CREATIVE KIDS TOP Blab B Lab Newsletter, Vol. 29

Blab

2024.10.18
B Lab Newsletter, Vol. 29

EMAIL NEWSLETTER Vol. 29 (October 2024 Issue)

◆ Featured Project: 

We unveiled many B Lab projects at “Change tomorrow – CHANGETOMORROW” (≪Chomorrow≫), held in Takeshiba, Tokyo, on Saturday, October 12, and Sunday, October 13, 2024! This month, we’ll share highlights from the event♪

To help realize a neurodiverse society, we showcased 55 exhibits created by Japan’s leading researchers, transcending organizational boundaries! Thank you to everyone who came to visit!

The winners of the 1st Neurodiversity Awards have been announced! We held the awards ceremony at Chomorrow. For this inaugural edition of the awards, we received 177 entries from 7 countries around the world. A heartfelt thank you to all the winners and everyone who submitted an entry.

We hosted a panel discussion on cutting-edge neurodiversity research featuring panelists Joichi Ito, Mizuko Ito, Rua Williams, and Dr. Jamie Galpin—specialists conducting leading-edge research on neurodiversity from around the world.

This year’s Superhuman Sports Project featured booths where visitors could try out five certified Superhuman Sports disciplines, as well as stage performances—it was packed with activities! Many visitors, from children to adults, took part in the experiences.

This project proposes the concept of robots coexisting with humans as “friends,” aiming to enhance social value while exploring new applications for products and technologies. As a kickoff event, we held a symposium set against the backdrop of THE★ROBOTS’ dance performance, where we engaged in lively discussions with experts on the relationship between humans and robots.

A talk event held in collaboration with the Neurodiversity Project, Project Cybernetic Being, and Keio University’s Science Fiction Research, Development, and Implementation Center. We discussed the future we will live in with science fiction authors, science fiction researchers, and researchers promoting “moonshot” R&D aimed at realizing a future society in 2050.

We held the Digital Ehon Award 2024 Awards Ceremony on October 13! Thank you again for all the entries from around the world this year! The Grand Prize in the General Category went to “The Bear – A Story from the World of Gra” (Mucks! Games) from Germany!


◆ What’s New! for Each Project:

Project to Bridge the Digital Divide for the Elderly
Five iU students participated as support staff in the “MinChalle Workshop,” a smartphone class held at the Sumida City Hall on September 7 and 14. They also took part in a roundtable discussion on entrepreneurship with representatives from startup companies and city staff, where they presented their business plans and exchanged ideas.


◆ B Lab Hub News: B Lab hubs are spreading across the globe, both virtually and in person. This month, we bring you news from B Lab Hong Kong♪
◎ B Lab Hong Kong [
Ukulele Workshop – From STEAM to the Metaverse]
B Lab Hong Kong collaborated with local partners to host a “Phygital Ukulele Workshop” at an elementary school in Hong Kong.The workshop spanned four days and was attended by 15 enthusiastic students. During the first two days, the students crafted their own ukuleles, and over the remaining two days, they learned to use “VoxEdit,” a 3D modeling software, to recreate their ukuleles in the digital world.
⇒ Read more here

◆ Announcements
from Participating Organizations and Researchers
● Why not promote your company through Community Contribution x Education x Pepper?
(SoftBank Robotics Corp. / Tetsuma Nagasaki)
We’ll deliver Pepper to schools using your company’s PR budget.
Pepper can be used as a teaching tool for programming, generative AI, and English conversation. Placing your company’s logo on the robot also provides an opportunity for media exposure. We look forward to your inquiries.
⇒ Click here

for details
● “World-Class Explanation Skills: There’s a ‘Formula’ for Smart Explanations” (SB Creative) Now on Sale to Great Acclaim
(Key Message International Co., Ltd. · President Koichi Iwasawa)
My book, “World-Class Explanation Skills: There’s a ‘Formula’ for Smart Explanations” (SB Creative), is now on sale to great acclaim.It introduces a framework for mastering both daily life and business through “explanation skills” that meet global standards. Packed with information useful for a wide range of readers—from those who struggle with communication to those who excel at it—it is available at bookstores near you. Of course, you can also purchase it on Amazon.
⇒ For details, click here
● A new article has been published on
Toyo Keizai Online
(Shoichi Okawa, Ryugaku Sommelier Co., Ltd.)
An article titled “The Two Most Popular Study Abroad Destinations for Working Professionals: ‘Dubai vs. Malta’—What’s the Difference?”, based on research into study abroad conditions in Dubai and Malta, has been published on Toyo Keizai Online.
⇒ Click here for details

● Friday, November 22, 6:45 PM–8:45 PM: Sustainability Innovation Network Tokyo Event! #02
(Sustainaseed Co., Ltd.)
This is a networking event where startups, corporations, local governments, and supporters working to solve sustainability challenges come together with the goal of fostering innovation. Students are also very welcome!
⇒ For details, click here

●Announcement: Tokyo International Film Festival International Symposium on Film Education 2024: Saturday, November 2, 2024, 11:20 AM–6:30 PM @ National Archives, Small Hall
(Key Message International Co., Ltd.)
A symposium organized by Yusuke Kikuchi (Head of the Tokyo International Film Festival Promotion Group), who was invited as a guest lecturer for a “Multicultural Understanding” class, will be held. Titled “Children Around the World Are Waiting for Movies,” this event explores film education as a means of addressing social issues.
⇒ For details, click here

● Online Symposium
(Learning of Tomorrow)
We will hold an online symposium during lunch hour (12:00 PM – 12:55 PM). We look forward to your participation.
◆ Handling of Personal Information
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October 2024, Vol. 29
Publisher: Nanako Ishido
Editor: Chika Masuda
Address: 1-18-13 Bunka, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
         info@blaboratory.org

　

Profile


  • Digital Picture Book Author

    Professor, Keio University; Ph.D. (Policy and Media)
    Director, B Lab
    Chairperson, Learning of Tomorrow (General Incorporated Association)
    Chairperson, CANVAS

    After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, he served as a visiting researcher at the MIT Media Lab before founding the NPO CANVAS and the Learning of Tomorrow Association, a General Incorporated Association, and assuming the role of representative. He serves as an outside director for Matsuya Co., Ltd., Fuji Media Holdings, Inc., and Digital Garage, Inc.
    He has served on various government committees, including the Information and Communications Council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as well as the NHK Central Broadcasting Program Council. He also serves as a director of the Digital Signage Consortium, among other roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Policy and Media.
    His publications include *Turning On Children’s Creativity!*, *What Are Smart Kids Doing on Their Smartphones?*, *The Forefront of Online Education in Japan: Considering Learning in the Post-COVID Era*,“What Is Programming Education? 45 Questions Parents Want to Know,” and “Declaration on Digital Education.” He has also provided supervision for numerous works, including “Ah, I See! Programming Education for Parents and Children Through Manga.”