The main aim of this study is to investigate the readability of a horizontally scrolling text LED sign panel placed above the passenger door of a train in Japan and to investigate the validity of non-subjective indices to evaluate its readability. An experiment to study the same was conducted on six subjects. The total width of the LED sign panel was 51.2 cm, and it could display up to eight Japanese characters simultaneously. Each of the characters consisted of 16×16 dots, and the color of the dots when lit was orange. In the experiment, each of the subjects equipped with an eye-mark recorder was asked to read Japanese sentences displayed on the scrolling text LED sign panel aloud and to evaluate subjective scrolling speed and readability of each sentence. These sentences were nonsense but grammatically correct. The experiments were repeated by varying viewing distance, actual scrolling speed, and the number of phrases. Findings are summarized as follows: 1）A difference between 72.1 cm and 254.4 cm in viewing distance had little effects on indices including the subjective readability. A difference of three and five in the number of phrases affected the subjective readability index, and the latter was evaluated to be lower. 2）The subjective speed index increased linearly while the scrolling speed was increased from two characters per second to eight characters per second. In contrast, the subjective readability index decreased significantly at eight characters per second. It was implied that these indices were also affected by the width or viewing angle of each character. 3）The temporal percentage of the gazes directed to the right half of the LED sign panel decreased linearly as the scrolling speed was increased. The percentage tended to be lower when the reading was incorrect.

This study examined the effect of a worn-out sole on gait using the shoes of the shape according to the user’s gait. Eighteen young male subjects classified into two groups（“broad” with a broad worn-out outer lateral portion and “narrow” with a narrow worn-out outer lateral portion）walked 9 m wearing three different pairs of shoes with worn-out soles and one pair of shoes without a worn-out sole. Gait motion and floor reaction force were measured, and the subtalar joint moment, talocrural joint moment and center of foot pressure（COP）were calculated based on three random steps taken while walking. Our results showed that shoes with a 16.4 mm worn-out sole increased the floor reaction force, and COP shifted laterally and moved rapidly toward the front during loading response. The results of this study indicated that shoes worn out extends to the midsole and increases the inclination to rear end portion, increase the planter flexion moment, and accelerate the plantar flexion.