"Tactile Sensation × Learning of Tomorrow": An Online Symposium by Learning of Tomorrow. How can we apply technology that conveys physical experiences through tactile sensation to education? We spoke with Professor Minamizawa from KMD.

Professor Minamizawa’s research focuses on “embodied media,” which share, create, and expand physical experiences.He states that through this research, he aims to achieve three things: creating mechanisms that allow people to “experience” rather than merely “observe” the experiences of others; connecting people by fostering touch and intimacy in digital spaces; and creating abilities that humans do not naturally possess.

Another event we’ve co-hosted numerous times at CANVAS is a haptic experience workshop that utilizes the “TECHTILE toolkit”—a device that allows anyone to easily create “haptic experiences.” It enables participants to convey the tactile sensations they feel to people in remote locations. They’re reportedly taking this a step further by developing a haptic suit that transmits sensations not just to the hands and feet, but to the entire body.With a VR HMD alone, while your mind may be immersed in the game world, your body remains in the real world; however, by wearing this suit, you can immerse your entire body in the virtual reality world.

The examples of its use in sports viewing are also fascinating. It is said that when a B.League game held in Kumamoto is streamed to an online viewing venue in Tokyo, the viewing experience becomes completely different when, in addition to 4K video and spatial audio, even the vibrations from the floor are transmitted.

By transmitting the sensation of “touch” in the same way as visual and auditory sensations, it becomes possible to create new forms of communication. For example, when two people are drawing together from remote locations, transmitting the sensation of writing can enable collaborative work that makes distance seem nonexistent. This technology also supports collaborative experiences for people who can only connect online, and is likely to prove invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Q&A session, the discussion centered on how to recreate sensations and experiences that vary from person to person. Even when touching the same cheek, the meaning changes depending on whether it’s a light caress or a sharp slap. It’s not enough to simply recreate the feel of the skin; unless the intent behind the touch is also conveyed, the experience will be different—even if the information itself is accurate.Professor Minamizawa shared the perspective that “it’s more important to accurately convey the elements that linger in one’s memory and experience than to focus on the details.” In other words, the goal is not to convey “information,” but ultimately to convey an “experience.”

In terms of educational applications, I sense a natural fit between special education and the use of haptic technology. When I asked about this, I was told that they are currently working on a project at a special education school called “Conveying Emotions Through Touch.”They also mentioned that this technology could be utilized for “repetitive learning” in sports. There is a hypothesis that conveying tips known only to coaches through tactile feedback could be effective for accelerated learning, though they noted that evidence for this is still pending—so it’s something to look forward to.

I was thinking about what kinds of situations in educational settings would make it easier to understand the value of haptic feedback when a viewer asked, “Could it be used to convey pain so that teachers can gauge how serious a physical problem a child or student is experiencing?”My response was that while it is possible to simulate pain such as menstrual cramps or injuries from domestic violence, the use of “truly painful content” is limited, and it’s also a difficult question whether conveying such pain directly is appropriate—and I agree with that assessment.

It made me rethink the question, “What is experience?” I also think we’ve reached a point where “tactile technology” could be put to greater use in educational settings, so, Zawa, let’s work together on various projects again.