Workplaces are under reconsideration in ways that making environment with individual differences. However, most of psychological evaluations of workplace environments and equipment systems were carried with rating scale method, and the results were individual. In this study, we developed an evaluation method that can perform psychological analysis from the aspect of behavioral motivations for workplace environment management and visualize the distribution of its individual differences, by applying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This paper reports the results of a survey using proposed method. Workplace environmental factors are evaluated with qualitative and quantitative discussions on characteristics of behavioral orientations.

This study explores differences between VR and on-site sightseeing experiences among Japanese and Chinese subjects, focusing on sightseeing behavior, caption evaluation, and psychological evaluation. By examining how prior knowledge and experience affect differences, the study finds Chinese subjects, less familiar with destinations, behave more similarly in VR and on-site than Japanese. However, their intention to visit the site remains strong after the VR experience. These findings suggest that for foreign visitors like the Chinese, enhancing VR sightseeing applications by incorporating novelty and cultural uniqueness can improve satisfaction and encourage more on-site visits.

Changes in floor vibration characteristics were investigated before and after the installation of dry-construction-method walls, and several examples of significant reduction in floor vibration when a floor slab was subjected to heavy-weight impact were observed. In this study, how the physical phenomena in dry-construction-method walls affect floor slab vibrations were investigated by both actual measurements and analysis, and a method for analytically evaluating the effect was developed. Comparison of the floor vibration characteristics for different floor structures and conditions of the dry-construction-method wall using the evaluation method reveals the possibility of reducing floor vibrations related to heavy-weight floor impact sound.

This study examines the effects of consuming hot and cold drinks on blood pressure variability during exposure to sudden temperature changes in winter. Experiments were conducted in a controlled climate chamber to analyze variations in blood pressure, skin temperature, and core temperature after consuming either warm barley tea or an ice slurry before moving between rooms with different temperatures. The results indicate that consuming warm barley tea before exposure to a cold environment reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure fluctuations, suggesting a potential non-invasive strategy for mitigating heat shock risks in cold environments.

This study aims to develop a system that utilizes waste heat from a home-use solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in a desiccant system to achieve efficient energy use and a healthy indoor environment. First, SOFC operation will be tested in a demonstration house from intermediate to summer periods, gathering data around the hot water storage tank that accumulates waste heat. This data will be used to identify optimal operating conditions that minimize heat loss. Based on these results, experiments in an environmental test chamber will determine the best conditions for maximizing the desiccant’s dehumidification capacity using waste heat.