Ochanomizu University in Tokyo used sheet sensors under floor mats at three campus locations on November 7 to test a new way to show festival crowd levels in real time. The pilot took place during the university’s 77th 徽音祭 (Kiin-sai), its school festival, and aimed to make congestion easier to see through 可視化 (kashika), or visualization.
According to ITmedia, the 実証実験 (jisshou jikken), or demonstration experiment, was organized by the university’s Faculty of Co-Creation Engineering and the Next Generation Sensor Council, among others. When people stepped on the mats at building entrances and other points, the system detected pressure and counted how many people were inside. Visitors could then check the crowd situation on a スマートフォン (sumaatofon) or computer in リアルタイム (riarutaimu), helping them move around campus more 円滑 (enkatsu), or smoothly.
A student project built over six months
The project was planned by students in the faculty over a period of six months. Their goal was to solve the problem of 緩和 (kanwa), or easing congestion, during the school festival.
Japanese university festivals, often called 学園祭 (gakuensai), are major campus events with performances, exhibitions, and food stalls. Large crowds are common, so finding ways to guide visitors more smoothly can become a practical engineering challenge.
A teacher’s message: keep learning enjoyable
Yasuo Matsuoka, a 68-year-old part-time lecturer in the faculty, said the students had identified a problem for themselves and used what they learned in class to work toward a solution. He added that enjoying the process is essential for continuing to learn, and said he hopes the students will carry that sense of enjoyment with them into society.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 可視化 | kashika | visualization; making something visible |
| 実証実験 | jisshou jikken | demonstration experiment; pilot test |
| センサー | sensaa | sensor |
| スマートフォン | sumaatofon | smartphone |
| リアルタイム | riarutaimu | real time |
| 円滑 | enkatsu | smooth; without trouble |
| 緩和 | kanwa | relief; easing; mitigation |
| クラウド | kuraudo | cloud; cloud computing |
Grammar Spotlight
〜際に: when; on the occasion of
Pattern: Verb dictionary form / past form + 際に Noun + の + 際に
From the article: 人が通過した際にマットを踏んだ圧力を感知し、建物内の人数をカウントする仕組みだ。 Hito ga tsuuka shita sai ni matto o funda atsuryoku o kanchi shi, tatemono-nai no ninzuu o kaunto suru shikumi da. The system detects the pressure when a person passes over the mat and counts how many people are inside the building.
Example: 日本を旅行する際に、交通系ICカードがあると便利です。 Nihon o ryokou suru sai ni, koutsuukei IC kaado ga aru to benri desu. When traveling in Japan, it is convenient to have a transit IC card.
Example: 申し込む際に、メールアドレスを入力してください。 Moushikomu sai ni, meeru adoresu o nyuuryoku shite kudasai. When applying, please enter your email address.
Use 〜際に in slightly formal situations, especially in writing, announcements, and explanations.
〜ために: for; in order to
Pattern: Verb dictionary form + ために Noun + の + ために
From the article: 学園祭における「混雑緩和」という課題解決のために、同学部の学生たちが半年間かけて企画したという。 Gakuensai ni okeru "konzatsu kanwa" to iu kadai kaiketsu no tame ni, dougakubu no gakusei-tachi ga hantoshi-kan kakete kikaku shita to iu. The project was planned over six months by students in the faculty to solve the issue of congestion relief at the school festival.
Example: 日本語を上達するために、毎日ニュースを読みます。 Nihongo o joutatsu suru tame ni, mainichi nyuusu o yomimasu. I read the news every day in order to improve my Japanese.
Example: 安全のために、このエリアでは走らないでください。 Anzen no tame ni, kono eria de wa hashiranaide kudasai. For safety, please do not run in this area.
Use 〜ために when you want to show a clear purpose or goal.
Useful Expressions
混雑状況を可視化する konzatsu joukyou o kashika suru to visualize crowd conditions
リアルタイムに把握する riarutaimu ni haaku suru to understand or monitor in real time
円滑に移動できる enkatsu ni idou dekiru to move around smoothly
困りごとを見つけ出す komarigoto o mitsukedasu to identify a problem or difficulty
Continue Learning
- Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese: Want to use スマートフォン (sumaatofon) from this article yourself? Our Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese lesson covers it.
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