A measure for evaluating picture quality is presented. In image pick up system including human eye, shot noise is inevitably arised from quantum process of photoelectric conversion. The effect of this signal fluctuation for object pattern detection is defined as detectability of the pattern, using Iijima's image observation theory. It is shown that the measure follows Wever-Fechner's law. Also as a result of theoretical study of relationship between the detectability and blur and viewing distance, the sharpness and spatial frequency response of human vision are shown to be similar to the detectability, except the case of extremely short viewing distance.

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We are developing Dialog-based User Support System. However, we cannot use an image data for user support dialog media without modifying a target software. We overlap the transparent window, collect the information about keyboard input/ mouse event, and display figures on tile application window. With the mechanism the user can point the object in the application window with hand drawing figures. Moreover, we developped a method to determine pointed objects from the user's image data. The prototype system with the above function is developped on X window.

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The purpose of this article was to discuss about the psychological aspects of inter-personal communication with computer mediated communication network in Japan. Discussions were about 1) how a bad image was created on networkers, 2) psychological barriers of communication and 3) psychotherapeutic effects of computer mediated communication.

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The role of emotion in interpersonal communication is great. Particularly, facial emotion the other person shows can play an evaluative function towards the third object. This phenomenon is called "social referencing." It becomes possible for the first time around 12 months in infancy. Concretely, we did an experiment as follows. We showed to 12-month-old infants a stimulus which is ambiguous about whether it could be approachable or not. A mother near the infant expressed a positive or negative facial emotion to it when it looked at her. Then, an infant manipulated the target toy more in the positive expression than in the negative one. Moreover, when we compared a home situation with a laboratory playroom, they refered to their mothers earlier in the laboratory than in the home. These results suggested that 12-month-old infants utilize their mothers' facial expression as information, and that the use depends not only upon the ambiguity of the stimulus valence, but also upon the ambiguity of the field.

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Interpersonal commnunication process consists of many factors(e. g., media, personal attributes, type of interpersonal relationship, situational setting). This communication plays a central part in human social behavior. There are various types of functions(e. g., conveying information, regulating interaction, expressing intimacy, excercising social control, facilitating service or task goals). We must study not only the usages of communication chanell but also their functions. The communicative act is a performance which reflects the relational process of closeness. There is a tendency that the intimacy arouses immediacy in some chanells such as talk and look. This immediacy is decoded as the expression of interpersonal intimacy. However, when once the intimacy level reaches the bonding stage of relationship, the immediacy does not increase beyond that level and begins to decline. The funtions of communication vary in response to the stage of their relationship.

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This paper discusses fundamental structures of Artifact-Mediated Inter-Personal Communication, its dialog model, roles and effects of mediated artifacts, and fundamental issues on AM-IPC and human interface technologies. Under human interface technology problems, there are problems caused by confusion and misuse of cerebellum of man. Fundamental issues on AM-IPC, such as contextual problems, discontinuity of spatial cognition, confusion of time, latency of designer, confusion among internal considerations arid external considerations, and inner interfaces of man, are described.

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