We study a practical two-sided matching problem of allocating children to daycare centers, which has significant social implications. We are cooperating with several municipalities in Japan and our goal is to devise a reliable and trustworthy clearing algorithm to deal with the problem. In this paper, we describe the design of our new algorithm that minimizes the number of unmatched children while ensuring stability. We evaluate our algorithm using real-life data sets, and experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm surpasses the commercial software that currently dominates the market in terms of both the number of matched children and the number of blocking coalitions (measuring stability). Our findings have been reported to local governments, and some are considering adopting our proposed algorithm in the near future, instead of the existing solution. Moreover, our model and algorithm have broader applicability to other important matching markets, such as hospital-doctor matching with couples and school choice with siblings.

This paper presents a new mathematical model for the human behavior called stochastic switched linear dynamical (SS-LD) model. The SS-LD model can be regarded as a natural extension of the conventional hidden Markov model (HMM), where different linear dynamical model is allocated to each discrete state of the HMM to represent continuous dynamics. Then, the parameter identification technique for SS-LD model is developed based on the EM algorithm. Finally, we apply the proposed behavior model to a typical man-machine cooperative system, and the usefulness of the proposed model is verified through some experiments

The cellular local area radio network (CELARN), which is suitable for transmitting data to indoor mobiles, such as forklifts in factories and warehouses, is proposed. CELARN consists of some radio networks and a wired network which integrates the radio networks. The base stations are connected to one another by the wired network in a logical ring. A data-frame makes the round of the base stations to transmit data. Moreover, the data-frame behaves as a token of the common radio control channel to prevent collisions. The transmission delay performance of CELARN in a car manufacturing factory is analyzed for the practical use.>

An expert system tool, ASPROGEN (automatic search program generator), is described. It has a domain model editor, by which tool users can define their problems in an object-oriented way, and a built-in function for automatic generation of a domain-specific inference program. This function uses search-based program specifications and an abstract data type of search. The descriptiveness of this domain model is shown by applying ASPROGEN to a scheduling problem.>

The authors have developed a prototype system for analog LSI layout design which ensures the functionality of circuits. The procedural initial layout program is based on a clustering algorithm and a river routing algorithm and it manipulates mathematically specified layout constraints. Before and after this program the system uses a knowledge base to manipulate complex conditions and thereby avoid circuit malfunction. Using circuit descriptions and knowledge about layout constraints as related to the circuits, a preprocessing program generates specific layout constraints which ensure the functionality of circuits. A postprocessing program eliminates unused space, taking the various constraints into account. The authors have also developed a predictive inference mechanism which selects suitable actions to get better results. In an experiment involving a 71-element block, the authors obtained a layout which follows all constraints and is only 8% larger than the manual layout.>