The Institute for Human Science and Biomedical Engineering (IHSBE) of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), one of independent administrative institutions, has embarked on a METI-entrusted R&D project under the Standard Authentication R&D Program, “Standardization of Assessment Method for Screen Image Safety” for a planned period of 3 years from fiscal 2003, targeting R&D and standardization of techniques for evaluating the psycho-physiological effects of viewing screen images, including motion sickness, eye fatigue caused by 3D image and photosensitive epilepsy (PSE).

The project will concern the development of a comprehensive evaluation method, both psychological and physiological, for hazards by screen image on the human health. Based on the outcome of this study, a draft standard for assessment of screen image safety will be proposed to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), requesting the implementation of the draft as one of international standards (IS). Such an effort will be of great significance for realizing an environment where everyone can safely enjoy screen images such as TV games, animation films and action movies, and for supporting the sound development of image media industries. Japan has been holding adequate competing capability in this area internationally.

The AIST has established the “AIST Industrial Standardization Policy” in November 2003, and is placing intensive emphasis on the industrial standardization including this project.

As information and communication technologies advance, the image media industries have achieved an outstanding growth, while biological impacts of screen image are being brought into questions worldwide. A lot of trouble cases have been reported in the past: in 1993, three persons watching a TV commercial were taken with PSE in the United Kingdom; in 1997, about 700 children watching a TV animation in Japan received medical treatment at a clinic because of PSE (so-called POKEMON incident); in July 2003, 36 out of about 300 junior-high students experienced “motion sickness” in Japan, while watching a self-produced movie in a class lesson, and were sent to a hospital.

Besides these cases in official reports, it has been widely whispered that some specific movies tend to cause motion sickness, and that eye fatigue occurs very often while watching 3D screen image. The further progress in image technology is expected to increase opportunities of viewing action scenes on wide screens and at high definition at home. In the present state of affairs, where various types of screen image, such as TV games, animation films and action movies, are invading general households, it is urgently needed to establish a norm for safety assessment of screen images as quickly as possible.

Under such circumstances, the standardization of safety assessment for screen image has been addressed for the purpose of PSE prevention. In the UK, the Independent Television Commission (ITC), a commercial TV broadcasters’ association, announced a guideline in 1994 on the safety of screen image, following the PSE incident in 1993.

The National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan (NAB) established a “Guideline on Animation and Other Imaging Techniques” in 1998. Furthermore, the safety of screen image came up for discussion at the Radiocommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R) in September 2001, and a new recommendation was drafted based on the UK’s ITC guideline in March 2003. The standardization of safety evaluation method in view of PSE prevention, which is currently under way, is to be extended in the future to the creation of a comprehensive criterion covering different imaging media other than TV broadcast.

On the other hand, the standardizing efforts for safety assessment of screen image have been made very little from a viewpoint of preventing motion sickness and 3D image-induced eye fatigue. It is said that a risk of potential PSE onset takes one in 4,000 persons (0.025%), while people apt to suffer from motion sickness is figured to be 10% or so at the least, on the basis of findings on the carsickness and those of motion sickness reported in Japan this July. It seems to be in pressing need to formulate a standard for safety assessment related to screen image, for the sake of people to be affected by motion sickness and 3D image-caused eye fatigue, who take a much greater proportion of the population than PSE patients.

In regard to PSE, physiological data such as electroencephalogram (EEG) have been collected for examination in view of image safety. However, the motion sickness and 3D image-induced eye fatigue involve much of viewers’ subjective aspects, and hence, the measurement of both psychological factors and physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure and pupillary response is required for understanding the safety with higher accuracy.

In the Standard Authentication R&D Program, “Standardization of Assessment Method for Screen Image Safety”, techniques for predicting physiological and psychological effects of screen image will be sought for, to establish a comprehensive evaluation method for safety of screen image. For this purpose, the following two themes will be dealt with.

Correlation analysis of physical characteristics of screen image with physiological and psychological effects to human beings

Fig. 1. The correlation between physical characteristics of screen image with physiological and psychological effects to human beings will be clarified.

The physical characteristics of screen image will be extracted through the image analysis, and the biological effects will be assessed by measuring physiological parameters such as EEG, heart rate, blood pressure and pupillary response, and psychological factors such as subjective evaluation, eye movement and body fluctuation. The correlation between physical characteristics and biological effects will be determined through the correlation analysis.

Prediction of biological effects and comprehensive evaluation of safety based on physical characteristics of screen image

Fig. 2. Physiological and psychological effects of screen image will be predicted from the physical characteristics to lead to the comprehensive evaluation.

The physiological and psychological effects of screen image will be predicted through the analysis and extraction of certain physical properties of image on the basis of correlation between the physical characteristics and the biological effects derived from the collection of physiological and psychological data. The safety of screen image will be assessed in a comprehensive way on the basis of these predictions, and the risk level will be designated in a few classes.