The sixth session of the industry-academia collaborative programme ‘Hybrid Innovation for the Future’ was held on 10 January 2023 with a workshop led by HI Creative Director, Dr Giorgio Salani, and Specially Appointed Professor Dr Betti Marenko from Central Saint Martins college, University of the Arts London (UAL), UK. This was the second of three sessions of the HI Practice, a section of the programme that includes lectures and workshops on how to come up with practical ideas, improve the precision of those ideas and set themes for each team to present at the symposium in April 2023. HI Director Prof. Nohara supervised the session and Assistant Director Kohei Kanomata acted as facilitator. The sessions were conducted in English and Japanese, with simultaneous interpretation provided by two professional interpreters.
After each team had finished generating ideas in the previous HI Practice session, their ideas were tested in a variety of ways. In Session 6, the group practice provided activities to simulate a “convergent” ideation process, i.e. the goal of the session was to refine initial proposals for innovative solutions to the theme of “thermoplastics in 2035”. The teams discussed with their teammates how the ideas they had originally thought of could be used in specific industries, and worked to put their individual ideas together as a corporate entity. Although the companies were fictional, precise details such as services, number of employees, location and date of establishment were set so that the participants had a more realistic viewpoint in the discussions and were able to narrow down the direction of the many ideas that had been generated.
In addition to selecting a company profile, each team chose one of the 17 UN’s SDGs as a goal to reach through their company’s achievements. Prof. Marenko’s “Philosophical Pills’ anchor cards” (a design toolkit she developed at UAL) were utilised to stimulate a deeper response and discuss how the chosen goals could be achieved. By adding ever more narrowing conditions in this way, participants’ ideas acquired further insights and meaning. Convergence was achieved by discussing what could and could not realistically be done. In the remaining sessions, the teams will continue to work with their hands to create physical and visual prototypes, which will be tested and peer-reviewed before being presented at the HI symposium in April.
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. Here you can find our previous posts on Session 1, Session 2, Session 3, Session 4 and Session 5. For info please contact: tokyotechxcsm@tse.ens.titech.ac.jp
Session 5 of Tokyo Tech’s Hybrid Innovation programme for industry was held at Nohara Lab on 13th December 2022. The session was led by Visiting Professor Dr Betti Marenko from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London (UAL), a transdisciplinary theorist, academic and educator working at the intersection of philosophy, design, technology and future-crafting practices. She is the founder and director of the Hybrid Futures Lab, a WRH Specially Appointed Professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Reader in Design and Techno-Digital Futures at UAL. The session was conducted entirely in person, delivered in English and simultaneously translated to Japanese.
The activities kicked off with a challenge for the participants: to make a paper collage as a visual answer to the question, What do you see when you imagine the future in 2035? The participants were given a selection of international magazines as a source of images and inspiration. They first worked individually and then shared their interpretations of the assignment with the others in their group. Gradually, different visions of the future started to coalesce into shared landscapes that were later communicated to the room. The visual form of expression provided by the paper collage facilitated the discussion and effectively illustrated the future scenarios they were describing in words. At that stage, a combination of 2 concepts were introduced to disrupt these “anticipations” of the future. A deck of cards developed by Dr Marenko was used to assign a “philosophical pill” and a “feel” card to each group. These are concepts derived from philosophy and contemporary culture which are designed to demolish, reconstruct or amend the groups’ shared visions. As Dr Marenko explained:
“The Philosophical Pills are a series of philosophical insights, concepts and ideas that have been selected from western philosophy to interrogate and challenge established approaches and assumptions around the future. This work was done as part of the FUEL4 Design curriculum innovation project funded by the European union.Each pill is a lens to apply to existing images of the future to amplify, change, contest it. Each pill is a portal to think about futures. We call them pills because they should work as something easily digestible, that can produce tangible effect, and suggest routes for practical inspiration and implementation. Together with the Pills we have also a separate set of cards that offer specific affective states, emotion that colour your vision of the future (Feel cards)”.
The sessions saw a very active participation from all the members. Prompted by the use of cards, paper collage, brainstorming discussion and guided by Dr Marenko, the groups showed a high level of engagement with the topic of “future crafting”. A brief lecture by Dr Marenko consolidated some of the lessons from the activities and offered a precise language to discuss issues around forecasting that are relevant to business innovation. In the detailed discussion that followed, organisers and participants continued to reflect on the activities and their relevance to day-to-day challenges that the participants face in their work. The next session of the Hybrid Innovation programme will be held on 10th January 2023 and will also see the participation of Dr Marenko. We will continue the group work started in Sessions 4 (HI Practice) and 5, and employ interactive exercises to converge multiple proposals into a single “intervention” for each group. These will be further explored in subsequent sessions and materialised into physical prototypes that illustrate key lessons from the Tokyo Tech’s Hybrid Innovation process.
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. Here you can find our previous posts on Session 1, Session 2, Session 3 and Session 4. For info please contact: tokyotechxcsm@tse.ens.titech.ac.jp
The fourth session of our Hybrid Innovation programme for Japanese industry was held at Nohara Lab on 29th November 2022. HI Creative Director Dr Giorgio Salani led the session with a lecture on Art Thinking in innovation practice and kickstarted the first of three HI Practice sessions focusing on group work. The staff team includes HI Director Professor Kayoko Nohara – who translated the content to Japanese – and Assistant Director Kohei Kanomata, who facilitated the discussion.
The first half of the session was occupied by a conversation around two key points raised in previous sessions that were wort exploring in more depth: what do we mean by Art Thinking? And, what techniques and notions of Art Thinking can be beneficial in a business context? The lecture in English by Dr Giorgio Salani (Tokyo Tech) employed examples from Western art history to explore fundamental differences between art, science and other practices. For example, an installation by the artists Christo and Jean Claude was introduced to point out the sharp difference in the goals of fine artists, designers and engineers, even when they are working on the same structure and follow a strict design methodology to implement their work. Similarly inspired by various artworks by famous figures in the Western canon, distinctions were raised between rational, logical and even alogical thinking in multiple fields. Other examples include the contrasting role ambiguity plays in the arts and in science, the distinction between “sense-making” and “decision making”, and the importance of reflexivity in art practice (in common with the social sciences).
The lecture also pointed out the difference between purely Art Thinking-based innovation platforms and Tokyo Tech’s Hybrid Innovation approach, which integrates lessons from Art Thinking into a transdisciplinary method. The theories debated in the first half directly informed the practical exercises that were later assigned to the participants. In particular, intuitive sketching offered means to connect with individual goals and specific expertise that each participant was bringing to the group work. Making personal interests and intentions apparent in visual form was used to negotiate the splitting of the team into groups, who will carry over multiple sessions and complete the assignment for the HI Practice together. Informed by transdisciplinary interactive exercises, each group will develop an “intervention” to tackle issues around an assigned broad theme. This can take the form of products, services, artworks or visual representations that can range from fully working models to more speculative/evocative work, in either digital or physical form. The participants started the ideation phase with sketching assignments intended to generate quick and varied ideas without any form of self-censorship. These will be taken on in the next few sessions and will eventually coalesce into the final proposals. The results will be amply discussed in the final sessions using a mixed art/science approach, and presented to the public in the HI Symposium to be held in April 2023 (exact date TBC).
The next session of the HI programme will be held on 13th November December and will see the participation of Dr Betti Marenko, a design theorist and philosopher from Central Saint Martins college, University of the Arts London. The event will be held in person at Tokyo Tech, with an interactive workshop held in English and translated simultaneously into Japanese.
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.
2022年11月15日、産学連携ハイブリッド・イノベーションプログラム第3回セッションを開催しました。今回は東工大特任教授であるネイサン・コーエン博士が、演習とディスカッションをリード。コーエン博士はロンドン芸術大学セントラル・セント・マーチンズ校のMA Art/Scienceの元コースリーダーであり、アーティスト兼研究・教育者です。共著にThe Art of Scienceがあり、この本で、時代を超えて我々の文化を形成してきたアーティストと科学者の作品群を紹介しています。またスタッフチームとして、HIディレクターの野原佳代子教授、HIクリアイティブディレクターのジョルジョ・サラニ助教、アシスタントディレクターの鹿又亘平氏が入りました。
The third session of our Hybrid Innovation programme for Japanese industry was held at Nohara Lab on 15th November 2022. Tokyo Tech’s Visiting Professor Dr. Nathan Cohen led the activities and the discussion, alongside HI Director Prof. Kayoko Nohara and HI Assistant Director, Kohei Kanomata. Dr. Cohen is an artist, educator and researcher, and the former Course Leader of the MA Art/Science at Central Saint Martins college, University of the Arts London. He is a co-author of “The Art of Science”, an illustrated selection of works by artist-scientists that shaped our cultures over the ages.
Participants attended in person whilst Dr. Cohen joined us from the UK on zoom, assisted by a simultaneous translation service provided by NHK. This was a very practical session with no central lecture but 3 exercises designed to facilitate a discussion about differences and overlaps between artistic and scientific approaches to creativity and innovation. After some warm-up questions about the perception of art vs. science among the participants, a series of captivating images were shown and discussed. These included less familiar works of art from the distant and recent past, from mysterious ethnic and prehistoric art to more contemporary works, and Dr. Cohen’s own artwork. Questions were raised about the artists’ intentions and methods of making, with educated guesses shared by the participants. Without prior knowledge some images looked alien and hard to decipher, but even more well-known artworks were often made with techniques and materials unfamiliar to the session’s participants. This stimulated an initial exchange about the goals of art and its role in societies across the globe. What is the purpose for which the art was created? What is its social role?
After a short break, the participants were split in groups and assigned a practical task. Each group had one hour to build a bridge of 1.2m span, to be constructed between 2 tables using only bamboo sticks, elastic bands and coloured ribbon. The results would be judged both in terms of technical features such as strength and aesthetics. Early on, all groups engaged in discussions aided by sketches of bridge designs on paper, and gradually moved on to checking the materials and testing solutions. Multiple ways of joining sticks were possible and this gave options and variety to the project. The exercise was engaging and all groups focused closely on their tasks, splitting labour among them and progressing fast. The all managed to finish on time and the results were assessed by Dr. Cohen and everyone in the room, collectively. Books were used to test the strengths of the structures and everyone voted for their preferred solution. The groups also introduced the motivation behind the different designed and these were sometimes insightful and not immediately obvious. The conclusion we all drew from the activity and the discussion was that the technical features and aesthetics of the bridges could be thought of separately but in reality they were largely intertwined and the winning bridge was judge by most to be both the stronger and the best looking.
At the end of the session, we reflected again on what it means to be artistic, in the light of what it means to be scientific. In particular, when we say that ‘science is rational’, what does that mean? How does it differ from ‘rationalisation’ in business? What is the rationality to be found in art? Where are the standards of aesthetics to be found? … and so the discussion goes on. We are thus on the path to exploring the fusion of science and art.
Session 4 of the HI programme will be held on 29th November and will focus on various techniques to facilitate the divergence in creativity, at the start of the ideation phase. Group work to start in Session 4 will be undertaken by the participants across various sessions to exemplify an innovation cycle based on HI theory and practice. The results will be amply discussed in the final sessions and presented to the public in the HI Symposium to be held in April 2023 (exact date TBC).
Activity period: October 2022 to April 2023PROGRAMME 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. For a first introduction to Nohara Lab’s collaboration with CooperVision Japan please read this post.
Planning research on contact lens use in Japan
The Nohara Lab at the Tokyo Institute of Technology are collaborating with CooperVision Japan on the environmental impact of single-use contact lenses (CLs). The projects comprises an initial research phase to inform a design contest to be undertaken by the students in the 2022-23 autumn and winter terms. This blog reports on the completion of the first phase and covers the final development of appropriate research methods, a description of the event held at the university in October 2022 and plans for the next phase of collaborative work.
A review of literature focused on three key areas: general recycling policy in Japan, CLs consumer behaviour, and specific issues concerning the design of CLs blister packaging (i.e. polypropylene), hydrogels and carton. The review highlighted inconsistency across data from national and international sources, obtained through various methods and of varying quality. The team quickly agreed on the need to produce a baseline report on CLs usage in Japan that could reliably inform design proposals to be presented in Phase 2. Quantitative data from a custom-designed questionnaire survey could easily incorporate a range of questions to address most of the points raised by the students and form the basis for subsequent qualitative R&D.
Questionnaire results
A screening survey with four questions followed by a main survey which consists of 15 questions was conducted via Fastsk, an internet survey service provided by JustSystems. All questions were designed around the three key areas raised by the literature review.
We have collected 2141 responses from the screening survey, among which 2035 were effective. The following figure which demonstrates the age and gender of the effective respondents show we have well-balanced research panels.
The figures above indicate that about half of the effective respondents have used contact lenses and only 20% stopped using contact lenses mainly due to their age, while about 60% continue to wear contact lenses at a high frequency of three or more days a week.
Estimating from these results, it is safe to say that approximately 30% of the population use contact lenses on a daily basis, so attempts to communicate information to this group of people or to change their behavior would have a significant impact on society and the environment.
We have distributed the main survey to 819 people who (1) have used contact lenses and (2) are currently using contact lenses and collected 450 responses, among which 447 were effective.
Key findings addressing our initial interests are outlined below.
Use of Contact Lenses and Consumer Behavior
CLs are more frequently used by those who use them for a longer period of time. This seems to be a natural result, however, it is an empirical indication that contact lenses are a stable necessity that has taken root in people’s lives.
A more detailed look at contact lens usage reveals there are groups of users with different habits for each type of disposable CL. The one-day disposable lens user group consists of a diverse group of people ranging from those who only wear CL (but not eyeglasses) and use them at high frequency to those who use both and use CL occasionally. On the other hand, the user group of two-week or longer disposable CL is relatively monolithic, consisting mainly of those who only wear them at high frequency. The difference between users who use two-week disposable and one-month disposable cannot be determined from the survey and we expect the input of domain knowledge from CooperVision professionals.
Another phenomenon that attracted our attention was that when asked about the important factors that will affect their purchase of CLs, younger respondents (students in specific) tend to focus on “company’s contribution to environmental and social issues” and “appearance and design of the product” than other respondents.
Environmental Awareness and Recycling Behavior
Concerning the above, when analysing the answers to the questions about respondents’ environmental awareness and recycling behavior, we found that most of the respondents are environmentally conscious and take action to protect the environment in their lives.
However, when it comes to the recycling of plastic waste related to CLs, the ways of disposal are not ideal, as nearly 70% of people dispose of them as burnable garbage, and about 50% of people also dispose of blisters (plastic cases) as burnable garbage. Since policies and regulations by companies and governments do not cover the particular area, this implies a lack of ways to contribute from the customer’s side.
Surely setting recycling boxes in public places, clinics, or pharmacies will help, but additional encouragement might be needed to fully motivate the users to participate in the recycling of CL waste.
Based on the exploratory insights we gained from the survey, three groups of students conducted further analysis from the point of view of their initial research questions.
Presentation to CooperVision Japan and third parties
An event was held on 14th October at Nohara Lab to present the results of the questionnaire survey as analysed by Prof. Xinru Zhu to the CooperVision Japan team, Mr. Mitsuaki Watanabe (CEO of PROTOTYPE Inc.), Mr. Toshiaki Sakamono (Product Designer of Nava Products), and Mr. Satoru Sota (Industrial Promotion Division, Ota City). Mr. Watanabe and Mr. Sakamoto will assist the students in the second phase.
Group 1
Group 1 focused on consumer behavior, most about their recycling awareness and how they dispose of used lenses and blisters. The change in how they use CLs before and after the covid19 is also one aspect of the research. The survey results show that most consumers dispose of the lenses and blisters as either burnable or plastic garbage. Few will bring the used lenses and blisters to the collection boxes due to unknown issues. On the other hand, student users prefer to choose the brand of CLs that pay more attention to environmental problems.
These findings made Group 1 members consider the reasons for the lower usage of collection boxes when customers have environmental expectations from the product. Is it too troublesome to go to the place of collection boxes? Is it that they do not know about recycling used lenses and blisters? According to these speculations, Group 1’s next step is to consider a way of helping the users collect the used lenses and blister easily. One initial idea is to proposes a kind of package design called “P2C” to transform the package box into a collectible container with beauty and fun by folding (“Origami”) that they hope could let customers enjoy the process of collecting.
Group 2
The topics of interest to Group 2 include the recycling policy in Japan and the products subject to regulation. They came up with two research questions. One is the impact of introducing a sign on blister packaging just as the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law. Containers or packages made of certain materials are required to have a sign of that material to promote recycling. If the sign of the blister package is designed and put on products, how will our recycling actions be influenced? The second question is about speculating on a ‘no contact lenses future’ in which users could benefit the company. Companies nowadays are required to show their environmental initiatives. Speculating about the future creates the basis for discussion on the sustainability of the blister package.
The students could address some questions based on the results of the questionnaire survey. Firstly, participants generally dispose of plastic packages as burnable garbage, even though its plastic composition is clearly stated on the sign. From this finding, the sign of the blister package will have no impact on recycling behavior. We can shift focus to the garbage stations. Secondly, younger participants and students tend to be highly aware of environmental issues, showing a willingness to use the garbage station for blister packages. They can choose the company speculating on the ‘no contact lenses future.’ For the next steps, we will consider how to visualize the data around the amount of waste produced by the industry.
Group 3
Group 3’s topics of interest were issues related to CLs in Japan. From the literature review, Group 3 paid attention to two points. One is the easier it has got to access CLs, the lower it has become to use CLs properly. The other is a lack of recognition or interest in post-use treatment. From these survey results, Group 3 became curious about how it is possible to improve consumers’ mindset/behavior from package design or company action approaches. Thus Group 3 set up the following two research questions:
1. How does CL consumer behavior change when packaging is designed to communicate concerns?
2. How can communicating weaknesses benefit the company?
From the survey result, which showed that the company’s commitment to expressing “consideration for environmental and social issues” may influence consumers’ choice of makers and brands, Group 3 came up with the second phase’s approach. That would address the question: how can communicating social and environmental issues caused by CLs (e.g., eye damage, plastic issues, etc.) be effective in consumer behavior?
Informing the next phase of work
At the event in October, all parties agreed to undertake R&D guided by new, detailed research questions and initial ideas for proposals. In November the students will be guided by the team at PROTOTYPE Inc. and inducted into design methods to develop their initial sketches. The wider team will sit together again in December for two progress meetings, and prototypes will be developed over the winter initially at Tokyo Tech and then at PROTOTYPE Inc.. The final proposals will be completed in February and reviewed by March 2023. At the beginning of March, a public event will be held at Shibuya QWS in central Tokyo. This will include an exhibition of the students’ proposals and a public award ceremony for the best designs led by CooperVision Japan.
For more information on Project Vision 2022 please see our previous posts (in Japanese and English):
11月1日（火）、産学協働プログラム「ハイブリッド・イノベーション」第2回目を実施しました。今回は「科学技術最前線」として、STADHI－Science and Technology x Art and Design Hybrid Innovation ーのメンバーでもある東工大物質理工学院の須佐匡裕教授が登場、金属工学のスペシャリストです。鉄鋼の製造工程と歴史、そしてカーボンニュートラルな未来を目指す上でのグローバルな課題について講義をいただきました。今日のゴールは、革新的な製品やサービスを生み出す、あるいは改善するソリューションの「オルタナティブ」としての「プロセス・イノベーション」に目を向けること、そしてあらためて「科学的であること」の特徴を見直し、そこから何を学ぶことができるか、いろいろな方法を議論することでした。「サイエンスと工学」にちなんで参加者全員が白衣を着用し、その思考と文化、モード（形式、スタイル）をシミュレートしてみました。いつもと違う風景に、自分の中の何かがとぎすまされた、という感想も飛び出しました。
The second session of our Hybrid Innovation programme for industry was held on 1st November at Nohara Lab. This in-person event saw the contribution of Prof. Masahiro Susa from the School of Materials and Chemical Technology, who introduced the participants to the process and challenges of manufacturing steel. He gave a lecture on the manufacturing process and history of steel, and global challenges in moving towards a carbon-neutral future. The session aimed to inspire a discussion on “process innovation” as an alternative source of innovative solutions for generating or improving products and services, and reflect on a “scientific” approach to innovation. To embrace the S&T theme of the day, all participants were asked to wear white lab coats for the entire afternoon.
The process of making materials for steel includes the sintering process, in which powdered ore, lime and coke are mixed and baked to harden them; the process of making crude iron (or “pig iron”), the material for steel, in a blast furnace; and the process of pig iron entering a converter furnace to become steel… Unlike the vague image people have of ‘iron’, the composition and shape of iron changes depending on the process at each stage, and is transformed with different properties. The main theme of the conference was a zero-carbon society and the search for a pathway to steelmaking that realises this, with the major ‘question’ being how the steel manufacturing process can be changed towards decarbonisation, and the trial-and-error approach to cutting-edge innovation was discussed. Questions were actively raised, one after another, from companies in industries that use steel in their daily operations, as well as from those that do not.
Professor Kayoko Nohara then used post-its to check what each participant had grasped from the lecture they had just heard, and what messages they had received from this science communication. What the participants grasped varied from scientific events and information, to unconscious evaluations of them, to the sublimation of them into something more personal and of interest to them. Furthermore, what are scientific and technological methods and thinking, what is their potential for creativity… and their potential for application to more universal process innovation were examined.
Next, using techniques of Art Foundation studies, the participants were asked to discuss the topic of ‘steel towers’ in groups while blindfolded. With no reliance on sight, the participants shared their knowledge and senses. Creative translation extended from the types and functions of steel towers, such as Tokyo Tower, base stations, electricity and carrying radio waves, to associations such as “the tower looks good at sunset” and “towers owned by major companies usually have Yuru-kyara characters…”.
The final activity involved working in groups of three and making artefact using coloured clay. Individuals were first given 5 minutes to create a miniature frying pan using one tub of clay, in whichever method they preferred. In the second round, one participant per group had to explain and show how to make the same object his or her way. The other two participants should follow visual and oral instructions and replicate both shape and actions. An additional rule was introduced, forcing all groups to standardise their output. The next two rounds saw the same dynamic in the groups, with alternate participants instructing others while also observing newly introduced rules. Finally, all members had to individually create the frying pan by choosing their own methods, as they did at the start. The exercise provided a context in which the relationship between skill, knowledge, process and design were all made evident. The experience inspired a rich discussion on the difference of various techniques and the results highlighted the crucial role manufacturing processes can play in realising designs. After discussing impressions from the direct experience with clay, the conversation moved to more abstract associations with manufacturing, internal policies and communication within companies, and the ability to innovate processes (and/or designs) to accommodate ever-changing conditions.
The third session of the HI programme will be held on 15th November and will explore the theme of art/science with a guest lecturer from the UK (simultaneous translation will be provided).
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. Read our previous post on Session 1 here. For info please contact: tokyotechxcsm@tse.ens.titech.ac.jp
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 tenth and final session of the “Hybrid Innovation” collaboration programme between Tokyo Tech and Central Saint Martins College of the Arts London (CSM) was held on Tuesday 8 March 2022.
In Session 10, Professor Masaharu Tsujimoto was invited to conduct an ecosystem design exercise necessary for Hybrid Innovation. Members of the participating companies discussed their ideas for the final project in relation to a possible ecosystem and verified the feasibility of the project by looking at it from a bird’s eye view.
This session integrated artistic and design thinking with practical business management studies to determine the consistency with the social structure and to consider how a new model can be created.
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.
