The Tokyo Institute of Technology are hosting a “Hybrid Innovation” programme for key industrial partners for the second year. The programme is held at Nohara Lab, School of Environment and Society, at the Ookayama Campus in central Tokyo. The sessions are developed in collaboration with Central Saint Martins College of the Arts London (CSM).
In this program, companies embody the process to Hybrid Innovation. This merges “multi-communication” to transcend disciplinary boundary, promote the fusion of knowledge and change mindsets. The programme also aims stimulate innovative strategies in each participating company.
The first session of Year 2 was held on Tuesday 18th September 2022. Attendees from the six participating companies engaged in a short lecture, discussions and workshops facilitated by Prof. Kayoko Nohara and supported by selected graduate students. After briefly introducing the concept of “hybrid innovation” in relation to the overall programme, the participants engaged in an active discussion around the theory and practice of “innovation” as perceived individually and communicated by their respective companies. In line with the transdisciplinary approach driving the programme, Prof. Nohara employed linguistic strategies to facilitate the conversation and complement the answers collected on a whiteboard wall.
The discussion was followed by an extensive exercise in visual communication using Lego, which was used to observe and comment on communication and leadership strategies within and between the groups. Participants were invited to continue the discussion and network among each other in the friendly environment created by Nohara Lab at Tokyo Tech.
Activity period: October 2022 to April 2023
PROGRAMME CONTENT: Seminars, workshops, manufacturing, experiments, creative community activities, etc. that flexibly use face-to-face and online. A final symposium – open to participating companies and the public – is scheduled for April 2023.
This article was co-written by Nohara Lab staff and students, edited by Giorgio Salani, and translated into Japanese by Prof. Kayoko Nohara. A list of references for the data cited in the article is included below the main text.
For a first introduction to Nohara Lab’s collaboration with Coopervision Japan please read this post.
June-July updates
Our collaboration with CooperVision Japan on the environmental impact of single-use contact lenses (CL) continues with a more thematic discussion on questions and methods. Building on an initial review in English and Japanese, the students worked in 3 groups representing different facets of the issues around blister packaging and their recycling. This phase exemplifies a typical moment in undergraduate and graduate research when, typically, the students would have started to collect various materials but are yet to figure out a clear direction for their study. A brainstorm session brought to the fore selected findings from each group, key references, general research goals and a first attempt at defining research questions. To underline the importance of writing at all stages in the research process, the students were asked to summarise their developments in text. Three main themes were identified and are reported below.
Consumer behaviour of CL users in Japan
A review of literature on consumer behaviour highlighted some important facts and suggested the need to fill the gaps with data on the Japanese context. Various surveys pointed at interesting behavioural patterns, also influenced by recycling policy and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Japan, 26% of young people (15-24 years old) using CL discard used products at home. Some throw them in the washroom, sink, or toilet when they should be disposed of with burnable trash (or non-burnable trash, depending on the municipality). Another study shows that the age group in which most people start using CL is high school students who are active in their studies and club activities. According to the Japanese Ophthalmologists’ Association, 0.2% of primary school students, 8.0% of junior high school students, and 27.0% of high school students use CL. A survey on purchasing habits states that up to 22.5% of college students reported making an Internet purchase for their contact lenses, and the average age of contact lens wearers worldwide is 31 years.
Contact lens consumers in America and Japan have a similar age distribution but show different disposal behaviours. A 2016 survey indicated 14% of adolescents (aged 12–17 years), 24.4% of young adults (18–24 years), and 15.5% of older adults (≥25 years) wore contact lenses in the US. Among lens wearers, 90.4% of adults and 87.8% of adolescents reported wearing soft contact lenses. Unfortunately, between 40%-90% of contact lens wearers in America do not properly follow the instructions for their contact lenses.
In Japan, an internet questionnaire on the impact of Covid-19 on the frequency of CL use showed that 35.6% used CL less often than before, 9.6% more often (9.6%), and more than half (54.8%) said their usage was the same. Interestingly, 8.8% had switched from purchasing CL from ophthalmologists and stores to online shopping due to Covid-19. As a result, more people nowadays purchase CL online (51.0%) than from ophthalmologists and stores (48.4%).
Collectively, these findings point at the usefulness of engaging adolescents at high school age in future surveys, and of considering the effects of the recent pandemic on purchasing behaviour, especially to inform the design proposals and interventions our students will be working on in the autumn.
Students in this group also anticipated that questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews would be appropriate methods to collect data, whilst some form of correlation analysis (e.g. linear regression) could be employed to generate findings. Other side questions remain unanswered but could be picked up in further literature review and future data collection, e.g. “How does Japanese law directly affect the CL industry and consumers?” and “Can we close the loop on CL materials to contribute to a truly circular economy?”.
Issues around CL products and packaging
A second group of students looked at issues with CL design and packaging, as well as CL user behaviour. Whilst the papers reviewed partly overlapped with those of other groups, they took a different approach and identified 5 key findings.
Simpler CL purchasing routes may reduce the chance to receive appropriate explanations
A recent survey shows that internet sales account for 40% of CL purchases, the highest percentage, followed by ophthalmology and ophthalmology-affiliated stores, and CL specialty stores. Despite the fact that CL are medical devices – including colour CL not intended for vision correction – they are often sold without a doctor’s prescription, partly due to the spread of online sales. While 80% of people are recommended to see an ophthalmologist at the time of purchase at ophthalmology departments, ophthalmology-affiliated stores, and CL specialty stores, approximately 60% of customers are not recommended to see a doctor at the time of purchase at online retailers. This reduces consumers’ exposure to recommendations made at the time of purchase, which may in turn be linked to the incorrect use and disposal patterns recorded in other surveys.
Eye damage may worsen due to failing to follow correct instructions
Many cases of inappropriate use and medical examination of CL in severe eye disorders are reported. In one study, more than 50% of severe cases did not observe the indicated period of use (i.e. using 1-day disposable CL for more than 1 day, or using 2-week replacement lenses for more than 2 weeks). Periodic check-ups are recommended every three months but are often not undertaken. In particular, 40% of those who purchase their lenses over the Internet answered that they only do check-ups every 2~3 years or longer.
Low awareness of appropriate usage among colour lens users
The rate of eye examinations at the time of purchase is lower for coloured lenses than for clear lenses. A survey of junior high and high school students indicates that many do not receive eye examinations for coloured CL, especially before and after purchase. One in ten CL wearers suffers from eye disorders and the number of cases caused by wearing colored CLs is increasing. One of the main reasons for the poor compliance of colour CL wearers is thought to be that they do not visit an ophthalmologist before purchasing the products.
Low interest in post-use treatment of CL
Many CL manufacturers are sensitive to the environmental impact of single-use CL. Coopervision Japan discusses their environmental policy on their website, including measures for clear production and waste reduction. Menicon’s website (another CL manufacturer) mentions the problem of marine plastics in contact lenses. When the lenses go down the drain, they become microplastics and end up in the ocean. In fact, according to a survey by the Japan Contact Lens Association, 30% of people dispose of their contact lenses outside of rubbish bins.
The majority of CL users are female
A survey of elementary, junior high, and high school students showed a clearer gender difference in the percentage of CL use among junior high and high school students. Even among the youngest age groups, which are the most frequent users, there is a survey showing a higher percentage of women than men using CL. Many believe that CL give a better impression of appearance than eyeglasses, and this awareness of appearance may be one of the reasons for the gender difference in CL use. However, our students asked whether there may also be a gender difference in vision.
Having collected and reviewed this background information, Group 2 is proposing two areas to explore and take their study forward: the impact of packaging design on consumer choices, and the potential benefit of being upfront about the environmental issues linked to CL usage, to test whether it would benefit the manufacturing companies. Research methods could include sensory evaluation experiments and further surveys. Also, a questionnaire followed by quantitative text analysis and other techniques could produce data on consumer choice based on the evaluation of alternative CL package designs.
Japanese recycling policy for CL and plastics
The third group looked at recycling policy in Japan more broadly to provide context for the analysis of blister and CL waste issues and inform the team about the correct disposal behaviour.
The students found that there is no recycling policy specific to blister packs: their recycling is led by private contact lens companies such as Eyecity, not by public organisations. The Japanese government has a recycling policy for containers and packaging called the ‘Container and packaging recycling law’ and the 3R policy (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). Currently plastic wastes in Japan are mainly burnt as fuel (i.e. thermal recycling), however a new 2022 policy called ‘Circulation of plastic resources’ aims to encourage the reuse and recycling of plastic resources.
There are three methods for recycling plastics: material, chemical, and thermal recycling. According to the Plastic Waste Management Institute, in 2019 the ratio of “recycled” plastic waste was 85%. However, most plastic “recycling” in Japan is in fact thermal recycling. The problem with thermal recycling is that it does not reuse plastic resources for new materials or products.
In addition to national policy, specific rules of garbage separation are fixed by local governments. There are no special recycling rules for blister packs and contact lenses, so it depends on local governments to set garbage separation rules for contact lenses and blister packs. People rarely recognize these products as recyclable, and only less than 1% of them are properly recycled. Even those who follow the general plastic package recycling rules may accidentally discard their contact lenses incorrectly. For example, soft CL can easily harden and break into pieces and are recommended to be wrapped in tissue or similar before simply discarding them in the bin. Therefore, private companies like Eyecity are now implementing projects to try to collect and recycle blister packs. Some local governments are collaborating with these recycling projects led by private companies.
Even though private companies are leading the efforts to recycle blister packs, their impact is widespread and visible to the public. Eyecity’s eco-project is collecting blister packs to reuse them as recycled polypropylene. Eyecity’s boxes collect blister packs at each Eyecity store or local city hall. They are collaborating with some local governments and with public schools to disseminate info and make a large impact on society. In 2022, 1940 schools, 29 local governments, and 835 private companies collaborated with this project. The company also donates profits to the Japan Eye Bank Association. From a company-led initiative, the project is growing into a more public activity involving schools and public and welfare organisations.
Under the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, containers and packaging made of plastic, PET bottles, and other materials must have a sign specifying the material to promote consumers, municipalities, and manufacturers to contribute to recycling. Having conducted this initial review, the students’ group is now working on questions around the impact of introducing the recycling sign on the blister package. After literature review on semiotic and scientific communication, a controlled experiment would test the effect of various design options.
Doctoral students more familiar with design research practices are proposing a second research question: how the company could benefit from the co-speculation on a ‘non contact lenses future’ with users. One approach would employ comparative and SWOT analyses to learn from companies that are undergoing or have experienced a transition to a sustainable development model. The other approach would be about conducting design practices to co-create speculative artifacts with consumers. Observation and semi-structured interviews would be carried out to understand the design practices’ impact on consumer perspectives about CL usage.
Recent developments and Next steps
A week after presenting these reviews to the team, the students explained more clearly their research goals, covering elements of product design and consumer behaviours around single-use lenses. The teachers provided assistance on the topic and, more generally, addressed some gaps in the student’s knowledge of the research process. In particular, the conversations went back and forth between formulating more precise, relevant questions and proposing attainable methods that could answer them satisfactorily within the available means and time frame. The session eventually pointed out the need to introduce a more formal definition of “research methods”, explaining the role in the overall process and their relationship with other components (e.g. theoretical framework, assumptions, research design). In fact, having the entire lab working on Project Vision creates an opportunity for collectively putting into practice the research knowledge and skills the students require for their individual studies. Once a gap is highlighted, the project also offers a context to put any theoretical training into practice, for instance by applying any considerations on “methods” directly to the group discussions.
In our last session we refined some of our initial questions and agreed that a well-designed, extensive questionnaire is likely to answer some common points raised by the students. The findings would likely address aspects that remain unclear in existing literature. Working as one team again, the next steps will see the students and teachers developing a questionnaire together, agreeing on the sampling strategy and planning its implementation later in the summer. Using a Miro board will ensure some communication to continue over the summer break, ready for our conversations to fully resume again in September.
製造プロセスと使用者の行動両方が、環境に影響を与えています。議論において、それらを軽減する上で包装デザインが中心的な役割を持つことを強調する学生もいます。ブリスターの代替デザイン（軽量化、バイオプラスチック製など）や、レンズと包装の適切な廃棄を促すメッセージ（「この製品をリサイクルしてくださってありがとう」など）を組み込んだ包装デザインなど、いくつもの可能性が注目されます。研究者であるYuo and Yoshida (2009)は「ゴミを分別してくださってありがとう」といった感謝のメッセージが、無分別な行動の抑止に有効であることを指摘しています。2名の学生は、タバコのパッケージに添えられたメッセージとの類似性に注目しています。たとえばタバコのパッケージは、ユーザーの行動に影響を与えるパッケージ例として、よく研究されています。個人のライフスタイルを変えることは難しいですが、コンタクトレンズのパッケージに環境に優しいメッセージを添えることで、どのように消費者が持続可能性へ貢献するようになるかについては、研究する価値がありそうです。
この問題をめぐって、一般の人々を感化するビジュアル・コミュニケーションの役割についても、先輩学生により指摘されました。使い捨てコンタクトレンズから出るプラスチック廃棄物は、他の活動から出る廃棄物の量に比べれば、取るに足らないものとして見過ごされがちです（Morgan et al. 2003）。使い捨てコンタクトレンズのライフサイクルを具体化して示すことで、マイクロプラスチック汚染についての理解を深めることができます。リサイクル習慣やその他の関連データを視覚的・物理的に表現したインフォグラフィクスを用いることが、ひとつの解決策となるかもしれません（ポジティブな例としてPerpetual Plasticがある Klauss et al. 2021）。またある博士課程の学生は「使い捨てコンタクトレンズの材料の持つ特性と廃棄をめぐる文脈は、データでしかなかったものを実体化し、マイクロプラスチック汚染に関する人々の感覚形成に役立つのは」と考えています。「コンタクトレンズの水泡をどのようにアート作品に変換できるか」「ガベッジ（廃棄物）アートによって、より良い未来を想像させることができるか」、最後に「ゴミをガベッジアートに変えることで、【制御する技術】を【解放する技術】に変えることは可能か」などの問いも挙がっています。
Charles Rolsky, Varun P. Kelkar, and Rolf U. Halden (2020) Nationwide Mass Inventory and Degradation Assessment of Plastic Contact Lenses in US Wastewater, Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (19).
Chen J, Wu J, Sherrell P C, et al. (2022) How to Build a Microplastics‐Free Environment: Strategies for Microplastics Degradation and Plastics Recycling, Advanced Science.
Klauss, L. S. M. A. M. S. (2021). Perpetual Plastic — Beach debris reveals the fate of all plastic ever made. https://perpetual-plastic.net
Morgan, S. L., Morgan, P. B., & Efron, N. (2003). Environmental impact of three replacement modalities of soft contact lens wear. Contact lens & anterior eye, The Journal of the British Contact Lens Association, 26(1), 43–46.
Nohara Lab are pleased to announce a new collaboration between the Tokyo Institute of Technology and CooperVision Japan, a major manufacturer of contact lenses. The heavy impact of manufacturing processes on the environment is a well-known issue and great efforts are being made globally to reduce our dependency on single-use plastics. Many plastic materials are chemically and physically resilient and can last in the environment for many years. Their slow degradation into microplastics (both micro beads and microfibers) is a major concern for scientists, designers, manufacturers and consumers committed to understand their role in developing effective solutions. A common method in most industries is to replace (or at least reduce) the use of plastic with more eco-friendly materials. However, the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries rely on sterile, affordable plastics such as polypropylene to safely package their products, and this includes disposable contact lenses.
CooperVision is a global manufacturer with US headquarters in San Moran, California, USA, and operations in 130 countries. It produces and sells billions of contact lenses annually and is highly regarded by contact lens users for its effectiveness and convenience. In Japan, the company has offices in seven cities in addition to its head office in Tokyo. As contact lenses are highly controlled medical devices, hygiene is an important consideration, and the lenses are packaged in a liquid contained in a polypropylene blister case with an aluminium lid. Amidst growing concerns about environmental issues, and in search of an approach to the proper use and disposal of its products, the company launched a jointly planned research project, Project Vision 2022 (PV22), with students from the Nohara Laboratory this year. Based on the research results of the first semester (1Q, 2Q), the students will publicly present their proposals in the second semester (3Q, 4Q).
PV22 aims to produce findings on issues related to the use and disposal of contact lens packaging in Japan and eventually inform speculative and practical solutions through design interventions. The research exemplifies the transdisciplinary approach developed at Nohara Lab. The project offers the opportunity to illustrate how to conduct research across disciplinary boundaries by joint effort. It was therefore made an integral part of this year’s teaching sessions and it is open to all undergrad, grad and PhD students in the lab. Through weekly discussions with teachers and regular contacts with the company, the students will acquire the necessarily skills to conduct their own projects: from literature review to problem definition, choice of methods, data analysis and write up. They also familiarise themselves with consultancy work, by learning to respond to clients’ requests with technical analysis and evidence-based reports.
After conducting independent research and presenting initial findings to the team, the students were invited to write their observations. The literature review conducted in April-May 2022 is bringing to light facets of the plastic waste issue that point at its global scale, and reflect the varied interests and backgrounds of Nohara Lab’s students.
The blisters containing the contact lenses are made of polypropylene (PP), a widely recyclable material, but it turns out they can be too small to be correctly separated and recycled in the waste processing phase and often end up being mixed with generic waste and sent to landfill. The lenses themselves are made of a different type of plastic (silicone hydrogels) and only weigh a fraction of the blisters, so they intuitively pose a diminished threat to the environment. Paradoxically, their small size is part of the problem: a survey in the USA showed that more than 20% of users regularly throw lenses down the toilet (Rolsky et al., 2020) and studies demonstrated that the plastic remains largely unaffected by water treatment processes and accumulate in water and on land, e.g. in agricultural soils. In the UK alone, it is calculated that over 750 million plastic lenses are being flushed down the drain or put in landfill every year (Optical Express, 2022). These lenses form microplastics, pollute the oceans and endanger marine life (Chen et al., 2022).
Despite the gravity of the phenomenon, studies show that public awareness is low and only a small minority of users is recycling lenses correctly (less than 1% according to this source). Furthermore, a survey conducted by a contact lens store revealed that approximately 70% of the 6,500 members did not know the empty cases are recyclable (Asahi Shinbun, February 12, 2019). Existing projects such as Eyecity are addressing this issue and starting to make a difference, with manufacturing companies competing to prove their efforts towards environmental sustainability. But the issue is far from being solved and therefore represents a well-defined and important challenge for Nohara Lab students to tackle.
Some students highlighted the central role of packaging design in reducing the environmental impacts of both its manufacturing process and user behaviour. This may encompass alternative designs for the blisters (lighter, made of bioplastics, etc..) and new packaging design to incorporate messages (“thank you for recycling this product” or similar) aiming to encourage the correct disposal of both lenses and packaging. Researchers Yuo and Yoshida (2009) found that the gratitude message such as “Thank you for separating your trash” is effective in deterring inconsiderate behaviour. Two students highlighted parallels with messages on cigarette packaging which – although very different – is a well-studied example of packaging intended to influence user behaviour. Whilst individuals’ lifestyle changes are always difficult to implement, a possible strand of research could be conducted on how eco-friendly messages on contact lens packaging can bring consumers to contribute to sustainability.
Recycling engineering was another noted interest in the team, with students foreseeing the need for incentives and rewards for users who dispose of their lenses correctly. Some built on the knowledge of Tokyo Tech’s Prof. Fumitake Takahashi’s experience in developing effective solutions to encourage PET recycling, which can offer important lessons to the recycling of the PP blisters. Initial ideas involve either dedicated collection boxes in public spaces (e.g. supermarkets) or other solutions to reduce the hassle of recycling blisters by providing boxes or envelops to collect them at home.
Finally, the role of Visual Communication in sensitising the public on this issue was discussed by more senior students. Plastic waste from disposable contact lenses is easily overlooked as insignificant pollution compared with the amount of waste generated by other activities (Morgan et al., 2003). Practices of materialising disposable contact lenses life-cycle could expand this narrow understanding of micro-plastic pollution. Possible solutions comprise readily available infographics on recycling habits and other relevant data, expressed in visual and/or physical form (Perpetual Plastic was indicated as a positive example, Klauss et al., 2021). One doctoral student believes that “disposable contact lenses’ material properties and their discarding context could be used to physicalise data and contribute to the public sense-making of micro-plastic pollution”. Questions included “How can we turn contact lens blisters into artworks”, “Can garbage art enable us to imagine a better future” and, even, “Is it possible to change technics for control into technics for liberation by turning garbage into garbage art”?
In conclusion, Nohara Lab’s students are fully engaged with the issue of plastic pollution and the opportunities that the collaboration with CooperVision Japan can bring to their training. Further review of literature will dig deeper into these initial trends and themes. The next steps will include a review of sustainable solutions developed by CooperVision and other contact lens manufacturers, and a brainstorming session to agree on key areas of research. The team will then split into groups for more focused, specialist investigations. Regular blogs on this site will report on any progress made by the lab on Project Vision 2022 throughout the 2022-23 academic year.
REFERENCES
Charles Rolsky, Varun P. Kelkar, and Rolf U. Halden (2020) Nationwide Mass Inventory and Degradation Assessment of Plastic Contact Lenses in US Wastewater, Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (19).
Chen J, Wu J, Sherrell P C, et al. (2022) How to Build a Microplastics‐Free Environment: Strategies for Microplastics Degradation and Plastics Recycling, Advanced Science.
Klauss, L. S. M. A. M. S. (2021). Perpetual Plastic — Beach debris reveals the fate of all plastic ever made. https://perpetual-plastic.net
Morgan, S. L., Morgan, P. B., & Efron, N. (2003). Environmental impact of three replacement modalities of soft contact lens wear. Contact lens & anterior eye, The Journal of the British Contact Lens Association, 26(1), 43–46.
The eight session of the “Hybrid Innovation” collaboration programme between Tokyo Tech and Central Saint Martins College of the Arts London (CSM) was held on Tuesday 1 February 2022.
Session 8 reviewed previous sessions in preparation for the final assignment. Assist. Prof[SG2] . Giorgio Salani provided a theoretical overview of the Hybrid Innovation approach based on academic literature which focused on the limitations of current Design Thinking strategies.
The session kicked-off the Final Project of the programme, for which 4 groups of participants will develop an “intervention” (i.e. a product, service or speculative proposal) by employing Hybrid Innovation strategies for themes assigned by the organisers.
The group decided on a direction for the group while incorporating the opinions of others, and by using the Hybrid Innovation methodology introduced in previous sessions, the group laid the groundwork for a new approach to business innovation and idea generation.
In this program, companies embody the process to Hybrid Innovation. This merges “multi-communication” to transcend disciplinary boundary, promote the fusion of knowledge and change mindsets. The programme also aims stimulate innovative strategies in each participating company.
Activity period: October 2021 to April 2022
PROGRAMME CONTENT: Seminars, workshops, manufacturing, experiments, creative community activities, etc. that flexibly use face-to-face and online. A final symposium – open to participating companies and the public – is scheduled for April 2022.
The seventh session of “Hybrid Innovation”, a collaboration programme between Tokyo Tech and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London (CSM), was held on Tuesday 25 January 2022.
Session 7 invited artist and educator Heather Barnett from CSM to discuss how to create the conditions for hybrid innovation. In corporate work, there is a constant need to engage with team members and many others to generate new ideas. After introducing her work as an artist, Barnett led activities designed to let the participants experience how to make novel connections by allowing random associations.
Unexpected factors that emerge from interacting with others are an important component in understanding creativity. “Hybrid Innovation” unravelled creativity and deepened the discussion with companies on the environment and conditions for thinking like an artist and creating new ideas in a practical way.
In this programme, companies embody the process to Hybrid Innovation. This merges “multi-communication” to transcend disciplinary boundary, promote the fusion of knowledge and change mindsets. The programme also aims stimulate innovative strategies in each participating company.
Activity period: October 2021 to April 2022
PROGRAMME CONTENT: Seminars, workshops, manufacturing, experiments, creative community activities, etc. that flexibly use face-to-face and online. A final symposium – open to participating companies and the public – is scheduled for April 2022.
Session 6 of “Hybrid Innovation”, a new collaboration programme between Tokyo Tech and Central Saint Martins College of the Arts London (CSM), was held on Tuesday 11 January 2022.
In Session 6, Prof. Betti Marenko and members of the participating companies discussed various forms of possible futures by utilising methods and concepts of design philosophy. The participants used a tool called Philosophical Pills (co-developed by Prof. Betti Marenko) to construct a multi-directional vision of the future from a single vision by including various factors in their own imagined futures.
Through the activities, the participants acquired knowledge of future forecasting, a necessary component of innovation strategies, and experienced how to think flexibly in response to various future scenarios.
In this program, companies embody the process to Hybrid Innovation. This merges “multi-communication” to transcend disciplinary boundary, promote the fusion of knowledge and change mindsets. The programme also aims stimulate innovative strategies in each participating company.
Activity period: October 2021 to April 2022
PROGRAMME CONTENT: Seminars, workshops, manufacturing, experiments, creative community activities, etc. that flexibly use face-to-face and online. A final symposium – open to participating companies and the public – is scheduled for April 2022.
The new collaboration programme between Tokyo Institute of Technology and London University of the Arts Central Saint Martins (CSM) continued with the 4th session of our “Hybrid Innovation” programme for selected members of participating companies on Tuesday, 14th December 2021.
Session 5, on the topic of Perspective, welcomed Professor Nathan Cohen from CSM, who discussed the importance of changing perspectives through various artworks.
Just as science and technology have progressed by changing perspectives from the heavenly to the geocentric, by looking at things from a different angle, we can not only see things objectively, but also gain information that we have not been able to obtain before.
In the activities conducted with members of the participating companies, the participants introduced their own ideas without relying only on words, using 2D drawings and 3D models, and discovered new aspects that they had not noticed on their own through the materials.
In this program, companies embody the process to Hybrid Innovation. This merges “multi-communication” to transcend disciplinary boundary, promote the fusion of knowledge and change mindsets. The programme also aims stimulate innovative strategies in each participating company.
Activity period: October 2021 to April 2022
PROGRAMME CONTENT: Seminars, workshops, manufacturing, experiments, creative community activities, etc. that flexibly use face-to-face and online. A final symposium – open to participating companies and the public – is scheduled for April 2022.
The new collaboration programme between Tokyo Institute of Technology and London University of the Arts Central Saint Martins (CSM) continued with the 4th session of our “Hybrid Innovation” programme for selected members of participating companies on Tuesday, 30th November 2021.
Session 4 welcomed Prof. Masahiko Hara, a researcher in nanotechnology, who conducted a thought experiment on how to solve problems by following the movement of an amoeba.
In today’s age of overflowing and increasingly complex information, events are occurring every day that exceed the amount of information that can be handled by computers. Under such circumstances, many problems have emerged that cannot be dealt with by scientific thinking, which is based on the principle of ‘certainty’ that ‘mistakes cannot be made’. The ability to deal with uncertain events is the key to Hybrid Innovation. We deciphered this mechanism from the movements of the amoeba, a primitive organism, and explored and discussed ways to use it in practice with the participating companies.
The Hybrid Innovation program uses translation-based communication methods to explore approaches to unknown areas to find new possibilities that can be hard to develop within a single industry.
In this program, companies embody the process to Hybrid Innovation. This merges “multi-communication” to transcend disciplinary boundary, promote the fusion of knowledge and change mindsets. The programme also aims stimulate innovative strategies in each participating company.
Activity period: October 2021 to April 2022
PROGRAMME CONTENT: Seminars, workshops, manufacturing, experiments, creative community activities, etc. that flexibly use face-to-face and online. A final symposium – open to participating companies and the public – is scheduled for April 2022.
The World Research Hub Initiative at Tokyo Tech (WRHI) have released a new set of videos outlining the work of its Satellite Labs. A complete English transcript and more info can be found below the video.
[VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
STADHI is a transdisciplinary research group based at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan) in close collaboration with Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London (UK). Activities are funded by WRHI, the World Research Hub Initiative, an innovative research platform at Tokyo Tech. A number of renowned natural and social scientists, engineers, world famous designers and artists are actively involved in the collaborative research activities.
STADHI stands for Science and Technology and Art and Design Hybrid Innovation. This laboratory aims to pursue a space for academic fusion that reconsiders the conceptual mindsets that we researchers have unconsciously come to accept. We are working on a theoretical model of the processes that promote the integration of science technology art and design so that it can be applied to transdisciplinary research education and human resource development. We also accommodate subject-specific research projects, including speculative arts and design activities using the framework of “scientists in residence”, and research on craft and sustainability, olfactory devices and service development.
My specialisation is in translation studies and semiotics. The role of translation in this research project is immense. Translation is transferring meaning from one language or semiotic system to another. It is all about making a new otherwise difficult communication possible as it connects the people and discussions between very different cultures and disciplines. We utilize a variety of scientific and art strategies to observe and analyse the emerging integration of science and art, as well as translation strategies and other analytical tools.
We publish academic articles on specialist transdisciplinary subjects and on the hybrid research methodologies employed. We issue videos on our findings and also create original artwork and multimedia material from the fusion of art and design with science and technology, and we disseminate processes and findings through events and blog posts. In our research we work very closely with a small team of researchers and professors from Central Saint Martins in London. In particular, Betti Marenko who is a philosopher and design theorist, Heather Barnett who is an artist and teaches art and science at Central Saint Martins, and Nathan Cohen who is doing research on olfactory art.
STADHI has built the future-building hybrid innovation programme, comprising STEAM-type development modules for education and human resources based on the outcomes of the studies we have produced. We are now working with those new collaborators from the industries to achieve further insights through tackling complex social issues with a hybrid innovation model.
A free STEAM education workshop will be held online on 16th June 2021 by staff and students from MA Art and Science (Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London), and led by WRHI Visiting Professors Nathan Cohen and Heather Barnett. The event will examine new STEAM methods developed as part of the Erasmus+ STEAM INC project examining higher education, engagement and policy.
The workshop is part of a large educational programme on the integration of arts and science funded by the European Union and run by six European universities and one cultural organisation who have pioneered STEAM approaches and methods.
The STEAM Inc Sites of Practice event will be of particular interest to educators, curriculum designers, pedagogy students and researchers and we hope that participants bring a broad range of disciplinary specialisms across the arts and sciences. Whether you are already working with STEAM education or are curious to find out more about how interdisciplinary methods could apply to your context, we look forward to interesting exploration and discussion.
Sites of Practice: new interdisciplinary methods of investigation
Wednesday 16 June 2021
Japan time (JST): 5:00-8:00 pm & 10:00-12:00 pm
[equivalent to UK time (BST) 9.00-12.00 & 14.00-16.00]
FREE event. Online on Zoom, hosted by Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London)
What you can gain from attending Sites of Practice?
Greater understanding of interdisciplinary STEAM practices
Examination of the potential of ‘site’ as a tool for interdisciplinary investigation
Insights into methods for developing interdisciplinary curriculum for HE
Tools for developing innovative methods for combining digital and situated learning
Connecting with others working in and developing STEAM educational tools and methods.
Keywords: art and science, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, STEAM, Higher Education, methodology, new methods, investigations, site work, Site-specificity, hybrid practices, pedagogy.
Schedule (PM, this is an evening event due to time difference with the UK):
5.00 Introduction to the day (including STEAM Inc context)
