with the key top; a key top supporting portion provided on the support plate, and arranged to come into contact with the key top supported portion during a push on the key top and to support the key top supported portion so as to permit the key top to incline in a state of the contact with the key top supported portion; at least one inclination detector provided in a direction assigned one of the information items to be inputted, on an opposite surface in the support plate to the key top or on the opposite surface in the key top to the support plate; push detecting means for detecting a push on the input key; and inclination direction detecting means for detecting an inclination dire

Abstract: There are provided a device and method for enabling entry of handwritten data, such as a signature, without use of an electronic tablet. In step S2-1, a user affixes a signature by means of moving a pen device 30 in midair. In step S2-2, camera means 20 photographs the pen device 30 and outputs the resultant image data. In step S2-3, coordinate computation means 22 determines coordinates of a pen tip of the pen means 30 on a screen on the basis of the image data (motion picture data), thereby determining signature data. In step S2-4, comparison verification means 40 compares and verifies the thus-determined signature data with reference data. If a similarity exists between the signature data and the reference data, there is output an authentication result showing “authentication of verification.” Thus, personal identification can be effected on the basis of the signature data written by the user in midair.

Abstract: An input key which is assigned a plurality of information items to be inputted, of the present invention, includes a key top which can incline relative to a support plate for supporting the input key; a key top supported portion provided on an opposite surface in the key top to the support plate and arranged to be pushed together with the key top; a key top supporting portion provided on the support plate, and arranged to come into contact with the key top supported portion during a push on the key top and to support the key top supported portion so as to permit the key top to incline in a state of the contact with the key top supported portion; at least one inclination detector provided in a direction assigned one of the information items to be inputted, on an opposite surface in the support plate to the key top or on the opposite surface in the key top to the support plate; push detecting means for detecting a push on the input key; and inclination direction detecting means for detecting an inclination dire

Abstract: An input key of the present invention, which is assigned a plurality of information items to be inputted, and which is assigned each of the information items to be inputted, according to a direction of a force exerted on the input key. And the input key includes a push detecting means for detecting a push on tile input key, and a direction detecting means for, when the push detecting means detects a push on the input key, detecting a strain occurring in the input key and thereby detecting a direction of a force exerted on the input key.

Abstract: A speaking period required for a voice recognition processing is detected with a simple and robust approach. A speaking period is detected based on an EMG generated when a speaker speaks. A large amplitude is observed in an EMG as muscular activity is caused when a speaker speaks. By observing this, a speaking period can be detected. The EMG can be measured from the speaker's skin via electrodes provided on a mobile-type terminal. Since a mobile-type terminal is usually pressed to the skin for use, affinity between this use form and the present invention is very high.

Abstract: An object is to implement timely service provision or information provision better suited for users, while decreasing efforts to construct link information or affiliation relation prepared for linkage with many service providers (or information providers), for both the service providers (or information providers) and users.

Abstract: A three-dimensional hologram image display apparatus displays a three-dimensional hologram image by use of computed interference fringe patterns. The three-dimensional hologram image display apparatus includes a light modulation device which has an electro-optical effect in which a refractive index is varied in accordance with an applied electric field intensity; and an electric field controller configured to record computed interference fringe patterns in the light modulation device by varying an electric field intensity applied to the light modulation device in accordance with the computed interference fringe patterns.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to facilitate dealing with noisy speech with varying SNR and save calculation costs by generating a speech model with a single-tree-structure and using the model for speech recognition. Every piece of noise data stored in a noise database is used under every SNR condition to calculate the distance between all noise models with the SNR conditions and the noise-added speech is clustered. Based on the result of the clustering, a single-tree-structure model space into which the noise and SNR are integrated is generated (steps S1 to S5). At a noise extraction step (step S6), inputted noisy speech to be recognized is analyzed to extract a feature parameter string and the likelihoods of HMMs are compared one another to select an optimum model from the tree-structure noisy speech model space (step S7). Linear transformation is applied to the selected noisy speech model space so that the likelihood is maximized (step S8).

Abstract: An input key to which a plurality of information elements to be inputted are assigned, comprises: a key top to be pushed; and detecting means for detecting a push on the key top and for, when detecting the push on the key top, detecting a relative displacement of the key top from a predetermined reference position.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an input apparatus and input key capable of reducing the number of operations on the input key for input of symbols and permitting a user to designate a symbol to be inputted, by a simpler operation. An input key 10a to which a plurality of symbols or marks are assigned, has a key top 30a to be pushed, a sensor part 32 for detecting a push position on a surface of the key top 30 by a finger or the like used to push the key top 30a, a moving direction detector 34 for detecting a change of the push position of the finger or the like detected by the sensor part 32 and for detecting a moving direction of the finger or the like during movement thereof on the surface of the key top 30, and a switch 40a to change a state with a push on the key top 30, and has a converter 50 for converting a state of the switch 40a and the moving direction detected by the moving direction detector 34, into symbol information.

Abstract: A display apparatus comprises a display, a transparent conductive film having a plurality of stimulation electrodes, an insensitive electrode electrically isolated from the stimulation electrodes and maintained at a constant potential, and a voltage applying device for establishing a potential difference between each stimulant electrode and the insensitive electrode. When the transparent conductive film is given a touch, the voltage applying device causes a state in which the potential of the stimulation electrodes is higher than that of the insensitive electrode, plural times intermittently or once in a predetermined period immediately after the touch, and varies the potential of the stimulation electrodes with time so as to intermittently cause a state in which the potential of the insensitive electrode is higher than that of the stimulation electrodes, in a predetermined pulse width and at a predetermined frequency during a continuing period of the touch thereafter.

Abstract: A guide apparatus 50 according to the present invention is provided with a service information DB 30d storing service information containing a service providing place and attribute information of a target user; a recognizing device 30b for acquiring an ID from image data transmitted from a cell phone 14; a retrieving device 30c for retrieving service information from the service information DB 30d on the basis of the acquired ID and for retrieving such service information that attribute information of the user of cell phone 14 coincides with attribute information of a target user, out of service information provided at service providing places near the service providing place; and a route retrieving device 20c for retrieving a route between the information about the service providing place retrieved and the cell phone 14; and transmits the route information and service information as guide information to the cell phone 14.

Abstract: This voice detection device is composed of a myoelectric signal acquisition part for acquiring, from a plurality of regions, myoelectric signals generated at the time of a vocalization operation, a parameter calculation part for calculating, as parameters, the fluctuations of the acquired myoelectric signals relative to a predetermined value in every channel corresponding to one of the plurality of regions, a vowel vocalization recognition part for specifying the vowel vocalization operation timing at the time of the vocalization operation, based on the fluctuations of the calculated parameters, and a vowel specification part for specifying a vowel corresponding to the vocalization operation, based on the fluctuation condition of the parameters before and after the specified vocalization operation timing in every channel.

Abstract: Data and/or services associated with a given object are easily searched by using a search system having a global unique object identifier, a metadata store, an input for entering the global unique identifier, a metadata reader for reading a set of metadata including the input global unique identifier from the metadata store, and a metadata search engine for searching for specific metadata by searching for a specific description sentence included in each metadata of the read set of metadata.

Abstract: An information management apparatus 50 according to the present invention comprises: a database 30d for storing information relevant to a printer 40 therein; output request reception means 20a for receiving an output request transmitted from a portable terminal 14; inquiry signal transmission means 20a for transmitting an inquiry signal on the printer 40 being an output destination to the portable terminal 14; communication means for receiving image data transmitted from the portable terminal 14; recognition means 30b for recognizing the identification information of the printer 40 by analyzing the image data transmitted in response to the inquiry signal; retrieval means 30c for retrieving the information relevant to the printer 40 from the data base 30d on the basis of the acquired recognition information; and printing means 20c for outputting the information to the printer 40 on the basis of the information relevant to the printer 40 retrieved by the retrieval means 30c.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable optimal clustering for many types of noise data and to improve the accuracy of estimation of a speech model sequence of input speech. Noise is added to speech in accordance with noise-to-signal ratio conditions to generate noise-added speech (step S1), the mean value of speech cepstral is subtracted from the generated, noise-added speech (step S2), a Gaussian distribution model of each piece of noise-added speech is created (step S3), the likelihoods of the pieces of noise-added speech are calculated to generate a likelihood matrix (step S4) to obtain a clustering result. An optimum model is selected (step S7) and linear transformation is performed to provide a maximized likelihood (step S8). Because noise-added speech is consistently used both in clustering and model learning, clustering for many types of noise data and an accurate estimation of a speech model sequence can be achieved.

Abstract: An object is to reduce the burden of processing on both a service server and a service utilizing terminal and improve operability for the both. There is provided a storage part 11 for integrally managing service provision information of various service types about an identical commodity, whereby user 50 can receive provision of a desired service by simply outputting a service provision request containing at least a commodity ID to system 1, which reduces the burden on the user who was required before to individually request the service provision from service providers 60 different depending upon the service types. The load of registration and the load of management of service provision information are also lighter than in conventional cases where the service provision information about one commodity was separately registered.

Abstract: A robot remote manipulation system is provided, including a bipedal walking robot and a remote manipulation device for remotely manipulating the bipedal walking robot. The robot is connected to the remote manipulation device via a communication network and controlled by controlling data from the remote manipulation device. In the system, the remote manipulation device comprises a pair of bilateral mechanical rotating elements providing a quantity of motion for each bilateral leg of the bipedal walking robot; and a controlling data transmitter for transmitting controlling data corresponding to the quantities of motion to the bipedal walking robot. The bipedal walking robot comprises a controlling data receiver for receiving the controlling data transmitted from the remote manipulation device; and a leg motion controller for processing the received controlling data and causing the bilateral legs to move forward or backward.

Abstract: An object is to provide an authentication apparatus with improved effect of preventing unauthorized use, which is applied to personal equipment carrying out a predetermined function. This authentication apparatus includes a functional part carrying out a predetermined function to be used by a user, an electromyogram acquiring part for measuring a change of an electromyogram caused by a motion of a muscle of the user, and a state transition part for implementing a transition into a state in which the user can use the predetermined function of the functional part, according to authentication of the user based on the result of the measurement.

Abstract: A system is provided for printing data with an output device installed at a remote location such as an office where a user occasionally visits. The system comprises an information ticket database for storing one or more information tickets that can be retrieved using an identifier of an object as a search key. The system also includes a service portal that searches the information ticket database to provide service information to a user in response to the identifier transmitted from a user's mobile device through the Internet. The database stores, for each of output devices registered in the system, an access-information ticket containing information for accessing the output device. The service portal searches the database to retrieve the ticket of the output device identified by the identifier transmitted from the user's mobile device and outputs the data specified by the mobile device onto the output device according to the information obtained from the ticket.