June 3 (Mon) ― Ambassador Ben-Ari hosted a reception at her residence in honor of a unique science x design collaboration by a joint team from the University of Tokyo - Design-led X Platform and the Bezalel Arts and Design Academy, Jerusalem.
— Sound of Blood Vessels: Project Attune —
The joint team has developed a novel system that transforms microscope’s images of human capillaries into musical tune. The latest research by Assoc. Prof. Yukiko Matsunaga of the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo, has revealed that shapes of capillaries can indicate health condition; and the team led by Dr. Romi Mikulinsky of the Bezalel Arts and Design Academy has enable to create individualized unique music from images of capillaries.
Ambassador Ben-Ari said in her opening remarks, “I am very pleased that not only that this collaboration merges science and design and Japan and Israel, but also that the teams are led by two women from Israel and Japan.” Welcoming remarks were given by Prof. Fujii, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo, Prof. Kisho, Director-General of the Institute of Industrial Science, and Prof. Niino, Vice Chair of the DLX Platform.
Prof. Shunji Yamanaka introduced the legacy of the Design-Led Platform, then Mr. Yuri Klebanov, a researcher of the DLX Design Lab, who has been a bridge with Bezalel and has steered the project, passionately shared with the audience how and why the collaboration came about. Finally, the research about capillaries as health indicators and transforming capillaries images into music were presented, then the two guests participated in the demonstration in actually transforming images of their capillaries into individual music tone.
Prof. Fujii, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo gave a congratulatory speech in kampai wishing for further development of the collaboration and academic exchanges between the University of Tokyo and Israel.
Prior to the reception, Dr. Romi Mikulinsky and three joint project members arrive in Japan, where they participated in the prototype demonstration of the Project Attune during the open campus event in the University of Tokyo Komaba Research Campus on May 31 for 2 days. Moreover, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem and The Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, on June 3.
For more on the Project Attune —
https://www.designlab.ac/attune
Photo credit: DLX Design Lab
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