Abstract: An X-ray inspection apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey articles, an X-ray irradiation unit configured to irradiate the articles conveyed by the conveyance unit with X-rays, an X-ray detection unit configured to detect X-rays transmitted through the articles, an image generation unit configured to generate an X-ray transmission image based on a detection result by the X-ray detection unit, and a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the X-ray transmission image, the total amount of the articles conveyed per predetermined time by the conveyance unit.

Abstract: A moving body assistance system that generates map information indicating a map in which is recorded a travelable region of a moving body, based on travel information concerning a plurality of vehicles; calculates a travel pattern for passing through a point of concern while travelling in the travelable region, based on the map information; and sets the moving body attempting to pass through the point of concern as an assistance target to be assisted with travelling in accordance with the calculated travel pattern.

Abstract: Provided is a system capable of further reducing risk such as a contact between a moving body such as a vehicle and a traffic participant present around the moving body. According to an environment recognition system (1) of the present invention, a database (10) stores each of a plurality of reference symbol strings describing the state of an environmental element constituting each of a plurality of scenes assumed to be around the moving body. A first arithmetic processing element (11) detects a scene around the moving body and generates a symbol string describing the state of the environmental element constituting the detected scene. A second arithmetic processing element (12) evaluates similarity between the symbol string and each of the plurality of reference symbol strings stored in the database (10).

Abstract: Provided is a system capable of further reducing risk such as a contact between a moving body such as a vehicle and a traffic participant present around the moving body. According to an environment recognition system (1) of the present invention, a database (10) stores each of a plurality of reference symbol strings describing the state of an environmental element constituting each of a plurality of scenes assumed to be around the moving body. A first arithmetic processing element (11) detects a scene around the moving body and generates a symbol string describing the state of the environmental element constituting the detected scene. A second arithmetic processing element (12) evaluates similarity between the symbol string and each of the plurality of reference symbol strings stored in the database (10).

Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring device 1 is equipped with a first recognizing unit 11 which recognizes a shape of a road in a traveling direction of a self vehicle C, a second recognizing unit 12 which recognizes a position of an object M existing in a periphery of the self vehicle C, an estimating unit 13 which estimates a moving direction of the object M from the position recognized by the second recognizing unit 12, and a contact avoiding process unit 15 which determines whether or not to perform an avoiding process for avoiding contact between the self vehicle C and the object M, on the basis of a relationship between the shape of the road recognized by the first recognizing unit 11 and the moving direction of the object M estimated by the estimating unit 13.

Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring device 1 is equipped with a first recognizing unit 11 which recognizes a shape of a road in a traveling direction of a self vehicle C, a second recognizing unit 12 which recognizes a position of an object M existing in a periphery of the self vehicle C, an estimating unit 13 which estimates a moving direction of the object M from the position recognized by the second recognizing unit 12, and a contact avoiding process unit 15 which determines whether or not to perform an avoiding process for avoiding contact between the self vehicle C and the object M, on the basis of a relationship between the shape of the road recognized by the first recognizing unit 11 and the moving direction of the object M estimated by the estimating unit 13.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot having at least two legs, the robot falling down from an upright posture and the robot located near a plurality of surrounding objects. A plurality of predicted fall directions of the robot are determined, where each predicted fall direction is associated with a foot placement strategy, such as taking a step, for avoiding the surrounding objects. The degree to which each predicted fall direction avoids the surrounding objects is determined. A best strategy is selected from the various foot placement strategies based on the degree to which the associated fall direction avoids the surrounding objects. The robot is controlled to implement this best strategy.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot that is falling down from an upright posture. Inertia shaping is performed on the robot to avoid an object during the fall. A desired overall toppling angular velocity of the robot is determined. The direction of this velocity is based on the direction from the center of pressure of the robot to the object. A desired composite rigid body inertia of the robot is determined based on the desired overall toppling angular velocity. A desired joint velocity of the robot is determined based on the desired composite rigid body inertia. The desired joint velocity is also determined based on a composite rigid body inertia Jacobian of the robot. An actuator at a joint of the robot is then controlled to implement the desired joint velocity.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot having at least two legs that is falling down from an upright posture. An allowable stepping zone where the robot is able to step while falling is determined. The allowable stepping zone may be determined based on leg Jacobians of the robot and maximum joint velocities of the robot. A stepping location within the allowable stepping zone for avoiding an object is determined. The determined stepping location maximizes an avoidance angle comprising an angle formed by the object to be avoided, a center of pressure of the robot upon stepping to the stepping location, and a reference point of the robot upon stepping to the stepping location. The reference point, which may be a capture point of the robot, indicates the direction of fall of the robot. The robot is controlled to take a step toward the stepping location.

Abstract: A weighing apparatus includes a conveying unit, a weighing unit, a detecting unit, a first storing unit and a presenting unit. The conveying unit is configured to convey an item. The weighing unit is configured to measure a weight of the item conveyed on the conveying unit. The detecting unit is configured to detect an item interval related to a distance between a plurality of items supplied to the conveying unit. The first storing unit is configured to store a plurality of item intervals acquired by the detecting unit during a predetermined period of time. The presenting unit is configured to provide, based on the item intervals stored in the first storing unit, guidance related to a change in an item conveying speed of the conveying unit.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing a user with a virtual environment in which the user can perform guided activities and receive feedback are described. The user is provided with guidance to perform certain movements. The user's movements are captured in an image stream. The image stream is analyzed to estimate the user's movements, which is tracked by a user-specific human model. Biomechanical quantities such as center of pressure and muscle forces are calculated based on the tracked movements. Feedback such as the biomechanical quantities and differences between the guided movements and the captured actual movements are provided to the user.

Abstract: An optical device ensuring projection of light over a wide range as well as reduction in size, and a mobile apparatus mounted with the optical device are provided. The optical device (100) includes a light-projecting unit (110) and a light-receiving unit (120). The light-projecting unit (110) has a projector (114) and a lenticular sheet (112) arranged in layers. First and second cylindrical lens arrays having their generatrices orthogonal to each other are formed on the respective surfaces of the sheet (112). The light-receiving unit (120) has a light-receiver (124). The light-projecting unit (110) and the light-receiving unit (120) are arranged adjacent to each other in an integrated manner so that the light-receiver (124) can sense the light emitted from the projector (114) via the sheet (112) and then reflected from an object.

Abstract: A communication system between vehicles of the present invention is equipped in each of the vehicles with an image taking device for taking an image around the vehicle; a moving body detection unit for detecting a moving body from the image taken by the image taking device; a display unit for displaying the image; an image data generation unit for generating image data output to the display unit of the each vehicle; and a transmitting/receiving device for any of transmitting/receiving data, wherein the image data generation unit generates image data for displaying an existence of a moving body, of which an image is taken by said image taking device of one of the vehicles, and outputs the image data to the display unit of other vehicle.

Abstract: A mobile robot that is fitted with a camera and can be controlled from a remote terminal such as a mobile phone moves about in an event site to detect and track a moving object such as a visitor and entertainer. Because the camera along with the robot itself can change its position freely autonomously and/or according to a command from the mobile terminal, a desired frame layout can be accomplished by moving the position of the robot. Therefore, the operator is not required to execute a complex image trimming process or other adjustment of the obtained picture image so that a desired picture can be obtained quickly and without any difficulty. If the user is allowed access the managing server, the user can download the desired picture images and have them printed out at will. Also, because the selected picture images can be transmitted to the managing server, the robot is prevented from running out of memory for storing the picture images.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot having at least two legs that is falling down from an upright posture. An allowable stepping zone where the robot is able to step while falling is determined. The allowable stepping zone may be determined based on leg Jacobians of the robot and maximum joint velocities of the robot. A stepping location within the allowable stepping zone for avoiding an object is determined. The determined stepping location maximizes an avoidance angle comprising an angle formed by the object to be avoided, a center of pressure of the robot upon stepping to the stepping location, and a reference point of the robot upon stepping to the stepping location. The reference point, which may be a capture point of the robot, indicates the direction of fall of the robot. The robot is controlled to take a step toward the stepping location.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot that is falling down from an upright posture. Inertia shaping is performed on the robot to avoid an object during the fall. A desired overall toppling angular velocity of the robot is determined. The direction of this velocity is based on the direction from the center of pressure of the robot to the object. A desired composite rigid body inertia of the robot is determined based on the desired overall toppling angular velocity. A desired joint velocity of the robot is determined based on the desired composite rigid body inertia. The desired joint velocity is also determined based on a composite rigid body inertia Jacobian of the robot. An actuator at a joint of the robot is then controlled to implement the desired joint velocity.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot having at least two legs, the robot falling down from an upright posture and the robot located near a plurality of surrounding objects. A plurality of predicted fall directions of the robot are determined, where each predicted fall direction is associated with a foot placement strategy, such as taking a step, for avoiding the surrounding objects. The degree to which each predicted fall direction avoids the surrounding objects is determined. A best strategy is selected from the various foot placement strategies based on the degree to which the associated fall direction avoids the surrounding objects. The robot is controlled to implement this best strategy.

Abstract: To automate the work of recognizing a guest, check the appointment, notify a host of the arrival of the guest and conduct the guest to a designated place, a robot having a function to autonomously travel is equipped with camera/microphone for recognizing a guest at least according to image information. The system comprises management database adapted to communicate with the robot and equipped with an information database for identifying the recognized guest, and identifies the guest according to the information obtained from the camera/microphone and management database. The robot recognizes the guest from the image thereof, and the recognized guest is identified and verified by comparing the image of the visitor with the information contained in the database so that the robot can automatically conduct the guest to the designated meeting room according to the information of the appointment stored in the database.

Abstract: In an event site or the like, a visitor may waste time and effort trying to find a spot where an event of interest may be taking place because the visitor is unable to look through the entire site from any particular spot. An information gathering robot roams in such an event site typically along a prescribed route, and notes spots of interest to transmit this information to a data server. The visitor can access the data server to find a spot of interest of his or her choice substantially on a real time basis.

Abstract: An apparatus 1 for controlling a movable robot recognizes the person to be followed up from an image taken by a camera C by an image processing portion 20, controls leg portions R1 of a movable robot A so as to keep a prescribed interval between the movable robot A and the person by a portion 50 for detecting an action, and notify the degree of the distance between the movable robot A and the person to the person by a voice from a voice outputting portion 62.