In the current era of AI technology, where systems increasingly rely on big data to process vast amounts of societal information, efficient methods for integrating and utilizing diverse datasets are essential. This article presents a novel approach for transforming the feature space of different datasets through singular value decomposition (SVD) to extract common and hidden features as using the prior domain knowledge. Specifically, we apply this method to two datasets: 1) one related to physical and cognitive frailty in the elderly; and 2) another focusing on identifyingIKIGAI(happiness, self-efficacy, and sense of contribution) in volunteer staff of a civic health promotion activity. Both datasets consist of multiple sub-datasets measured using different modalities, such as facial expressions, sound, activity, and heart rates. By defining feature extraction methods for each subdataset, we compare and integrate the overlapping data. The results demonstrated that our method could effectively preserve common characteristics across different data types, offering a more interpretable solution than traditional dimensionality reduction methods based on linear and nonlinear transformation. This approach has significant implications for data integration in multidisciplinary fields and opens the door for future applications to a wide range of datasets.

This research represents the initial stages of our efforts to establish a digital library run by visually impaired individuals. We use the Action Research (AR) methodology, which involves researchers and community members collaborating to solve real-world problems. Our study focuses on documenting the process of creating a non-profit organization (NPO), building a supportive community, and gathering insights through interviews with key stakeholders. Specifically, the lead author established an NPO registered under Article 37, Paragraph 3 of the Japanese Copyright Act and partnered with the National Diet Library to upload accessible e-books. The NPO expanded its network through local business events, university collaborations, and social entrepreneur communities. Interviews underscored a decline in Braille library volunteers and severe delays in accessibility resources for minority languages like Mongolian. These findings will shape our future efforts to improve accessibility and self-directed learning for visually impaired individuals.

Big data analysis is increasingly being used as a decision-making support tool for science and technology policy and technology management through the understanding of the trends and structure of innovation activities and the prediction of their changes. Since diversity and convergence are generally regarded as opportunities for groundbreaking innovation, analysis of academia-industry convergence, a type of fusion among entities, using big data analysis is expected to provide useful suggestions for policy formation and technology management. Nevertheless, little quantitative analysis has been conducted to date. With the development of academia-industry collaboration in a broad sense, it has become possible to observe a certain number of cases where researchers themselves bridge academia and industry with two faces, one in academia and the other in business. In this study, we focus on academic research conducted through academia-industry collaboration and researchers who conduct academia-industry collaboration themselves ("ambidextrous researchers") and clarify the magnitude and changes of their academic impact by analyzing article citation data. Specifically, using Scopus as a dataset, we extracted papers co-authored by academia-industry and "ambidextrous researchers" using our definition and analyzed their publication and citation numbers comprehensively and over time. The results showed, first, that the average number of citations of the academia-industry co-authored papers is higher than the overall average, indicating that academia-industry collaboration enhances the quality of academic research. On the other hand, it was found that, at least up to now, academia-industry collaboration is not necessarily a suitable environment for producing home-run papers, as we cannot find such papers at the top of the citation count. Second, for papers whose authors include "ambidextrous researchers" who belong to both academic institutions and companies, we found that the number of publications and the academic attention of papers whose authors include "ambidextrous researchers" is increasing over time, especially in the field of AI (artificial intelligence), where we can safely say that the attention is structurally higher. Third, as a system in which "ambidextrous researchers" act as intermediaries for continuous technology transfer to companies has been established, it was confirmed that companies, especially platform companies, have come to play a major role in advanced AI research. This is because research resources such as computational resources and data possessed by platforms are effective in further developing academic research and so are quite attractive for researchers at universities and other institutions, which can be an incentive for them to be "ambidextrous researchers."

We proposed an interactive map applicationOTASCE Mapwhich presents map and route information. It utilizes customizable audio-tactile elements when the user traces the map on the touchscreen or the displayed route with their finger. However despite the unique interaction on the OTASCE Mapthe quantitative interaction situation and the operation requirements under screen-reading conditions remain unclear. Thereforein this studywe aimed to clarify the actual situation of route-tracing interaction on the smartphone-based map application and to derive efficiency improvement factors. At the exhibition for the visually impaired in Japan we evaluated the traceability of the route on the OTASCE Map. The result indicated that most participants could significantly trace the route and reach the destination when they did not perform release-retouch-trace (RRT) interaction. Herein we also discuss the cause of RRT interaction and how to decrease such interactions.

Several audio games have been developed for visually impaired players to enjoy only by using audio information. However, sighted persons find it challenging to play these games because they mainly use visual information. To bridge the gap between them, developing games that appropriately present multisensory modalities: To devise an auditory and tactile presentation method that allows the sighted to manipulate and identify features, enabling them to play without visual information. Therefore, we develop an inclusive game that both sighted and visually impaired people can play. Here, we developed a real-time sensory substitution method using auditory and tactile senses, including a tactile game controller (TactCon). Then, we implemented the method in a 2D side-scrolling action game and evaluated the game by either sighted or visually impaired people at a two-month exhibition: not a controlled experiment. Results show that immediate auditory and tactile presentation can be important for visually impaired and sighted gamers to play action games requiring real-time response. Furthermore, we considered how the presentation of moving objects can be understood in an inclusive action game.

Blind people use screen readers (SRs) to manipulate their personal computers. Due to the various voices and sounds handled by the screen reader, the more application windows open, the heavier the cognitive burden it feels, and the lower its performance becomes. In this paper, we propose a support scheme that enables SR users with blindness to effectively control multiple windows. As a proof-of-concept system, we propose a set of shortcut key buttons that provide direct jumps to the targeted window through a simple action. According to the evaluation results, our shortcut key buttons had positive effects on reducing the subjective workload and the number of keystrokes.

Guidelines devised to ensure that multiple and highly functional in-vehicle information systems (IVISs) are designed to present a distraction-free interface at the same time, need to consider the safety, functionality, and usability of image displays. However, no guidelines exist for quantitatively assessing drivers' cognitive workloads, and this includes usability and memorability. In this paper, we propose a method to measure drivers' visuospatial workload quantitatively. The method is incorporated in various interface tests including driving and human machine interface evaluations. The results indicated that the success rates of visuospatial working memory tasks can be used to rank the relative difficulties of the tasks, and the ranking order of these rates tended to be similar to that of the subjective difficulties.

Though some games for visually impaired persons have been developed, most of games that use only auditory information present challenges for sighted persons. Moreover, unfortunately, it is still difficult for visually impaired persons to play the same game with sighted persons and for sighted and visually impaired persons to share a common subject. Thus, we developed a barrier-free game that both sighted and visually impaired persons can play using their dominant senses including visual, auditory and tactile senses.

Various types of communication robots have emerged for supporting elderly people with impairments or frailties. However, the need of the robots for healthy elderly persons with decreasing physical and cognitive abilities remains unclear. Knowledge about these needs can help determine the guidelines or implications of the introduction of communication robots for healthy seniors. The objective of this study is to clarify the needs and the impressions of various communication robots for seniors with slight physical or cognitive problems. The scores on the system usability scale (SUS) and interview results indicated that, with increasing participant age, mammal-like communication robots were more preferable than other types. In addition, elderly persons with minor physical problems tended not to prefer manually operated robots.

Because of rapid population aging, it is necessary to design and develop senior-friendly or disability-friendly interfaces that can decrease the cognitive workload caused by an interface. At that time, the design implications and evaluation criteria of an interface should be needed for creating senior-friendly and disability-friendly interfaces. One of the elements that relate to memory functions for manipulating interfaces include working memory. However, rough standard of visuospatial memory remains unknown. Particularly, there are little reports about the relations between the age and the volume of visuospatial memory. In this paper, we aim to clarify this relations for proposing interface implications by using a visual pattern span test. For effective measurement of the memory, we implemented a gamified measurement application based on visual pattern span tests. The results indicated that the median numbers of memorable buttons on visuospatial memory were and 7.0 (interquartile range: 5.0-9.0). Also, the number of memorable buttons increases as the age increases until the age ranged 21-25 and then decreases gradually as the age increases after 21-25 years. Our evaluation suggest that it can be effective to measure memory performance of, especially, children by the applications that are designed based on the entertainment concepts including a gamification.

With the arrival of the age of integrated education, there is a need to develop a method to automatically transmit necessary two-dimensional information in real time to students with visual impairments. Therefore, this essay proposes a graphic display method that will allow the visually impaired to quickly and accurately understand two-dimensional information such as charts and graphs shown on a tactile display. A practical device using an off-the-rack tactile display and an inexpensive haptic presentation device was developed and evaluated to determine whether it would be effective in helping the visually impaired to understand two-dimensional information. As a result, it was proven that tactile and haptic guidance methods are significantly more effective than traditional voice guidance and presentation of uneven surfaces, and it is apparently possible to automatically present and share the necessary two-dimensional information.

The role of human sight becomes increasingly important as information technology progresses. Presentations based on multimedia help to explain many kinds of situations. However, this form of communication, so convenient for persons gifted with sight, is inaccessible to the visually impaired. Thus, persons lacking eyesight are eager for a method that can provide them with access to progress in technology. In education, the presentation of lecture materials involves a lecture focused on oral explanation with the use of compensating information through information technology, however, the lecturer is unable to confirm which part of the materials the students are accessing, and conversely it is not easy to direct the students to access the part on which the lecturer is currently focusing. In this paper, we propose terminal operation learning software which provides more effective to easy access many console messages under inclusive education system.

Through the development of information technology in recent years, it is now common for lectures to involve education using PowerPoint materials and similar. Likewise, in education for the visually impaired, the presentation of lecture materials involves a lecture focused on oral explanation with the use of compensating information through information technology; however, the lecturer is unable to confirm which part of the materials the students are accessing, and conversely it is not easy to direct the students to access the part on which the lecturer is currently focusing. Here, in this paper, I present an experimental software through which lecture materials are distributed to students via a TCP/IP network, in which the lecturer can instruct the students which items to focus on and the students can immediately confirm these through screen readers.

Accessibility information can allow disabled people to identify suitable pathways to reach their destinations, but it is difficult to obtain new accessible pathway information rapidly because of limited local information disclosure. Thus, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive system that acquires barrier-free information from various sources and makes that information available in an intuitive form. In this study, we aimed to develop a social platform to obtain and present appropriate information depending on the user's situation, such as the user's disabilities and location, and to share the barrier-free information provided by other users.

The touch screens of recent years are used in variety of purposes, since it can implement a switch to the software that can control easily and cheaply as well as present visual images at the same time. Traditional switch had physical shape and tactile feel, which made it possible to find and operate by touch, but with touch screen type switch, the texture would be uniform all over like the surface of a glass, so in order to operate the switch, one has to gaze at the image. This presents a huge obstacle to visually impaired or aged persons who cannot easily access visual information. On the other hand, the technology to bring about virtual reality with haptic feedback is beginning to be noticed, and touch screens with haptic feedback functions are gradually becoming viable. So in this paper, based on the assumption that in the coming days securing accessibility will be achieved by using haptic perception, human's virtual haptic information differentiation accuracy and memory will be examined, using touch screens with haptic feedback function. The main focus will be on the result of fundamental study carried out with visually impaired persons.

Along with the spread of touchscreen computers, the accessibility of the touchscreen interfaces should be secured for visually impaired people. Some of them had interest and own touchscreen computers, usage condition and needs of the computer was not investigated. Specifically, following situations concerning touchscreen computers remain unknown: what kind of inconvenience they found in their using, what kind of functions they need, why some of them avoid using regardless of their interest, etc. In order to propose and familiarize user-friendly interface for visually impaired people, it is necessary not only to research accessible touchscreen computer but also to investigate current situation regarding touchscreen computers. In this paper, we aimed at demonstrating the needs and usages of touchscreen interfaces such as smartphones and tablet computers in people with visual impairment. These situations are investigated through a questionnaire for Japanese visually impaired people. Part of the results indicated that most of them would like to use touchscreen computer, that most of owners uses by means of screen readers regardless of their visual conditions, and that dynamic and even stable tactile feedback can be effective.

Assistive instruments such as slopes or textured paving blocks are installed in order to help elderly, sensory impaired and/or physically impaired people, who have any inconvenience to move outside. Though these precipitous situations of barrier-free progress affects their migration pathway for their destination, new barrier-free information are difficult to be known quickly because of local information disclosure. It is necessary to develop a comprehensive system which appropriately acquires and arranges scattered barrier-free information, and then presents information intuitively. Our study aims at developing the platform “Barrier-free walk” which can obtain and present information depending on users' situations including users' disorders and places, and can share barrier-free information provided by users. This paper reports concept design, implementation progress of the platform, and the result of needs survey in visually impaired people.

The visually-impaired people have the difficulty on perceive the largeness of a space and objects existed in a space by means of visual information. Particularly auditory-trained visually-impaired people can recognize 3-D spatial information with environmental sounds. However, systematic learning method of auditory training for acquired visually-impaired is not established sufficiently because the self-experience of the visually-impaired people is the main reason of ability acquisition in the actual environment because they do not have enough information about moving in the real environment. In this paper, the authors aim at demonstrating moving situations and moving needs of the visually-impaired, for example, which acoustical factors can be used in some living situation, what kind of environmental situation they think it difficult to perceive silent objects and what kind of aid they need. Results indicated following facts: Totally visually-impaired people tend to get more spatial information from auditory than not-totally visually-impaired people. Regarding available auditory cues, items of rotating head in order to listen carefully to environmental sound, and hitting floors stronger by a white cane or foot for voluming up reflected or reverberated sounds were much selected by the totally visually-impaired participants who can perceive obstacles with auditory information. Result of question about conventional devices indicated that most totally visually-impaired participants selected electrical sounding device informing obstacle distance, while most not-totally visually-impaired participants selected vibrating device informing the distance of walls or doors and tactually-stimulated device informing obstacle distance.

Not only the visually-impaired people but also the sighted people can aurally perceive the existence or the some characteristics of a silent object. However, the phenomenon or mechanism of this ability is as yet unclear. In this paper, acoustical transfer functions (ATFs) from a sound source to the ears were measured in the existence or non-existence conditions of a silent object at several locations, using dummy-head microphones. Then, sound stimuli generated by convolution of ATFs to pink noise were presented binaurally to participants and then the sound differences of the stimuli were discriminated. Next, contribution ratios of some acoustical differences to discrimination result were analyzed by means of regression analysis. The results indicated that spectral ripple caused by the interference between background and reflected sounds mainly contributed to the auditory perception of silent object.