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Exhibition view of the interactive installation "Parallel Marchés"

[Award] Received the Special Jury Prize at Art & Technology Tohoku 2026 [Design Studies]

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Yoshino Oikawa (1st year student, Design Studies Degree Program, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Human Sciences Research Group (Master's Program), Supervisor: Associate Professor Toshiro Uchiyama, Arts Department) won an award at the "Art & Technology Tohoku 2026" contest organized by the Tohoku Branch of the Society for Art and Science.Judge special prizeI received the Special Jury Prize.

■ Award-winning works
"Parallel Marchés"

This is an interactive installation that visualizes the "information accessibility biases" that lurk in everyday life. Two stalls are set up side by side in the venue: one is a "marche" that can be seen with the naked eye, and the other is "Shelma," which can only be seen by wearing special glasses. While in the same space, simply because the design of the visual information is different, "people who can see" and "people who cannot see" are created, and as a result, the roles of "people who can choose" and "people who cannot choose" are divided and reversed. This work presents, through the viewer's own experience, how the design of information affects people's behavior and choices.

■ About the contest
"Art & Technology Tohoku" is a comprehensive contest organized by the Tohoku branch of the Japan Society for Art and Science, which recognizes outstanding art works in the field of media arts and the digital technologies that support the creation of such works. Entries are accepted from both within Japan and internationally, covering three categories: "Interactive Works," "Non-Interactive Works," and "Digital Technologies."

In 2026, a presentation event was held on July 11th (Saturday) at the "Design and Media Engineering Collaborative Workshop" within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Iwate University. After the exhibition and judging, the winning works were announced at the awards ceremony.

■ Related links
Work page “Parallel Marchés” (Toshiro Uchiyama Laboratory)
https://www.geijutsu.tsukuba.ac.jp/uchiyamalab/portfolio-item/parallel-marches/

Art & Technology Tohoku 2026 Award-Winning Works
https://www-cg.cis.iwate-u.ac.jp/AT2026/award2026.html

Art & Technology Tohoku 2026
https://www-cg.cis.iwate-u.ac.jp/AT2026/index.html

Tohoku Branch of the Society for Art and Science
http://www-cg.cis.iwate-u.ac.jp/as-tohoku/index.html

[Award Winner] Received the Grand Prize at the 2026 Waste Reduction Business Idea Contest [Design Studies]

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Ranmaru Inoue (2nd year student, Design Studies Degree Program, Graduate School of Human Sciences (Master's Course), Faculty of Human Sciences; Supervisor: Professor Shinichi Koyama, Arts Department) won the Grand Prize at the "Waste Reduction Business Idea Contest 2026" (organized by the General Incorporated Association Gomi Project).

 

This contest received 97 entries from all over the country. After online presentations by the 28 works that advanced to the second round of judging, 13 works were selected as winners. Ms. Inui was chosen as the grand prize winner (1 work).

 

Award-winning product: Polasack - A nudge design recycling bag that "visualizes" proper sorting.

 

Award-winning entries from the 2026 Waste Reduction Business Idea Contest
https://www.takizawa-gomipro.net/idea-contest/2026sakuhin

A video has been released regarding the 9 Graduate School Entrance Examination for the Design Studies Degree Program.

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On Saturday, May 2026, 5, we will release a video of the entrance exam explanation held at the Design Studies Degree Program Graduate School Information Session. If you were not able to attend, please take this opportunity to take a look.

The application guidelines for the Design Studies Degree Program (for the 2026 entrance examination) have been posted.

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We would like to inform you that the application guidelines for the graduate program in Design Studies (for the entrance examination to be held in the 2026 academic year) are now available on our website.

【Japanese version】
https://www.ap-graduate.tsukuba.ac.jp/course/chs/

【English version】
https://eng.ap-graduate.tsukuba.ac.jp/course/chs/

A graduate's research was featured in the Asahi Shimbun [Design Studies]

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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

List of Awards for the 2025 Design Degree Program

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Awarded by the Design Degree Program

Master's program

  • Best Picture Award: Hasegawa Yasuto
  • Excellence Award: Nozomi Inagaki
  • Best Paper Award: Harumasa Nagai
  • Best Paper Award: Hiroki Otue

Doctoral Program

  • Best Paper Award: Takuya Abe
  • Best Paper Award: Wu Yunhui

Awarded by related organizations (design degree program recommendation)

Master's program

  • Tsukuba University Art Award (Work): Taito Hasegawa
  • Tsukuba University Art Award (Thesis): Haruka Nagai, Kurara
  • Meikeikai Award (Arts Category): Nozomi Inagaki
  • Meikeikai Award (Social Contribution): Ryota Sawaguchi
  • Dean's Award of the Faculty of Human Sciences: Taito Hasegawa
  • Tsukuba University Alumni Association Esaki Award: Tamami Sato

Doctoral Program

  • Dean's Award of the Faculty of Human Sciences: Takuya Abe

A theoretical model that views artificial intelligence as an entity that connects with people was published in an international academic journal.

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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

[Award] Seven entries receive Excellence Award at the Japanese Society for the Science of Design's Autumn Planning Conference "Student Proposition" [Design Studies]

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At the 2025 Japan Society for the Science of Design Autumn Planning Conference "Student Proposition",127 ofThe announcement was made.

this house,University of Tsukuba, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Comprehensive Human Sciences Program in DesignFromSeven presentations won the Excellence Award　

 

The "Student Proposition" of this tournament isA place where design students can present their research and creative work and deepen their knowledge while interacting with researchers from other universities.It is being implemented as.

Our university was highly praised for its achievements across a wide range of fields, including experiential design, sensory research, interaction, design research using AI, and research related to welfare and physicality.

List of Awards (Excellence Award)

number Presenter Affiliation Presentation title Supervisor
A5 Mizuki Nakamura Design Studies Degree Program, Master's Program, 1nd year An experiential workshop where children's drawings are transformed into digital fireworks using Unity Associate Professor Toshiro Uchiyama
Ikue Kamiya 2nd year of arts and crafts
Io Ueno 1nd year of arts and crafts
A7 Rina Katsube Design Degree Program, Doctoral Program, 3rd year Experience design through the circulation of touch and light - Interactive work "Touch and return" - Associate Professor Toshiro Uchiyama
A8 Rinko Maeda Design Studies Degree Program, Master's Program, 2nd year Examining the influence of the match/mismatch between vision and olfaction on scent recognition - An experimental approach in the "Abekobe Market" experience exhibition - Associate Professor Toshiro Uchiyama
A32 Yua Ueno Design Studies Degree Program, Master's Program, 2nd year Research on communication methods for patients with acquired amblyopia Associate Professor Hiroyuki Yamada
A52 Yang Qingran Design Studies Degree Program, Master's Program, 1nd year Turning Plants into Your "Electronic Pets": A Study on Plant-Based Anthropomorphic Character Interactions Using Generative AI Assistant Professor Sakumeia
A53 Sakai Brewer Design Studies Degree Program, Master's Program, 1nd year What Do AI-Generated Chairs Look Like? − A Comparative Study of Chairs Across Four Countries − Assistant Professor Sakumeia
B52 Jusui Sato Design Studies Degree Program, Master's Program, 2nd year A study on the acceptance of defects in clothing Assistant Professor Sakumeia

Related Links

[Award] Won two awards in the RSNP Contest, System Integration Division, Society of Instrument and Control Engineers [Design Studies]

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Yoshinori Misumi (2nd year student in the Design Science Doctoral Program at the School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, supervised by Associate Professor Hiroyuki Yamada, Faculty of Arts) has won the following two awards in the RSNP Contest, System Integration Division of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers.

 

■ Award details

"Outstanding performance award"
Robotics Society of Japan Network-Based Robot Service Research Committee Award (Robotics Society of Japan)

"Good Concept Award"
Robotics Society of Japan Network-Based Robot Services Research Committee (Robotics Society of Japan)

 

■ Related links

RSNP Contest Overview
http://robotservices.org/index.php/aboutrsnp/rsnpcontest/

SI2025 (26th Society of Instrument and Control Engineers System Integration Division Conference)
https://sice-si.org/si2025/index.php

Robotics Society of Japan
https://www.rsj.or.jp/

 

[Award] Game Programming Workshop Best Poster Award [Design Studies]

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Takuto Yamana (1st year student in the Design Studies Master's Program at the Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Supervisor: Associate Professor Junichi Hoshino, Department of Systems and Information Engineering) has won the Best Poster Award at the Game Programming Workshop.

 

The 30th Game Programming Workshop (GPW-25)

https://www.gi-ipsj.org/gpw/2025/index.html

Game Programming Workshop

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