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This paper reports a new address interpretation system which allows both non-use of postal codes and omission of address elements, such as the omission of county or state when a city name has been given. While lexicon-driven recognizers show good recognition performance when they are input with adequate word images and a lexicon containing correct word strings, it is difficult to design one which would be of practical use when postal codes are not in use and elements of addresses may have been omitted. That is to say, an inadequate design in this area is likely to result in an impractically high erroneous recognition rate. In response to this problem, we propose here an advanced address interpretation system that utilizes both an improved address interpretation method and improved word recognition methods. The improved address interpretation method has been designed to satisfy as completely as possible the need to accommodate non-use of postal codes and the omission of address elements, while the improved word recognition methods have been designed to achieve low erroneous recognition rates in cases in which that need has not been fully satisfied. When we applied our new system to approximately 2000 actual address images for which that need would be relevant, we achieved a ¾± rate of correct outward sorting with only a ¼ ± rate of erroneous outward sorting. These rates are good enough for practical applications.

Background Blister packs with paperboard backing, which is useful for displaying instructions and information, are the most popular type of packaging for osteoporosis drugs in Japan. However, the main users of drugs are the aged, who often find blister packs difficult to open or drop their pills during opening. In this study, we compared different types of blister packs in terms of usability and handling. Methods We conducted a subjective and objective study to compare commonly used blister packs with newly designed ones that have a jagged notch designed to hold a pill temporarily and a perforated line that enables the pack to be held easily in one hand. Regarding subjective data, packaging and sensory tests were performed. The participants in the sensory test were healthy older adults and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We also measured the pinch power of all participants. Results A comparison of several items, including opening status, prevention of pill dropping, and understanding of the instructions, using a numerical rating scale revealed no significant differences between ordinary (type A) and newly designed (type B) packaging. However, the scores for type B were the same or better than those for type A for every evaluation item. In addition, more than 85% of the participants reported preferring to use type B. More than 80% of the participants in both groups reported dropping pills using type A, which seemed to be related to their preference for type B. In the evaluation by the examiner (objective study), all participants could successfully remove their pills without dropping using type B, including those in the RA group who had difficulty handling packages. Conclusion These findings suggest that the new type of blister pack assessed in this study (type B) is preferable among older and shows promise for a universal design.

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