Archive Category: News

Graduates of the Doctoral Program in DesignMasato Tsuruzaki(graduated in March 2024, supervised by Professor Ken Fuda of the Affiliated Graduate School)Asahi ShimbunThis article was published in the magazine (dated May 2026, 2).

The article covers the reality of fatal accidents occurring while assisting people with disabilities and the elderly with bathing, and measures to prevent them. As a student, Tsurumazaki overturned the concept that bathing means soaking in a bathtub, and instead researched "bathtubless bathrooms" that primarily feature showers (title of doctoral thesis: Study on the components of bathtubless bathrooms converted from closets to prevent everyday accidents). A questionnaire revealed that caregivers felt burdened by the action of stepping over the bathtub, and through an experiment in which subjects played the role of a person requiring assistance and a caregiver reenacted bathing movements, he examined the dimensions and appropriate equipment placement of bathtubless bathrooms from an ergonomic perspective.

During his time at university, Tsuruzaki conducted research into the safety of architectural spaces from the perspectives of everyday disasters, universal design, and barrier-free access. He is currently working as a researcher at the Building Research Institute, a national research and development agency.

Articles published(Charged)
Asahi Shimbun, "Fatal Accidents During Bathing Assistance: Is Bathtub-Free the Solution? Research on the Benefits of Bathing in Hot Water" (February 20, 2026)
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASV2K1F7NV2KUNHB01HM.html

With the spread of generative and conversational AI, the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) is expanding throughout society beyond that of mere tools. However, the way in which the relationship between humans and AI is understood and accepted cannot be fully understood through technical performance evaluation alone.

This study focuses on AI depicted in fictional works such as movies, anime, literature, and games, and analyzes how the relationship between humans and AI has been portrayed. Fiction can be considered a cultural space where the relationship between new technologies and humans has been imagined and experimented with.

The analysis confirmed that AI in fiction has evolved from being depicted as a mere tool to being an entity that supports humans, then a companion that acts alongside them, and finally to being an equal partner. These changes are thought to reflect how humans have come to understand and accept AI.

This research organizes these changes in relationships as "cultural prototypes" and presents a theoretical model for understanding AI not as a collection of abilities and functions, but as an entity that forms relationships with people. The results of this research offer a new perspective for future discussions on the design of conversational AI and educational support AI, as well as AI ethics and social acceptance.

Research representative
Junichi Hoshino
University of Tsukuba, Design Degree Program

Published paper
[Title] Fictional Prototypes of AI–Human Coexistence
[Published in] AI & Society
[DOI] 10.1007/s00146-025-02830-9
[URL] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00146-025-02830-9