© Photo by Shinsuke Yasui

mononome(2014)
neurowear × Aizu Laboratory, Inc. Named after the Japanese for “eyes of things”, the eye-shaped device equipped with a sensor is attached to furniture and home electronics and monitors the activities of objects. When the furniture is moved, the eye expressions change and the activities are recorded. The eyes are a natural user interface that can reveal the user’s habits and even allow the objects to convey a message to its users, like “Take your medicine on time!” The artist has developed new communication methods between humans and objects that will enrich the quality of life.

© Photo by Shinsuke Yasui

COTOREES(2016)
neurowear × tsug.LLC COTOREES is a cute bird-like wireless computer that is controlled by voice. Not too smart, but just like a pet that reacts when you talk to it. They cannot do everything, but each character has one specific function: The ‘Weather bird’ tells you today’s weather on a busy morning, ‘Trans-bird’ translates a simple sentence for you, ‘Wiki-bird’ tells you the meaning of words, like a dictionary. Mobile apps have appeared in the real world. What other type of ‘bird’ would you like?

Onigilin (2016)
neurowear × STARRYWORKS inc. The device helps you control the three key elements for meditation (body tone, breathing rate, heart rate), making it easy for anyone to start meditating with ease. The rice-ball (onigili in Japanese) shape has easy portability so you can give your heart and mind a light workout on your way to work or while at your desk.

© Yukio Shimizu

Flagella (2009) Shunji Yamanaka, Yusuke Kamiyama, Mitsuru Muramatsu, Keio University SFC Yamanaka Design Laboratory
Flexible robotic arms move without touching each other. Inspired by the unique organism flagellum, which has a rotary motor at its base, the tube-shaped rigid structures deftly twist in several sections of the arms, powered by a servomotor that turns clockwise or counter-clockwise. The simple structure realizes fluid and dynamic motion that reminds us of intellectual living creatures.
Cooperation by NICHINAN CORPORATION

© Yasushi Kato

Apostroph (2014) Mitsuru Muramatsu, Manfred Hild (Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin), Shunji Yamanaka Prototyping & Design Laboratory, The University of Tokyo
A prototype of a robot designed to study the intrinsic behaviors of living organisms. In Apostroph, the joint contains motors that are programmed to resist external force. These motors rotate in the opposite direction to gravity rotation. Consequently, Apostroph tries to lift its body, in the same way as a human being stands up. Instead of precise control of the whole structure, simple but vital control achieves high resiliency.
Cooperation by Aspect, Inc.

Upper two photos:© Yasushi Kato

READY TO CRAWL (2015) Hiroshi Sugihara, Shunji Yamanaka Prototyping & Design Laboratory, The University of Tokyo
Bio-like robots made by 3D printing. Machines are usually completed by assembling parts that are manufactured in different ways from different materials. In additive manufacturing (AM) it is possible to make several parts in an assembled state as one machine. This project aimed to make robots that were born in a completed state by making all of the parts, excluding a DC motor, assembled by AM as one machine. It shows the possibility of “the Design of Motion” in 3D printing, which reverses the current method of designing; not integrating components to realize a movement, but designing movements first then finding/developing/creating the best shape to achieve the movements.

© Yasushi Kato

Structured Texture (2015) Satoshi Tanigawa, Panasonic Corporation, Prototyping & Design Laboratory, The University of Tokyo
Nylon-made group of objects printed by 3D printing. Research aims to achieve different tactile sensations from objects of the same material, by changing their structural composition. When people take the artworks in their hands, human perception of heaviness, tenderness, and texture undergoes an interesting surprise. The shape of the lizards you find in READY TO CRAWL was inspired by this study.