[Temporary Closed] ‘Social Haptics Lab’

May 18, 2019–March 1, 2020 [Closed on February 29 and March 1]

Photo: KIOKU Keizo

Outline

Temporary Closing

In compliance with Japan’s national health authorities, NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC] have made the decision to close its facility from February 29 to March 1, as a measure against the further spreading of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Japan.

We apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this may cause to those who had hoped to visit on both dates.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

This exhibition experiments with haptics and haptic forms of telecommunication linking the human body to society, and relationships between human individuals that are established through touch. The featured works encompass different themes, and are rotationally exhibited for a certain time period each. In the course of the exhibition, the scope of telecommunication will be expanded to include next to audio and video also forms of haptic transmission.

Production: NTT Communication Science Laboratories
Planning: WATANABE Junji (NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Service Evolution Laboratories), HAYASHI Akiko (NTT Service Evolution Laboratories)

Cooperation in research: MINAMIZAWA Kouta (Keio University Graduate School of Media Design), TANAKA Yoshihiro (Nagoya Institute of Technology)

Cooperation in exhibit design: YOSHIDA Tomofumi (Of Sheep Inc.)
Cooperation in design: YANO Hirohiko, TATE Masami

Works

STEP 1: Expansion of the tactile sense

Use tools to expand the reach of your tactile sense

First, please try and touch the variously textured objects on the rack. How would you communicate what you feel to other people? Based on a simple mechanism, “Communication by Air” revolves around the expansion of the tactile sense. Two balls are connected by a tube, and when squeezing one of them, the other one inflates accordingly. Now try and establish a conversation “by air” by squeezing the balls.

“Communication by Air” [2019]

Production: KUWANO Koki (Hokkaido Research Organization)

STEP 2: Communication by signals

Translate tactile impressions into signals to reproduce them at different locations.

Just like the voice is transmitted through a telephone, tactile impressions can be transmitted as well to any place by converting them into signals.

In “Heartbeat Talk,” you can feel your conversation partner’s heartbeat as tactile impulses in the palm of your hand. Try and engage in a conversation while sensing your conversation partner’s heartbeat as it changes according to topics and facial expressions.

“Heartbeat Talk” [2019]

Planning: Social Haptics Lab

Exhibition period: May 18–December 15, 2019

STEP 3: Communication by networks

Share your tactile impressions with large numbers of people via networks

In addition to audio and video data, contents distribution formats are likely to incorporate also tactile information in the not so distant future. Make yourself comfortable in your sofa, and enjoy tactile impressions to go with sound and vision.

[Temporary Closed] ‘Social Haptics Lab’

Outline

Temporary Closing

Works

STEP 1: Expansion of the tactile sense

Use tools to expand the reach of your tactile sense

“Communication by Air” [2019]

STEP 2: Communication by signals

Translate tactile impressions into signals to reproduce them at different locations.

“Heartbeat Talk” [2019]

STEP 3: Communication by networks

Share your tactile impressions with large numbers of people via networks

“Tactile TV” [2018–]

Materials and Samples on ‘Social Haptics’

“Shitsukan Onomatopeia Map” [2016–]

“HAPTICS OF WONDER vol. 1” [2019]

“Public Booth for Vibrotactile Communication” [2019]

“Haptic Afterimage” [2019]

Artists

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