Mediated Social Touch. Interdisciplinary Explorations of Digital Touch to Connect Humans

The aim of this interdisciplinary and exploratory project at the intersection of social science, neuroscience, haptics and computer science/AI is to gain a comprehensive, multi-perspective understanding of the status quo, and the potential of mediated social touch (MST) for connecting humans in a digitalized world (human–machine–human interaction). What is/can be the (future) role of MST for “proximity at distance”, for social inclusion and societal participation in the context of the increasing digitalization and diversification of Japanese and German societies?

The project centered around a three-day internal workshop (October 15-17) in Hakone and a public symposium (October 18) at the OAG Hall in Akasaka, Tokyo. Experts and practitioners discussed topics such as diversity & inclusion, social haptics/social touch, ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Issues) and design.

Photos © Keio Media Design

Program of the Public Symposium (October 18) @OAG Hall and Foyer

14:30-15:00 Doors open + mini exhibition

15:00-15:10 Opening notes and welcome: “Japanese-German Collaborations”

DFG Office Japan, German Institute for Japanese Studies (Franz Waldenberger)

15:10-15:20 Conclusions from the workshop

Kōta Minamizawa, Nora Kottmann, Sakura Yamamura

15:20-17:00 Talk session

Frank Flemish (RWTH Aachen): A human factors and human systems integration perspective on digital touch to connect humans

Mark Paterson (University of Pittsburgh): The neuroscience of ‘slow’ social touch: what does this mean for robots?

Anna Spiegel (Universität Paderborn, Germany): The ambivalence of social touch. Insights from sociology and migration research

Asa Itō (Future of Humanity Research Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology): Embodied digital technologies for communication and community

Junji Watanabe (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporations – NTT): Embodied digital technologies for communication and community

17:00-18:00 Panel discussion
Moderators: Kōta Minamizawa, Nora Kottmann, Sakura Yamamura

18:00-19:00 Reception + mini exhibition (Foyer)

Jan Wertel & Gernot Oberfell (WertelOberfell)

KMD Embodied Media Project

Foundations of Digital Embodied Economics

The workshop and the symposium brought together experts and practitioners from the social sciences (sociology and geography), psychology, neuroscience, haptics research, engineering, and (industry) design. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) as part of the Japanese-German bilateral ‘Initiation of International Collaboration’-Program.

Main Organizers:

Japan (JSPS): Kōta Minamizawa (Keio University Graduate School of Media Design)

Germany (DFG): Nora Kottmann (German Institute for Japanese Studies) and Sakura Yamamura (RWTH Aachen)

In collaboration with Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B), Foundations of Digital Embodied Economics and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG, project number 519370372).