Author: Arvin

November 30, 2024 – We are excited to invite you to the Final Pitch and Demo Day 2024 of the Appropriate Technology Class, an interdisciplinary program bringing together graduate students from the Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, Ph.D. Program in Humanics, and the Master’s Program in Medical Sciences.

Over the past six months, these students have collaborated to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges. On December 7, 2024 (Saturday), they will showcase the culmination of their efforts through compelling stories, live demonstrations, and strategic business plans.

Join us at the Global Village Community Station 2F, University of Tsukuba, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM to:

• Learn the journey behind each project – from identifying critical issues to engaging with users and testing prototypes in real-world settings.
• See live demonstrations of technologies designed to address societal challenges.
• Explore business strategies designed to scale these solutions for broader impact.

Featured Projects

1. Supporting Young Professionals with Chronic Pain
This team tackled the issue of chronic body pain affecting young working adults in Korea and Japan, developing a solution to alleviate discomfort without disrupting their demanding schedules.

2. Empowering Saffron Farmers and Other Labor-Intensive Workers
Inspired by the challenges faced by aging saffron farmers in Iran and Japan, this project developed a labor-saving tool designed to reduce the physical strain of frequent stooping and squatting. The device is versatile and can also be adapted for use by farmers, fishermen, and other laborers in similar physically demanding jobs, helping them maintain productivity while reducing fatigue.

3. Assisting Patients with Hand Tremors
In Egypt, another team tested and refined a device aimed at supporting patients with conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Their prototype helps users regain control over their daily activities, significantly improving their quality of life despite hand tremors.

4. Enhancing Safety and Recovery for Dementia Patients
This team focused on families caring for individuals with dementia who are at risk of wandering. They developed a low-cost system that makes it easier to locate patients quickly and alert caregivers in real time. Their solution enhances patient safety while maintaining their dignity and independence, offering peace of mind to families and caregivers.

Join Us!

Come and be inspired by the creativity, innovation, and dedication of these students as they present technologies designed to improve lives and make a meaningful social impact.

Date: December 7, 2024 (Saturday), 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Global Village Community Station 2F, University of Tsukuba [Map Link]

Online Broadcast:

https://meet.google.com/shq-myqe-zjd

We look forward to seeing you there!

最終発表会・デモデー2024のご案内 筑波大学「適正技術」クラス

このたび、筑波大学の**「適正技術」クラス（Appropriate Technology Class）による「最終発表会・デモデー2024」**を開催いたします。本クラスには、**人間総合科学学術院博士課程プログラム（Ph.D. Program in Human Biology）、ヒューマニクス博士課程プログラム（Ph.D. Program in Humanics）、および医科学学位プログラム（Master’s Program in Medical Sciences）**の大学院生が参加しています。

本プログラムでは、受講生がチームを組み、フィールドワークを通じて社会課題を自ら発見し、ユーザーとの対話を重ねながらプロトタイプの開発とビジネスプランの策定を行ってきました。今回の最終発表会では、各チームがこれまでの取り組みを報告し、課題解決に向けた技術とその社会的インパクトを発表いたします。

つきましては、以下の日時で開催される本イベントにぜひご参加くださいますようご案内申し上げます。

• 日時：2024年12月7日（土） 14:00～18:00
• 会場：筑波大学 グローバルビレッジ コミュニティステーション2階

発表プロジェクトのご紹介

1. 若年層の慢性的な身体痛へのサポート
韓国と日本の若年層の働き盛りの方々が抱える慢性的な身体痛に着目したチームが、忙しい日常生活の中でも痛みを軽減し、快適な生活をサポートするためのソリューションを開発しました。

2.日本のサフラン農家および他の労働者の支援
高齢化が進むイランと日本のサフラン農家を支援するため、屈伸作業による身体的負担を軽減するための労働軽減ツールを開発しました。この技術は、農業従事者、漁業従事者、その他の肉体労働者にも応用可能で、生産性を向上させつつ、身体への負担を軽減します。

3. 手の震えに悩む患者の生活支援
エジプトにおいて、**多発性硬化症（Multiple Sclerosis）やパーキンソン病（Parkinson’s disease）**など、手の震えにより日常生活が困難な患者を支援するためのデバイスを試験・改良しました。このプロトタイプは、ユーザーが日常生活をより自立的に行えるよう支援します。

4. 認知症患者の安全確保と介護者への通知システム
認知症患者が徘徊するリスクに直面する家族に向け、患者が行方不明になった際に迅速に発見し、介護者にリアルタイムで通知する低コストのシステムを開発しました。このソリューションは、患者の安全を確保しつつ、彼らの尊厳と自立を維持することを目指しています。

ぜひご参加ください！

学生たちが生み出した革新的な技術とその社会的意義をご覧いただき、彼らの情熱と成果をぜひご体感ください。

日時：2024年12月7日（土）
会場：筑波大学 グローバルビレッジ コミュニティステーション2階

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KanMtS6hKrxu5WWn8

オンライン放送:https://meet.google.com/shq-myqe-zjd 

皆様のご来場を心よりお待ちしております。

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HOW TO GET THERE

From Tokyo, you can ride the Tsukuba Express from Akihabara to Tsukuba Station. At Tsukuba Station ride the C10 bus at platform No. 6 to Oikoshi Gakusei Shukusha Mae bus stop or Amakubo-ni chome bus stop. The venue is in the front of Globa Village Residential Halls. Please use the paths indicated on the map.

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This event marks the culmination of the post-COVID-19 pandemic chapter of the course. Different teams had a chance to conduct field research overseas and work on issues experienced in different countries. Due to the pandemic, for the past three years, AppTech projects focused on issues experienced inside Japan. For 2020, the general theme is about disaster resilience and recovery; 2021 projects focused on aging society and life in urban areas; and 2022 delve into improving the quality of life in educational institutions. This year, students had a chance to explore diverse topics in developing countries and challenge themselves to design extremely affordable solutions. As a result, five projects were done in five different countries: Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Egypt.

Students of the Ph.D. Program of Human Biology, Ph.D. Program in Humanics, and Frontier Medical Science have focused on issues affecting health and well-being. In the past six months, they have developed technology prototypes appropriate to the target user’s needs. They will be sharing their project’s journey and presenting its business potential. The Tech Demo will showcase the user experience and how it is expected to improve the Quality of Life.

Based on the issues discovered locally and the issues they investigated, they worked to materialize the solutions through prototyping and working with target communities with business model construction in mind. Please take a look at the student presentations.

Event Details:

Date: December 9, 2023 (Saturday)

Time: 14:00 – 18:30 JST (registration starts at 13:30)

Venue: Faculty of Medicine Clinical Lecture Hall, University of Tsukuba

Above the Medical Library (link)

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The event will be structured into three main sections, each showcasing the unique aspects of the student’s projects:

1. Backstory and Demo of Prototype (14:25-15:50)

Students will provide a background on their projects, sharing the challenges faced and solutions developed. They will also present live demonstrations of their prototypes, allowing judges to witness the practical application of their technological innovations.

2. Poster Session and Hands-on (15:50-16:20)

A poster session will display a visual representation of each group’s project. In this section, the general audience can delve into the details of the projects more visually and interactively.

3. Final Pitch: Business Plan and Execution Plan (16:20-17:45)

In the final segment, students will present their comprehensive business plans and execution strategies. This part of the event highlights the students’ ability to translate technological concepts into viable and sustainable plans to improve their quality of life.

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Projects for AppTech 2023:

Playful Nutrition Education (Phnom Phen, Cambodia):

Engaging and educating, students have crafted a nutrition education app game, making learning about healthy eating an enjoyable and interactive experience for all ages.

Precision Aid for Tremors (Cairo, Egypt):

Students are innovating solutions for people experiencing hand tremors caused by Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, or advanced age. It is a tool to provide independence in doing daily activities and enhancing quality of life.

Empowering Traditional Salt Farmers (Bali, Indonesia):

Students are developing solutions to enhance productivity and sustainability in this age-old industry, marrying tradition with modern efficiency.

Revolutionizing Spaces for Underprivileged Kids (Okinawa, Japan):

With a focus on social impact, students are transforming “third places” to provide enriching environments for underprivileged children, fostering growth and development.

Restful Nights for Cancer Patients (Nha Trang, Vietnam):

Our students are dedicated to improving the sleep quality of patients in Cancer Hospitals, ensuring they receive the rest and comfort they need during their challenging journey.

November 25, 2022 – Final Pitch 2022 marks the 10th year of the Appropriate Technology Course. The final presentation will be held this Saturday, December 10, at 1:00 PM at the Laboratory of Advanced Research A (SOGO-A) auditorium (A110). This year, different teams focus on improving students’ lives and developing tools for a sustainable educational system.

Students of the Ph.D. Program of Human Biology, Ph.D. Program in Humanics, and Frontier Medical Science have visited places in Kanto and Kansai regions to learn more about the issues they are trying to address.

In the past six months, they have developed technology prototypes that were appropriate to the target user’s needs. They will be sharing their project’s journey and presenting its business potential. There will also be a demo showcasing user experience and how it is expected to improve the Quality of Life.

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How to Get There

Laboratory of Advanced Research A [map: https://goo.gl/maps/F9iUK7YAMj3CM7oq9] is located in front of the Tsukuba Daigaku Chuo Bus Stop. It can be accessed via C10 and 10 buses from Tsukuba Center.

December 13, 2021 – The Final Presentation of AppTech 2021 was successfully held last Saturday. The online broadcast allowed students from different countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, Russia, and Vietnam to participate. The three teams launched their Kickstarter video and conducted a demo for the on-site and online audience.

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Watch Their PRESENTATIONS

Project Story + Kickstarter Video + Public Demo + Business Strategy

Group 1 – BVAE

Because of their strong motivation to help people with visual impairment. BVAE received the Best Product Award. Judges were impressed that despite their limitations in technical skills, the group has managed to collaborate with experts to build their technology concept.

GROUP 2 – HARA STOPX

Their innovative branding strategy to raise awareness about the social issue of “chikan” or molestation in public transport made them win the Best Technology Pitch Award. The students also partnered with members of Kansei design lab and students from Future Skills, Russia to co-develop their prototypes. Their team managed to present two products having two different approaches to target potential customers.

GROUP 3 – MFDT

After their field research in Hyogo Prefecture which they have organized in cooperation with Northeast Asia for the Global Risk Mitigation Foundation, G3 focused on creating partnerships among different stakeholders in order to manufacture a working prototype. They discussed the issue with the concerned NPO and worked with people from the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences in order to develop MFDT. The Judges have given them the Stakeholder’s Choice Award due to their impressive collaboration activities.

December 6, 2021 – Final Pitch 2021 will be held this Saturday, December 11, 1:00 PM at the Faculty of Medicine Lecture Hall. Everyone is invited to this event. Three teams from the Ph.D. Program of Human Biology, Ph.D. Program in Humanics, and Frontier Medical Science will showcase the story of their prototype development to improve the Quality of Life (QoL) of their target users and how will they contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We also invited speakers that will discuss the impact of Appropriate Technology in education.

Details about the event venue:

You can also join via Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/98198943029?pwd=VlpVZ0tOajg2VEtxaWg1eDV1SXRVUT09

Meeting ID: 981 9894 3029
Passcode: apptech

December 01, 2021 – The trailer video to invite students of AppTech for the Academic Year 2022 was launched. We hope more students will join us from Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, Ph.D. Program in Humanics, and Frontier Medical Sciences. We are also looking forward to welcoming guest students this year!

June 26, 2021 – AppTech Tsukuba was invited to conduct a lecture and workshop at Ibaraki University, Ami Campus. The lecture was held at the Center for Food Innovation Auditorium. The 49 students who participated the event are majoring in Food Sciences and they learned about the basic concepts of Appropriate Technology and how it is different in contrast to commercial technologies. For the workshop, the students were divided into groups and were given a problem for brainstorming. During the workshop students were encouraged to apply the principle of “design for extreme affordability”.

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December 8, 2020 – After six months of the technology development journey, the students will present their outputs. We are glad to announce that despite this challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students did their best to come up with a technology concept and its routes to commercialization (business plan).

Final Pitch 2020 is the final presentation of the Appropriate Technology Class. Students visited different places to learn more about the issues affecting people’s quality of life and built prototype technologies that they think are appropriate for the situation. During this event, students will share their motivations, technology development journey, and their vision for business opportunities. Final Pitch 2020 is open to everyone (online via Zoom). Please contact us for the Zoom Details (apptechtsukuba@gmail.com).

We invited Mr. Oshiro Yosaku from the Association for Aid and Relief Japan – Myanmar. He will be sharing his work experiences in developing countries and how simple technologies are changing the lives of people with disabilities that are supported by their NPO.

Event Details:
December 12, 2020 (Saturday)
14:00-18:00
Laboratory of Advanced Research A (Tsukuba Daigaku Chuo Bus Stop)
https://goo.gl/maps/d4ZWXnjdEapDFXmHA

Dear Appropriate Technology 2020 Students (and guests),

Good day, this is a message from the AppTech teaching team. This Spring Semester, our classes will be contacted online through Microsoft Teams. Below, you can find a link of invitation to the Microsoft Teams that you can access and join our online team:

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/channel/19%3a22da8ebfc9104df1a202f49ae253e42c%40thread.tacv2/General?groupId=75edecfa-eefa-4df3-a193-12b6696fb591&tenantId=9e5b5dfd-669d-4ef8-b240-4229cbf4a83d

We will have six (6) classes this semester to discuss the fundamental concept of Appropriate Technology (AppTech) as well as doing the necessary preparation for the field research activity. Our Teams meeting will be during Fridays (18:00 – 20:00) in the following schedule:

Class # 1 – June 12
Class # 2 – June 19
—No class on June 26—
Class # 3 – July 3
Class # 4 – July 10
Class # 5 – July 17
—No class on July 24—
Class # 6 – July 31

In AppTech, students develop the projects in groups. We must know each other to have effective teamwork; that is why Class #1 will be a “getting-to-know” event. For Class # 1, we request you to introduce yourself (5:00 minutes/ individual). We will use PowerPoint slides and share them via Teams. For preparation of the slides, I recommend you to add some images in order to tell your story more effectively.

Contents of Self-introduction:
1. General information about you (Nickname, laboratory, favorite food, hobbies, etc…)
2. What is your personality type based on the online test (https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test), and what do you think about it?
3. Show an image of the thing you are passionate about (anything is okay)
4. Show a picture of people you want to help (anyone is okay)

Lastly, I hope everyone will enjoy this class despite the current limitations we are experiencing due to this pandemic. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us, Irie sensei, or any of the TAs. This course has some available content online. You can visit them to learn more about AppTech and what to expect in this class.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRCbEIWeUDAi4IbcKL7Yx0w/
Website: https://www.apptechtsukuba.com

Thank you very much, and see you in class!

Best regards,
AppTech Teaching Team

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(Japanese translation)

こんにちは。今春の学期では、クラスは マイクロソフトチームを通じて行われます。登録済みの学生に招待状を送信します。ゲストの学生は次のリンクから参加できます。

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/channel/19%3a22da8ebfc9104df1a202f49ae253e42c%40thread.tacv2/General?groupId=75edecfa-eefa-4df3-a193-12b6696fb591&tenantId=9e5b5dfd-669d-4ef8-b240-4229cbf4a83d

今学期は6つのクラスに分かれて、適性技術（AppTech）の基本的な概 念について話し合うとともに、フィールド調査活動に必要な準備を行います。Teamsでの授業は、金曜日（18:00〜20:00）に次のスケジュールで開催されます。

クラス＃1 – 6月12日
クラス＃2 – 6月19日
— 6月26日はクラスなし—
クラス＃3 – 7月3日
クラス＃4 – 7月10日
クラス＃5 – 7月17日
— 7月24日はクラスなし—
クラス＃6 – 7月31日

適性技術では、学生がグループでプロジェクトを行います。効果的なチームワークを実現するには、お互いを知る必要があります。そのため、クラス＃1は「お互いを知る」ことにします。クラス＃1では一人5分の自己紹介をお願いします。パワーポイントのスライドを使用して、Teamsで共有します。スライドを作成する際には、自己紹介を効果的に伝えるために自分の写真を用いることをお勧めします。

自己紹介の内容：
1.あなたについて（ニックネーム、研究室、好きな食べ物、趣味など）
2.右記リンクのオンラインテストを受けて自分のタイプを発表（https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test）また、パーソナリティテスト結果の感想（自分の性格と結果が一致しているかなど）
3.自分が情熱を持っているものについて画像を用いた説明（何でもかまいません）
4.助けてあげたい人の写真を見せてください（誰でも大丈夫です）

最後に、コロナウイルス感染拡大による様々な自粛期間中において、みなさんがこのクラスを楽しんでもらえることをTA一同願っています。授業や課題についてご不明な点がございましたら、お気軽に入江先生、またはTAまでお問い合わせください。このコースには、オンラインで利用可能なコンテンツがいくつかあります。 AppTechの詳細や、この授業で得られることなど知りたい方は下記のサイトにアクセスしてみてください。

YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRCbEIWeUDAi4IbcKL7Yx0w/
ウェブサイト：https://www.apptechtsukuba.com

本当にありがとうございました。クラスでお会いしましょう！
宜しくお願いします

In this class we discuss a more about the applied aspect of AT and prototyping. Students were given the Prototype Expenses Form for processing the prototype financial support, list of materials, target users and blueprint sketch. This form will help the students put in a logical order their ideas and projections about their prototype. After that we had the Blueprint Presentation from the three teams. Students presented many exiting and original prototypes. The blueprints were from ranges from Dengue educational tool-kits to futuristic grape magnet-carriers. The rest of the session was focused in the sustainability of the product and how some pioneers of the field (e.g. Paul Polak; The Death of Appropriate Technology) and our guest mentor (Engr. Felix Ipanaque) succeeded with their start-up companies. Next session will be focused in the appropriateness of the products and conceptualizing the business model of each team’s technology!