Abstract: A handheld driving apparatus is provided for mowing or cutting an object. The driving apparatus comprises: a container, an action unit and a controller. The container is configured to extend from a rear side where a user is located toward a front side where the object is located. An action unit is provided on the front side of the container and configured to drive in such a manner that a mechanical action for mowing or cutting the object can be applied to the object. A controller is configured to execute a program so as to: in a driving step, drive the action unit by controlling a drive output of the action unit to a target value, in a monitoring step, monitor a state or a behavior of the drive output with respect to the target value during the control in the driving step, and in an adjusting step, adjust the target value based on the state or the behavior during the monitoring.

Abstract: The apparatus for making a nanopore in a membrane generally has an electrode configured to connect to one of two opposing surfaces of the membrane; a conductive tip configured to contact a location of the other one of the two opposing surfaces of the membrane; and a voltage source electrically connected between the electrode and the conductive tip and operable to generate an electric potential across the membrane, the electric potential locally removing material of the membrane at the location to make the nanopore.

Abstract: The apparatus for making a nanopore in a membrane generally has an electrode configured to connect to one of two opposing surfaces of the membrane; a conductive tip configured to contact a location of the other one of the two opposing surfaces of the membrane; and a voltage source electrically connected between the electrode and the conductive tip and operable to generate an electric potential across the membrane, the electric potential locally removing material of the membrane at the location to make the nanopore.

Abstract: Energy dissipation measurements in Frequency Modulation-Atomic Force Microscopy (FM-AFM) should provide additional information for dynamic force measurements as well as energy dissipation maps for robust material properties imaging as they should not be dependent directly upon the cantilever surface interaction regime. However, unexplained variabilities in experimental data have prevented progress in utilizing such energy dissipation studies. The inventors have demonstrated that the frequency response of the piezoacoustic cantilever excitation system, traditionally assumed flat, can actually lead to surprisingly large apparent damping by the coupling of the frequency shift to the drive-amplitude signal. Accordingly, means for correcting this source of apparent damping are presented allowing dissipation measurements to be reliably obtained and quantitatively compared to theoretical models.

Abstract: A pipe-shaped fixture (100) to be attached to a housing (120) of a work machine includes a fixture body (102) having a front-end projection (110) and a rear-end projection (112) that make front and rear limits of a rubber cushion (104) that encloses the fixture body (102) closely and circumferentially. The front- and rear-end projections (110, 112) are connected to each other by a plurality of longitudinally extending ridges (114) formed at circumferential intervals. The ridges (114), front- and rear-end projections (110, 112) define a plurality of concavities (116) surrounded thereby on the outer circumference of the fixture body (102). The front- and rear-end projections (110, 112) cause longitudinal vibration of an operation rod (130) relative to the housing (120) to act as a compression force on the rubber cushion (104), and thereby suppress longitudinal vibration of the operation rod (130) while maintaining effects of suppressing horizontal and vertical vibrations.

Abstract: A method of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). A first drive signal is generated for causing a periodic motion of a probe tip in a direction normal to a sample surface. The first drive signal has a known amplitude and frequency. A bias signal is generated for applying an electric potential to the probe tip relative to a potential the sample surface. At least one component of the bias signal is oscillatory and correlated with the periodic motion of the probe tip. A response of the probe tip is detected, and analyzed by a processor to infer information about a composition of the sample surface.

Abstract: Energy dissipation measurements in Frequency Modulation-Atomic Force Microscopy (FM-AFM) should provide additional information for dynamic force measurements as well as energy dissipation maps for robust material properties imaging as they should not be dependent directly upon the cantilever surface interaction regime. However, unexplained variabilities in experimental data have prevented progress in utilizing such energy dissipation studies. The inventors have demonstrated that the frequency response of the piezoacoustic cantilever excitation system, traditionally assumed flat, can actually lead to surprisingly large apparent damping by the coupling of the frequency shift to the drive-amplitude signal. Accordingly, means for correcting this source of apparent damping are presented allowing dissipation measurements to be reliably obtained and quantitatively compared to theoretical models.