Article Information Sciences

Measurement of Motor-vehicle Traffic Volume Using Camera Images and Artificial Intelligence

In Japan, road traffic censuses are conducted to assess road traffic conditions. Recently, techniques for counting traffic volume from video images have been attracting considerable attention in order to improve work efficiency and save labor, and a large number of technologies have been developed. However, since traffic volume surveys are often conducted 24 hours a day, day and night, at various sites and under various weather conditions, existing technologies have yet to reach the counting accuracy required in practice. The authors aim to develop techniques for traffic volume surveys applicable in practice by applying artificial intelligence. This paper reports the results of a case study in which the proposed techniques were applied to the video taken during actual traffic volume surveys.

View more >>

Secondary Publication Business & Management Economics

Nature Versus Artifact Body II:Sollen, Central Dualism, and Chameleon Criteria

Contrary to Wiener’s work, the subject of Sein and Sollen in “nature versus artifact bodies” was logically re-examined using a white-box (pair-matrix) approach and formalized on pair-map (microcosm) under closed-earth versus smart-world conditions. This body science and Sollen of 3M&I variety (pair-map) would be probably developed at the type of ternary SW, which resembles the Eastern danshari concept, and is likely due to the motion–energy dualism under Newton’s laws (analog type), or equivalently, the amount–value dualism under Matsui’s law and dualism (discrete type). For this body’s central dualism, a pair map (rotational phase) was characterized in 1983 based on the microcosm of cross-ellipse images in a matrix of input–output pairs. At the paper, this field theory is physically formulated, solving the pair matrix, ternary SW and its central dynamism in a body of input-output. The observed underlying condensed structure (time model), and the internalized (embedded) dynamism (fractal and wave motion equations), are numerically clarified based on the expansion of the corporate-producing entity pair maps in Matsui’s theory. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the center of the pair-map hyperplane corresponds to a black hole (manifesting in the form of a conical dip that warps spacetime), collapsing the artifact bodies. Finally, interesting issues and findings are reported regarding the central dualism, progressive physics and chameleon criteria (medium), and are related to pair-map.

View more >>

Technical Article Information Sciences Others

3D Point Studio: Utilization Platform for Point Cloud Data

As Laser measurement technology has made remarkable progress in recent years and the means of measuring the three-dimensional shapes of road spaces as point cloud data have diversified, point cloud data has been measured and accumulated throughout Japan. Point cloud data is useful as a means of accurately grasping the present shape and is expected to be utilized for a wide range of purposes with i-Construction as a turning point. Existing efforts have promoted development of new technologies and open data, steadily increasing opportunities to use point cloud data. However, it is difficult to use point cloud data wisely in accordance with its intended purpose because it is merely a vast set of points that indicate locations in space and does not hold information about the features indicated by the points or about their relationships to other points. Therefore, it is essential to develop an environment for utilizing point cloud data. In this study, we develop 3D Point Studio, a platform for utilizing and sharing 3D data including point cloud data by utilizing area data. The usefulness of this research will be confirmed through examples of applications in the actual sites, and its future development will be discussed.

View more >>

Article Education Psychology

Creating a scale for measuring non-cognitive abilities developed through sports for elementary school students

The purpose of this study was to create a scale to measure non-cognitive skills that can be developed through sport. To begin, a draft of a non-cognitive ability measurement scale was developed based on previous research. A preliminary survey of 346 elementary school students (318 males and 28 females, mean age 8.90 ± 1.76 years) was conducted, and a preliminary scale was created using exploratory factor analysis. A subsequent main survey was conducted with 1171 elementary school students (1025 males and 146 females, mean age 8.77 ± 1.73). In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability testing using cronbach's alpha, and structural validity of the entire scale were examined using structural analysis of covariance. Furthermore, theoretical interpretations were also taken into account, and finally, a non-cognitive ability measurement scale that can be developed through sports for elementary school students was created, consisting of 50 items with 5 factors: "self-management," "problem-solving," "cooperativeness," "leadership," and "greetings/polite".

View more >>

Review Article Others

A statistical examination into the structure of plays and its relationship to wins/losses in basketball games played by excellent players from the standpoint of STATS

We reviewed and summarized the findings from some kinds of perspectives. This allowed us to realize that no consistent findings can be obtained in terms of what plays/factors contribute most to wins/losses and the sequence of plays leading to scoring, that discriminant analysis is commonly used in the studies, and that for structural analysis, no rotational technique was used. Based on these findings, we devised the following new proposals: 1) Researchers need to exert more effort to analyze various kinds of games in the future, 2) We can recommend logistic regression analysis, but not only discrimination analysis. 3) For structural analysis, to make the research findings useful, the rotation of axes or principal components should be actively utilized.

View more >>

Report Education Others Psychology

Development of Japanese women professional soccer athletes’ second career training

The purpose of this study was to describe, explain, and recommend how women’s professional soccer players and clubs could prepare for second career transitions in a way that minimizes psychosocial crises upon retirement. The Japan Women’s Empowerment Professional Football League (called the WE league) was founded with a mission to contribute towards building a sustainable society through promoting female social participation and enhancing diversity and choice. This study suggested training strategies that could foster second career development in the WE league. These strategies are (a) including theoretical frameworks in second career pathways, (b) the necessity of dual education pathways for Japanese women’s professional athletes, (c) promoting virtual internship experiences for Japanese women’s professional athletes, and (d) recommendations of second career training workshops for professional athletes in the WE League. The WE League and teams should allow professional athletes to improve meaningful skills and knowledge development, multiple experiential learning opportunities, and applicable training on second career development. Due to the paucity of research in this area, it is essential for scholars to further explore potential education and internships opportunities to ease transitions to second careers upon retirement.

View more >>

Technical Article Engineering in General Information Sciences

Development of Technology for Generating Panorama and Visualization Using Two-viewpoint Images

Research on tracking and performance analysis of athletes using video images has been actively conducted with the aim of improving athletes' competitive performance. However, when filming plays in field sports, it is difficult to capture the entire field with a single camera without filming from a specific point, such as a spectator's seat on the corner side, because the field is long sideways. Even if the entire field is captured, the players at the back of the field appear small, making analysis difficult. Other issues include the fact that since many coaches and analysts film where the play is progressing, it is hard for them to track the ball seamlessly when the position of play changes significantly depending on the position of ball. To solve this problem, we develop in this study a technology to automatically generate panoramic video images that cover the entire field by using two video cameras. Using this technology, we aim to generate panoramic images of the entire field that makes it possible to surely measure and analyze all players and the ball.

View more >>

Technical Article Life Sciences and Basic Medicine

Effects of glucose Ramune candy ingestion on concentration during esports play and cognitive function

This study aimed to determine the effects of glucose (Ramune candy) ingestion on cognitive function during esports mediation and concentration during gameplay. The participants were 20 healthy male students who did not play games usually (mean age ± 19.85, standard deviation = 0.96). The experimental design was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. The results showed that the ingestion of Ramune candy significantly improved cognitive test scores before and after gameplay. During the esports gameplay, the power percentage of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR, 10-11.75 Hz) waves was significantly higher in the Ramune candy condition than in the placebo condition at 25 to approximately 28 min after the ingestion. These results indicate that the ingestion of Ramune candy effectively maintains a relaxed yet concentrated state during cognitively loaded esports gameplay.

View more >>

Article Biology Environmental Sciences General Medicine Life Sciences and Basic Medicine Social Medicine

Relationship between physical education in the first year of university and exercise habits and physical and mental health in the following spring

The present study examined the relationship between taking physical education and health-related courses in the first year of university and the acquisition and maintenance of exercise habits and physical and mental health in the student’s second year. The study population consisted of university students was 2,483 in FY2017 and 2,352 in FY2018. Of these, the 2,293 students (1,744 men, 18.5 ± 1.0 years old; 549 women, 18.6 ± 1.0 years old) who responded to the self-administered questionnaire survey on daily living habits in both years were included in the analysis. The results showed that taking physical education and health-related courses in the first year was significantly related to exercise habits the following spring. The results also suggested that these courses were more strongly related to mental health than physical health. In addition, men were significantly more likely to acquire a new exercise habit and had more improved mental health. In the future, it is necessary to clarify the causal relationship between taking physical education and health-related courses and exercise habits and the maintenance and acquisition of physical and mental health, in addition to developing effective support methods for students who dislike gender differences and exercise.

View more >>

Article Education Others

Proposal of Rubric for Information Security Education Materials

This study proposes a generic rubric that can be used as an assessment axis for information security educational materials regarding existing computer science education evaluation standards to assess the learning effectiveness of information security educational materials aimed at young people. The proposed rubric includes items such as “understanding of cyber security” and “understanding why passwords are necessary,” and five-level learning objectives are defined for these items. Furthermore, the proposed rubric was used to assess the existing information security educational material “Hajimete no Joho Security (Learning First Information Security in a Different World)” using Minecraft. The proposed rubric was mapped to the learning contents of the teaching material as an assessment method, and the learning effectiveness of the teaching material was measured using Minecraft with the cooperation of a community center project in Sayama City in Japan. Therefore, we were able to evaluate the learning effects using the proposed rubric.

View more >>