Current Research

Design of Electronic Society from Citizen Viewpoint

■Becoming a producer of the information society by designing an electronic society
Harmony between communication and broadcasting is in its infancy, although the Internet keeps growing and evolving as a global information infrastructure. Using both communication tools in broadcasting fields and broadcasting tools in communication fields, we expect additional emerging services that will change society and make it much more convenient.
Our research group's goal is to design and propose social systems by using Information Communication Technology (ICT) that emphasizes citizen aspects. We believe that people must become happy using ICT. Our research is approached from two directions : development of technology and applications in society. We would like to aid individuals become producers in the information society through research at the frontiers of liberal arts and science courses.
■For a peaceful and safe ubiquitous society
Community map making using WebGIS has been tried in various Internet regions. It is expected to contribute to community safety and activation as a vicinity map or vicinity extra. In order to achieve a peaceful and safe world, information must be shared about traffic accidents, high-crime zones, and shelters during disasters. Senior citizens who have resided in the region (vicinity wisdom bag) for many years might share their life experiences with the younger generation. They might also offer protection from disasters such as floods. It is possible to reduce the generation gap and reinvigorate senior citizens who can still contribute to the region. The residents particular sense of participation can seep through the community by this approach, offering a chance to induce relations by a virtual Internet space to merge with real society. Such Web tools as electronic bulletin boards, blogs, and Social Networking Service/Systems (SNS) can become effective means for community safety and activation in the information society.
■Electronic government/electronic municipality services from citizen aspects
When an administrative service is executed, an environment in which all people receive benefits should be in place. Therefore, infrastructure maintenance is necessary. However, people exist who cannot use information technologies, even if tools are maintained to promote electronic administrative services. Eradicating this"digital divide"is crucial to designing an electronic society. Social needs are also huge for the development of software that can easily send and receive e-mail and browse the Internet. Even senior citizens, the handicapped, the sick, and children can use the Internet with general personal computers and electrical appliances with such software. The current development and maintenance of hardware and software are insufficient to erase the actual digital divide. Relations with a person's community are indispensable to operate within a social system. This is the best theme on which it should work with industrial-government-academic cooperation. Moreover, another important field of research is administrative services that use new media including radio, car navigation systems, wireless cellular phones, ground wave digital television/LANs, etc. What administrative service best exploits the characteristics of each media in general times and in emergencies? Designing a system that can make public announcements during disasters is important.
■New education systems with ICT
Information education has been enhanced by compulsory education courses that have introduced the topic in high schools and academic training. Therefore, many teaching materials are available on the Internet, and practice and education reports are increasing, too. Moreover, digital teaching material related to the introduction of museums and owning goods and an exhibit is being offered by a museum. The verification and effectiveness of a coordinated system proposal that uses the ICT of study facilities, museums (including libraries), schools, and the home are expected to become an important theme in the future. In addition, an interesting field will study a new lifelong learning system of blended learning and Virtual Reality (VR). The construction of a library image as a"wisdom aggregator"in the ICT age is an interesting field. Happily discussing tai chi chuan using human body operation data with a motion capture device or healthy yoga movements with a remote friend at home through IP cameras/mikes are important aspects of the design of a basic healthy society.