Flatness

Analysis and Interpretation of Contemporary Japanese Graphic Communication: Kawaii, Typography and Flatness Interpreted from a Sociocultural, Aesthetic and Historical Point of View.


Image interpretation is a process that can be accomplished in different ways and at different levels of detail. In other words, it is up to the researcher to seek for information that is relevant
to him or her according to the purpose of the analysis. A more comprehensive perception of the image, requires a transdisciplinary approach that transcends the area of visual language. To this objective, a research about sociocultural, historical, aesthetic, economic, and political issues open new perspectives for a better understanding of production and image consumption.

An overview of the evolution of the pre-World War II Japanese visual communication will provide theoretical support to start a deeper contextualization about the socio-cultural, historical, and economic issues in Japan. Then, this information will be used to analyze characteristics of the Japanese visual communication, in a kind of pursuit of socio-cultural traits embodied in the printed media of Japan. Prior studies developed by the researcher and
a survey done among teachers and professionals involved in the field of visual communication formed the basis to better choose the subjects discussed in this research. Thus, in addition to
the historical context of Japanese visual culture and gathering of primary data on issues related to Japanese graphic design, the aim of this thesis is to exploring three cultural and visual features present in Japanese graphic design: kawaii, typography, and flatness. Each of these three elements has a chapter dedicated to the development and explanations, and contextualized analyzes that rely on theoretical support of primary and secondary sources of information obtained through interviews, surveys, information, and images obtained through field research as well as various kinds of bibliographical sources.

This study shows that there are socio-cultural and historical elements peculiar to Japanese society that are detectable in the images produced for advertising purposes. Despite the interest
of Japan in European visual languages, Japanese designers have maintained a balance between foreign graphical influence and Japan’s visual culture. It was also verified through samples analysis that the flatness is a common feature in modern Japanese graphical communication. However, it is not a visual manifestation as specific to Japanese culture as kawaii and the Japanese writing system, although this is common in Japanese visual culture
from the earliest works of art as sumi-e, ukiyo-e and rinpa.
It is concluded that Investigation of Japanese socio-cultural issues is essential for understanding the mode of operation and the intention in visual communication to the Japanese public. This applies especially to a graphic culture not broadly studied in academia as the Japanese contemporary graphic design and visual communication. It can be also concluded that it is possible to detect in urban visual communication cultural traits of a
nation and its people. Also, a graphic style at first exotic to the observer can be understood by ethnological, economic, historical, and socio-cultural bias of the society in which it occurs.

Keywords: Visual Communication; Japan; Society and Culture; Kawaii; Flatness.

In this article calculates the system parameters, performing assessments of sheet metals’ flatness using a diffraction grating. The results of calculations are used to configure the system, producing an assessment of rolled strip flatness contactless method. The method is based on the analysis of the diffraction pattern, falling on the finished products, which is located on the calibration tables.
The recommended settings of diffraction gratings’ period is composed, depending on the bandwidth.

In this study, an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) flat gain power amplifier which has 434 MHz centre frequency and 12 MHz bandwidth frequency is designed. The main purpose of the work is to design and obtain flat scattering parameters and the other figure of merit at these frequency values. Approximately 4 MHz flatness from 432 MHz to 436 MHz at the gain characteristics has been obtained by using MicroWave Office AWR (Applied Wave Research) Program supported by National Instruments. Limitation borders have been put to the graph and other optimization techniques are used on the program so that the gain graph becomes flat along 4 MHz at the peak. Efficiency and linearity are also examined but the flatness is the main object for this project.

We analyse the dark energy problem using observational H(z) data plus the curvature constraint given by WMAP. After a non-parametric statistical study covering the most probable range of Ω m0 and H 0 from different combination of data, we investigate the possibility of having the dark energy EoS parameter ω x ≠−1. In order to keep strict flatness (1% of deviation from Ω=1), our results point out this is the case for 0.20≲Ω m0≲0.23 and H 0≈67 km/s/Mpc, with ω x ≈−0.55. However, if we admit a 10% deviation from the flatness condition, ω x may have any value in the range [−1.2,−0.5] for 0.20≲Ω m0≲0.35 and 67≲H 0≲74 km/s/Mpc.

In this paper the results of research are shown in which the response surface was applied with central composite design for estimating the values of flatness as shown and accepted by the quality department and production company of the Caribbean region, taking into account factors such as voltage control in the winding sheet and the coefficient of friction. Initially, a first-order model was proposed to estimate the variance of the error and consider a quanti‐ tative model that takes into account the effects of combination. The method of steepest descent is used to sequentially move the descent path, i.e., in the direction of the minimum response decrement, until a new interval near optimal experi‐ mentation. Subsequently, a model of higher order was developed using a central composite design with center points and stars, taking into account control other variables additional response flatness, such as the roughness and hardness of the sheets in a range of flexible and acceptable to...