We have launched the Neurodiversity Project. As our first initiative, we are planning an exhibition titled “The World in Our Minds.” Today is our kickoff meeting.

We have already seen a steady influx of members with cutting-edge expertise and research achievements from Moon Shot Goals 1 and 3, the RIKEN Research Institute, NICT, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Keio University, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Yokohama City University, NTT Laboratories, and Superhuman Sports, among others.

We are looking for members to help us advance our activities. The following is the first draft of our project outline. We look forward to receiving your feedback and will do our utmost to help build a society where each person can contribute their unique strengths wherever they are.

(I am interested in neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and well-being.)

The World in Our Minds

May 2023

Neurodiversity Project

There are many people who struggle with “difficulty in living.” They can’t seem to get along with others, can’t seem to find their place in society, and are suffering because they feel they have nowhere to belong.

It has become clear that this is rooted in the diversity of the brain. Furthermore, when individuals are unable to perform to their full potential and face difficulties in various situations, they are often labeled as having a developmental “disability,” and their individual characteristics are frequently perceived as the problem.

However, the “difficulties in living” that people face arise from the interaction between individual characteristics and the environment.It is said that many of the geniuses behind the greatest inventions of the century had brains that differed from the norm. For example, the famous entrepreneur Elon Musk has publicly disclosed that he has Asperger’s syndrome (which, since the release of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 diagnostic criteria in 2013, has been collectively referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder: ASD).Additionally, film director Steven Spielberg has publicly disclosed that he was diagnosed with a learning disability known as dyslexia, and it is also said that he has autism spectrum disorder. However, by placing themselves in environments where they can leverage their unique traits, their developmental disabilities have become “strengths.”People with exactly the same characteristics may, depending on their environment, become charismatic business leaders or face difficulties in the workplace.

We believe that by respecting each individual’s unique characteristics and providing an appropriate environment, we can transform what has been viewed as a “disability” or “difficulty in living” into a “strength” and “ease of living.”

The human brain and nervous system are incredibly diverse. This is called “neurodiversity.” We all have our own unique characteristics. The concept of neurodiversity applies to all of us.

Depending on their environment, people who exceed a certain threshold are labeled as having a “disability” or “illness.” There is no clear-cut distinction between disability and ability, or between illness and health; the two are a continuum. Therefore, even without being officially diagnosed with a disability or illness, some people are born with a natural difficulty adapting to modern society.Others, facing unfavorable circumstances, may struggle to adapt to society and develop mental health conditions or other illnesses. Neurodiversity is a crucial concept not only for people with developmental disabilities but for everyone seeking to live a rich and authentic life.

We are committed to promoting understanding of neurodiversity and working toward building a society where every individual can contribute their unique strengths wherever they are.

Exhibition: "The World in Our Minds"

We are hosting an exhibition as the first step in promoting neurodiversity. Through this exhibition, we aim to foster an understanding of the diversity of individual brains. We also seek to convey that individual differences can be complemented or enhanced through the use of technology, and that by redesigning existing environments from a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) perspective, we can build a society where people no longer struggle to thrive and can fully realize their potential.Promoting neurodiversity can unlock new forms of creativity and contribute to the development of society as a whole.

In this exhibition, we refer to the world each of us inhabits as the “brain world.” Based on the idea that the brain world is shaped by the interaction between the “individual” and the “environment,” this exhibition promotes an understanding of neurodiversity through two approaches.

1. Individual Approach

1. Brain (Expansion of Brain Function)
2. Body (Expansion of the Body and Senses)
3. Mind (Promoting Self-Understanding)

From three perspectives, participants will learn about the diversity of individual characteristics and societal perspectives. They will then experience how technology can expand these possibilities, transforming “I can’t” into “I can” or unlocking unique new abilities.

2. Environmental Approach

1. Physical things (artificial objects, building the metaverse)
2. Social institutions (coordination of ethics and rules)
3. Relationships with others (promoting understanding of others)

We’ll consider the effects of the environment from three perspectives.First, we will learn that when the environment changes, what was once considered a “disability” ceases to be one. Building on this, we will reexamine whether the environment we currently take for granted is truly appropriate for everyone when viewed from diverse perspectives. Finally, we will provide an opportunity to reflect on the kind of environment we should build to create a society where everyone can live comfortably and fully realize their potential.

Project Members (Updated regularly)

Keio University Graduate School of Media Design Embodied Media Project

https://www.embodiedmedia.org/

Kuzuka-Narumi Laboratory, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo

https://www.cyber.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja

Nagoya Institute of Technology Graduate School, Haptics Lab (Professor Yoshihiro Tanaka / Inamori Institute for Scientific Research)

https://www.inamori-f.or.jp/recipient/tanaka-yoshihiro/

https://haptics.web.nitech.ac.jp/

Junichi Ushiba Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University

https://www.brain.bio.keio.ac.jp/

National Institute for Basic Biology, Cognitive and Behavioral Support Technologies Team

https://www.riken.jp/research/labs/aip/goalorient_tech/cogn_behav_assist_tech/index.html

Yokohama City University Minds1020Lab (COI-NEXT “Co-creation Hub for a Meta-Care City to Resolve Youth Issues and Achieve High Well-being”)

https://minds1020lab.yokohama/

NTT Laboratories

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)

Future ICT Research Institute, Center for Brain Information and Communication Convergence Research (CiNet)

https://cinet.jp/japanese/

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research: Research in Areas of Academic Transformation (B) Establishing the Economics of Digital Embodiment

https://embodiedecon.digital/

https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shinkou/hojyo/1412385_00007.htm

Kyoto University, Institute for the Future of Humanity and Society

https://ifohs.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

<Organizer and Secretariat>

B Lab

https://blaboratory.org/