In this study, physiological indices and subjective evaluations were measured under two different gait conditions, normal walking and nanba walking, with the aim of clarifying the relationship between walking and subjective well-being. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in physiological indices between the two walking conditions. In order to identify factors contributing to subjective evaluation, a predictive model based on multiple regression analysis was constructed to extract gait characteristics specific to individuals with high subjective well-being.

The study evaluates 3D body scanning in facial plastic surgery, showing improved accuracy and patient satisfaction over traditional 2D methods. Key benefits include real-time visualization, enhanced communication, and comprehensive tracking. Limitations involve small sample size, technological constraints, adaptation time, and high initial costs. Future research should address these to optimize 3D scanning adoption and effectiveness in cosmetic surgery.

We conducted an experiment on how stock wording and booking timing on hotel reservation sites influence booking motivation. The results showed that phrases like "Only 3 rooms left" or "Limited availability" increase urgency and boost booking likelihood. Moreover, the earlier the booking, the stronger the motivational effect. In contrast, phrases like "Almost SOLD OUT," which may cause aversion, were suggested to lower booking likelihood.

The relationships among private conformity, public conformity and self-direction were examined in a questionnaire survey (N = 137) and a two-persons conversation experiment (N = 21). All participants were university students. The questionnaire showed that high self-direction was weakly associated with low private conformity and moderately associated with low public conformity. The experiment did not show an association between self-direction and both conformity.

During sleep deprivation, people may also take short naps in vehicle seats, such as the passenger seat, when travelling in a vehicle. Assuming napping in vehicle seats with high postural constraint, the effects of shoes and kneeling branket on napping were analysed by measuring physiological quantities such as EEG and subjective reports and feelings of fatigue. Based on the results that foot warming is effective, similar experiments were conducted on the effects of foot warming and heating, and the effects on sleep onset were examined to obtain basic knowledge on the physiological and psychological effects during napping.

In order to reduce the number of traffic accidents and solve the problem of a shortage of drivers, there are demonstration experiments being carried out in various places for autonomous vehicles. On the other hand, there have been reports of problems such as manual intervention due to on-street parking and passengers feeling uneasy about the driving operation. There is a difference in perception of dangerous driving between the driver and passengers/surrounding drivers, and it is said that reviewing one's own driving is effective for improving driving behaviour. In this study, we will clarify the elements of the driving operation that passengers and surrounding drivers feel uneasy about, and examine the effect of improving driving skills through objective evaluation.

Fully automated driving technology will take some time to mature. In the meantime, drivers are required to monitor automated driving. Therefore, driver monitoring systems that maintain arousal are essential. This study investigates the effects of aroma and music stimuli on maintaining arousal in participants during simulated autonomous driving by analyzing changes in physiological indices and blink waveforms.

With the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to reduce accidents, it has become possible to provide alert information even in situations with a long margin time, such as V2X. However, if the immediate action nature of alert information is stronger than the margin time, it may be annoyance, and acceptability problems may appear. In this study, we focused on visual messages and examined the relationship between the type of message and acceptability and willingness to use the message. In the process, the influence of psychological characteristics such as personality was also analyzed.

Among the various environmental factors in a vehicle, seat parameters affect the driver's seating posture, sense of pressure while driving, and psychological states such as comfort and fatigue. In this study, the effects of different seat parameters on the psychological and physiological states of drivers during long-distance driving were investigated through experiments using a driving simulator.

In this study, we constructed an index to objectively evaluate the relative sense of security in normal driving. From experiments using a simple driving simulator, we clarified the relationship between the driver's subjective sense of security in normal driving and various physiological indices, and examined a model to estimate whether the driver is “safety,” “neither safety,” or “anxious".

Previous studies on predicting drivers’ proneness to violations and accidents emphasize demographic factors as significant predictors but overlook the link between individual risk preferences and driving safety. Our research aims to develop a scale assessing individuals’ risk attitudes, assuming risk preference is crucial for driving safety, particularly in conditionally automated driving (CAD). As an initial step, following Jian et al.’s (1988) questionnaire development methodology, we conducted a sentence elicitation study. Sentences relevant to risk attitude assessment were extracted from pertinent regulations. Three human factors experts reviewed the sentences, added additional ones, and evaluated them. Some of the evaluated sentences were compared pairwise to construct a dissimilarity matrix. A clustering analysis identified key dimensions of risk preference, forming the foundation for developing risk attitude assessment scale. This scale will help identify high-risk drivers, enabling targeted interventions such as tailored training programs and CAD interface modifications.

With the advancement of Level 3 autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, passengers frequently engage in cognitively demanding non-driving-related tasks (NDRTs). However, increased cognitive workload from these tasks may negatively affect takeover performance when drivers are required to resume control. Identifying interface designs that minimize workload is critical for enhancing safety and user experience in AVs. Despite extensive research on stimulus-response compatibility, its effects on workload in an in-vehicle N-back task context remain unexplored. This study investigates how display-control modality influences workload during N-back task performance in an AV setting. A within-subject, on-road experiment was conducted with four interface conditions: visual-manual, visual-speech, auditory-manual, and auditory-speech. NASA-TLX scores revealed significant differences in total workload, physical demand, and frustration across conditions. These findings highlight the need for workload-efficient interface design to support safer automated driving environments.

There have been reports of cases of lower leg separation and back pain during dealing with roll box pallets (RBPs), and it is important to know the appropriate loading weight for RBP as manual effort. In this study, we measured the loading weight of RBPs at actual logistics facilities and examined the maximum acceptable loading weight for RBPs.

Municipalities are introducing autonomous buses to address driver shortages. Chitose City promotes understanding through forums, showing positive effects. This study examines VR-based riding experiences on acceptability.

This study explores deploying efficient YOLO object detection models on the Microsoft HoloLens 2, an advanced augmented reality (AR) device. The HoloLens 2's limited computational power, memory, and energy efficiency present challenges for implementing AI models like YOLO. We focus on optimizing FPS and model performance to ensure seamless AR interactions, addressing these resource constraints while enhancing the user experience.

Reading is a skill that supports human social life, and there is a demand for the development of effective and simple systems to assist readers. Here, we developed a reading assistance system that applies human peripheral vision characteristics and conducted evaluation experiments.The system is expected to be applied to various media such as e-books and paper, and to various languages.

In this study, the correlation between various vibration directions and fingertip sensitivity, along with their impact on emotional perception, was examined under a standardized operating force of 5 N, characteristic of haptic switches. Sensory thresholds were assessed at two frequencies (150 Hz and 280 Hz) across three spatial axes (lateral, fore-and-aft, and vertical), revealing no statistically significant variations in sensitivity attributable to vibration direction. Furthermore, the analysis of emotional perception in relation to vibration direction demonstrated that stimulation at 150 Hz consistently evoked a similar sensory experience along the x-axis and y-axis.

The introduction of motion analysis has become easier using AI technology for image recognition, and it is expected to be widely used in areas such as exercise instruction and rehabilitation. However, interpreting the recognized body coordinate data requires specialist knowledge, and quantitative evaluation is a particular issue. In this presentation, we propose a method for quantifying the characteristics of motion by analyzing the network of body coordination as a whole, based on the estimation of coordination between parts using transfer entropy, and we report on the results of evaluating the form of a baseball player using a prototype system that applies the proposed method.

Meetings are places where decisions are made through the sharing of information and the exchange of ideas. Effective meetings are especially important in business settings because they are expected to draw out the creativity of participants and improve organizational productivity. This study aimed to identify “non-technical skills” for facilitating creative meetings using the Critical Decision Method (CDM). Specifically, we analyzed 20 actual business meetings and conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 meeting participants. As a result, about 50 skills related to creativity in meetings were identified. We intend to test the effectiveness of these skills through an experimental approach and to develop a training method that is relevant to practical use.

This study examines the balance between work surface illuminance and spatial average luminance in the visual environment of older adults. Previous research has shown that younger individuals find an illuminance ratio of 10:1 to be comfortable, while discomfort increases when the ratio exceeds 20:1. To clarify the tendencies among older adults, an experiment was conducted. The results suggest that older adults are more affected by illuminance levels than by contrast ratios. Additionally, compared to younger individuals, their acceptable range of brightness is narrower, making it more difficult for them to adapt to low-illuminance environments.

This study examines how vergence-accommodation conflict affects visual attention in Mixed Reality. In a within-subjects experiment comparing HoloLens 2 with 2D displays, participants showed poorer hit rates and higher miss/false rates in MR, with increased fatigue, eye irritation, and headache. Findings suggest that near-viewing MR negatively impacts visual performance despite growing user tolerance.

We propose a VR system for lower limb training to address declining exercise opportunities and rising care needs. Using mobile motion capture, it provides real-time and summary feedback, helping users analyze movement quality and issues. Gamification elements encourage complex movements and sustain engagement.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of new safety colors designated by the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) with enhanced color vision accessibility. The ratings of perceived hazard and discriminability for the color schemes of safety and contrast colors were compared between the new and old revised standards among congenital red-green deficiency and normal color vision group. The results suggested that the new color scheme of red-white is less effective as a safety color than the old one both aspects of perceived hazard and discriminability.

Even in a comfortable cabin in a vehicle, rising temperatures and sunlight over time can cause sweating and discomfort. It is known that fluid in sweat moves through a blood flow, increasing the heart rate (HR). Therefore, we evaluated the HR and sweat conditions by raising the environment temperature while sitting on a seat and examined whether it could be realized to a service that controls an air conditioning and on-board systems.

Riding a bicycle in the rain requires wearing a raincoat, but the hood can hinder rear visibility. This study examined the reaction time for checking behind while wearing four different raincoat hoods over a helmet. The results showed that hood shape significantly affected reaction time. Notably, hoods designed to move with the head provided reaction times similar to those without a hood.

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality (VR) technology has been widely applied in gait and obstacle crossing training. However, there are differences between males and females in terms of

immersion, emotional responses, and physiological reactions to the VR environment. This gender difference may further influence the movement strategies during obstacle crossing. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand the impact of gender differences on obstacle crossing strategies in VR environment.

Methods: In this study, we constructed a VR environment with dimensions consistent with those of the real world. Seven males and seven females crossed obstacles of different heights (10cm, 20 cm, 30 cm) in the VR environment. The crossing movement was captured using motion capture cameras, and then obstacle crossing characteristics, including toe clearance, foot-obstacle

distance and peak vertical distance, were calculated.

Conclusion: Preliminary analysis suggests that females adopt more conservative obstacle avoidance strategies compared to males.

Kansei engineering quantifies human sensitivity for product design. Advances in VR and 3D technology enhance intuitive measurement of complex evaluations. This study prototypes a Kansei Engineering System using an HMD, reproducing evaluation targets in virtual space with 3D models. By analyzing user evaluation behavior based on HMD data, we verify the system’s effectiveness.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the rate of screen variability in a VR environment on eye fatigue and the feeling of sickness, and to explore methods for reducing VR-induced discomfort. Experiments were conducted using a VR game in a controlled environment. The incidence of screen sickness during character movement and at different resolutions was measured, and physiological indices were recorded. The frequency of VR sickness increased when the rate of screen fluctuation was high or the resolution was low, and was also correlated with changes in the LF/HF ratio. It was shown that visual optimization may contribute to the reduction of VR sickness.

We have developed an editing system for the website layout that enables an intuitive operation by the user. We discuss how the website usability is improved by comparing the websites before and after editing from the user.

To pursue the ventriloquism effect, we propose a subjective evaluation experiment to measure the effects of sound and images on the localization sensation. Previous studies have shown that presentation time has a significant effect on the evaluation of localization sensation. Therefore, we report the results of a comparison of the number of times a moving sound is heard moving at the same coordinates, given a discrete sound image, for each presentation time.

In the future, AI is expected to become a more familiar presence in society, going beyond data management and text generation to collaborate as an independent entity. This study compared the key factors required for AI as a team member with those for humans and identified the key factors with a focus on trust. The results indicated that humans are expected to demonstrate ethical behavior and leadership, while AI is required to be unambiguous and possess specialized knowledge.

This study examines the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) in digital learning by comparing three learning modalities: paper-based, computer-based, and AR-based presentations of artwork. A within-subject experimental design was employed with 10 participants, using a Latin Square Design to counterbalance the order of learning modalities and control for sequence effects. Each participant experienced all three modalities, followed by immediate and delayed recall tests to assess memory retention. The results will provide insights into how AR influences learning outcomes compared to traditional and digital methods. Findings from this study will contribute to the understanding of AR’s impact on memory performance and its potential applications in education.

At our company, we strive to prevent recurrence by repeatedly training all crew members, focusing on past high-risk incidents. In a previous study, it was found that some crew members had completed training with the mistaken belief that they did not have any weaknesses, so a training method was developed to identify and overcome their weaknesses. In this study, we developed a training method that is in line with the actual training situation and confirmed its usefulness.

The effectiveness of VR-based safety training was examined by comparing with lecture-based training. Twenty-four workers at a company were randomly divided into two groups and asked to participate in VR training and lecture-type training. Before and after the training, the subjects were shown videos of on-site work and illustrations of the work area, and asked to write down the hazards that they should pay attention to during the work. As a result, the number of points pointed out significantly increased after the VR training compared to before. The subjects who received the VR training were more likely to point out hazards related to workers’ behavior.

The authors have evaluated muscle fatigue from the working posture during infrastructure construction but have not considered the impact of a hot environment on fatigue. It is generally believed that central fatigue reduces work ability under hyperthermia. In this study, we propose a method to systematically organize the relationship between core body temperature and sustained maximal muscle strength and to reflect this relationship in a muscle fatigue model.

Appropriate labor management is important to ensure the safety of drivers. In response to the diversity of work styles, this study developed a labor data analysis index based on labor data from 56 offices, classified labor types, and examined the relationship between labor type and accident risk. The labor bias of the offices and each driver was identified, and differences in risk and impact indicators were identified.

To automate the risk assessment of low back pain in manual material handling (MMH) tasks, it is necessary to determine the start and end of MMH. This study aimed to develop a method of automatically determining the start and end of MMH. A machine learning method was used to predict the time series of carrying and not carrying a load from motion data measured by IMU-based motion capture. The start times of the time series that are expected to be continuous carrying and not carrying were determined to be the start and end of MMH, respectively. As a result, the average error of the predicted start and end of MMH was approximately 0.4 seconds and 0.6 seconds, respectively.

Excessively bright vehicle lights deteriorate visibility by causing glare, which is the glare felt when strong light is generated, and the glare phenomenon, in which pedestrians cannot be seen due to the overlap between the headlights of oncoming vehicles and their own vehicle.The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between glare and dazzle and pupil change in the nighttime automobile driving environment.

In this study, we focused on seat vibration stimulation that can present information only to the driver. Based on the vibration sensory sensitivity of the back side of the body obtained in previous research, we sought an efficient method of presenting information by applying vibration stimulation to the highly sensitive area using a vibrator built into the seat. First, based on sensory evaluations of various vibration patterns, specifications of vibration stimuli suitable as alarms were assumed. Then, reaction times to the stimuli were measured to verify the effectiveness of the method. We confirmed that the sensitivity and the duty ratio of the vibration stimulus affect the reaction time.

This pilot study reports preliminary results on the evaluation of discrimination thresholds for inclined surfaces using psychophysical methods. Young participants sequentially stepped on pairs of inclined surface stimuli with different tilt angles and indicated which stimulus felt more inclined. The results suggest that there may be no substantial difference between the threshold for forward/backward tilt and that for left/right tilt.

In modern enterprises, repetitive and monotonous work may cause work-related musculoskeletal injuries and diseases (WMSDs), such as cumulative traumatic injuries (CTDs). According to statistics, these injuries account for a high proportion of occupational injuries in various countries, causing significant economic losses. In order to address these problems, many companies have promoted human hazard prevention and control programs. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) is a commonly used assessment tool to understand the musculoskeletal health of workers. This study evaluated the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort in welding workers through NMQ, analyzed the association with basic information, health behaviors and workload, and provided specific improvements to reduce the occupational hazards faced by workers in welding operations, help companies reduce human-related hazards, and achieve employee health and corporate sustainable development.

Workload management of nurses is important for providing safe and high-quality medical care. In our previous study, the authors proposed a model to estimate nurses' workloads in real-time based on information in a hospital ward. In this study, we analyzed the effect on the workload management of the nursing team when the estimated future workload is presented in the ward using this model, using data obtained from an experiment in a simulated ICU environment.

Caregiver back pain is an important problem in the nursing care field, and diaper changing is considered to be particularly stressful on the lower back. In this study, we compared the lumbar load of multiple diaper changing postures and methods using a musculoskeletal simulator based on movement data from an IMU sensor and hand load data from a hand load measuring device. As a result, clear differences in lumbar load were observed depending on the changing method, and suggestions for load reduction methods were obtained.

Unilateral transtibial prostheses for leisure cycling often cause biomechanical asymmetries due to the lack of ankle movement. This study examined whether introducing ankle mobility via a compression spring could reduce these asymmetries. Two male participants with unilateral transtibial amputations—one traumatic (TA; 186 cm, 98 kg, 43 years old, 10 years prosthesis use) and one congenital (CA; 157 cm, 54 kg, 42 years old, lifelong prosthesis use)—cycled on an ergometer (50 W, 60 rpm) using a prototype prosthesis with three compression springs (soft: 4.26 N/mm, medium: 6.17 N/mm, hard: 13.08 N/mm) and a regular prosthesis condition. Hip, knee, and ankle kinematics were evaluated, and pedal power was assessed using instrumented pedals. The TA participant showed improved power symmetry with the hard spring, while the CA participant exhibited exaggerated knee extension without symmetry improvement. In conclusion, ankle mobility may benefit persons with amputations in specific cases.

We developed a gait support system for knee osteoarthritis. Using the developed system, we analyzed a patient’s gait. Results indicated effectiveness and potential clinical use.

We established a method to determine the type and degree of abnormal gait in real time by computer analysis, which physical therapists judge visually. Aiming to determine the type and degree of abnormal gait on the spot without restraining the subject, we developed a system to determine normal or abnormal gait, or the type and degree of abnormal gait, from kinematic measurement data such as joint positions, knee and hip angles during gait, using an AI camera for skeletal line recognition originally developed by our study, which captures images of the subject walking from the side or front.

Lateral ankle sprains often progress to chronic ankle instability (CAI). Dynamic balance assessment is essential for CAI evaluation, like the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT). Advanced tools, including force plates, IMU, and ultrasound imaging, analyze biomechanical and neuromuscular factors. These studies investigate the correlation between center of mass, muscle function, and balance. 27 participants were recruited. IMU sensors on the non-dominant leg recorded kinematic data during the mSEBT, while ultrasound imaging evaluated ankle muscles during single-leg squats. Pearson correlation examined relationships between dynamic balance performance, lower-limb kinematics, and muscle function. Hip flexion range of motion (ROM) and trunk RMS displacement correlated with posteromedial and posterolateral reach (r = 0.71–0.75). Anterior reach correlated with ankle dorsiflexion ROM (r = 0.59). Peroneus brevis activation was correlated with reach scores (r = 0.63–0.68). This study concludes that proximal control, ankle mobility, and peroneus brevis activation are crucial for dynamic balance.

This study investigated the effects of gait awareness (heel ground contact, toe lift, and knee lift) on toe clearance in 10 young women and 11 elderly women. Comparison of four conditions including normal walking showed that toe clearance was higher in both groups in the order of knee lift, heel ground contact, toe lift and normal walking. It is suggested that awareness of heel contact and toe lift may contribute to reducing the risk of falls, and future studies will examine support by shoe shape.

This study aims to identify differences in left-right differences in walking between community-dwelling and facility-dwelling older people, and to speculate on factors contributing to frail walking in older people. A walking experiment was conducted on 11 elderly people living in the community and five elderly people living in institutions, using the Open Cap markerless motion capture system. The time-distance factors and joint angles of each gait were analysed and compared, and differences were found in each group.

The fundamental function of an LLM is to generate textual responses to user queries that effectively support human tasks such as information acquisition, decision-making, and learning. For LLM responses to be useful, they must be accurate and logically sound. Consequently, extensive research has focused on improving these aspects. However, from a human-machine interaction perspective, usability is equally important. Beyond accuracy and logic, responses must be well-formatted and structured to facilitate human information processing. This critical aspect has received relatively little attention, representing a significant research gap. To address this, we proposed a response generation strategy grounded on instructional design theory to enhance the quality and structure of LLM responses. The strategy dynamically generates and updates the system prompt in real time to maintain alignment with instructional goals and users’ needs. Internal pilot testing suggests that this strategy improves the clarity and pedagogical alignment of responses in chatbot-based environments.