Interim Report of Questionnaire


To Japanese Page


Follows are the results of visitors to my web site, answers of a questionnaire form, principles for the Stirling engines, and a simple explanation till 22 September 2000.


Number of Visitors

About 40 persons visited here per one day on December 1996. Over 100 persons visited here per one day on 1998 to 1999. Recently, the number of visitors decreases somewhat. My web site has been visited about 60 to 70 visitors per one day on the average. Because the address of my site has changed from 'www.bekkoame.or.jp' to 'www.bekkoame.ne.jp'. So, the viewers come by link of other pages decrease maybe. However, the total visitors are over 150,000! Thanks very much for your visit.



Visitors' Countries

In the Stirling Engine Home Page, many comments are accepted in the questionnaire form, the pages of the principle of the Stirling engines, and the page of simple explanation. Their countries classify the persons who answer them. The persons who contact me the e-mail directly are not included.
The totals of about 3300 persons have answered from about 80 countries. There are many answers from American (1347 persons) and Japanese (411 persons). The next is Australian (147 persons). In Europe, there are many comments from UK and German.

The whole list is here. (The right table is listed Top 20.)


Results of the Questionnaire

@667 persons have answered the questionnaire. The results are shown in the follows.
The right graph shows the answers of "Did you know about Stirling engine before you saw my home page?" 90% of the persons had known about Stirling engine. This result has an equivalent ratio to the result till 1998.
The right graph shows the answers of "How did you know an existence of my home page?" The most many answers are "Search service on Internet", and it is about 55%. The next is "Link from other web site", and it is about 30%. Also, "Learn from a person" is 6%, and "Book or publication" and "Accidentally" is 3 to 4%. This result also has an equivalent ratio to the result till 1998.
The right graph shows the answers of "What section of my home page did you like the most?" The most popular page is "Let's Build Model Stirling Engines", and it is supported 50%. The next is "Stirling Engines for Beginners", and it is 16%. "View of Model Stirling Engines" is 10%. I think that many persons want to build the model Stirling engine with deep interest.

Comments for the Principle Pages

Follows are the comments for the principle pages. The totals of 2114 persons have answered.
The right graph shows the answers of "Have you understood the principles of the Stirling engines?" They are separated to the two-piston type and the displacer type, also still and animation pages. In these cases, 60 - 70% of the persons have answered "Yes, very well" and "Yes". "I have known the principles before seeing this page." is about 20%. "No" and "No, at all" are 10 - 20%. I seem that the explanation in the stillness page of the displacer type Stirling engine is somewhat difficult.

Comments for the Easy Explanation Page

Follows are the answers of "How does a Stirling engine work?" page. 868 persons have answered.
In the case of the question "Do you understand how does the Stirling engine work?" about 70% of the persons answer "Yes". "No" is 10%, and "I have known the principles before seeing this page." is 15%. More 90% of the total persons are not Japanese. I think that my English is not good.
In the case of the question "Do you think that above description is easy to understand?" about 80% of the persons answer "Yes". "No" is 10%. I am satisfied with the result.

Return to 'Author's information'

Go to Stirling Engine Home Page

Koichi Hirata
e-mailFkhirata@gem.bekkoame.ne.jp (Home)
e-mail: khirata@srimot.go.jp (Office)