Michiko Ohkura

Emotional Healthcare System: Emotion Detection by Facial Expressions using Japanese Database

Good emotional health is one important point to improve quality of life. On the other hand, bad emotional health can lead to social or mental health problems. To cope with the bad emotional health caused by negative emotions in daily life, we design a healthcare system that focuses on emotional aspects and provides services to improve user emotions. To improve them, we need to recognize their current emotional states. Therefore, our system integrates emotion detection to suggest appropriate services and is designed as a web-based system. While users use the system, facial expressions and speech are detected and analyzed to determine their emotions. When negative emotions are detected, our system suggests that users take a break and provides appropriate services (including relaxation, amusement and excitement services) with augmented reality and Kinect to improve their emotional states. This paper focuses on feature extraction and the classification of emotion detection by facial expressions.

Systematic study for “kawaii” products (the second report) -commpmrison of “kawaii” colors and shapes -

In the 21st century, the Kansei values of industrial products are considered very important. In this study, we focused our attention on kawaii as a Kansei value for future industrial products, and analyzed kawaii attributes systematically to construct kawaii products. After performing a simple experiment using magnets, we performed another experiment with kawaii colors and shapes in two-dimensional plane and three-dimensional virtual space.

Web-based 3D medical image visualization framework for biomedical engineering education

Medical imaging is one of the major fields in the multi‐disciplinary curriculum of biomedical engineering (BME). Biomedical engineers from different backgrounds need to understand biology in order to be able to develop effective equipment to improve healthcare diagnosis through medical images. Visualization tools are important in the learning process to improve biomedical engineers understanding of medical imagery. In this work, we design a web‐based 3D medical image visualization framework that can be used to improve medical image understanding in biology and anatomy. Our proposed framework provides not only 3D visualization, but also 3D reconstruction for medical images. This paper describes the design framework and the technology integration, as well as the implementation details. The developed system has been used as an educational tool prototype in a BME department. In order to evaluate the tools usability, we tested it with BME students as well as doctors. We compared a conventional 2D visualization application and our proposed method with regard to system efficiency and user satisfaction. The 3D system generally demonstrated better performance and a higher level of satisfaction. The students were able to use our 3D tool to study 2D images effectively without prior background knowledge in anatomy.

Analysis on descriptions of precautionary statements in package inserts of medicines

Background To prevent medical accidents, users must be informed of the cautions written in medical package inserts. To realize countermeasures by utilizing information systems, we must also implement a drug information database. However, this is not easy to develop, since the descriptions in package inserts are too complex and their information poorly structured. It is necessary to analyze package insert information and propose a data structure. Methods We analyzed the descriptions of ‘precautions for application’ in package inserts via text mining methods. In order to summarize statements, we applied dependency analysis to statements and visualized their relations between predicate words and other words. Furthermore, we extracted words representing timing to execute the order. Results We found that there are four types of statements: direct orders such as “ ” (use), causative orders such as “ ” (make someone use), direct interdictions such as “ ” (do not use), and causative interdictions such as “ ” (do not make user use). As for words representing timing, we extracted six groups: ”at the time of delivery,” “at the time of preparation,” “in use,” “after use,” and “at the time of storage.” From these results, we obtained points of consideration concerning the subjects of orders in the statements and timing of their execution. Conclusion From the obtained knowledge, we can define the information structure used to describe the precautionary statement. It should contain information such as the actions described in the statement, the flag to express an order or interdiction, the subject to be ordered, and the timing.

Collecting Data of SNS User Behavior to Detect Symptoms of Excessive Usage: Development of Data Collection Application

Worldwide use of social networking sites (SNSs) continues to dramatically increase. People are spending unexpected and unprecedented amounts of time online. However, many studies have warned about the negative consequences of excessive SNS usage, including the potential of addictive behavior. Therefore, detecting the symptoms of excessive SNS usage is necessary. Data collection is an important first step for analyzing the usage behavior of SNSs. This article describes the development of a data collection application. We employed questionnaires to gather user experiences of SNS and APIs to retrieve SNS data by focusing on Twitter and Facebook. Unfortunately, these methods are limited. Self-report data might be inaccurate. Also, some data on SNSs might not be collectable by APIs. Thus, we will collect more data from internet service providers (ISPs). The obtained data from our application will be applied to detect the symptoms of excessive use of SNSs and develop prevention strategies.

Kawaii Rules: Increasing Affective Value of Industrial Products

The Japanese word “Kawaii,” which represents a kansei/affective value, has such positive meanings as cute, lovable, and small. In the 21st century, the kansei/affective values of industrial products are becoming very important. However, since few studies have focused on kawaii attributes, we systematically analyze kawaii products themselves: the kawaii feelings caused by shapes, colors, sizes, and texture and tactile sensation caused by materials of those products. In this chapter, we introduce our experimental results for abstract objects in virtual environments and describe interesting tendencies for the visual attributes of kawaii, including thier shapes, colors, and sizes. We present these tendencies as kawaii rules.

A New E-learning System Focusing on Emotional Aspect Using Biological Signals

E-learning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. It is widely accepted that new technologies can make a big difference in education. Although the advantages of e-learning over person to person teaching are still under debate, the latter is considered to be superior with respect to teaching effectiveness. One reasons for this advantage of human expert tutors is their ability to deal with the emotional aspects of the learner. In an e-learning system, emotions are important in the classroom. We thus proposed a new e-learning system that focuses on affective aspects. Our system equips sensors to measure biological signals and analyzes user emotions for the improvement of the e-learning system’s effectiveness.

Healthcare system design focusing on emotional aspects using augmented reality — Relaxed service design

Even though much recent research has proposed systems that provide assistance and services to people, these systems emphasize the support of the physical aspects at the expense of emotional aspects. However, emotional health is as important as physical health. Moreover, negative emotional health can lead to social or mental health problems. To cope with negative emotional health, we proposed a new healthcare system that focuses on affective aspects. Our healthcare system integrates augmented reality to display virtual objects in real environments and Kinect, which allows users to freely interact with virtual objects because interaction with virtual objects may improve their emotional states. We also employ biological sensors to measure and detect user emotions, and provide three services based on their expected emotions: Relaxed Service, Amusing Service and Exciting Service. Our system is designed for adolescents and adults such as students in high school or working people. Our system is also designed to support them in daily life.

Systematic study of kawaii products: Relation between kawaii feelings and attributes of industrial products

In Japan, the cute aesthetic is abused by many organizations and for many purposes including police mascots, and warning signs for dangerous areas. Although using cute to motivate and inform might seem strange, cute does offer potential. Dr. Cheok and his team at the National University of Singapore argued that Japanese ‘kawaii’ embodies a special kind of cute design, which reduces fear and makes dreary information more acceptable and appealing. Various Japanese kawaii characters such as Hello Kitty and Pokemon have become popular all over the world. However, since few studies have focused on kawaii attributes, we systematically analyze the kawaii interfaces themselves: kawaii feelings caused by such attributes as shapes, colors, and materials. Our aim is to clarify a method for constructing a kawaii interface from the research results. Kawaii might be one important kansei value for future interactive systems and industrial products of Asian industries. We previously performed experiments and obtained interesting tendencies about such kawaii attributes as shapes, colors, and sizes. Although questionnaires are the most common form of kansei evaluation, they suffer from such demerits as linguistic ambiguity, the possibility of mixing the intensions of experimenters and/or participants into the results, and interruption of the system’s stream of information input/output. Thus, to compensate for these demerits, we examined the possibility with biological signals. In this article, these experiments and their results are outlined.© 2010 ASME

An Alpha-wave-based binaural beat sound control system using fuzzy logic and autoregressive forecasting model

We are developing a new real-time control system for customizing auditory stimulus (the binaural beat sound) by judging user alpha waves to entrain a userpsilas feeling in the most relaxed way. Since brainwave activity provides the necessary predictive information for arousal states, we use an autoregressive forecasting model to estimate the frequency response series of the alpha frequency bands and the inverted-U concept to determine the userpsilas arousal state. A fuzzy logic controller is also employed to regulate the binaural beat control signal on a forecasting error signal. Our system allows comfortable user self-relaxation. The results of experiments confirm the constructed systempsilas effectiveness and necessity.