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RECAP: Fireball Illuminates Nights Sky Across Western Japan

A fireball was spotted across western Japan on Tuesday night, August 19, briefly illuminating the sky and surprising residents. Authorities said observation equipment also recorded air vibrations shortly after 11 p.m., when the light was seen.

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Japan: Huge Fireball – Possible Meteorite Lit Up Night Skies 5

A fireball was spotted across western Japan on Tuesday night, August 19, streaming down the night sky and possibly representing a meteorite. Authorities said that observation equipment also recorded air vibrations shortly after 11 PM, when the light was spotted.

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Japan: Huge Fireball – Possible Meteorite Lit Up Night Skies 3

A fireball was spotted across western Japan on Tuesday night, August 19, streaming down the night sky and possibly representing a meteorite. Authorities said that observation equipment also recorded air vibrations shortly after 11 PM, when the light was spotted.

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Japan: Huge Fireball – Possible Meteorite Lit Up Night Skies 4

A fireball was spotted across western Japan on Tuesday night, August 19, streaming down the night sky and possibly representing a meteorite. Authorities said that observation equipment also recorded air vibrations shortly after 11 PM, when the light was spotted.

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Japan: Huge Fireball – Possible Meteorite Lit Up Night Skies 2

A fireball was spotted across western Japan on Tuesday night, August 19, streaming down the night sky and possibly representing a meteorite. Authorities said that observation equipment also recorded air vibrations shortly after 11 PM, when the light was spotted.

E

Japan: Huge Fireball – Possible Meteorite Lit Up Night Skies

A fireball was spotted across Japan on Tuesday night, August 19, streaming down the night sky and possibly representing a meteorite. Authorities said that observation equipment also recorded air vibrations shortly after 11 PM, when the light was spotted.

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China: Rooftop Pool Water Floods Streets in Ruili in Terrifying Quake Aftermath

On March 28, 2025, in Ruili, Yunnan, the video captured an earthquake's vibrations led to water gushing from a rooftop pool, drenching the area. The video showed residents running to escape the sudden deluge, a vivid depiction of the fear that gripped the city at the moment. According to CCTV, the 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which originated in Myanmar, affected 1,705 people in Ruili as of midnight on March 29, 2025. The earthquake in Myanmar not only shook the ground but also left lasting effects on Ruili's residents, with many struggling to recover from the initial shock and water damage caused by the incident.

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JR East begins testing device to generate power using footsteps

TOKYO, Japan - A panel placed at JR Tokyo station displays the volume of electricity generated with the vibrations from people stepping on a device to pass through ticket barriers on Oct. 16. East Japan Railway Co. began testing the device embedded in a floor. Using the ''energy of rush hour,'' JR East plans to supply electricity to operate automatic ticket gates or information displays in the future.

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Mt. Usu evacuees queue for meals

DATE, Japan - Villagers evacuated to a gymnasium in Date in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido queue for their meals March 31. The Meteorological Agency was stepping up efforts to catch any early warning signs of an eruption, installing additional equipment to monitor seismic activity and atmospheric vibrations near the 732-meter volcano.

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Piezo Sonic's PSM60N-ET ultrasonic motor. Motor (front) and driver (back)

Piezo Sonic (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) has released a high-torque ultrasonic motor, the PSM60N. The ultrasonic motor rotates by minute vibrations and frictional force. Since it does not use coils and magnets, it can be used in high magnetic field environments such as magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) systems.The company's ultrasonic motor uses a piezoelectric element to vibrate a ring with a comb-shaped slit. When the rotor (rotating body) is brought into contact with the ring, the vibration of the teeth is transmitted to the rotor, which rotates. The comb tooth structure amplifies the vibration. We chose a material with high friction to increase the torque. The maximum torque is 1.2 Newton meters, which is 5 to 10 times higher than a DC motor of the same size. The motor is also equipped with an optical encoder. (Photo taken on December 4, 2019, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

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Hokuyo Electric's UGM-50LAP range finder

Hokuyo Electric has developed a range sensor that can withstand 50G of shock acceleration and more than 1,000 shocks of 25G. The distance to the target is determined from the reflection time of the laser. The measurement range is 120 meters when the laser scanning angle is 190 degrees, 20 milliseconds when measuring at a pitch of 0.32 degrees, and 80 milliseconds when measuring at a pitch of 0.08 degrees. The outer frame and the internal structure for scanning the laser have been designed to resist shock. The surface of the sensor is also hard coated to prevent scratches. The shock resistance has been increased 2.5 times compared to the conventional product. Heavy machinery is expected to be subjected to severe shocks and vibrations at the sites where they are used, and high reliability has been required of sensors for safety monitoring. We will prepare the production system and set the price for the launch.

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JR East begins testing device to generate power using footsteps

TOKYO, Japan - A panel placed at JR Tokyo station displays the volume of electricity generated with the vibrations from people stepping on a device to pass through ticket barriers on Oct. 16. East Japan Railway Co. began testing the device embedded in a floor. Using the ''energy of rush hour,'' JR East plans to supply electricity to operate automatic ticket gates or information displays in the future. (Kyodo)

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Mt. Usu evacuees queue for meals

DATE, Japan - Villagers evacuated to a gymnasium in Date in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido queue for their meals March 31. The Meteorological Agency was stepping up efforts to catch any early warning signs of an eruption, installing additional equipment to monitor seismic activity and atmospheric vibrations near the 732-meter volcano.

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Virtual pet Furby tops 1 mil. shipments in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Shipments of the electronic pet Furby in Japan surpasses 1 million units since its release on May 29, Tomy Co., the importer of the toy, said Aug. 3. Furby, made by Tiger Electronics Ltd. of the United States, is equipped with a memory chip that enables it to ''learn'' to speak around 200 words and phrases in reaction to sounds and vibrations.

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Virtual pet Furby tops 1 mil. shipments in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Shipments of the electronic pet Furby in Japan surpasses 1 million units since its release on May 29, Tomy Co., the importer of the toy, said Aug. 3. Furby, made by Tiger Electronics Ltd. of the United States, is equipped with a memory chip that enables it to ''learn'' to speak around 200 words and phrases in reaction to sounds and vibrations.