Although the concept of universal design was introduced into packaging design long before, this approach has become increasingly important in modern society because of changes in demographic composition and social environment, such as falling birth rates and an aging population. To date, the universal packaging design has involved various innovations in terms of graphics and functionality. In the future, the implementation of a universal packaging design will involve the integration of various printers, concurrent use with information devices such as smartphones, and the utilization of brain science and AI during the development stage. These advancements enable the realization and utilization of packaging tailored to individual capabilities. This will help to realize a society in which people can live independently.

The "Jibun Font" project is an industry-academia collaboration aimed at making typefaces more inclusive as social infrastructure. It aims to provide a customization system that allows readers to create an Individuated and optimal reading environment. First, the project developed three types of prototype fonts and conducted an evaluation study. The evaluation results confirmed that (1) the three types of prototype fonts could be more readable for certain groups or individuals; (2) the idea of providing an Individuated and optimal reading environment can be a useful tool, as fonts that are easier to read vary among different groups or individuals; and (3) some correlation may exist between the characteristics related to reading and writing and the visual features of fonts that are easy to read. This paper reports on the current progress of the project, presents its overall framework, and discusses the significance and limitations of typefaces as social infrastructure.

The Experience Japan Pictograms Project developed by the Nippon Design Center conveys the essence of Japan from a design perspective and enhances the entire tourism experience. We have received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback. We continue to explore the innovative applications of pictograms that extend beyond traditional boundaries, such as education, science, and art. We aim to foster a global environment where individuals of all ages, races, and cultures can connect authentically. This article explores innovative possibilities while examining the purpose behind the creation of Experience Japanese Pictograms, their design attributes, and the historical context of pictograms.

This report describes the innovative application of 3D printing technology in developing assistive devices, focusing on self-help devices for individuals with motor dysfunction in the upper limbs. In contrast to the expensive medical equipment fabricated with additive manufacturing, the emerging use of cost-effective 3D printers has become common in the welfare sector. Central to this exploration is the concept of customized self-help devices designed to aid in the daily activities of those with physical disabilities. However, the current adoption rate of 3D printing in occupational therapy is not fast because of key barriers, such as limited knowledge and design expertise among professionals. To address these challenges, the author proposes strategies, including the development of targeted training materials and user-friendly software tools aimed at simplifying the design process for therapists. This report also demonstrates the significant advantages of using 3D printing to create assistive devices, particularly in terms of design engineering. The author demonstrates the improved designs and new functionalities enabled by this technology through practical examples. Consequently, broader implications for assistive technology development can be extracted from the design trials of 3D-printed self-help devices, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of user requirements. The studies presented here suggest that 3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the field, offering unique opportunities for rapid prototyping and customization and highlighting essential criteria for the successful development of assistive technologies.

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) has been broadening the business fields of products and services by research and development (R&D) since its founding in 1876. Until the 1950s, the main business was “Ink on Paper” mainly for the books and magazines. We have been researching and developing new products applying printing technologies to the plastic films, glasses, and metals instead of paper in these decades. Now our business fields are broadened to the fields including electronics and photo imaging services. In recent years, considering and targeting the Carbon Neutrality is essential. We are using environmentally friendly materials with the properties needed for each application by adding the functional materials and layers. In the packaging field, the mono-material and recyclable design is one of our solutions. Also, in the area of semiconductors, we are developing the components that will reduce the power consumption. Such activities using printing technologies are described.

Our research studied the possibility of transforming wastepaper mixed with waste ink cleaner to activated carbon by using a pyrolysis technique under N₂ gas condition. The obtained product was aimed to treat the wastewaters from plate processing and fountain solution in printing houses. The effect of temperature (400°C and 600°C) on activated carbon formation was evaluated. Porous carbon with a large specific surface area was obtained. To prepare for wastewater treatment, it was introduced into the wastewaters with the ratio of 0.25 g/10 mL for 1.5 hour. Later, the filtration was done to separate the removed solid particles and adsorbed contaminants from the wastewater to obtain the treated wastewaters. The result showed that the activated carbon at 600°C was more effective at clarifying the flocculant solutions than using activated carbon at 400°C, due to its higher adsorption capacity. However, an interesting finding was that the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) values of both treated solutions were increased, despite the improved clarity. This can be explained that there were some chemicals in the activated carbon contributed to the overall TDS value of the solutions. Interestingly, COD value of treated wastewater from plate processing was reduced, indicating that the treated wastewater became less polluted or low level of contaminants to be detected by COD test. While the COD value of wastewater from fountain solution after treatment did not change from the original waste solution.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are semiconductors with a wide bandgap of about 3.37 eV and a large exciton binding energy of about 60 eV at room temperature. ZnO NPs possess advantageous properties such as high stability, non-toxicity, resistivity control, transparency, and strong emissions in the visible light region. As a result, ZnO nanostructured materials have been applied in various fields in gas sensors, fluorescent ink, photo-curing of Offset printing inks, the food packaging industry, solar cells, photocatalysis, and light emitting diode (LED) application. In this paper, ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with the hexagonal wurtzite structure were successfully synthesized by the co-precipitation route at room temperature. These ZnO NPs dispersed in thin polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films have been applied in security printing ink and plastic packaging. The result indicates that ZnO NPs enhance the mechanical properties of PVA films. The security printing inks were printed on fabric and various papers and then excited by normal light and UV light excitation, which emitted a yellow color with the UV 365 nm light excitation.

The objectives of research are 1) to find the appropriate surfactant and concentration with sodium hydroxide solution for deinking of printed PVC film and 2) to compare the deinking results of different colors of printing inks produced in Europe and Japan. The PVC film sheets with European black printing ink were cut into small pieces and preliminary tested in different surfactant solutions; 2 types of anionic and 1 type of nonionic at 2% and 5% (w/v), respectively, mixing with 0%, 2%, and 4% (w/v) sodium hydroxide, respectively. The batch of 2-g PVC pieces in 100 ml solution was stirred at 750 rpm and 180°C for 15 minutes, and average optical density of residual ink on PVC pieces was analyzed. The optimal deinking was shown by using DOWFAX^TM 2A1 solution surfactants at 5% (w/v) and sodium hydroxide at 2% (w/v). The PVC film samples with other process colors of European and Japanese inks were then tested for deinking in the appropriate condition, showing that the European inks were easier deinked than did the Japanese inks determined by the less residual ink. Therefore, the appropriate anionic solution surfactant, concentration, and pH could be applied for deinking from printed PVC film to be further recycled.

Humans memory is defined as the ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. Memory is categorized into three types: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Short-term memory plays an important role in our daily life because it allows information to transfer from short-term memory in to long-term memory, where the brain permanently stores it for future recall when necessary. Short-term memory involves the capacity to store a small amount of information, such as text, forms, and colors, in the mind and keep it readily available for a short period time. This type of memory can be triggered by both sound and color. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between a lightness contrast between foreground and background colors and short-term memory. Four subjects participated in short-term memory tests by using random numbers and abstract image tests. The foreground and background colors in these tests varied across five levels of lightness: 91.32, 68.33, 49.87, 34.73, and 13.28. In the experiment, subjects were asked to memorize giving random numbers or abstract images and then to recall them. The results of the study revealed that, in the random number test, the highest short-term memory score was achieved when the lightness level of the numbers was 34.73 on a background with a lightness level of 91.32. The average short-term memory score was found to be 22.25 points (S.D. 12.971). In the abstract image test, the highest score was obtained when the lightness level of the images was 13.28 on a background with a lightness level of 91.32. The average score of short-term memory was found to be 24.25 points (S.D. 10.112). Furthermore, the experimental results indicated that when both the random numbers and abstract images were tested against a bright background, participants exhibited a higher average score in short-term memory compared to the dark background.

This research investigated how the die swell around the tapered nozzle tip during printing affects the line width of dough, by inserting three types of dough with different flow behaviors into a 3D food printer. Consequently, die swell was observed on all three types of dough. It was also discovered that the expansion rate of the dough due to the die swell showed a constant value when the volumetric flow rate at the tip of the syringe was set at a predetermined level or higher. In addition, by controlling the printing velocity of the ejection part of the 3D food printer, the same line width was obtained even when using three types of dough with different flow behaviors. We applied this technology to prepare 3D-printed cookies and evaluated the three-point bending strength. The strength depended on the 3D laminated structure; in particular, the parallel and cross laminate structures were more brittle than the control structure. This result indicated that 3D-printed food is expected to improve not only the control of food texture and taste but also the ease of chewing by arranging single and multiple dough in three dimensions.