Abstract
The information of shape is classified into microscopic shape-information and macroscopic one. Microscopic shape-information consists of elements of shape based on reductionism, for example the dimensions. Macroscopic shape-information is generated by the combination of the elements of shape and expresses the whole characteristics of shape. By the conventional design support system, it is impossible for designers to control macroscopic shape-information, though it seems to be useful in the curve design which is greatly concerned with the whole characteristics. We suggested importance of macroscopic shape-information in design process and defined curvature entropy as macroscopic shape-information based on information entropy and markov process. The result of statistic analysis, the curvature entropy expressed "complexity" of the shape and was different in the characteristics from microscopic shape-information in the curve profile. By applying curvature entropy to the curve design support system, we suggested that curvature entropy was useful as a design index.
