Moonshot Goal１Realization of a society in which human beings can be free from limitations of body, brain, space, and time by 2050.
Outline
To overcome the challenges of a declining birthrate, aging population and associated labor shortage, the key is to realize a society free from the limitations of body, brain, space, and time and allow people with various backgrounds and values – such as the elderly and those with responsibilities for nursing and childcare – to actively participate in society.
Our R&D will develop core technologies related to cyborgs and avatars, called ‘Cybernetic Avatar’, allowing expansion of human physical, cognitive and perceptual abilities, and build the ‘Cybernetic Avatar Infrastructure’ in cloud while accessing social acceptance of our future society.
Program Director (PD)
HAGITA NorihiroChair and Professor, Art Science Department, Osaka University of Arts
- 【Message from PD】
- Our human-centered R&D projects on the Cybernetic Avatars will support the creation of cloud infrastructure and core technologies that enables a diverse range of social human activities with remote operation. They also intend cybernetic avatars to augment the physical, cognitive and perceptual capabilities of people from various social and value backgrounds.
Cybernetic avatars will be developed from the viewpoint of not only the providers but also the users in future society. The R&D projects should also do basic research on human stress caused by them and its relieving methods while taking into account ethical, legal, social, and economic (ELSE) issues and information security. I hope they will help us adapt and adjust to a new human-centered ‘Cybernetic Avatar Life’.
R&D Project
*Cybernetic Avatar（CA）
The Realization of an Avatar-Symbiotic Society where Everyone can Perform Active Roles without Constraint
| Project Manager | ISHIGURO Hiroshi Professor, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University |
|---|---|
| Outline | This project aims to realize an avatar-symbiotic society in which CAs allow everyone to perform active social roles without constraint. Through the teleoperation of multiple CAs that can fully transmit the user's actions, intentions, and reactions in scenarios which feature hospitality-rich dialogue, the user will be able to take part in various social activities (work, education, medical care, daily life, etc.). By 2050, our lifestyles will have dramatically changed. We will have greater freedom in our choice of location and how we spend our time, and technological advances will have enhanced our abilities. Our goal is to develop and implement avatar-symbiosis within a balanced society. |
Liberation from Biological Limitations via Physical, Cognitive and Perceptual Augmentation
| Project Manager | KANAI Ryota Director, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) |
|---|---|
| Outline | This project aims to develop cybernetic avatars that can be controlled via intention. This intention will be estimated from brain activities and information observed on the surface of the human body and through interactions. We will integrate intention estimation methods using AI technologies, and enhance the functionality of cybernetic avatars controlled by brain machine interfaces (BMI) while considering ethical implications. By 2050, we will create the ultimate BMI-cybernetic avatars that can be freely operated by human intention. |
Cybernetic Avatar Technology and Social System Design for Harmonious Co-experience and Collective Ability
| Project Manager | MINAMIZAWA Kouta Professor, Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University |
|---|---|
| Outline | This project aims to develop cybernetic avatar technologies that allow people to take full advantage of their abilities and share their variety of skills and experiences with many other people. Taking into account the social and ethical issues involved in the mutual utilization of physical skills and experiences, we will design a system that fits well with humans and society. By 2050 the inter-distribution of skills and experiences will allow people to link together and produce co-creations, and help realize a society in which everyone can freely engage in physical activities and challenges through cybernetic avatars. |
Contact
Moonshot Goal 1 R&D Program Secretariat
Department of Moonshot Research and Development Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency
e-mail moonshot-goal1
jst.go.jp