The rise of uber-smart technology

  I was part of the MIT Media Lab 15 years ago, and the theme we pursued was "Intelligent, Ubiquitous, Wearable", or to put it in simpler terms, "Smart, Everything, Always". We looked into the possibilities where such technology could boost the power of individuals.  However, there are signs that such technology has finally become prevalent now, in this day and age. Perhaps the 15 years taken by devices such as PCs and smartphones to be connected together in a network was a prerequisite for this.  Several examples of this are presenting...

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Closed and open

 IP2.0, a project that concerns itself with the debate on the issue of intellectual property entering a new playing field, has started.  Domestic rules do not apply to overseas servers, so Japanese business are on the receiving end of an unfair tax and copyright system. Japanese video game companies have established independent regulations, but international platforms such as Google and the App Store do not follow them, thus domestic game makers are losing out to overseas companies. What should we do about this?  France and Italy...

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The societal order destroyed by the Internet

 It has been 20 years since the Internet started becoming widespread. Recently, there have been a number of cases where it has caused damage to the "societal order".   A number of teenagers in Fukuoka were prosecuted for "dueling". The junior high school students made a pact to fight it out via the social networking service LINE, and through LINE, about 100 spectators also gathered to watch the drama unfold.  The crime of dueling was laid out in a law over 120 years ago, before the establishment of the penal code, and that law has...

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New round of meetings for Strategic Council on Intellectual Property

 The government's Strategic Council on Intellectual Property has begun a new round of meetings regarding content. As per previous sessions, I am taking on the role of chairman.  The construction of archives is a major topic of discussion.  The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is currently making a digital archive of art in various forms of media. It reports that It has already compiled basic data regarding 250 000 volumes of manga, 120 000 issues of magazines, 9000 titles of anime, and 35 000 games.  The...

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Takeshiba CiP concept kicks off

 I am advancing the concept of the Takeshiba CiP.  I asked for ideas from students during a lesson of mine, and 4 suggestions quickly popped up. In their words, the suggestions are as follows: 1) Superhuman Olympics  Let us hold a Superhuman Olympics. Superhumans will battle it out with an amalgamation of sports and technology. They will be equipped with wearable computers and cyborg technology. We will make a festival that supersedes the Olympics and the Paralympics.  I wish to set new world records for archery by wearing...

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