Abstract: Apparatus for accessing a body lumen or a body cavity, the apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft formed from a single piece of flexible material, the hollow shaft comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the hollow shaft is configured to receive an endoscope, and further wherein the distal end of the hollow shaft comprises an adjustable portion which is configured to be articulated between (i) a straight configuration in which the adjustable portion is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft, and (ii) an angled configuration in which the adjustable portion is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft, whereby to bend the endoscope disposed within the lumen of the hollow shaft; a sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the sleeve is configured to receive the hollow shaft and the endoscope disposed th

Abstract: Apparatus for performing a minimally-invasive procedure, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein the shaft comprises a flexible portion and an articulating portion, wherein the flexible portion extends distally from the handle assembly and the articulating portion extends distally from the flexible portion, and further wherein the articulating portion is configured to articulate relative to the flexible portion; a handle assembly attached to the proximal end of the shaft; and an end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft; wherein a plurality of articulation cables extends from the handle assembly to the articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, the articulating portion bends relative to the flexible portion of the shaft; wherein the plurality of articulation cables are mounted to the handle assembly such that movin

Abstract: Apparatus for accessing a body lumen or a body cavity, the apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the hollow shaft is configured to receive an endoscope, and further wherein the distal end of the hollow shaft comprises a movable portion which is configured to be moved between (i) a straight configuration in which the movable portion is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft, and (ii) a curved configuration in which the movable portion is curved relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft, whereby to bend the endoscope disposed within the lumen of the hollow shaft; a sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the sleeve is configured to receive the hollow shaft and the endoscope disposed therein; an aft balloon mounted to the sleeve; a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve; and

Abstract: Apparatus for accessing a body lumen or a body cavity, the apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the hollow shaft is configured to receive an endoscope, and further wherein the distal end of the hollow shaft comprises an adjustable portion which is configured to be articulated between (i) a straight configuration in which the adjustable portion is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft, and (ii) an angled configuration in which the adjustable portion is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft, whereby to bend the endoscope disposed within the lumen of the hollow shaft; a sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the sleeve is configured to receive the hollow shaft and the endoscope disposed therein; an aft balloon mounted to the sleeve; a pair of push tubes slid

Abstract: Apparatus for performing lavage and suction at a surgical site, the apparatus comprising: a first sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the first sleeve is configured to receive an endoscope; an irrigation/suction tube mounted to the first sleeve for delivering fluid into, or removing fluid from, the surgical site; a second sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the second sleeve is configured to receive the first sleeve and an endoscope disposed therein, with the distal end of the first sleeve being movable relative to the distal end of the second sleeve and the distal end of the endoscope; an aft balloon mounted to the second sleeve; an inflation/deflation tube mounted to the second sleeve and in fluid communication with the interior of the aft balloon; a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the second sleeve; and a fore balloon mo

Abstract: Apparatus for performing lavage and suction at a surgical site, the apparatus comprising: a first sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end; an irrigation/suction tube mounted to the first sleeve for delivering fluid into, or removing fluid from, the surgical site; a second sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the lumen of the second sleeve is configured to receive the first sleeve and an endoscope in a side-by-side disposition, with the distal end of the first sleeve being movable relative to the distal end of the second sleeve and the distal end of the endoscope; an aft balloon mounted to the second sleeve; an inflation/deflation tube mounted to the second sleeve and in fluid communication with the interior of the aft balloon; a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the second sleeve; and a fore balloon mounted to the pair of push tubes, such that the fore balloon can

Abstract: A pen tablet capable of detecting a position of a stylus and supplying positional coordinates to an external computer is provided. The pen tablet includes a detector that generates hover coordinates as the positional coordinates in a hover state and generates contact coordinates as the positional coordinates in a contact state. The pen table includes a communicator that performs communication with a device driver and a given application executed by the external computer, a storage device, and a controller. The controller determines whether the communication with the device driver is requested of the communicator, operates in a tablet mode, for supplying the hover coordinates and the contact coordinates to the device driver, when the communication is requested, and operates in a paper mode, for discarding at least part of the hover coordinates and recording stroke data generated based on the contact coordinates in the storage device, when the communication is not requested.

Abstract: A pen tablet capable of detecting a position of a stylus and supplying positional coordinates to an external computer is provided. The pen tablet includes a detector that generates hover coordinates as the positional coordinates in a hover state and generates contact coordinates as the positional coordinates in a contact state. The pen table includes a communicator that performs communication with a device driver and a given application executed by the external computer, a storage device, and a controller. The controller determines whether the communication with the device driver is requested of the communicator, operates in a tablet mode, for supplying the hover coordinates and the contact coordinates to the device driver, when the communication is requested, and operates in a paper mode, for discarding at least part of the hover coordinates and recording stroke data generated based on the contact coordinates in the storage device, when the communication is not requested.

Abstract: This pharmaceutical injection device comprises a main body case; a pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion provided inside the main body case; a piston that is provided so as to be movable with respect to a pharmaceutical syringe that is removably attached to the pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion; a drive mechanism for driving the piston; a controller that is electrically connected to the drive mechanism; and an acceleration sensor that is connected to the controller. When a manual mixing mode of the pharmaceutical syringe is selected, the controller changes to the next step (air venting mode) if the inclination angle of the main body case sensed by the acceleration sensor is greater than a specific value.

Abstract: This pharmaceutical injection device comprises a main body case; a pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion provided inside the main body case; a piston that is provided so as to be movable with respect to a pharmaceutical syringe that is removably attached to the pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion; a drive mechanism for driving the piston; a controller that is electrically connected to the drive mechanism; and an acceleration sensor that is connected to the controller. When a manual mixing mode of the pharmaceutical syringe is selected, the controller changes to the next step (air venting mode) if the inclination angle of the main body case sensed by the acceleration sensor is greater than a specific value.

Abstract: A pair of rotation plates 10 are provided on an upper surface and a lower surface of a camera body 30. The rotation plates 10 are rotatable with respect to the camera body 30. During panorama imaging, a user holds the pair of rotation plates 10 with their fingers to hold a camera 9. An actual rotation angle of the camera body 30 with respect to the rotation plate 10 is detected by an encoder provided inside the camera. When the actual rotation angle reaches a target rotation angle, an image capturing process of an element image is automatically executed.

Abstract: A design of a tire can be facilitated. An optimization apparatus 30 inputs known design parameters of the shape, structure, and pattern of a tire, and performances thereof by an experimental data input unit 40 and learns, as a conversion system of a neural network, a correlation between design parameters of the shape, structure, and pattern of the tire, and performances thereof. Ranges which constrain performances of the tire and design parameters of the shape, structure, and pattern of the tire, which are to be optimized, are inputted in an optimization item input unit 42, and the performances of the tire are predicted in an optimization calculation unit 34 from the design parameters of the shape, structure, and pattern of the tire by using the optimization item and models of the calculation unit 32, and an objective function is optimized until the objective function which is the performances of the tire is converged.

Abstract: A pair of rotation plates 10 are provided on an upper surface and a lower surface of a camera body 30. The rotation plates 10 are rotatable with respect to the camera body 30. During panorama imaging, a user holds the pair of rotation plates 10 with their fingers to hold a camera 9. An actual rotation angle of the camera body 30 with respect to the rotation plate 10 is detected by an encoder provided inside the camera. When the actual rotation angle reaches a target rotation angle, an image capturing process of an element image is automatically executed.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass frame, comprises a mold having a rectangular frame-shaped storage recess in which both end portions of a plurality of strip-like glass plates and are stored such that they are overlapped, coil heaters which simultaneously heat and melt the end portions of the plurality of strip-like glass plates and stored in the storage recess of the mold, and a pressing unit which simultaneously presses the end portions of the plurality of strip-like glass plates and molten by the coil heaters such that the resultant has a thickness equal to that of the strip-like glass plates.

Abstract: Wireless communications between a digital camera and a printer dock are established in a simple manner. A processor (10f) of a digital camera (10) detects a printer dock (12) within communication range via a communications circuit (10e) and its ID is acquired. The processor (10f) uses the acquired ID to transmit a sequential power transmit request to the printer dock (12). In response to this request, the printer dock (12) wirelessly transmits power from a communications circuit (12b) and a transmitting coil (12c). When power is received by a receiving coil (10a), it specifies that printer dock (12) is the communication party, and photographed data is wirelessly transmitted using an ID of the specified printer dock (12).

Abstract: In a method for thinning a semiconductor wafer by grinding a back surface of the semiconductor wafer in which semiconductor devices 2 are formed on its surface, the surface of the semiconductor wafer 1 is adhered to a support 4 via an adhesive layer 3, the back surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground while holding the support, and then the thinned semiconductor wafer is released from the support. Preferably, a semiconductor wafer is used as the support, a thermal release double-sided adhesive sheet is used as the adhesive layer, and they are separated by heating after grinding. Thus, there are provided a method for thinning a semiconductor wafer, which enables production of semiconductor wafers having a thickness of about 120 ?m or less without generating breakage such as cracking or chipping during the processing step and so forth as much as possible at a low cost, and a semiconductor wafer thinned further compared with conventional products in spite of a large diameter of 6 inches (150 mm) or more.

Abstract: A endoscope system having an insertion section to be inserted into a body cavity, an introducer for performing treatment in the body cavity, and a capsule endoscope. The capsule endoscope has an observation optical system and is used in combination with the introducer.

Abstract: A rolling mill, a gap-removing apparatus for roll bearing boxes, a rolling method, a modifying method for a rolling mill, and hot finish tandem rolling equipment are provided with roll bearing boxes for rotatably supporting work rolls in a housing, a first pushing device for applying a vertical balancing force or bender force to the work rolls through the roll bearing boxes, and a second pushing device for applying a pushing force in a direction orthogonal to the work roll axis in a horizontal plane to the roll bearing boxes. The first pushing device and the second pushing device are disposed to be offset from each other in the work roll axis direction. In certain arrangements, the second pushing device is disposed between a plurality of the first pushing devices in the work roll axis direction. Gaps at the roll bearing boxes in the rolling mill can be removed without enlarging the equipment in size.

Abstract: In a method for thinning a semiconductor wafer by grinding a back surface of the semiconductor wafer in which semiconductor devices 2 are formed on its surface, the surface of the semiconductor wafer 1 is adhered to a support 4 via an adhesive layer 3, the back surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground while holding the support, and then the thinned semiconductor wafer is released from the support. Preferably, a semiconductor wafer is used as the support, a thermal release double-sided adhesive sheet is used as the adhesive layer, and they are separated by heating after grinding. Thus, there are provided a method for thinning a semiconductor wafer, which enables production of semiconductor wafers having a thickness of about 120 &mgr;m or less without generating breakage such as cracking or chipping during the processing step and so forth as much as possible at a low cost, and a semiconductor wafer thinned further compared with conventional products in spite of a large diameter of 6 inches (150 mm) or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital camera comprising a CCD, an A/D conversion circuit for converting an image signal into a digital image data to perform a compression processing, a RAM for memorizing this compressed image data, a CPU for selecting a compressed image data associated with an image to be displayed out of the compressed image data which is memorized in the RAM, and an LCD for displaying this selected image data after a predetermined processing by the aforementioned CPU, and a communication driver for outputting the compressed image data which is memorized in the RAM to a digital color printer, and also provides a digital color printer comprising a communication driver for receiving the aforementioned compressed image data, an image memory to memorize the compressed image data received, and a CPU for subjecting this compressed data which is memorized to a predetermined processing to convert the compressed data to a data which can be printed, wherein the aforementioned CPU outputs a control