Laboratory for New Media

The Permanent Exhibition “Laboratory for New Media” is a space which introduces the possibility of expression using cutting-edge information technology presented through periodically upgraded exhibits. This time, its 6th occurrence, we will exhibit a collection of work by Masahiko Inami (Professor of Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University).

Augmented Coliseum(2005)

Augmented Coliseum is a game environment that fuses the real world (= robot) with the information world (= CG: computer graphics).
Using projectors, displays, and other image projection devices to project the image to be marked (marker image), the position and orientation of the robot can be measured or changed. This is called “display-based computing”. In this display, the marker image is projected onto a space using a projector; the robot's position and orientation are measured and the image modified to the robot in the real environment.
Associate developer: Minoru Kojima, Akihiro Nakamura, Masahiro Tomita, Georges Kagotani, Hideaki Nii, Maki Sugimoto
Cooperation in production: Charith Fernando, Yuta Sugiura

BYU-BYU-View (SIGGRAPH2007 Version)(2007)

There is an expression “to hear something in the breeze”, but the wind does not actually say anything. However, using the BYU-BYU-View it is possible for a person to convey their breathing on the wind to another person a distance away.
Two people face each other a distance apart; if one person sends a puff of wind in the direction of the monitor by breathing on it or fanning it, the other person's monitor recreates the wind. By sharing the sensation on the skin, perhaps even your feelings could be conveyed.
Associate developer: Erika Sawada, Tatsuhito Awaji, Keisuke Morishita, Masahiro Furukawa, Tomohisa Aruga, Hidetoshi Kimura, Tomoko Fujii, Ryuta Takeichi, Shinya Ida, Noriyoshi Shimizu, Takuji Tokiwa, Maki Sugimoto

Relative Motion Racing(2000)

Relative Motion Racing is a creation that incorporates the display-based computing concept to control robots. The vehicle-shaped robot reads the marker image on the surface of the road and runs on top of the image.
In this way, because the robot's movements can be controlled with animation only, works that combine robots and animation or music can be easily produced.
Associate developer: Masahiro Tomita, Naohisa Nagaya, Maki Sugimoto
Cooperation in production: Motoyuki Fujieda, Shintaro Sakota, Seiyo Ikeda, Yuichi Murakami, Hajime Hata

Optical Camouflage (Version 2.0)(1998)

Reflected in a full-length mirror, your body appears to become invisible. You become an invisible person. The Optical Camouflage is a technology that optically camouflages an object by draping it in a special “cloak of invisibility”. This display was created using hints taken from the “thermo-optic camouflages” used in the animated cartoon “Kokakukidotai (Ghost in the Shell)”.
By projecting an image of the background of the object you wish to camouflage, the area covered by the recursive reflective material (materials that reflect light from the same direction as they enter) appears as if the object were invisible.
Associate developer: Hiroaki Matsuda, Seiyo Ikeda, Hajime Hata, Naoya Koizumi, Takuji Tokiwa, Naoki kawakami, Hiroyuki Yanagida, Taro Maeda, Susumu Tachi

Stop Motion Goggles(2008)

Wouldn't you like to stop time and take a look at the stationary world? A professional baseball player once said that balls appeared to stop in mid-air; he most certainly has exceptional dynamic vision.
Without needing to hone our dynamic vision, we have Stop Motion Goggles. The internal shutter opens and closes at high speed, enabling objects to be seen clearly, with minimal retinal image blurring, regardless of how fast the objects are moving.
Associate developer: Naohisa Nagaya, Fabian Foo Chuan Siang, Masahiro Furukawa, Takuji Tokiwa, Maki Sugimoto

Fur Display(2009)

When a cat menaces its enemies, its fur stands up, expressing emotion. Humans cannot do this as their bodies are not covered in fur, but goose-bumps are said to be a relic of this behavior, one which humans no doubt lost over the course of evolution.
The Fur Display is a display that attempts to transmit information using soft, luxuriant fur. When people put their hands close to the fur it stands on end and moves in waves. Instead of body fur, people can use fur displays.
Associate developer: Yuji Uema, Masahiro Furukawa, Naohisa Nagaya, Atsushi Okoshi, Takuji Tokiwa, Maki Sugimoto

SUI: Straw-like User Interface(2005)

Stick a straw into a milkshake. No matter how hard you suck on the straw, you never get as much drink up the straw as you anticipated. Anyone who has experienced that “What's this?” sense of puzzlement when this happens is sure to recall it immediately. This doesn't happen with a carbonated soft drink – they shoot up the straw. What about fermented soybeans, then? Or perhaps curried rice?
SUI recreates the sucking sensation, a “food texture” that is vital to “taste”. The display enables you to virtually experience food entering the body.
Associate developer: Yuki Hashimoto, Junichiro Ohtaki, Minoru Kojima, Naohisa Nagaya, Tomoyasu Mitani, Satoru Miyajima, Akio Yamamoto
Cooperation in production: Motoyuki Fujieda, Takaaki Hanegi, Hiroaki Matsuda

Term

March 17 (Wed.), 2010 – June 14 (Mon.), 2010

Exhibitor

Masahiko INAMI Professor in the School of Media Design at the Keio University (KMD), Japan. His research interest is human I/O enhancement technology including HCI and robotics. He completed a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Tokyo. He joined the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo in 1999, and in 2003 he moved to the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Intelligent Systems at the University of Electro-Communications (UEC Tokyo), Japan, where he served as a professor. He was also a visiting scientist at MIT CSAIL in 2005. In 2008, he joined the Keio University. Prof. Inami is one of the directors of the Virtual Reality Society of Japan (VRSJ) and Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association of Japan (CESA). One of his scientific achievements is the invention and development of Retro-reflective Projection Technology (RPT). One of the applications of RPT is optical camouflage, which was chosen among the Time Magazine “Coolest Inventions 2003”. He has exhibited over 20 installations at SIGGRAPH/SIGGRAPH Asia Emerging Technologies from 1997 through 2009. Inami Laboratory, the School of Media Design at the Keio University (KMD)

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