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This paper proposes a method for identifying the bicycle riding environment using only onboard equipment. Initially, a fundamental subsystem is established for identifying the bicycle riding environment, and its functionality is validated. The findings indicate that the subsystem, utilizing an open-source trained model, can detect riding on roadways but not on sidewalks. Consequently, we emphasize the need for transfer learning, specifically using sidewalk viewpoint images, to enable the identification of bicycle riding environments. Subsequently, we conduct bicycle riding environment identification by employing a transfer learning model with manually labeled training data. The results demonstrate that after transfer learning, sidewalk riding detection, which was previously unachievable, becomes feasible. The identification rate was over 80%. Furthermore, we develop four riding environment identification algorithms, including the transfer learning model, and compare their performance across various road environments and riding conditions. Consequently, it is established that the region of interest (ROI) extension identification algorithm exhibits the highest identification performance (93% on average). As a result, this paper contributes valuable insights into the realization of bicycle riding environment identification, particularly in the context of detecting traffic violations within the riding safety support information system.

In this study, we conducted bicycle riding experiments that focus on the method of information presentation by an automated system to cyclists, with the intent to design an information system related to bicycle safety information. In an evaluation of information presentation, we confirmed that auditory presentation was the most effective from the viewpoints of both recognition and comprehension. In addition, information presented using the auditory method was more likely to be recognized than information presented using the visual and tactile method combined. The results of the analysis of variance for recognition showed that the visual presentation method had no significant effect. In addition, the experiments involved behavioral observation using the system and a questionnaire survey on changes in behavior before and after experiencing the system. The results showed that information was correctly conveyed by the system using a combination of auditory, tactile, and visual presentation methods, regardless of the users' degree of awareness of the system. Two weeks after the experiment, a survey was conducted to investigate the changes in the participants' awareness and behavior regarding risky or illegal riding. The results showed an improvement in the awareness of risky or illegal riding in daily life and an increase in right behavior, confirming the effectiveness of this system. Consequently, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the system and provide knowledge for realizing a bicycle riding safety support information system.

In this study, we develop a system to provide information on the sterilization of baggage carts and arriving passenger baggage to airport (Hereafter referred as arrival baggage) by using ultraviolet (UV) sterilization and information communication technology as border quarantine measures at airports. This system sterilizes arrival baggage and baggage carts by UV irradiation, and allows passengers to easily view the sterilization information recognized by radio frequency indentation technology. This is to provide safety and security not only to passengers, but also to staff, who may come into direct contact with the arrival baggage, of airport, airline, customs, and so on. In addition, the passengers can be provided with baggage tracking information, such as the current location and estimated delivering time of the baggage. This makes it possible to keep social distancing at baggage claims as an infection prevention. Furthermore, we verify the feasibility of the developed system and identify the issues to be addressed for its practical application through a demonstration of proof of concept at Central Japan International Airport.

We design a temporary optical coupler to obtain high injection and extraction efficiencies while keeping the bending loss low with the aim of realizing optical cable re-routing without service interruption. The temporary optical coupler injects/extracts signal lights into/from a fiber by using fiber bending. The extraction efficiency is improved by using a double-clad fiber or a graded-index fiber for light injection and extraction while the injection efficiency is maintained compared with that of a conventional temporary optical coupler that uses a single-mode fiber. This improvement enables us to realize an optical cable re-routing operation support system that requires no service interruption.

We design a temporary optical coupler that extracts 1.25-Gbps optical signals for traffic monitoring. The temporary optical coupler employs a fiber bending technique that uses a receiving fiber to receive leaked signal light from a bent fiber. We optimize the bending condition and the receiving fiber to obtain a high extraction efficiency while keeping the bending loss below 2 dB. We also measure the bit error rates for the 1.25-Gbps signals and reveal that our temporary optical coupler extracts the 1.25-Gbps optical signals without any deterioration in signal quality. Finally, we confirm experimentally that we achieved traffic monitoring using a traffic monitoring system and our temporary optical coupler in a fiber-to-the-home access network system based on a gigabit Ethernet passive optical network.