The next one is “Ship of Zipper” by Yasuhiro Suzuki. This idea come from the view from a ship that waves behind the ship looks like a zipper. Only the video was shown at the venue but I felt like seeing it from a full-size ship.

This (see above) is “Canned Sound” which looks like just a can at a first glance. Once you put your voice or any sounds in the can and put the lid on it, these sounds are kept into a can until when somebody open the lid. You can listen the sounds echoing repeatedly when you hold the can to your ear.

“Dompika -dividing flame-” is a heartwarming work which divides flame lit by a reaction to a sound . It was created with the idea that sounds of fireworks burn flame. It was sold very well in school festival. This work won “Takara Award” with being commercialized in view. We might see people with “Dompika” in their hand and pass the flame each other at fireworks festival in the near future.

The last works is “Ototenji (sound-braille)” by Mika Fukumori. It is a device that allows people who can see to easily learn braille using their eyesight, hearing and touch. Japanese Braille is expressed by 50 letters with a combination of 1 grid with 6 dots. The combination of vowels and consonants determines the sequence of the grids. Blocks are inserted into a panel with 6 holes and when the figure is in the braille sequence, the sound of the corresponding letter is played from the speaker. Each vowels is differentiated with colour of lights. It enables people to learn braille playing with it.

It’s impossible to introduce all works here. I’m also wondering if the feeling which I got from touching the works can be reported with only texts and images to you. If there is any opportunity to see such gadgets, I strongly recommend you to play with it, not just looking on them at a distance!

Digital Art Festival Tokyo 2004
Date: July 23rd – 27th, 2004
Place: Tokyo Ariake Panasonic Center
Address: 3-5-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81 (0)3 3599 2600
http://www.daf-tokyo.jp