Product concept sentences express effectively the characteristic images of products to communicate with the user's images. In this study, it was found first that users couldn't recognize such images from the existent concept sentences. We noticed that the characteristic image of each product, expressed by concept sentences, changes according to the noun after the adjective, even if the adjective is the same word. Therefore, we have developed an analysis method of their characteristic images from text typed-data such as concept sentences, which is called the ‘Product image analysis method.’ In the procedure of this analysis method, “adjective＋noun” units as image words are collected and arranged. Next, the units are classified, paying attention to the meanings of the nouns in the units. In this way, the classifiers understand the elements of product images expressed by the units. By this procedure, 8 categories with characteristic images of cars have been extracted from their concept sentences as samples. Further, based on these results, we have obtained the findings about the composition technique of concept sentences. Finally, the practical application of the ‘Product image analysis method’ has been confirmed from these obtained results.

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  This study investigated the effect of character size on the legibility of sentences, using reading materials with several font sizes (from 4 to 10.5 point of Microsoft Mincho). Participants evaluated the legibility of the materials (Japanese sentences) with a questionnaire containing 13 items, and the legibility was estimated by applying the Item Response Theory to the questionnaire data. The legibility increased approximately in linear with the font size : Reading materials with font sizes of 4 and 6 were evaluated as less legible, those with font size of 10.5 were evaluated as more legible, and those with a font size of 8 were evaluated as “neutral”. Visual acuity of participants influenced the legibility evaluation, though the effect was small.

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  The effect of the orientation axis of symmetrical dot-patterns on judgments of pattern goodness was investigated. As the independent variable, the orientation axis of symmetrical dot-patterns was manipulated between 0 degrees (vertical orientation), ±45 degrees and ±90 degrees (horizontal orientation). Random dot-patterns were used as the control condition (i. e. asymmetrical dot-patterns) Participants were asked to evaluate the goodness of the pattern using a 7 point-scale. The results indicated that the goodness of the pattern was rated higher at 0 degree than at ±45 degrees, at ±90 degrees, or in the asymmetrical, control condition. Pattern goodness was similar when the axis-orientation of symmetrical dot-patterns was ±45 degrees, ±90 degrees and in the control condition. These results suggest that bilateral symmetry is an important factor in the goodness of patterns.

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  The “Method of Transposition” proposed by Oyama does not affect the target objects and can measure the relative apparent sizes of target objects. Using the method of transposition to compare how comparison stimulus display position affects relative apparent size has not been investigated.  In this paper, the relative apparent sizes of two spheres are measured using CGI as a comparison stimulus displayed on a notebook computer at two different viewing distances (50cm and 100cm). It was found that there is no statistical difference between the relative apparent sizes measured at the two different viewing distances.

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