The Great East Japan Earthquake Archive
“The Great East Japan Earthquake Archive” is a multi-faceted digital archive which collates a variety of data about the scope of the disaster, for a more comprehensive perspective. Viewers can observe over 100 photographs of devastated areas; comments by over 20 victims; or overlay them in 3D geographic data on a digital representation of the Earth. Some of the many collaborators who contributed to producing this archive include students from other studios in Tokyo Metropolitan University, but also researchers at Nakata Senhiko Lab at the Graduate School of Miyagi University, the Center for Spatial Information Science at the University of Tokyo, as well as a photographer of panoramic photos living in the Kansai area.
A workshop to make electronic craft more familiar
The Tokyo Metropolitan University Science Kids Workshop 2010, a collaboration between IDEEA Lab and the National Institute of Special Needs Education, was a workshop for children, both with special needs and without, to familiarize them with, and enjoy science together. Using their own bodies, as well as electronic crafts, the children played with sound and touch, experiencing the latest scientific technology, learning knowledge and the mysteries of scientific technology.
Supported by the Mitsubishi Foundation since autumn 2011, we have developed a set of science play interfaces for children of all capabilities. We also run an electronic carpentry workshop for the Tokyo Science and Engineering Major Girls’ Exploratory Project, part of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)’s support project for junior high and high school girls to encourage them to major in science and engineering in university.
The creation of curved surface theory with a comprehensive view of lighting and reflection
When creating curved surfaces in computer graphics (CG) and design, the 2D look of curved surfaces, which is to say how they appear from a variety of perspectives and different lighting environments, is extremely important. This research towards building a comprehensive methodology to generate and control curved surfaces analyses and categorizes the relations between curved surfaces’ characteristics and their appearance by opacity. By going against the dominant method—starting with the 3D form, then confirming the 2D aspect while changing angle, lighting, and reflective attributes—this research seeks out a new paradigm for creating 3D forms based on a more comprehensive analysis of 2D constraints. This project is a collaboration with the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nihon University, Wakayama University, and the Tokyo Metropolitan University.
Research on signage, particularly directional arrows, to prevent accidents among train users
This project is a collaborative project by female researchers from different fields to support work and life balance of female researchers using IT technology. Collaborators include the Division of Information and Communications Systems, Management System Design, and Industrial Art.
A collaborative Visual Identity (VI) research project for the Tokyo Electrical Construction Association
Offered by the Industry-Academic-Public Cooperation Center of Tokyo Metropolitan University, Corporate Planning Department, and Urban Science Collaboration Institution, this project was developed over a period of 8 months, from September 2009 to May 2010. The press conference announcing it’s completion was attended by the deputy governor of Tokyo, and the resulting symbol and logo mark was copyrighted and accepted in the Center of Industry-University Collaboration.
Research into aesthetic mechanisms and evaluation systems of attractiveness
The research project is about the mechanisms and validation systems we use in gauging the attractiveness of a product, and the means we use to evaluate them. In this research we begin with basic criteria of attraction in the early stages of product usage. In a more matured, attracted state, several points were identified as related to excitement, such as wanting to touch a product, feelings of satisfaction, which together suggest a state of “desire and interest” and “a sense of security and relaxation, triggered by this feeling of satisfaction”.
A project developing an information service, using lifelogs, to support work and life balance of female researchers
This project is a collaborative project by female researchers from different fields to support work and life balance of female researchers using IT technology. Collaborators include the Division of Information and Communications Systems, Management System Design, and Industrial Art.
A collaborative research program on “Propaganda and Art: Cold-war period / Post-cold-war period”
Propaganda tends to be though of as overt political communications issued by the State, but especially since the latter half of the 20th century, culture and art themselves can be seen to have taken on propaganda-like roles.
Since the last century, global society itself has become increasingly “on-message,”and propaganda has become a core issue of contemporary art and culture.
TOKYO DESIGN SEMINAR 2011-2012 Dream Mobility Studio
This workshop, which we planned, produced, and also served as lecturer, was for 12 students from universities and technical schools around Tokyo to experience the process of car design. The theme was smart mobility in the campus city of Kashiwa-no-ha and we used the same process and application tools–from sketch to 3D, digital modeling, and visualization–used by professionals. Supported by many companies, professional designers, and modelers, it was held at the Tokyo Motor Show, one of Japan’s biggest events for car design.
KADEN project
This project was a collaboration between students from Industrial Art and Human Mechatronics with the theme of planning and designing new home electronics. It focused not only on design proposals but participants actually produced working models. This sort of cross-disciplinary work is one of the University’s strengths. For students from both sections it was great opportunity to confirm skills, and understand the others’. The results were exhibited in the Digital Contents EXPO, held October, 2011, and received much attention from the press and private sector.
Edo-Tokyo: [re]designing traditional crafts for modern uses
Our participation in ”Edo-Tokyo: [re]designing traditional crafts for modern uses”, was as a collaboration with wood-carvers and tortoise shell craftsmen in the Koto Ward of Tokyo. Our proposals were to add value to traditional crafts by serving Japan’s aging society and modern diversification of taste, including an attractive and useful woodsculpture handrail “which stimulates sensibility” for aging baby boomers, and contemporary and useful cup and pen holders, book markers, computer mice, etc. out of tortoise-shell materials, which tend to be thought of as extraordinary and traditional.
Collaborative research between Tokyo Metropolitan University x Samsung Electronics (To develop a next generation smart phone)
This project, to create prototype design proposals for next generation smart phones, each differentiated to match the high level recognition of global brand Samsung’s smart phone Galaxy, which unites interactive design (ID) + user experience (UX), was to practice highly practical industry-university research, which at the same time could become commercially realized. We researched and proposed new categories for Samsung’s smart devices, as they can accept continuous market and usage expansion and evolution, and future usage environments for smart phones, including peripheral equipment by environment, and new charging methods.
Graduate college course: Perspectives “Visual guidance – 3 experiments” shared by Human Engineering and Space Design Studios
This is the research result of the IA Project, a shared course in 2010, consisting of participants from the Space Design Studio, the Human Engineering Studio, and the Living Design Studio.
A collaborative research project about visual guidance and space design, each studio had their own perspective. In the secondary phase, participants divided into three groups: “Visual guidance informed by discomfort with over-consistency”, “orientation recognition in space”, and “does the difference between color and monochrome influence vision.” All research and experimentation was rooted in applications in actual spaces, and presented the results in an exhibition under the theme “Perspectives.”
Daily utensils made with a 3D printer;
a collaborative project with NTT Data Engineering Systems
This design research project was an inquiry into what kind of lifestyle changes would be brought about if 3D printers were to become more common in day-to-day life. The first result would be customization, and having what you want, when you want it, in the amount that you want. It provided an opportunity to reconsider the significance of manufacturing and distribution, from a global scale. We began with concept development, then designing forms, and creating CAD data using 3D scanners and 3D software. The students performed every step, and presented the results at the 2011 Tokyo Designers Week exhibition.
Industry-university cooperation design development project
Hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this “industry-university cooperation design development project” collaboraation seeks to connect small businesses who want to develop new products with student designers in design universities. For this collaboration our partner was Daio Manufacturing, who produces and sells novelties. We proposed designs utilizing the company’s maximum values, from brand development, product development, to new solution developments using networks. Under-graduate seniors through post-graduate students participated from various fields of specialization.
Modio the Mobile Studio Project
This project was to refurbish an “Air Stream” trailer house, iconically American, to produce a multi-purpose movable laboratory which we can utilize in a border-less fashion. We equipped it for exhibitions, with technologies for video screenings, audio, and with a kitchen inside, as well as utilizing a balloon-type canopy to create a fun communica- tion space for gathering outside. It was a popular draw at the Tokyo Designers Week exhibition space. It is also lovingly used in special events planned by students on campus.
