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Takegawa Lab. - xFuture Lab.
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  2. Lifestyle of the Future

Lifestyle of the Future

Greetings

We are living in an age in which information technology, such as AI, SNS, robots, and so on, have become naturally integrated into society. The spread of such technology has also changed the way we live, and this change will only continue to grow. Using sensor technology will enable us accurately to capture everyday events and predict future events. The promulgation of thin and flexible displays will make it possible to present information anywhere. Meanwhile, computers will become ever smaller and more lightweight.

So, what will our future lifestyle be like? What is important for creating a better lifestyle?

I believe that ‘personalization’ and ‘co-creation’ are key. As information technology subtly and flexibly blends into our daily lives, living solutions that are more tailored to individual circumstances will no doubt be found. While it is important to propose universal designs that are easy for everyone to use, I think that from now on what will be crucial is personal design that is completely tailored to the intense ego (selfishness) of a certain individual. When designing a UI/UX to fit individuals, shared creation is important. We must identify with a certain person’s ego, understand their values, and actively involve them, to jointly develop products and services. At times we may even actually create new values.

The works included in Lifestyle of the Future were all born of a focus on somebody’s ego. Your ego will build the future!

Prof. Yoshinari Takegawa

Project

(Click thumbnails for details)
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Fashion

Design to increase performers’ power of expression

Wearable Piano Illuminated Piano
New form of expression and experience for pianists
PerformEyebrow
Shape-changing eyebrows to convey any emotion
Digital Mask
Expressive face mask
Re: DigitalMask
DigitalVoice
Instantly changes your voice however you want!

Hobby

Design to record and share various school activities, to get everybody buzzing

Airstic Drum
A hybrid drum combining the real and the virtual
Unit Instruments
Like LEGO with instruments
OneParka
Enabling you to share the excitement of a live music performance from the comfort of your own home
Toricolle
Snowboarder’s SNS! Trick & Collection
MusicalTyping
An instrument that enables you to input characters while playing sounds
Mobile Clavier
Enabling you to play varied harmonies with just a small number of keys

Shooting・Distribution

Design of tools to enable learners to learn efficiently

Pokerepo GO
A portable TV station
AIdoridesu7 (AI Switcher)
“Switching” manipulating multiple cameras
Enmusubi
For more rounded online conversation
TranPlay
It can shapeshift!? A fully bendable, handy display

Life

Design of teaching methods for applications, systems and games that support learning

Wearable Projector
Projection Mapping anytime, anywhere
Diet Filter
A filter that enables you to eat less while still enjoying every mouthful
Voice Loudness Controller
A vocal volume dial

© Future University Hakodate, Takegawa Laboratory, All Rights Reserved.

Mobile Clavier



Enabling you to play varied harmonies with just a small number of keys

Many people who play musical instruments want to be able to perform for lots of people, whenever, wherever. However, ordinary keyboard instruments are large and heavy, making them difficult to carry around. While there are smaller keyboard instruments, the range of sounds that can be played is limited, making it difficult to achieve a satisfying performance. This is where Mobile Clavier, which is portable and enables you to play any piece of music, comes in handy. It is a small keyboard instrument, comprising just 15 white keys and 12 black keys, yet, by operating the foot pedal to alter the range as you play, it is possible to perform pieces covering three octaves, such as a Turkish March. In addition, to prevent any confusion for the player, the ranges played by the left hand and right hand, respectively, are distinguished by the way the LEDs light up. Looking foward, we think that incorporating ever-involving AI technology into Mobile Clavier will remove the need for the foot pedal. With Mobile Clavier, the performers of the future will be able to deliver satisfying performances to even more people, in even more places.

Accomplishment

Takegawa, Y., Terada, T., Tsukamoto, M., and Nishio, S., “Mobile Clavier: New Music Keyboard for Flexible Key Transpose,” Proceeding of International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME2007), pp. 82–87 (June 2007).

Wearable Piano and Illuminated



New form of expression and experience for pianists

Wearable Piano is not just a piano that has been turned into a dress. The keyboard really produces sound. With Illuminated Piano, the dress lights up attractively in time to the playing of Wearable Piano. A future where you can color your daily life with music? It could be just around the corner!

Accomplishment
Takegawa, Y., Tsukamoto, M., Oe, M., and Nishio, S., “Wearable Piano: Realizing Wearable Fashion Collaborating with Piano,” Proceeding of IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC 2005), Demonstration (Business Innovation Center Osaka, Osaka, Oct. 2005).

PerformEyebrow



Shape-changing eyebrows to convey any emotion

PerformEyebrow comprises artificial eyebrows adhered on top of the user’s eyebrows, the shape of which can be made to change using heat transmission, in order to express a variety of emotions. The shape of a person’s eyebrows largely affects the impression made by their facial expression. Accordingly, exaggerating the change of the eyebrows enables the user to convey their emotions to other people more clearly and comprehensibly. Also, PerformEyebrow is useful in situations where face masks are required. Wearing a mask limits the parts of the face that can be seen, but eyebrow transformation by PerformEyebrow makes it easy to convey emotions, even when wearing a mask.

Accomplishment
Masui, M., Takegawa, Y., Nonoka N., Tokuda, Y., Sugiura, Y., Masai, K., and Hirata, K., “PerformEyebrow: Design and Implementation of an Artificial Eyebrow Device Enabling Augmented Facial Expression,” Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII2021), pp. 584–597 (July 2021).

Digital Mask




Expressive face mask

The Digital Mask has display screens, a camera and microphone attached. The display facing the user wearing the mask shows the face of the person to whom the user is talking. The display facing the other person shows the face of the mask-wearer, transformed into an avatar (character). At this time, the gaze and facial expression of the mask-wearer are reflected onto the avatar. In addition, thanks to the mask’s voice-changer function, the wearer can become even more like the avatar, by altering his/her voice to suit it.

Accomplishment
Takegawa, Y., Tokuda, Y., Umezawa, A., Suzuki, K., Masai, K., Sugiura, Y., Sugimoto, M., Plasencia, M. D., Subramanian, S., and Hirata, K., “Digital Full-Face Mask Display with Expression Recognition using Embedded Photo Reflective Sensor Arrays,” Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR), pp. 101–108 (Nov. 2020).

Re: DigitalMask



A fully-evolved Digital Mask

Re Digital Mask is the result of adding new components to the previous Digital Mask. The previous mask had issues such as that the wearer’s ‘field of vision is obstructed, making walking around difficult and dangerous’, ‘the operation of changing the avatar is difficult’, and ‘the mask cannot be used outdoors’. Therefore, we created Re Digital Mask, which comprises the existing mask with three new components added. The first component is AR glasses. Using AR glasses has improved the field of vision, enabling the wearer not just to walk around, but even to climb stairs safely, which makes it possible to wear Digital Mask in everyday life. What’s more, the position of the avatar face in relation to the wearer’s actual face has become more natural than before, giving the wearer a feeling of identification with the avatar, which allows them to converse without feeling awkward. The second new component is one-tap operation. With the previous mask, when the user wanted to change the avatar, it was necessary to perform complex operations. Therefore, with Re Digital Mask, we made it possible to change the avatar easily, with one tap, so that the user can enjoy conversation with no stress. The third component is facial-expression sensing using light sensors and a microphone. The previous mask estimated facial expression using only light sensors, but it was found that, when using the mask outside, the light sensors were strongly affected by sunlight, which prevented accurate facial-expression reading. Accordingly, light sensors and a microphone are used to enable more accurate facial-expression sensing. Why don’t you try looking at the world through this newly, fully-evolved digital mask?

DigitalVoice


 


Instantly changes your voice however you want!

DigitalVoice, which is used together with a digital mask that changes your face into an avatar, is an item that allows you to change your voice just as you would change your clothes. There were two issues in realizing DigitalVoice. The first was that, when people are conversing at close range, the listener can hear the speaker’s normal voice as well as their altered voice. To solve this problem, we introduced a sound-blocking microphone, which makes the speaker’s original voice practically inaudible. Also, by using an audio feedback method to play the speaker’s voice to them at an increased volume, we succeeded in making the speaker feel that their natural voice was too loud and thus speaking more quietly. The second issue was that the speaker has difficulty concentrating on speaking when they hear the artificial voice and their natural voice out of sync. This problem was solved by using bone conduction earphones, capable of picking up surrounding noises, to make the speaker’s natural voice sound loud and make the virtual voice difficult to hear. We think DigitalVoice could be used in a variety of situations. For example, if a man with a severe face who finds that children are afraid of him were to use an avatar wherever he went, not only would children stop being scared, but he might even become popular with children. Why don’t you try changing your voice and using an avatar to make communication and conversation more fun?

Airstic Drum



A hybrid drum combining the real and the virtual

When it comes to travelling to perform in various places, transporting a large and heavy drum kit is problematic. Using an electric drum, comprising sensors attached to drumsticks so that the performer can play as on an `air drum’, allows a performer to go out and perform anywhere. However, as drumming involves many techniques that can only be performed using the actual surface of a drum, it cannot be said that the electric drum allows the user freely to perform any piece of music. This is where Airtstic Drum comes in. Airstic Drum provides a surface to act as the parts of the drum kit that are often used, while those parts less frequently used are recreated with the electric drumsticks. This is a hybrid of the real and the virtual that makes it possible to take the drum anywhere and deliver high quality performance.

Accomplishment
Kanke, H., Takegawa, Y., T., Terada, T., and Tsukamoto, M., “Airstic Drum: A Drumstick for Integration of Real and Virtual Drums,” Proceeding of ACM SIGCHI International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology (ACE2012), pp. 57–69 (Nov. 2012).

Unit Instruments



Like LEGO with instruments

When playing acoustic instruments, music is produced by altering the pitch, strength, length or timbre of sounds through different playing techniques. In contrast, electronic instruments imitate the playing techniques of acoustic instruments then use sensors or buttons to input pitch, strength, length or timbre of notes into a computer which interprets these signals and outputs sound. In Unit Instruments, the results of disassembling the input parts of various electronic instruments into individual components are called `units’. By altering the combination of these units, electronic instruments affording new playing techniques can be created, such as an instrument that is a combination of a guitar and a piano, or a piano with additional keyboards.

Accomplishment
Takegawa, Y., Terada, T., and Tsukamoto, T., “UnitKeyboard: An Easily Configurable Compact Clavier,” Proceeding of International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME2008), pp. 289–292, (June 2008).
Maruyama, Y., Takegawa, Y., Terada, T., and Tsukamoto, M., “UnitInstrument: Easy Configurable Musical Instruments,” Proceeding of International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME2010), pp. 7–12 (June 2010).

OneParka



Enabling you to share the excitement of a live music performance from the comfort of your own home

ONEParka is a Parka that increases the sense of unity between participants in online live music performances. In an online performance, participants do not feel the sense of unity that should be experienced at a live performance, because they are unable to share the mood and excitement that are unique to an actual live event. ONEParka solves this problem. This device consists of a Parka with built-in miniature vibration transmission speakers that produce vibration along with sound, which vibrate in time to the live music. In addition, the device measures excitement levels based on the wearer’s pulse rate, expression, perspiration, and movement, and alters the intensity of the vibration in proportion to the excitement level. By using ONEParka, online live performance participants can share each other’s excitement and experience the sense of unity that could previously only be obtained at a real-world performance.

Accomplishment
Anbo, Y., Imai, R., Matsui, R., Yanagisawa, Y., Takegawa, Y., and Hirata, K., “A Clothing-Type Wearable Device that Promotes a Sense of Unity for Viewers of Online Live Performances,” In Proceedings of the 25th HCI International Conference (HCII ’23), pp. 209-–224 (July, 2023).

Toricolle



Snowboarder’s SNS! Trick & Collection

Toricolle is an SNS for snowboarders attempting tricks. Users can share tricks that they have invented with other snowboarders on the SNS. In addition, a sensor mounted on the user’s snowboard enables automatic judgement of whether or not tricks have been successfully performed. Users are awarded badges for attempting and mastering the tricks they have created themselves and those created by other users. Toricolle snowboarders can enjoy building a trick collection, honing their skills and connecting with Toricolle snowboarders around the world, through tricks.

Musical Typing



An instrument that enables you to input characters while playing sounds

MusicalTyping enables you to input characters using a piano keyboard. However, when combining sounds and letters, if one letter of the alphabet is simply assigned to each key of the keyboard, for example, so that the ‘do’ sound inputs ‘a’ and the ‘re’ sound inputs ‘i’, inputting characters will probably sound discordant and not sound like playing a song. Besides which, there are not nearly enough keys on the keyboard. This is why MusicalTyping proposes an algorithm to make it sound like you are playing a song when you play the words that you want to input. By performing accompaniment with the left hand in the left range, and pressing the keys specified by the input letters with the right hand, in the right range, the result does not like disparate notes used to input letters, but like a coherent piece of music. Also, letter input is set so that the first key pressed inputs a vowel and the second key pressed inputs a consonant. For example, playing ‘do mi’ ‘re♯ mi’ inputs the Japanese sounds ‘o’ and ‘to’ on the screen. In this way, even with a small number of keys, you can input letters as though you are playing music. With MusicalTyping, even tedious computer tasks can be made fun by creating music as you type.

Accomplishment

Takegawa, Y., Terada, T., and Nishio, S., “TEMPEST: A Text Input System for Musical Performers,” Proceeding of International Conference on Entertainment Computing (ICEC2006), pp. 322–325 (Sept. 2006).

Takegawa, Y., Terada, T., and Nishio, S., “A Text Input Interface using a Portable Clavier for Pianists,” Proceeding of IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC2007), pp. 99–102, (Oct. 2007).

Pokerepo GO



A portable TV station

Creating footage for TV programs etc. requires a lot of people and time. There are many necessary processes, beginning with an editors’meeting to decide what kind of footage to take, what to film and how to present it; then research and preparation, filming, editing, and, in the case of any narration or voiceover, studio recording. Furthermore, filming involves various equipment and many people, such as someone to direct, someone to operate the camera and someone to record sound. Pokerepo GO is a tool to enable this kind of video to be created by one person. Filming and editing can be performed simultaneously with a single Pokerepo GO unit.

Accomplishment
Matsumura, K. and Takegawa, Y., “Reporting Solo: A Design of Supporting System for Solo Live Reporting,” Proceeding of ACM SIGCHI International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology (ACE2016), pp. 1–7 (Nov. 2016).
Takegawa, Y., Matsumura, K., and Manabe, H. “PokeRepo Go++: One-man Live Reporting System with a Commentator Function,’’ Proceedings of the 2019 ACM International Conference on Interactive Experiences for TV and Online Video (TVX ’19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, pp. 230-–238 (June 2019).

AIdoridesu7 (AI Switcher)



“Switching” manipulating multiple cameras

In a live television broadcast, footage is taken with various cameras and the image aired is simultaneously decided by choosing the optimum camera image from among these. The task of choosing between these camera shots is called `switching’. Switching is work carried out by professional `switchers’, based on their experience and know-how, and is very difficult for amateurs. However, it is thanks to this process that even live video is easy for viewers to comprehend. AIdoridesu7 is the name of a switching support system. Essentially it is a system to assist amateurs with the difficult task of switching. The results of a survey showed that experienced switchers take occurrences (events) in video as hints for selecting and switching between camera images. Therefore, AIdoridesu7 provides a function for automatic detection of events and an event-based interface that is simple to operate even for beginners, enabling any person to broadcast optimum images easily.

Accomplishment
Endo, S., Takegawa, Y., Funaki, A., Matsumura, K., Hirata, K., and Igarashi, T., “Construction of a Switching Support System for Live Broadcast of Oral Presentation,” Journal of Information Processing, Vol. 62, No. 3, pp. 1–9 (Mar. 2021).

Enmusubi



For more rounded online conversation

The Enmusubi is an installation that enables users in separate locations to have a casual online chat, just as people might gather round the office water cooler in real life. The major special features of the Enmusubi, which are a camera that films a 360 view, and a cylindrical display, make it possible to hold not only one-to-one conversations, but also simultaneous conversations between multiple groups. A single Enmusubi has microphones and speakers attached in all four directions, so that when you are actually conversing you can hardly hear the voices of anyone besides the person to whom you are talking. This means that, even when multiple people are holding conversations simultaneously, there is no need to worry about speech overlapping and becoming difficult to hear. However, as you can still faintly hear the conversations of other groups, it is also possible to join in with those conversations and all talk together.

TranPlay



It can shapeshift!? A fully bendable, handy display

The Tranplay is a display that allows you freely to alter the shape of the display and the direction in which it curves. Changing the shape of the display into forms such an S shape, V shape, or a flat surface makes it easier for the gaze and emotions of the avatar shown on the display to be conveyed to users. For example, you can change the impression of the avatar’s gaze by changing the shape of the Tranplay in accordance with the number of people around it. When there is only one person nearby, you can make the display into a Λ shape, so that the person can directly meet the avatar’s gaze and feel as though they alone are talking to it. In contrast, when there are several people surrounding the display, by changing the display to a V shape you can make it seem like the avatar is talking to everyone. You can even move the display in real time to make it seem as though the avatar is bowing or lying outstretched, to effectively recreate the avatar’s emotions.

Wearable Projector



Projection Mapping anytime, anywhere

The days when projectors were heavy and large are long gone. You can already buy a projector that fits in the palm of your hand; and surely projectors will just continue to get smaller and cheaper. Wearable Projector can be attached to your wrist, shoulder, waist and various other body parts, to display information on all kinds of surface, such as walls or floors. What’s more, you can display stable images even while walking, so there are countless ways to use it. For example, when walking through an unknown town with a friend, you can project a map while you walk, or even play games on the go.

Accomplishment
Ota, S., Takegawa, Y., Terada, T., and Tsukamoto, M., “A Method for Wearable Projector Selection that Considers the Viewability of Projected Images,” Proceeding of the 7th International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology (ACE 2010), Vol. 8, No. 3, Article 17, pp. 1–6 (Nov. 2010).

Diet Filter



A filter that enables you to eat less while still enjoying every mouthful

Many people find themselves beginning a diet after having gained weight due to overeating. However, keeping one’s appetite under control while eating a reduced amount or following an exercise regime is difficult to continue long-term, which is why many people rebound (return to their pre-diet weight once the diet is over.)
This is where Diet Filter comes in. It is well known that a person’s appetite decreases if their food looks blue. However, this also prevents them from enjoying the food. With Diet Filter, the blue filter grows gradually stronger as the user eats. This has the effect that the user chews the food an increased number of times and is less likely to eat a second helping. In addition, the system automatically recognizes what the user is currently eating and, if it is a healthy food such as vegetables, does not apply the filter, or even applies a filter to stimulate appetite. Because using Diet Filter enables you to control your appetite while still enjoying your food, it realizes both health management and rebound prevention.

Voice Loudness Controller



A vocal volume dial

From the way they hear their own voices with their own ears, humans judge how far their voices are carrying. Accordingly, if the voice sounds quiet the speaker will adjust by trying to talk more loudly, while if the voice sounds too loud the speaker will try to talk more quietly. A person cannot tell how someone to whom he is speaking actually hears him, thus he judges by his own voice. Voice Loudness Controller is a device for changing voice loudness by adjusting the user’s `voice volume dial’. This is done by capturing the user’s voice with a microphone then altering the loudness of the voice that is fed back to the user’s ears. Turning the voice volume dial changes the loudness of the voice heard through the headphones, allowing the user’s voice to be controlled. Vocal volume is displayed on a voice volume monitor, so that the user can see the loudness of his voice with his own eyes.

Accomplishment
Hara, F., Takegawa, Y., and Hirata, K., “Design and Implementation of a Voice Feedback Device for Voice Loudness Control,” Proceeding of International Conference on Entertainment Computing (ICEC2017), pp. 76–82 (Sept. 2017).
Noguchi, K., Takegawa, Y., and Hirata, K., “Pseudo Human Sense in the Loop: Proposal of a Presentation Support Method by Pseudo Feedback of Audience Sense,” Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII2021), pp. 389–407 (July 2021).