In 2016 the Ogaki-shi Information Planning Division requested to cooperate with IAMAS to provide IT education for children, and this became an opportunity to plan a collaboration. Beginning with meetings with Ogaki-shi and then based on the results and issues in courses from the previous year, the two courses held were planned and managed to unravel IAMAS’ project research in a way digestible for children. The creation of PR materials is managed by IAMAS.

Technology for Welfare Project
As we live in a modern and diversified world like today, we try to make use of technologies or tools to solve the problems or shortcomings we feel at times. This isn’t just limited to the welfare of those with disabilities which is a “narrow sense of welfare”, but rather can be used to handle a variety of situations.

Planned lecture: “Let’s play in the cardboard dome!”
With “disaster prevention” as a theme, a class was planned inside a cardboard dome and other dark places with various ways to have fun. From an experimental experience using lights, sounds, etc. they were able to learn experientially about “solving problems” birthed by actively taking in the individual games and devices.

The class: Games with light and sound

The class: Playing with a self-made planetarium

Enhanced Experience Expression Project
Virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, also known as XR, involves commanding programmable music, performances, video expressions and technologies in real time. Through these commands research is underway to create an environment that can expand our experiences. Research is developing whilst keeping in mind practical application in order to actualise an experience that takes a deeper look at the future. This research is being worked on particularly through real time interactions in time and space, expressionism, the internet’s information space, sensor environment, and situational awareness and understanding from deep learning.

Planned class: “Image programming ~ creative coding ~”
Using bending sensors for the image programming environment’s “processing”, a class was held to learn the fundamentals of creative coding. Through actually trying to input various lines of code they could experience the changes in the shape, color, numbers, position, and movement of the image whilst creating animations and deepening their understanding of programming.

The class: Programming in action

The class: Creating animations through bending and moving sensors attached to the body