Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a novel framework for measuring occupancy in open-plan offices with unprecedented precision.  This innovative system uses computer vision and AI to analyze occupancy at a micro-scale level, focusing on specific functional zones within the office.  This addresses a significant gap in current occupancy tracking methods, which typically only provide macro-level data and struggle to capture detailed usage patterns within shared spaces.

Childhood maltreatment has lasting effects on mental and physical health, but early identification remains challenging. Now, researchers from Japan have used the Child Behavior Checklist—a non-self-rating questionnaire—to assess behavioral patterns in preschoolers and successfully predicted their exposure to maltreatment. This approach avoids direct questioning about trauma and reveals how the timing and type of maltreatment influence specific emotional and behavioral outcomes, offering a promising tool for early detection and targeted support.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is linked to difficulties in understanding emotions and intentions from body cues. However, whether these challenges stem from visual perception differences remains unclear. To explore this, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare body part representation in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex of adults with and without ASD. They found highly similar representational structures in both groups, suggesting ASD social difficulties may arise from higher-order cognitive processes rather than visual perception.