α-Fe_2O_3 (hematite) is famous as a red color pigment and called bengala in Japan. Our materials science studies on beautiful red color of two different kinds of Japanese traditional iron oxide ceramics in Okayama area are explained. Beautiful red color of Fukiya bengala developed as red pigments in the 18^<th> century has been made unclear for long time. We found that the Al substitution was very important in the bengala. Characteristic reddish color pattern, "Hidasuki", on Bizen stoneware, unglazed ceramics, is made from reactions between clay and rice straw. We have experimentally understood the microstructure and formation process of the red color pattern due to dispersion of Fe_2O_3 particles precipitated on Al_2O_3 particle in thin surface glass layer during extremely slow cooling process. "Iron-oxidizing bacteria" produce extracellular, uniquely-shaped microsheaths comprising mainly iron oxides - known as Biogenous iron oxides (BIOX) - ubiquitously in natural hydrosphere at ambient temperature. Although BIOX has been generally recognized as waste, we have studied not only nano-structure, chemical composition and crystal structure but also its properties for as yet unknown potential industrial applications.

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Pressure is experienced throughout the body and regulated in various organ systems such as the vasculature, lungs, eyes, bladder, bone marrow, and brain. Because of the long-lasting assumption that cells are incompressible and do not deform under hydrostatic pressure, the conventional view is that cells cannot detect this physical quantity. The results of numerous in vitro studies, however, suggest that multiple mammalian cell types are sensitive to pure hydrostatic pressure within normal physiological (in kPa) ranges and that responses are mediated by activation of membrane-bound ion channels. To date, however, the exact physical mechanism by which these low level pressures directly activate the ion channels and trigger a cascade of signaling events is still unknown. Continued investigation to improve our understanding of cellular mechanotransduction of hydrostatic pressure is critical for development of treatment approaches for pressure-related pathophysiological conditions in multiple organ systems.

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Since Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease, the altered cognitive symptoms in the very early stage of AD involve mild learning, memory or planning problems. Eventually, AD patients will lose their ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living when in the later severe stage. Currently, no medical tests are available to diagnose AD conclusively pre-mortem. The goal of our research is to confirm the preclinical cognitive markers of AD with neuropsychological approach used for AD early detection.

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From 1990s to now the highest priority of the global community is to attain sustainability. Because we already come up to the Earth's "planetary boundaries" as climate change, abnormal phenomena of the oceans, excessive use of fresh water, and mass extinction of species. On the contrary the universe of lives lasts 3.8 billion years, where three principles have been formulated and maintained. Those are 1) to utilize abundant local substance and to cycle substance within ecosystem, 2) to make closed ecosystem by balancing the population of species, and 3) to build the order by self-organization of different lives. If we can learn from wisdom of lives, human society will come close to sustainability.

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Nuclear piping has various kinds of thermal fatigue failure modes. Main causes of thermal loads are structural responses to fluid temperature changes during plant operation. These phenomena have complex mechanisms and so many patterns, that their problems still occur even though well-known issues. To prevent thermal fatigue due to above thermal loads, the JSME guideline is adopted. Both thermal load and fatigue failure mechanism have been investigated and summarized into the knowledgebase. Based on above knowledge, improved methods for the JSME guideline and Numerical simulation methods for thermal fatigue evaluation were studied. Furthermore, probabilistic failure analysis approach with main influence parameters were investigated to be applied for the plant system safety..

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Various working liquids are pumped up with increasing turbo-pump utilizations in industrial fields. In the case of air/water two phase flow operation for conventional designed turbo-pump, the pumping function disappears even in small void fraction and unstable operation occurs as air-lock phenomenon. On the other hand, for saving energy and materials, small-sized pump has recently been designed under the same specification by compensating higher rotational speed operation. In this case, cavitation problem occurs as deterioration of performance, unstable flow oscillation and erosion. To settle these problems in both cases, it is important to understand flow behavior in the pump and to consider flow mechanism by experimental and computational research works. In the present talk, the flow behaviors in air/water two-phase flow in tested centrifugal impeller and cavitation flow in test inducer, which were experimentally obtained, are shown at first. Then how to find some ideas to improve the performance will be described.

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We introduce experimental approaches to investigate flow environment generating tornadoes. Non-supercell tornado-like vortices can be realized with the shear line of simulated cold outflow and simulated updraft. On the other hand, the combination of rotating updraft called as mesocyclone and cold outflow can cause various supercell tornado-like vortices. We expect that the experimental conditions realizing tornado-like vortices will be helpful to improve the accuracy of tornado watch.

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The main task of product development is to develop a good product at lower cost and to bring it to market in a shorter period. Conventional computer-aided design and computer-aided engineering (CAD/CAE) systems are well established in this regard. However, although upstream design is particularly important in product development [1] to add value and incorporate the required functions, it is difficult to apply conventional shape-based CAD/CAE systems to the upstream design stage due to the lack of design information at that stage. As a solution to this issue, We are proposing the development of a design framework called "1DCAE," which can be applied to the early design stage of product development including the conceptual and functional design phases. 1DCAE is defined as the design concepts, methods, and tools that cover the early design stage. The output of 1DCAE is input as the design requirements to a conventional CAD/CAE system, which transforms the design requirements into an actual product image. The CAD/CAE results are then fed back to 1DCAE to verify the overall functions. The 1DCAE concept is expected to realize design innovation and more innovative products. On the other hand, the product development strongly depends on the ability of engineers. Therefore we need the mechanical engineering education aiming for product development and human resource development to realize the 1DACAE concept.

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When developing new wearable devices for motion assistance of aged or physically handicapped persons, we have to take into consideration functionality, safety, size, mass, usability, cost and adaptability to physique of each user. This article presents some human-motion-assist devices that are under development in the laboratory of the author. A walking assist machine using crutches and a joint rehabilitation/drive device capable of adapting to joint axis fluctuation are shown. Some other related works are also addressed.

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This talk concerns International standardization for threaded fasteners in terms of the quality assurance of threaded fasteners and the reliability of threaded joints. The recent activities in ISO/TC 2 and the related research works are summarized to clarify the inherent characteristics of threaded fasteners, assemblies and joint. The key issues to prevent the accidents induced by the failures of threaded fasteners are advised based on the above characteristics, and the concrete strategies are shown with examples.

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Structural optimization can be classified into sizing, shape, and topology optimizations. Topology optimization is the most flexible method because in addition to changes in shape, topological changes, such as the creation of holes, are allowed, which can provide structures with higher performance than those derived using other methods. In this presentation, the concept of topology optimization is first discussed. Next, several applied results of topology optimization are introduced. Finally, future trends in topology optimization are discussed.

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For the stabilization of insulation performance in resin-molded insulators, strong adhesion between the resin and ceramic is required. In this paper, a new design technique for the control of the interfacial strength over multiple scales in resin-molded structures has been proposed. The adhesive strength of the internal interface in a resin-molded structure was estimated as the interfacial fracture energy by using the molecular dynamics method. The interfacial fracture energy was qualitatively in agreement with the adhesive strength index obtained by shear experiments. Based on the strength evaluations, the interfacial strength could be controlled, and it became clear from the results that the interfacial strength can be improved up to the confidence level. The results also show that design of the interfacial strength over multiple scales can help improve the reliability of electric power equipment.

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"Where future robots should go and should not go?" and "What is an adequate style of collaboration between human and robots?" These are really interesting questions for discussing the future direction of robot. It is important to know that current robot technologies have already exceeded human capability in some particular functions, such as sensing speed and actuation speed, while human are even more sophisticated than robots in global sense. Under these circumstances, we try to provide our personal views for these questions, particularly focusing on manipulation fields, by reviewing our former works and by exploring success examples of robot business.

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Market trend of GaN-based white LEDs and RF HFET is surveyed. Key points for the future white light source for general lighting and high power electron devices are discussed. Advantage of using high-quality GaN substrates grown by Na flux method on the performance of high-current density operation LEDs and also high power electron devices will be shown. Also, merit of using high-density nitrogen radical source on the growth of thick InGaN by plasma-assisted (PA-) molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is presented.

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New Japanese Growth Strategy including the comprehensive strategy for science & technology innovation was decided by Cabinet Council in June. This strategy is composed of three action plans. Policies contributing science & technology innovation are described in an action plan named "Plan for the Revitalization of Japanese Industry" and important R&D themes concerning "Increase the nation's healthy life expectancy", "Realize clean and economical energy demand and supply", "Safe, convenient and economic infrastructures for the next generation", "Build financially viable regional communities that use their local resources to appeal to the world" are shown in an action plan named "Strategic Market Creation Plan". The summary is introduced as follows.

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In this lecture, we describe our developing intelligent-multi-agent-based traffic and environment simulator, MATES. It is suitable to comprehensive and quantitative assessment of transportation policies since it can deal with the detailed interaction of various trip-makers such as private cars, buses, trams and pedestrians. Complex and realistic traffic phenomena are expressed as the sum of such local interactions. We have been appling the simulator to evaluate traffic, environmental and economic impacts of tram railway extension plan in Okayama City since 2004.

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At a city spa in Shibuya, Tokyo, a methane explosion killed three people. Two persons were indicted for negligence causing death. One was the safety manager of the spa, and the other was a designer of the construction company that constructed the spa facilities. Discussion about the accident shows various issues concerning safety and regulatory measures.

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Substantive issues of a criminal case are governed by the Criminal Code, and procedural issues, by the Criminal Procedure Code. When engineers discuss their criminal liability for accidents, they do not usually have sufficient knowledge about the law. This paper provides very basic principles of the criminal law and the criminal procedure.

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Tokyo District Court sentenced to three years imprisonment suspended for five years to the design engineer of equipment, and the administrator of equipment to the not-guilty verdict. This paper discussed their responsibility and predictability of explosion.

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The primary purpose of safety standard is to provide designers with an overall framework and guidance to enable them to produce facilities that are safe for their intended use. In this paper, as for the explosive accident which occurred in 2007, it considers based on the safety standard.

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This paper introduces the logic of the way of thinking to determine or establish the duty of care borne by individuals (natural persons) in an organization, such as a company or an administration in the criminal trial of the fault accident.

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Since the relaxed education has caused many problems like the declining academic aptitude of the children, the ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology is reforming it. The technological education in Junior high school is important because junior high school is the last stage of compulsory education in Japan. However, the school hours of technological education have decreased since 2002. Moreover, applicants for the Faculty of Engineering are decreasing more than the decrease in the birthrate.

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In the area damaged by The Great East Japan Earthquake, residents are aiming at self-sufficiency in regards to energy use by renewable energy. In this background, we focus on the practical Stirling engine that use woody biomass fuels. Further we proposed a unique home co-generation system by the practical Stirling engine. In this report, we introduce the mechanism of the system and the results of the basic performance tests.

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In this report, adhesive strength criteria and testing methods were investigated experimentally and analytically. Both the cylindrical butt joint specimen with various angle of interface edge subjected to the combined tensile with torsional loading and the lap joint specimen were used for the experiments. Temperature and loading rate dependency was also investigated. Principal stress, strain and Mises stress distributions at the adhesive interface of these specimens under the critical load were obtained by the elastic-plastic finite element analysis using MARC. As a result, the Mises stress was found to be the most dominant factor of adhesive strength for a hard adhesion, but the principal stress for a elastic adhesion and the torsion test of the round bar butt joint was the best testing method for various types of adhesive joints.

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Our aim was to produce a thin sheet of shape memory alloy in a small quantity. First, we used the SHS, method (Self Propargating High temperature Synthesis) to make an ingot of about one kilogram of Ti-Ni memory alloy. Next, we trisected the one kilogram ingot and did precision castings of the three 330 gram-pieces. Then, we made a block with a height of 500 mm, width of 500 mm, and thickness of 7 mm. We tried to produce a small lot of hoop, material by hot-rolling and then cold-rolling the block. We used two kinds of blocks to produce the hoop material. The Ti-Ni shape memory alloy ingots, were made with two kinds of two kinds of powders: one powder, which contained at 50.8% Ni and the remainder Ti, was for its super-elastic characteristic: and the other powder, which had at 50% Ni and the remainder Ti, was for its, shape memory characterisitic. The final measurements of the hoop material were a thickness of 0.2 mm and a width of 115mm. We could slit and cut off both edges because both edges of the hoop were corrugated. In the end, we produced a thin sheet of shape memory alloy with a width of 100 mm.

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Ordinal thermal spray process has so many advantages, that is, any kinds of industrial materials can be sprayed by the process, thick coating formation up to mm level with higher deposition rate can be attained, coating can be made easily without chamber, high quality coating with higher adhesion strength and lower porosity can be given by the process currently advanced, and so on. Consequently, it is said that the process has almost matured practically. However, the controllability or reliability of the process has not always been established yet. Current situation on controlling method of thermal spray process is mainly introduced in this review. On the other hand, new coating formation process by using not melted but solid state particles has been growing up rapidly. The process is typically represented by cold spray and aero-sol deposition, and based on the reflection that the materials melting is a kind of necessary evil on the coating formation in an air atmosphere. By summarizing both academic and technological issues on the particle deposition process from ordinal thermal spray to newly developed processes, future prospect in this technology field was given in the paper.

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In 2013, the JSMS approved the formation of a task committee on interfacial strength testing to develop standard for interfacial strength in biomedical coatings test methods. This task committee has cooperated with the research committee on interfacial strength in biomedical coatings, which has been settled in the materials and processing division of JSME since 2008. The standard interfacial strength in biomedical coatings test method was discussed based on the results of round robin tests, which have done by the subcommittee in the research committee on interfacial strength in biomedical coatings, as well as the pile-upped references. The proposed test method can give reliable and reproducible test results, which can also be used for predicting interfacial strength in biomedical coatings of implant with combining crystal structure or microstructure analysis.

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For better understanding of soot formation and oxidation processes in a diesel spray flame, morphology, size and nanostructure of soot particles in a diesel spray flame have been investigated using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Recent invensigations by the authors include morphological variation along spray axis, fuel effects (conventional diesel, bio diesel, Fischer-Tropsch Diesel and aromatic additive effect), nanostucture analysis using High Resolution TEM (HRTEM), qualitative comparison among laser and TEM-based soot sizes, which all reflect and help better understanding of in-flame soot formation and oxidation processes.

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In this study, simultaneous measurements of hydrocarbon fuel and carbon dioxide (CO_2) concentrations around a spark plug in the homogeneous-charge spark-ignition and the direct-injection spark-ignition engine by a spark plug sensor using infrared absorption technique were carried out. The new simultaneous measuring system including four optical fibers in an M14 spark plug was developed. It was possible that the simultaneous measurement of CO_2 and fuel concentrations in the homogeneous-charge spark-ignition combustion with methane-air or propane-air mixture. Behavior of initial flame kernel around the spark plug can be understood using hydrocarbon fuel and CO_2 concentrations around a spark plug.

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In order to estimate spark-ignitability in a fuel-air mixture, turbulent Karlovitz number Ka is used, which is calculated based on the local velocity and equivalence ratio. This estimation is applied some LES or RANS calculation results of a natural-gas jet with impingement on a cavity wall. The local Ka is estimated from flame thickness, laminar burning velocity and characteristics time-scale of turbulence. For appling the LES result, the turbulence time scale is calculated by Smagorinski's model. For appling the RANS result, that is calculated based on k and ε. The result shows that the spark-ignition at the point of Ka<50 cause a stable combustion.

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Fuel spray simulation with LES has been developed by KIVA code to improve the prediction of fuel droplet dispersion, fuel vapor mixing, and temperature distribution of fuel evaporation due to the vortex. LES can reproduce three dimensional vortex structure in the fuel spray so that the spray structure development is described.

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Reduction of CO_2 emissions and energy saving are the urgent issues for many fields of industries at present. Steam is used for energy supply media by considerable rate in the whole industry. Accordingly, we executed measurements of steam flow rate at two working factories for factory energy management aimed for energy saving. Heat loss from steam pipes was measured by two methods at a working factory. One is a method to calculate difference between steam flow rate at boiler exit and that at machinery using steam. Another is a method to measure each drain flow rate from drain-trap. Then boiler total efficiency was calculated. At another working factory, small-size heat pumps were installed to a washing process. Steam was also supplied to the process from a boiler when heat demand became large. The steam flow rate was measured to estimate energy saving effect of the heat pumps.

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The purpose of this paper is to give steam users and users engaged in wet gas flow measurement an overview of metrological traceability and standardization situation of wet steam flow rate measurement. This paper introduces the outline of ISO/TR11583, other guideline and some studies of wet gas flow measurement.

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It is well known that the wetness of steam flow sometimes causes measurement errors of the steam flow meter. However, it is difficult to clarify a particular error quantitatively in actual plants and factories, and thus far, there has been no established method for estimating the error caused by the wetness of steam flow. Therefore, wet steam flow rate measurement experiments were conducted to clarify the measurement error caused by the wetness of steam flow in a plant and a factory. We have conducted 3 types of the steam flow meter, orifice flow meter, vortex flow meter and ultrasonic flow meter. In this paper, we introduce the correlation between the measurement error and the flow condition and correction methods.

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Mention about the environment protection in DuPont as a whole and the possibility of efficiency improvement by Vespel[○!R] products. As environment protection the bio-based fuel and photovoltaic cell are talked. In case of the possibility of efficiency improvement we proposed three points to improve efficiency. (1) Lightweight properties: Of course the plastic material is lighter than the metal material. (2) Self-Lubricating: Vespel[○!R] has self-lubricating. This performance will be able to reduce using oil as the lubricant and protect the possibility of serious damage at mating material. (3) Seal-ring application: In this application Vespel[○!R] SP-21 seal ring which has micro cut reduces oil leakage. It protects energy loss at oil pump.

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