In a software development project, several issues arise because of human factors. However, EVM (Earned Value Management), which is a popular progress management method, evaluates a project from the viewpoint of cost and schedule only, and thus the human factors are not reflected. Therefore, this paper proposes a system named H-EVM (Human resource based Earned Value Management). In this system, HV (Human Value), which is the index that converts human ability to money value, and HEV (Human Earned Value) are introduced into EVM. The system applies ITSS (IT Skill Standard), which defines the overall IT skill dictionaries, and software metrics for measuring HV and HEV. Importing H-EVM into a project enables precise monitoring and control since it helps in understanding the risks related to the progress of the project, quantitatively. On application, this method proved to be an effective management method because it showed warnings related to human factors for avoiding contingencies such as cost overs and schedule delays.

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To examine physiological effects on mental activities modulated by the difference of visual properties, EEGs (electroencephalographies) were measured in 12 healthy subjects. In the experiment, a real candle of flame and three different images of the flame, i. e., a color movie, a black-and-white movie and a stationary image, were presented. In addition, the subjectivity evaluation based on semantic difference method was executed to the same subjects. Significant attenuations of EEG powers in the 8-13Hz (α) and the 16-25Hz (β) frequency bands were observed during subjects were observing a real flame compared with those during the observation of a color movie image. On the other hand, significant attenuation in 4-7Hz (θ) band was observed in the difference of colors presence. Considering the results of the subjectivity evaluation, these attenuations may reflect mental activities for differences of visual properties. The present results suggest that the analysis based on the differences of the spontaneous EEG rhythmic activities is promising to reveal brain mechanisms of subjective brain functions such as the emotion.

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In Japan, 1.4 million patients currently suffer from paralysis due to impairments to blood vessels in the brain. In order to prevent them from being bed-ridden and to enable them to lead an independent daily life, significant of recovering their abilities in keeping the balance while standing and in walking by their own feet has been significant, and many research activities have been focused to evaluate these abilities. However, there have been few that focus on the bodily motion in sitting up on the bed, although every patient must follow this step before going into the standing position. In this research, the sitting up motions were measured by gyro sensors to obtain parameters to construct a system for quantitatively evaluating the posture changes and estimate FIM.

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Dynamic touch is related to the moment of inertia of objects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the perceptual characteristics of the haptic force generator using a gyroscope. The device is capable of varying its apparent moment of inertia, and a haptic interface to virtually express dynamic touch. The perceptual characteristic of wielding motion generated by the device is evaluated using psychophysical, electromyographic and kinematic methods. Furthermore, the perceptual characteristic of wielding motion by an actual rod is examined using the same method. By comparing the perceptual characteristics of using an actual rod, it is found that the wielding perception of the device is affected by an external torque in the direction of palmar and dorsiflexion.

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The purpose of this study is to investigate Web-visitors' viewing behavior by using eye-tracking data while they are evaluating usability of a Web page. Users' eye-scanning strategies were analyzed in terms of user experience, Web-site categories, and function and location of Web-page components. Two Web user groups, eight heavy users and eight light users, were asked to browse and evaluate a total of eighteen Web pages from three Web-site categories, portal, news, and corporation. It was assumed that the participants would exhibit either content-based Web page viewing behavior, characterized by the manner or function of viewing areas, i. e., contents, navigation, and advertisement, or location-based Web page viewing behavior, characterized by the absolute location of viewing areas, i. e., left, middle, and right. The total number of fixations for each area was measured. The results demonstrate that the users adopted a function-based viewing strategy when the site purpose was obvious, otherwise they adopted a location-based viewing strategy.

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Recently, a number of medical incidents and accidents have been reported over the world. Since many are related to medicine, the importance of “Safety in the use of medicine” has attracted a lot of attention. As for multi-chamber infusion bags, accidents have caused deaths by forgetting to open the partition of bags, and new bags with new structures to prevent delivery unless the partitions have been opened have developed. Thus, we preformed the usability assessments experimentally to improve the opening of the sealed partition of infusion bags and to indicate an understandable bag design that shows how to use. By the first experiment for compression method to open the sealed partition, we confirmed that squeezing is a more suitable way than flat-pressing which is more common. In order to determine the suitable design to convince both to open the partitions by squeezing compression instead of flat-pressing and to notice the partition that separates the solution and outlet port, the second experiment was conducted employing medical stuffs as subjects.

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Electrically operated beds have functions to raise bottoms from the supine to sitting position. However, this function causes posture that the body slips down and compression of the abdomen. The purpose of this study was to show the requirements of less the physical burden during sitting posture on electrically operated beds. Especially, we focus on the posture while sitting on beds. We compared kinematic posture data obtained by Vicon Motion Capture System in four conditions of bed setup: with and without the knee elevation, body positions on the beds, toughness of mattress, and structure of beds. As the results, the several requirements were shown. The back bottoms of beds need to support whole backs. The seat pan need to support ischial tuberosity for holding up the torso. The body positions on beds need to near the headboard. The knee-elevated function caused the backward rotation of the pelvis and increased in the abdominal compression.

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Because of a paralysis-related articulation disorder, many cerebral palsy patients cannot convey their own intention to other people. In this case, they utilize a “communication aid” which does utterance artificially, or a “word processor” to make a document. “Communication aid” and “word processor” equip a keyboard, and cerebral palsy patients operate keyboard with a practical use hand. In this study, an evaluation method of keyboard operation ability was developed. This evaluation method consists of seven kinds of typical key operation demanded in documentation. Seventeen cerebral palsy patients became subjects. The results are as follows; (1) In cerebral palsy patients, the functional index of the operation of “the continuous key stroke to change an input position of a letter” showed lower score than that of “key stroke to input a letter or a symbol key”, and “a key stroke to edit document”. And the score of the disabled class 1 showed lower score than that of the class 2. (2) When average movement distance is from 37.3cm to 20.3cm, a linear correlation was shown between average movement distance and a set of movement time. But movement time against unit movement distance was prolonged when average movement distances are 4.6cm and 2.2cm. As a result, it was supposed that movement time tended to get longer per unit movement distance when movement distance shortened in keyboard operation. And such a movement as pushing two keys which distance is close in should be avoided, when keyboard layout was designed based on movement characteristic of upper limbs of cerebral palsy patients.

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