Jun Munemori

Pictograph chat communicator III: a chat system that embodies cross-cultural communication

The Pictograph Chat Communicator III is a modified version of the conventional system, where pictograph selection and the taxonomy of pictographs were taken a closer look. We added new pictographs (subjects, verbs, adjectives, 5W1H, symbols, and alphabets) and deleted unnecessary pictographs. We also changed the taxonomy of pictographs. Experiments were carried out 9 times in international conference halls of America, Vietnam, and Portugal, between people who do not share the same spoken language (or native language). As a result, the level of understanding is 91.1%. We supposed that pictograph communication was enough in the ice-breaking communications.

The effect to quality of creativity with sampling partial data from a large number of idea cards

In this paper we evaluated an application of creativity techniques with sampling partial data from a large number of idea cards, to reduce operation cost of problem definition or decision-making at critical situation as disasters. In our experiments, we picked up 30 of 60 idea cards randomly, and operated KJ method remotely. We found operation time of the KJ method (forming groups, labeling each group name, and allocating each group spatially) with partial data (30 cards) to be shorter than that with full data (60 cards). We also found no significant difference in the quality of creativity between them.

Promoting cultural learning: effects of cultural knowledge on text chats between Japanese and Chinese participants

Cultural learning is increasingly necessary for intercultural communication in this time of advancing globalization. Cultural knowledge of a partner country is required for positive intercultural collaboration. In this study, we consider a learning method using text chat conversations between Japanese and Chinese participants. Our experiments revealed the following results: (1) Much content about deep culture was discussed in the experiment using cultural knowledge, and the effect of cultural knowledge was expected to promote intercultural learning; (2) the effect on the culturally advanced learner (Chinese participants) in the fourth stage of Damens learning path [1] indicates that offering cultural knowledge can be useful for advanced cultural learning.

Application to the Disaster Data of an Idea Generation Consistent Support System

We have developed an image editing application, Quiccamera and an idea generation consistent support system, GUNGEN-SPIRAL II. Quiccamera was created for the idea collection part of GUNGEN-SPIRAL II. Quiccamera can upload data briefly. GUNGEN-SPIRAL II is a Web-based system, which can support shared ideas and the circulation of information for an idea generation method, the KJ method. We applied these two systems to disaster data. From the results of the experiment, we found that we could easily upload ideas using handwriting and a pictograph stamp for photographs with Quiccamera. The evaluation of the pictograph stamp in particular was high. The correspondence of anti-disaster measures created by GUNGEN-SPIRAL II was found to be sufficient.

Remote Kenken: A networked real hopping game based on hopscotch

An exertainment support system called Remote Kenken is proposed in this paper. The game resembles hopscotch. Pressure sensors are used to determine the position of the feet of a player and judge the accuracy of the steps during jumping. Victory or defeat is decided by the accuracy of the step and time required. The support system is networked to a server to allow the game to be played remotely by more than one player. Experiments were performed with players located in different rooms playing the game simultaneously. The test results suggest that the subjects could enjoy the game as an exercise and entertainment. The system also includes video and audio equipment for communication and awareness of the steps.

Development and application of a system for creating and sharing electronic traveler's diary using a photograph

In this article, we propose a support system to create and share a photograph-based travelers diary. People have a demand for sharing travelers diaries with photographs and comments to plan their trips or to enjoy reading the travel reports. Travelers can create travelers diaries by hand-writing and hand-drawing on photographs which they took at a tourist spot using our system. The diary is shared via SNS site. The other users can browse the diary and over-draw some comments or illustrations on it. We performed an experiment in Japan and China to verify availability of our system. As a result, we confirmed that this system promoted additional over-drawing on a travelers diary and exchange of travel information via SNS site.

Development of a distributed pictograph chat system: pictograph chat communicator IV

We have developed a pictograph chat communicator for distant places, named Pictograph Chat Communicator IV. The system has an awareness function, an example sentence indication function, a pictograph quotation function, and a Web image search function. Experiments were carried out 9 times in Japanese and Chinese. As a result, the level of understanding is 88.2%. Though we experimented with the system in distant places, the results did not differ from those in the same room. It was supposed that pictograph communication was sufficient for ice-breaking communication between distant places.

Situation exchange system using nonverbal information for remote communication

In this article, we propose a system to communicate situation information of users and to exchange a message with nonverbal information for remote communication. People want to know a condition and a situation of a communication partner who stays at a remote location, such as a lover, a child and a parent who lives alone. The previous works on a support system for remote communication focused on awareness or synchronicity and the systems require extra devices. Therefore, we adopt a mobile phone as a device to support smooth remote communication and we develop a system exchanging easily users situation information with nonverbal expressions that users can understand the contents intuitively.

Analysis on relationship between smiley and emotional word included in chat text

In this research, we analyze the relationships between smileys and emotional words in chat text aiming to apply these relationships to an embodied character chat system. Smileys add various meanings, especially mental information to plain chat texts to make our text communication successful. We focus on the way to use smileys and emotional words so that we can estimate the chat atmospheres. We performed an experiment to investigate the relationships between smileys and emotional words in chat dialogue.

Research on the relationships between visual entertainment factor and chat communication

In this article, we analyze the effects of visual entertainment factors included in visual cues on chat communication aiming to enliven exchanging chat messages. Visual cues such as smileys, avatars and pictograms are essential to make our communication successful. However, visual cues can be used as only a substitution to express users intentions. Therefore we propose a chat system with characters which change different forms according to chat messages input bye users with visual cues and we investigate the effects on exchanging chat messages.