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Animated agents that act and speak as attendants to guests on shopping web sites are becoming increasingly popular. Inspired by this development, we propose a new method of presentation using a humanoid robot. Humanoid presentations are effective in a real environment because they can move and look around at the audience similar to a human presenter. We developed a simple script language for multimodal presentations by a humanoid robot called MPML-HR, which is a descendant of the Multimodal Presentation Markup Language (MPML) originally developed for animated agents. MPML-HR allows many non-specialists to easily write multimodal presentations for a humanoid robot. We further evaluated humanoid robots' presentation ability using MPML-HR to find the difference in audience impressions between the humanoid robot and the animated agent. Psychological evaluation was conducted to compare the impressions of a humanoid robot's presentation with an animated agent's presentation. Using the Semantic Differential (SD) method and direct questioning, we measured the difference in audience impressions between an animated agent and a humanoid robot.

This paper presents the NTT and NTT FACILITIES earthquake observation system for earthquake resistant (low-rise, middle-rise, and high-rise building), vibration controlled, and base isolated buildings.

オーチャードグラス(Dactylis glomerata L. cv. Akimidori),ペレニアルグラス(Lolium perenne L., CV. Friend),トールフェスク(Festuca arundinacea Schreb. cv. Lubrette)トメドーフェスク(Festuca pratensis L. cv. Tolnosakae)のエーテル抽出物から,コールドとラップ法を用い揮発性の化学物質を捕集した.その揮発性物質について,ガスクロマトグラフとガスクロマトグラフー質量分析計を用い分析を行った.その結果,緑の葉の特有なにおいを示し,また,広く植物界に存在することが知られている,シス-3-ヘキセノール(青葉アルコール)とトランス-2-ヘキセナール(青葉アルデヒド)が調べたどの牧草においても多量に検出された.そこで,この青葉を示すにおい物質を乾草に3段階の異なる濃度(50μg,5mgと100mg)で添加し,ヤギの採食に及ぼす影響を調べた.シス-3-ヘキセノールを100mgと5mgを添加した乾草に対するヤギの採食は,無添加の乾草に対する採食に比べ有意に抑制され,50μgの添加では有意でにはないが採食が抑制された.しかし,トランス-2-ヘキセナールは,どの濃度においても採食に影響を示さなかった.これらの結果により,草食家畜の採食する牧草に念まれている,青葉特有のにおいを示すシス-3-ヘキセノールが,ヤギの採食行動を抑制する作用のあることが示唆された．

被乗駕行動測定装置は,乗駕行動時のウシ同士の接触面の圧力を感知する感圧スイッチと,そのスイッチに圧力が加わった時刻と,除かれた時刻を記録する装置で構成されている.被乗駕行動測定装置を装着したウシに他のウシが乗駕した際に,その時刻と被乗駕行動の持続時間が記録される.この装置により発情の時間帯が特定でき,また授精適期を推定するための有用な情報が得られるかどうか検討した.実験1では,繰り返しを含めて7頭の黒毛和種雌牛において,被乗駕行動測定装置により得られた乗駕許容を示していると推定される3秒以上の持続時間を示す被乗駕行動の頻度分布から,発情の時間帯が判定できることを示した.実験2では,50頭からなる繁殖牛群内で,発情を誘起した6頭のウシにこの装置を装着し,1日に2回の定期的な牛群の肉眼観察により,この6頭のウシの授精適期を推定し,人工授精を行った.その結果,測定装置の記録より判定された発情の開始と終了時刻から推定された授精適期の範囲内で,人工授精された4頭のウシは受胎した.また,授精適期以外で人工授精された1頭のウシは受胎しなかった.これらの結果は,この感圧スイッチの測定記録をテレメーター装置などにより,実時間で得ることができれば,適期に人工授精が可能なことを示唆している.

In this paper, we present a realistic CG (Computer Graphics) animation method to move fishes. These have highly realistic appearance and movement. NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) is employed for both modeling and deformation of CG fishes. This makes the surface data of the fishes very simple to obtain. We can create the very smooth shape of the fishes (one side) by using about 8 x 4 control points of NURBS. Realistic deformation of the fish is also achieved by forming the control points into several groups and moving them. Inverse kinematics are also incorporated into this deformation. The fishes can swim naturally using a combination of 3 deformation patterns and 3 locomotion patterns. Autonomy of the fishes is realized by a mental model employing random numbers. Both schooling behaviors and collision avoidances are obtained by an algorithm employing detection vector and direction vector. Since the computing costs for this method are not high, we can run the program using general-purpose graphics workstations in realtime.

A feeding-deterrent substance was isolated from cattle feces and its effects on ingestive behavior were examined in goats. The substance was added to alfalfa hay and presented to the goats in the following experiments. In a two-choice test, between control fodder and the fodder treated with the substance, animals avoided eating treated fodder. This food-deterrent effect was strengthened in a dose-dependent manner. The results of ingestive behavior analysis suggested that this substance affected the goats through olfaction. However, in a single-presentation test, where the goats had no choice, no effect on ingestive behavior was noticed. It is therefore suggested that the preference induced by the substance is relative rather than absolute in the ingestive behavior of goats.

牛を音で誘導するときの食餌性条件反応に対する飼料摂取量および注射処置の影響を明らかにする目的で,オペラント条件づけ手法を用いた試験を実施した.Y字型迷路の左右の選択路の入口にそれぞれスピーカーを取り付け,牛が音の鳴っている選択路の方に進入するという条件反応を濃厚飼料を報酬にして形成した.この学習の後,音響誘導に前もって供試牛にヘイキューブまたは濃厚飼料を摂取させた場合,次いで調査の直前に1回だけ迷路で牛に正しい選択をさせて牛が濃厚飼料を採食している時に尻部に注射をした場合における条件反応の変化を正選択数,誤選択数,無選択数および選択所要時間を指標にして調べた,得られた結果を要約すると次のとおりである.1)飼料摂取量の増加は,正選択数の減少,無選択数や誤選択数の増加,選択所要時間の遅延など条件反応の実行水準を低下させた.また,条件反応の実行に悪影響が出始めた摂取量はヘイキューブの場合が4kg(体重の1.18%),濃厚飼料の場合はそれより少ない1～2kg(体重の0.27～0.53%)であった.2)注射処置による条件反応の変化を空腹条件下と飼料摂取そのものの影響が出始める前の摂取量条件下で検討したが,いずれの条件下でも注射処置による正選択数の減少や選択所要時間の遅延は認められなかった.

The effects of curing treatments and storage temperatures on the keeping and flavor qualities of squash (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) cultivar 'Ebisu' were studied. Harvested squash fruits were cured at 20°, 25°, and 30°C for 11 and 16 days and then stored at 10°C. For comparison, a control sub-sample was stored immediately after harvest at 10°C without curing.The effects of different storage temperatures were also examined by storing fruits cured for 12 days at 25°C at 7.5°, 10.0°, 12.5°and 15.0°C.The results are summarized as follows:1. Starch content of the fruit decreased throughout the storage period irrespective of storage temperature. Total sugar content increased, reaching a maximum and then gradually decreased. When starch content was equal to the total sugar content, eating quality of the fruit was estimated to be most favorable. Water content of the fruit tended to increase during the storage period. After 60 days of storage, the water content increased rapidly and, simultaneously, the taste of the fruit became poor.2. The curing treatment of fruits at higher temperature and for longer periods was more effective in promoting the conversion from starch to sugar. In addition, the curing treatment at higher temperature prevented rotting. Since the skin color of fruit cured at 30°C became yellow rapidly, the optimum temperature for curing appears to be lower than 30°C.3. Reducing sugar content and total sugar content increased more during storage at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures. At all storage temperatures, β-carotene content on the 43th day of storage reached a maximum, which was twice or three times the content of that at harvest.No chilling injury was observed in fruits stored at 7.5°C. The ratio of hydrochloric acid soluble pectin to total pectin content decreased much earlier during storage at 15.0°C than at lower temperatures. Furthermore, the rate of water loss was fairly constant, but it was also more rapid at 15.0°C than at the lower temperatures. The optimum temperature for storage seemed to be 10.0° ±2.5°C.