We formulate the class responsibility assignment (CRA) problem as the fuzzy constraint satisfaction problem (FCSP) for automating CRA of high quality. Responsibilities are contracts or obligations of objects that they should assume, by aligning them to classes appropriately, quality designs realize. Typical conditions of a desirable design are having a low coupling between highly cohesive classes. However, because of a trade-off among such conditions, solutions that satisfy the conditions moderately are desired, and computer assistance is needed. Additionally, if we have an initial assignment, the improved one by our technique should keep the original assignment as much as possible because it involves with the intention of human designers. We represent such conditions as fuzzy constraints, and formulate CRA as FCSP. That enables us to apply common FCSP solvers to the problem and to derive solution representing a CRA. The conducted preliminary evaluation indicates the effectiveness of our technique.
Color schemes or color combinations are widely used in printed materials and their digital versions, including web pages. These schemes convey information and create aesthetic appeal. Consequently, graphic designers have to strike a balance between accessibility and aesthetics with the color schemes they select. However, certain color schemes make the represented information confusing when viewers have color vision deficiencies (CVDs), which may lead to decrease in discriminability between used colors. What we will call the color-scheme-recoloring problem is the difficulty of optimizing a color scheme so as to preserve its original design and yet be simultaneously discriminable for all viewers, with or without CVDs. To address the problem, we formulated it within a framework of a fuzzy constraint satisfaction problem, a technique of artificial intelligence, and developed a tool for graphic designers. By utilizing the practical color co-ordinate system (PCCS), we introduce concepts used in the field of graphic design. This work combines pre-publication recoloring techniques for CVD viewers with elements of artificial intelligence, psychophysics, and psychology.
This paper proposes an application that analyzes and displays electrocardiograms (ECG; electrical activity of the heart over time) and plethysmograms (PTG; pulse waves produced by the heart pumping blood to the periphery) measured simultaneously. Recently in developed countries, chronic conditions typified by lifestyle-related diseases have become the leading cause of death. Simplified monitoring of the condition can be an effective approach to disease prevention and health promotion. We have focused on autonomic nervous system activity (ANSA) because it responds to stress as well as to changes in dietary patterns, and is correlated with hypertension, the source of some diseases, such as coronary disease. In this paper, we deal with both ECGs and PTGs as part of the biological data that reflects ANSA. The proposed application enables doctors to seamlessly negotiate analyzed waveforms and index charts of ECGs and PTGs in sync with each other. It also helps them comprehend the transition of ANSA. It offers a user interface (UI) that enables doctors to observe the two measures and the relationship between them for a quick assessment of ANSA; the sonification function of the ECG indices is implemented for providing the multi-modality of the UI. An experiment was conducted to confirm the feasibility of the analysis method of the application.