We studied the method for objectively evaluating emotion through FST (Facial Skin Thermogram), which brings less stress and non-contact measurement. We tried to estimate unpleasant and pleasant states on FST with Neural Network. Subjective VAS was precisely estimated at any estimation accuracy.

The optical recording method using voltage-sensitive dye is one of the powerful techniques for two-dimensional detection of mass neuronal activity in the brain and for the analysis of spatiotemporal properties [1][2][3][4]. Respiratory neuron activity in the lower brain stem consists of widely extending neuron networks, including respiratory neurons in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) [5][6][7][8][9][10]. Therefore the optical recordings could also be a very effective method for a spatiotemporal analysis of neuronal activity in the medullary respiratory center. Using this method, inspiratory burst activity, induced by electrical stimulation, was analyzed in medullary slice preparations [11]. The goal of our optical recording study was to understand the macroscopic behavior of respiratory neuron networks in the medulla, for example, by revealing the sites of initiation of each burst cycle and the manner of the burst propagation. Therefore as the next step in the optical analysis of the respiratory activity, a detailed spatiotemporal analysis of "spontaneous" respiratory activity is important. In the present study we show that this method is also available for analysis of spontaneous respiratory activity in the medulla. The results have been partly presented in abstract form [12]. Key words: respiratory center, optical imaging, ventrolateral medulla, newborn rat, in vitro preparation. Abstract:We report on the optical imaging of spontaneous respiratory neuron bursts in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) of medullary slices or brain stem-spinal cord preparations. A medullary slice with a thickness of 1.0-1.4 mm or brain stem-spinal cord from 0-to 4-d-old rats was stained with fluorescent voltage-sensitive dye, RH795. Optical signals were recorded as a fluorescence change by using an optical recording apparatus with a 128ϫ128 photodiode array and a maximum time resolution of 0.6 ms. Motoneuronal activity was simultaneously recorded at the hypoglossal nerve roots or fourth cervical ventral roots. Fluorescence changes corresponding to the spontaneous inspiratory burst activity were detected in the hypoglossal nucleus and VLM in slice preparations, and in a limited area extending rostrocaudally in the VLM of the brain stem-spinal cord preparation. These measurements did not require signal averaging by multiple trials. Results suggest that inspiratory neurons are localized in more compact form at the level of the nucleus ambiguus than at the more rostral VLM, and that peak activity during the inspiratory phase propagates from the caudal to the rostral VLM. In 60% of brain stem-spinal cord preparations, weak and scattered fluorescence changes preceding the inspiratory burst activity were detected more predominantly in the rostral part of the VLM. The present findings show the feasibility of optical recordings for the in vitro analysis of spontaneous respiratory neuron activity in the medulla.

Cooperated multi robots system has much dominance in comparison with single robot system. It is able to adapt to various circumstances and has a flexibility for variation of tasks. However it has still problems to control each robot, though methods for control multi robots system have been studied. Recently, the robots have been coming into real scene. And emotion and sensitivity of the robots have been widely studied.In this study, human emotion model based on psychological interaction was adapt to multi robots system to achieve methods for organization of multi robots. The characteristics of behavior of multi robots system achieved through computer simulation were analyzed. As a result, very complexed and interesting behavior was emerged even though it has rather simple configuration. And it has flexiblity in various circumstances. Additional experiment with actual robots will be conducted based on the emotion model.

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Recently, established transportation system is actively done to the research on ITS that starts achieving a more excellent traffic environment by using most-advanced information and communications technology. We studied the method of evaluating arousal level of human based on facial skin thermal image analysis. Facial skin thermal image can be easily measured by noncontact with an infrared rays thermography device. The temperature of the face skin depends on the blood flow. In the case of the sympathetic nerve has a superiority over the parasympathetic nerve, peripheral vasoconstriction constrict, the flow decreases and the temperature decreases. The other way parasympathetic nerve has a superiority over the sympathetic nerve, rise the temperature of nasal. However it is said that facial skin thermogram have a susceptibility to environmental variation. Therefore in this paper, how much the facial skin thermogram effected the influence of the outside environment was examined. Figure 1 shows the effect of the disturbance on facial skin thermogram at rest. Both the nose and the forehead have been decreased rapidly disturbance simultaneously. However, the influence of the outside environment was able to be removed by taking the difference between the nose and the forehead. Figure 2 shows the change of temperature on tracking task. An autonomic activity was able to be measured by the change of the temperature of the nose when there was a change in the outside environment.Consepuently the tolerance to the environment of the facial skin thermogram was shown.