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Dialogue
Shosa
Interaction

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Gesture speaks your heart

Shosa bridges mind and body, evolving into 'Shosa' for diverse emotional expression, guided by 'somatic intelligence' in an interactive installation.

Projects

"Shosa" is an implicit form of communication that has been cultivated in Japanese culture to connect the body and heart and to harmonize oneself with the other person. Our goal is to evolve this "Shosa" in the modern age to create a rich expression of the heart in relation to the other person and the environment. Our evolved "Shosa" expresses a diverse and rich heart in relation to not only humans, but also robots and all other forms of life.

In this installation, the "Shosa" that appears in response to the movements of human and android is expressed through continuously changing sound and light. The ability to acquire this "Shosa" is called "embodied intelligence. Visitors will develop their own "embodied intelligence" by experiencing this installation.

We can acquire "Shosa", and evolve themselves through dialogue with the android through their body movements.

Concept Movie

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Project Member

Project director/Osaka University

Hiroshi
Ishiguro

Professor of Osaka University, Faculty of Engineering Science, Visiting Director of ATR Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories, Thematic Project Producer of 2025 World Exposition, President and CEO of AVITA Corporation. He is a researcher of robotics with interests in avatars, intelligent robots, art, and philosophy.

Robot system developer/RIKEN&ATR

Takashi
Minato

Researcher working in robotics. Ph.D. (Engineering) Through the study of interaction between humans and android robots, he is exploring the mechanisms for attributing emotion and spirit to artifacts and robots.

Sound designer

Kaito
Sakuma

Born in 1992. Spent his childhood in Brazil and Japan. Focusing on sound production, he has created a variety of experiences including show production, advertising, and sound design for commercial spaces. His recent works "Mirror Speaker" and "Ether" won the Japan Media Arts Festival Rookie of the Year Award.

Creative director/KiQ

Akane
Kikuchi

Founder, CEO, and Director of KiQ, a Tokyo-based design studio. She also works as a Shosa designer and is active in Japan and abroad as a unique expert in designing the behavior of humans and robots based on the concept of “Shosa studies”. She is the originator of this installation.

Main system creator/ATR

Tomo
Funayama

Android interaction creator. By designing interactions and developing systems for autonomous androids, he aims to realize valuable interactions for androids.

Robot system developer/ATR

Kurima
Sakai

Researcher working in robotics. Ph.D. (Engineering) He has been involved in the development of core systems for android ERICA and other androids produced by Dr.Ishiguro. He is involved in a wide range of projects from the development of human-like motion generation systems for androids to the development of interactive control systems.

Robot system developer/ATR

Ryusuke
Mikata

Research engineer at ATR. Engaged in the development of motion generation systems for androids, and aims to advance robots that interact with humans into society.

Visual expression designer/Osaka University

Kazuya
Horibe

Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University.
He is currently engaged in research on human-agent interaction and artificial life.