Tsukuba Gakuin University

Humans subjectively experience a scene as rendered in color across the entire visual field, a visual phenomenon called “pan-field color” (Balas & Sinha, 2007). This experience is inconsistent with the limited color sensitivity in the peripheral visual field. We investigated the effects of visual attention allocated to the peripheral visual field on the pan-field color illusion. Using “chimera” stimuli in which color was restricted to a circular central area, we assessed observers’ tendency to perceive color throughout images with achromatized peripheral regions. We separately analyzed sensitivity and response bias in judging the color content of the scene image as full-color, chimera, or gray. Using a dual-task paradigm, we manipulated observers’ attentional allocation by controlling the stimulus presentation time of the central task, making the foveal attentional load change. The slope of the foveal load-sensitivity function suggests that attention was modulated by foveal load even in the peripheral visual field. Bias was affected by the size of the central colored area, such that the tendency to answer “full-color” to the chimera image increased with eccentricity. Based on these effects of attention on sensitivity and bias, we suggest that the pan-field color illusion cannot be fully explained by the decrease of sensitivity that is modulated by attentional allocation in the periphery. Our results rather indicate that the pan-field color illusion at least partly reflects a liberal bias in peripheral vision.

The purpose of this study is to utilize a robot to enable people with limited experience and skills to take on the role of moderator for recreational rehabilitation conducted by speech-language pathologists. Recreational rehabilitation is known as an effective way to improve language skills and avoid social isolation. However, in order to effectively implement rehabilitation, it is necessary to solve the issues required of the moderator, specifically, to provide greater care to the participants, to reduce the burden of preparation, and to make it possible for those with limited experience to carry out the program. To solve these issues, the use of communication robots is expected. However, it is difficult to easily introduce such systems in terms of reliability, reproducibility, and automation in nursing and welfare fields where people are unfamiliar with the handling of information devices. Therefore, this study aims to make effective use of robots. First, by analyzing the role of the moderator through interviews with nursing care staff, a role that can be played by a robot was extracted. Next, a method to enable the robot to take on the role of the moderator was studied, and a method was proposed that combines existing technologies that are highly reliable and easy for nursing care staff to handle. Specifically, a system was proposed in which the robot's lines can be edited by the nursing staff using an editable PowerPoint presentation in advance preparation, and the timing of the robot's speech can be controlled remotely with a single click during recreation. A trial rehabilitation experiment using the proposed system showed the possibility of reducing the burden on the moderator while achieving participant communication equivalent to that of a human moderator.

Intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) plays an important role in liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a well-studied IDP that induces LLPS since its low-complexity core region (FUS-LC-core) is essential for droplet formation through contacts between FUS-LC-cores. Several experimental studies have reported that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations modulate LLPS-driven droplet formation through the dissolution of FUS. To elucidate the role of ATP in this dissolution, microsecond-order all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed for a crowded system of FUS-LC-cores in the presence of multiple ATP molecules. Our analysis revealed that the adenine group of ATP frequently contacted the FUS-LC-core, and the phosphoric acid group of ATP was exposed to the external solvent, which promoted both hydration and solubilization of FUS.

We have been developing motor-tendon-joint series connection type biomimetic actuators to make robots act jumping, running and dancing. To that purpose, we are now developing an actuator with O-ring tensile tendon structure for jumping and dancing robot. In the previous paper, we are succeeding to apply the energy of landing shock to the next jumping in the shallow knee angle area. In this paper, we investigated what is important to apply landing shock to the in order to use the tendon structure effectively. Based on the real jumping results and simulation, we found that the knee angle at the landing dominate the jumping mode. The jumping mode can be divided into four mode. In the knee angle around 132deg., the timing of the kicking for the next jumping is matched and the jumping height of the next jumping increases 160% of the first jumping. This angle is not changed by the rigidity of the O-ring tendon in the area that can be jumped using landing shock.

The attention of this article is focused on the impact that expanding of the usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) has on the economic development of Russian regions. As shown by various authors, the use of ICT ultimately leads to an increase in the factor productivity. Here, we assess to what extent the use of ICT contributes to the growth of economic development efficiency at the regional level, which is interpreted here as labor productivity in certain economic sectors, and measured as output per worker. Panel data analysis for Russian regions covers 2015–2018. The analysis shows that the spread of ICT has a positive effect on labor productivity in both mining and manufacturing, with dividing regions into two groups – ‘resource’ and ‘non-resource’ depending on role of the extractive industry in regional economy – when considering labor productivity in mining. It was found that there is a relationship between ICT development indicators and labor productivity, with significant factors being industry and regionally specific. The widespread adoption of ICT has a positive effect on the economic development effectiveness, with a stronger link in the manufacturing, while for the mining the discovered relation was not so clear. Among the factors affecting labor productivity in the mining in ‘resource’ regions are access to the Internet, the use of ‘cloud’ services, as well as involvement in research and development; for ‘non-resource’ regions significant factors are the use of local computer networks, regional ICT subsidies, and the purchase of computing equipment. For the manufacturing, the key factors are access to the Internet, the share of high-tech businesses in the regional economy, the purchase of computing equipment, and the use of the services of third-party organizations and ICT specialists

We have developed an intraoral input device using tongue. This device contains three photo-reflectors in a balloon of silicone rubber and it can measure the quantity and direction of the pushing force of silicone rubber film. By using this device, we can make a controller that generates information by the tongue. We have applied this device to control the robotic arm for the third arm for the soldering operator. We also applied it for the wheelchair controller. The device has very good operability for both applications. This forward pushing type intraoral input device, however, has the disadvantage that the tongue tends to get tired during use. In this paper, we developed a upward pushing type intraoral input device to reduce the fatigue. The first prototype had the drawback of very poor controllability because we push the whole silicone balloon and the detection of the pushing direction is very difficult. In the improved prototype device, the area of the reflector attached to the inner wall is reduced so that the movement of the balloon-shaped silicone rubber in the front-back and left-right directions by the movement of the tongue can be detected. This upward pushing type input device has same controllability to the forward pushing type with less fatigue.

A variety of writings about fears of the forced repatriation of Rwandan “refugees” in host states refer to the 1951 Convention related to the Status of Refugees (1951 Convention), in particular, the cessation clause.

This chapter covers the period from 1959 when the old-caseload refugees started to flee the country, up until 1990–1994 when they started to return to Rwanda.