The database of motion constructed by focusing on mimetic wordsâFor designing a creative and emotional motion

We have been developing a method to design a creative and emotional ‘motion’ that may resonate with deep feelings that are difficult to describe verbally. In our previous study, we proposed a method to design a ‘motion’ by blending ‘base motions’ from a database wherein motions were related to corresponding ‘mimetic words’. Mimetic words may express motion and phenomena that are difficult to describe verbally. In this study, we attempt to investigate how people perceive the impressions of base motions using mimetic words; further, we attempt to validate the use of mimetic words. Experiment 1 was conducted to examine generalities in the process of relating mimetic words to base motions. Experiment 2 was conducted to examine generalities for evaluating the appropriateness of expressing each base motion by using related mimetic words. Results indicated that there is a tendency for subjects to perceive impressions from mimetic words while viewing base motions.