In the first part, it is introduced that there are a number of people who are on the border of "survival" and in "Ars Vivendi" we have been considering various matters involved in the ways of living of these people. In this part, I would like to mention more concrete facts.
For example, people with hearing disabilities can only rely on their visual abilities. Nowadays, there are computer software programs that can convert voice to letters. How can such technologies be used in actual situations? For people with visual disabilities, the technologies allow letters to be automatically converted to Braille or voice. Even though these technologies are not complicated in certain ways, a number of problems arise when we use them in our daily life. The problems are social ones and systematic ones which, for example, include not only is the accuracy required of the software but the need for authorization due to the copyright law from the perspective of information distribution. We actually published a research report on to what extent publishing companies can provide people with visual disabilities with text data via free of charge (Report Issued by Research Center Ars Vivendi of Ritsumeikan University, Vol.6).
Ars Vivendi has no significant premise or proposition compared with such studies as economics. Our basic style is that the most appropriate methods or theories are fully exploited, depending on each researcher's research theme. It is true that in the mass media, the voices of minorities still remain weak. We are planning to transmit such minor voices and what we want you to know via our website. It is obvious that publishing research reports or transmitting information does not change the society so easily. However, we would like to respect the fact that individuals have various opinions or state various facts based on their own stance. I believe that our website includes enormous amounts of information and has attained a highly practical level.
Use of technology makes difficulties in living a little easier. Therefore, usability should be improved as much to the extent as possible. By collecting opinions or techniques of people with disabilities or diseases with respect, we will evaluate what we should do and what perspectives are necessary in order to solve problems. There are a number of matters attracting less attention in the world. Focusing on such matters and transmitting their information to the world is one of Ars Vivendi's missions.
AERA, August 24, 2009 (Asahi Shimbun Publications) ↁEa href="../2000/0908my-e.htm">Presenting "Ars Vivendi" Boldly in the Mood of Wishing for an Early Death (1)
UP:February 3, 2010 REV:February 21, 2012
Preparer & Translation by TAMURA Noriko
Proofread by KATAOKA Minoru
◁Ea href="http://www.arsvi.com/ts/e.htm">TATEIWA Shin'ya