Abstract: A database creation unit (154) accumulates, in a driving condition database (160), driving condition data wherein feature amounts representing features of driving operation, travelling environment information including travelling spots and road shapes, driver information including attributes of drivers and vehicle type information of vehicles, and whether the drivers have driving experiences of the vehicles are associated with driver identifiers. A driving characteristic estimation unit (155) estimates a driving characteristic of a driver presently driving a vehicle based on the driving condition database (160).

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a porous polyimide film with which it is possible to suppress the occurrence of curling in the polyimide-fine particle composite film obtained by firing the unfired composite film. The method for producing a porous polyimide film of the present invention includes, in the following order: forming an unfired composite film using a varnish that contains a resin including polyamide acid and/or polyimide, fine particles, and a solvent; immersing the unfired composite film in a solvent including water; firing the unfired composite film to obtain a polyimide-fine particle composite film; and removing the fine particles from the polyimide-fine particle composite film.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a porous polyimide film with which it is possible to suppress the occurrence of curling in the polyimide-fine particle composite film obtained by firing the unfired composite film. The method for producing a porous polyimide film of the present invention includes, in the following order: forming an unfired composite film using a varnish that contains a resin including polyamide acid and/or polyimide, fine particles, and a solvent; immersing the unfired composite film in a solvent including water; firing the unfired composite film to obtain a polyimide-fine particle composite film; and removing the fine particles from the polyimide-fine particle composite film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microwave heating device, and in particular, a microwave heating device with a microwave heating element mounted on the surface of a heating dish on which food is placed inside a heating chamber. The microwave heating device according to the present invention includes a heating chamber for placing an object to be heated; a magnetron for generating microwaves; a waveguide for supplying the microwaves generated by the magnetron through the bottom of the heating chamber; a heating dish on which the object to be heated is placed; a microwave heating element positioned on the bottom surface of the heating dish to generate heat by absorbing microwaves; and an access passage for allowing the microwaves supplied by the waveguide to reach above the heating dish from below the heating dish. The object on the heating dish is heated by the heating dish, which is heated by the microwave heating element and by microwaves that reach above the heating dish.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microwave heating device, and in particular, a microwave heating device with a microwave heating element mounted on the surface of a heating dish on which food is placed inside a heating chamber.

Abstract: A rotational antenna has a circular portion having a disc-like shape and a cylindrical portion connected to the central portion of the circular portion, and rotates in a direction perpendicular to the sheet with the cylindrical portion serving as an axis. By driving a motor, the motive power is transmitted via a motor shaft and the cylindrical portion to the rotational antenna, thereby rotating the rotational antenna. A bearing serves the function of a spacer between the cylindrical portion and a waveguide. A spacer is attached on an upper surface of the circular portion. The dimension in the direction of height of a spacer is greater than the distance in the direction of height between a bottom plate and a portion in the vicinity of the central portion of the rotational antenna. Thus, the rotational antenna deflects from its central portion toward its outer edge portion, and is fixed with respect to the up-down direction by spacers and the bearing.

Abstract: A rotational antenna has a circular portion having a disc-like shape and a cylindrical portion connected to the central portion of the circular portion, and rotates in a direction perpendicular to the sheet with the cylindrical portion serving as an axis. By driving a motor, the motive power is transmitted via a motor shaft and the cylindrical portion to the rotational antenna, thereby rotating the rotational antenna. A bearing serves the function of a spacer between the cylindrical portion and a waveguide. A spacer is attached on an upper surface of the circular portion. The dimension in the direction of height of a spacer is greater than the distance in the direction of height between a bottom plate and a portion in the vicinity of the central portion of the rotational antenna. Thus, the rotational antenna deflects from its central portion toward its outer edge portion, and is fixed with respect to the up-down direction by spacers and the bearing.

Abstract: For shortening the time for introducing an inactive gas, such as nitrogen gas, into a load lock chamber of a processing apparatus for substrates, a buffer tank 19 having a capacity larger than that of the load lock chamber 3 is provided in the path of a pipe for introducing the nitrogen gas into the load lock chamber 3 of the processing apparatus. During processing within the processing chamber 2, such as an ashing process and so on, the nitrogen gas is introduced into the load lock chamber 3 from the buffer tank 19 by operating a valve mechanism 21 to increase the pressure within the load lock chamber 3 up to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for etching, ashing, or otherwise processing silicon wafers has a pair of spaced reaction chambers each for processing a silicon wafers in a plasma, a pair of spaced cassette table mechanisms each for supporting a wafer cassette which houses a plurality of wafers therein, and a transfer robot disposed between the pair of spaced reaction chambers and the pair of spaced cassette table mechanisms, for transferring the wafers, one at a time, between the wafer cassette supported by one of the workpiece table mechanisms and one of the reaction chambers. Each of the cassette table mechanisms has a turntable for placing the wafer thereon, the turntable being rotatable to orient the wafer cassette out of physical interference with the robot arm of the transfer robot.