Breaking Barriers: Dentsu Lab Tokyo’s Project Humanity at Ars Electronica Festival
Dentsu Lab Tokyo’s ALL PLAYERS WELCOME project is breaking barriers and changing lives for individuals with physical disabilities. The project’s latest innovation, ‘Project Humanity’, will be unveiled at the Ars Electronica Festival in Austria this Friday, showcasing the groundbreaking use of electromyography signals to allow paralysed DJ Masatane Muto to operate an avatar in real-time.
Partnering with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) and WITH ALS, an organization supporting individuals with ALS, Dentsu Lab Tokyo has developed a cutting-edge technology that detects electrical signals from the brain to move muscles using electromyography sensors. This technology will enable Masatane Muto to physically express himself while performing in the Metaverse or on a digital screen.
The ALL PLAYERS WELCOME project was launched in 2022 with the goal of creating a world where individuals with disabilities can freely express themselves through innovative tools. Their first project, the ALL PLAYERS TOOL LAB, allowed individuals to operate music tools using only eye movements, debuting at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France.
Naoki Tanaka, creative director at Dentsu Lab Tokyo, expressed excitement about the potential of Project Humanity, stating, “With the evolution of our technology, we are building a future in which people with physical disabilities will be able to operate avatars through their own will and senses in real time through the power of electromyography signals.”
Masatane Muto, DJ and founder of WITH ALS, shared his enthusiasm for the project, saying, “I am very excited to free my body after such a long time due to ALS, to now be able to dance and clap to my music with audiences around the world. Through the power of technology and creativity, I want to overturn the stereotype that ALS patients’ bodies are immobile.”
Don’t miss Naoki Tanaka and Mariko Nakamura from Dentsu Lab Tokyo speaking at Ars Electronica on Friday, where DJ Masatane Muto will perform a live set to showcase the incredible capabilities of Project Humanity.