In pursuit of a new relationship between human and information - The past,present and future of human and information science research

For secure and high-quality information distribution services in a network society, it is crucial to develop technologies that enable users to get alo ng well with information as well as technologies that handle information pr operly on computers and networks. To provide a foundation to create a more pleasant and secure information communication environment, we have to disco ver ways of effectively handle information. For this purpose, we have been pursuing a two-pronged research approach; namely, the human science researc h to seek a comprehensive understanding of the nature of the information pr ocessing mechanisms of human beings, who are the creators and recipients of information, and information science research to search for the basic theo ries and principles of information processing. This article describes our a ctivities over the last ten years, current status and the prospect of the h uman science and information science research at Human and Information Scie nce Laboratory in the NTT Communication Science Laboratories.