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Open

EXHIBITION

lab.1

OTON GLASS

2017.4.8 (Sat.) -
2017.7.23 (Sun.)

Information

Period :
2017.4.8 (Sat.) - 2017.7.23 (Sun.)
10:00 - 18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays)
Venue :
Design Gallery / 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Closed:
Mondays (open on May 1 & July 17) and July 18
Admission:
Free
For More Information:
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Phone: +81-76-220-2800
Facsimile: +81-76-220-2802
E-Mail: info@kanazawa21.jp

About the Exhibition

The development of the OTON GLASS was occasioned by the project leader’s father’s dyslexia. A device combining glasses with a camera, the OTON GLASS helps people read by changing visual written information into aural voice information. This exhibition follows the development of the OTON GLASS as an aid not only for dyslexia sufferers but also for people in many circumstances where reading characters is difficult, such as travelers walking in cities overseas. In the venue, a space will be established for wearing an OTON GLASS prototype and actually experiencing its functions, so as to make clear the developers’ methods of research toward achieving practical use. Visitors are invited to see the “research site” of a young start-up that is fusing existing technologies to develop a revolutionary new device.

About the OTON GLASS

Many of the world’s people suffer difficulties in reading. Dyslexia, an illness that hinders learning, makes reading a painful, slow process and can cause reading errors. Other people also suffer reading difficulties, such as people who, even with glasses, have weak eyes and foreign visitors to lands where their mother tongue is not spoken. The OTON GLASS resolves such problems by converting visual written information to aural voice information. Characters read by a camera positioned at the eyes are converted to text data using character recognition technology then read aloud aurally, thus enabling the user to grasp the content. Our ultimate aim is to make the OTON GLASS available for practical use. During the next year, our goal is to productize our device in small volume production. As a parallel activity, we want to collaborate with companies and art museums in seeking out the potential of the OTON GLASS as a device aiding human perception.

SHIMAKAGE Keisuke

About the [ lab ] Series

This new exhibition series begins in the Design Gallery from April 2017. Its title, “lab” is an abbreviation of the word “laboratory.” The Design Gallery venue will not only be a place for exhibiting artworks; the gallery will also open to investigation, research, and experimentation so as to exhibit the process of development. This fiscal year, two research and development projects will be presented under the theme “extending perception.”

Creator Profile

SHIMAKAGE Keisuke

Born in 1991. CEO of OTON GLASS, Inc. In 2013, when attending a university in Tokyo, began to research and develop the glasses-like device “OTON GLASS” as an aid for “reading” that changes visual character information to sound, motivated by his father’s dyslexia. In 2014, entered the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences and in the same year established OTON GLASS, Inc., assuming the post of CEO. Currently, Shimakage is engaged in research and development of the OTON GLASS with the aim of commercializing it as a device that extends reading capabilities in various situations where reading is difficult, such as for dyslexia and people with weak eyes, and for visitors to foreign cities. His major awards include the “James Dyson Award 2016 (third place national runner-up),” GUGEN 2016 Award,” and “YouFab Global Creative Awards 2016 Grand Prix.”

KURIMOTO Hiromitsu

Born in 1980. Chief technology officer of OTON GLASS, Inc. After completing his master’s degree, worked for a connector manufacturer. In 2016, took part in the development of the OTON GLASS with responsibility primarily for developing the hardware. Assumed the post of CTO in 2017.

Images

    Photo: KATO Hajime

    Photo: KATO Hajime

Organizers

Organized by:
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Kanazawa Art Promotion and Development Foundation)