1. -Communications Infrastructure Growing in Sophistication and Diversity
The -communications infrastructure in Japan is growing in sophistication and diversity in recent years. In the arena of wired networks, digitalization of NTT's exchange systems was completed in 1997, and subscriber network circuits are being replaced by fiber-optic lines in expanding scale. ISDN service subscription is also increasing with the rising popularity of the Internet. In mobile communication networks, cellular telephone use is growing rapidly, and plans are under way toward increasing data transmission capacity. Broadcast networks have also seen the introduction of digital broadcasting via satellite and CATV. Preparations are also under way to pave the way to digitalization of ground wave broadcasting.
2. Government Action on Development of -Communications Infrastructure
The driving force in development of -communications infrastructure is the private business sector. The principal role of the government in development is to secure a competitive environment. For this reason, it has taken such measures as NTT's restructuring, establishing rules on interconnectivity, and deregulation. At the same time, low-interest loans are being made available for fiber-optic network development, and support given for development of -communications infrastructure in areas where operation is unprofitable. Furthermore, the concept of universal service in telecommunications that had earlier focused only on the telephone will also be reviewed regarding its ideal state in the future.
3. -Communications and the Economy
The steady growth every year in capital investment by the -communications industry is keeping the Japanese economy afloat. In terms of contribution to GDP, -communications investment compares viably with that in the United States. In addition, the multiplier effect it produces is estimated to be larger in impact than conventional public investment. Both on the demand side and supply side, -communications is believed to contribute immensely to greater productivity. With the ongoing changes in the employment structure, etc. in Japan, the effect of this productivity increase is expected to be felt in the future.
Furthermore, the Internet and other -communications media are expected to play a major role in expanding business opportunities for small businesses in regional economies. To realize such opportunities, it may, for example, become necessary to set up a suitable advisory system offering counseling on use of such media.

抄録全体を表示

尿沈渣中にみられる赤血球形態は，出血源の推定や病態把握に有用な情報であり，多くの施設でJCCLS尿沈渣検査法指針提案GP1-P4（以下GP1-P4）に準じた分類が実施されている。近年，全自動尿中有形成分分析装置UF-5000（Sysmex）が複数の施設で利用されており，フローサイトメトリー法により赤血球の大きさやばらつき度合いを解析することで赤血球形態情報（RBC-

.）を提供することが可能である。しかしながら，UF-5000のRBC-.と目視法による赤血球形態の関係性については明らかではない。本研究では，GP1-P4記載の各種赤血球形態（コブ型，ドーナツ型，有棘型，標的型）とRBC-.の関係について比較検討を行い，RBC-.は，GP1-P4に記載される糸球体型と非糸球体型の形態を良好に弁別し，目視法同様に臨床応用が可能であることが示唆された。

抄録全体を表示

Several web sites providing disaster-related information failed repeatedly after the Great East Japan Earthquake, due to flash crowds caused by Twitter users. Twitter, which was intensively used for information sharing in the aftermath of the earthquake, relies on URL shorteners like bit.ly to offset its strict limit on message length. In order to mitigate the flash crowds, we examine the current Web usage and find that URL shorteners constitute a layer of indirection; a significant part of Web traffic is guided by them. This implies that flash crowds can be controlled by URL shorteners. We developed a new URL shortener, named , just after the earthquake; rcdn. redirects users to a replica created on a CoralCDN, if the original site is likely to become overloaded. This surprisingly simple solution worked very well in the emergency. We also conduct a thorough analysis of the request log and present several views that capture user behavior in the emergency from various aspects. Interestingly, the traffic significantly grew up at previously unpopular (i.e., small) sites during the disaster; this traffic shift could lead to the failure of several sites. Finally, we show that rcdn. has great potential in mitigating such failures. We believe that our experience will help the research community tackle future disasters.

抄録全体を表示

This study is a report to the Ministry of Education published in March 1990. It estimates the supply and demand of scientists and engineers engaged in information processing - so-called -engineers for short - by the year 2000 in Japan, and discusses relevant educational issues. Information processing is here taken to include computer science, information systems, computer engineering and hardware engineering. The estimated demand for -engineers by the year 2000 is put at 1.9 or 2 million, out of which 590,000 to 660,000 would be needed in the R&D sector. These figures are arrived at on the basis of real GNP figures and the number of personal computers currently in use. The supply was estimated through a policy-based model which incorporated assessments of the effects of the relevant policies implemented so far, including increasing the number of student places in information-related educational programmes, converting certain occupational categories into information processing, and encouraging women -engineers to resume work after long periods of absence for family reasons. An increase in the number of students in this area will naturally entail a corresponding increase in the demand for pertinent educational staff. Based on the given estimates, scenarios for meeting the demand and supply needs are drawn and policy courses delineated. Numerous suggestions are put forward to promote the education of -engineers.

抄録全体を表示

This paper introduces our developed noise robust speech communication techniques and describes its implementation to a smart -media system, i.e., a small robot. Our designed speech communication system consists of automatic speech detection, recognition, and rejection. By using automatic speech detection and recognition, an observed speech waveform can be recognized without a manual trigger. In addition, using speech rejection, this system only accepts registered speech phrases and rejects any other words. In other words, although an arbitrary input speech waveform can be fed into this system and recognized, the system responds only to the registered speech phrases. The developed noise robust speech processing can reduce various noises in many environments. In addition to the design of noise robust speech recognition, the LSI design of this system has been introduced. By using the design of speech recognition application specific IC (ASIC), we can simultaneously realize low power consumption and real-time processing. This paper describes the LSI architecture of this system and its performances in some field experiments. In terms of current speech recognition accuracy, the system can realize 85-99% under 0-20dB SNR and echo environments.

抄録全体を表示

Rapid population growth and migration to the cities exert pressure on the urban land units as well as its encircling ecosystem land units. Since Japan has relatively less habitable area with mostly population is concentrated in major urban centers, urban and agricultural activities have to be conducted in a very small densely populated districts. In this study we have attempted to study the landuse changes caused due to the emergence of subway network within Sapporo city during the eighties as a part of urbanization process. Present study focusses along the 500 meters buffer zone of subway network within Sapparo city. ARC/ GIS was used for digitization and other data entry operations along the buffer zone. In some cases, some more areas in outer polygons were also considered in order to maintain the continuity along the buffer boundaries like river, marshes. The landuse maps of 1977 and 1993 prepared by Geographical Survey Institute, Japan were used as base thematic layers for analysis. Detailed urban landuses such as residential, commercial areas, industrial areas, Recreational areas etc. and also other ecosystem units such as agricultural/fallow lands, orchards and marshy areas were re-grouped and digitized. Then landuses were integrated to derive landuse changes. Using the /TABLES database integrator within the ARC/ GIS environment, landuse statistics tables were generated for landuses in 1977 and 1993. Based on the change trends, break-up details for landuse conversion to commercial areas in 1993 were analysed and details are tabulated. The major findings are the conversion of agricultural fallow/marshy areas into other urban uses, including the conversion of marshy canal into an expressway.

抄録全体を表示

初年次の学生に対し、学習内容に興味をもってもらうために、言語をつかった簡単なゲームを導入した。このゲームの回答数を“情報感度”と操作的に定義した。この情報感度と、試験結果の関連を分析する。この分析によって、語彙の豊富さと学習成果の関係を考察する。

抄録全体を表示

パーソナルコンピュータで坑井情報管理システムを開発した.坑井データの入力と管理には, 表計算ソフトウエアのMicrosoft Excelを用い, グラフィック出力には地理情報システムPC-ARC/を用いた.MS-Excel上のデータをARC/で利用するため, フォーマット変換プログラムを自作した.開発したシステムでは, 坑井データの管理や坑井位置図・断面図の表示ができるだけでなく, 表示した画面を基にしてグラフィック画面上で等深度面図や地層対比図を編集することができる.本システムは坑井情報管理システムを構築する際の表計算ソフトウエアと画面出力用ソフトウエアの現実的な組み合わせの一例である.本システムを使用すれば, 坑井データを用いた地質学的な堆積盆の解釈が, 従来よりも容易となろう.

抄録全体を表示

本研究の目的は動物の動きの視覚化です。動きの図鑑（カタログ）をゴールとし、その為の試作を行った。まず動きをアニメーションで表現するための方法を検討し４つの手法を試した。そのうち複数のドットの位置の変化で動物の動きを表現する方法を摘要した。動物の動きは上野動物園で行った。それによって制作したコンテンツでは、ひとつの動物の動きを見るモードと複数の動物の動きを重ねて表示するモードが用意されている。インタフェースデザインが今後の課題である。

抄録全体を表示

The purpose of the paper is to elucidate the formation of “trust” in Internet society in the context of the relationship between the real social system and “trust” and between Internet space and “trust”. Although it is based on the dualities of real-world “system trust” and Internet “technological trust” and real-world “human trust” and Internet “personality trust” in this paper, in order for trust in the Internet space not to be limited to a personal issue of name and anonymity before trust for the space system, we intend to discuss trust in the Internet space as “communications trust” (duality of system and personality reliabilities). This study suggests that trust in the Internet space lies in the joint composition of technology (civilization) and society (culture) and clearly exists as complex of security (-tech) and humanity (-arts). Based on the above idea the final purpose of this study is to shows a path towards forming new human trust (internal controls) in the “information security” fabricated from the viewpoint of human mind controls (laws, morality, ethics, and custom) and information engineering. This course signifies the “security arts” (the study of trust) that incorporate information arts and -tech in the Internet space.

抄録全体を表示

The purpose of the paper is to elucidate the formation of “trust” in Internet society in the context of the relationship between the real social system and “trust” and between Internet space and “trust”. Although it is based on the dualities of real-world “system trust” and Internet “technological trust” and real-world “human trust” and Internet “personality trust” in this paper, in order for trust in the Internet space not to be limited to a personal issue of name and anonymity before trust for the space system, we intend to discuss trust in the Internet space as “communications trust” (duality of system and personality reliabilities). This study suggests that trust in the Internet space lies in the joint composition of technology (civilization) and society (culture) and clearly exists as complex of security (-tech) and humanity (-arts). Based on the above idea the final purpose of this study is to shows a path towards forming new human trust (internal controls) in the “information security” fabricated from the viewpoint of human mind controls (laws, morality, ethics, and custom) and information engineering. This course signifies the “security arts” (the study of trust) that incorporate information arts and -tech in the Internet space.

抄録全体を表示