UCLIC at the Augmented Human Conference in Japan

At the Augmented Human Conference in Japan, a new international collaboration programme, Enhancing Humanity: International Research Collaboration Network Towards an Inclusive Future through Human Augmentation, was officially launched. Funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency under the ASPIRE scheme, the project will run until the end of 2030 and aims to build a global research network advancing human augmentation technologies for more inclusive participation in society.

As part of the launch, the conference featured a live brainDJ demonstration by Mr. Masatane Muto, who is living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Catherine Holloway also delivered a keynote at the event.

The project brings together researchers from Japan, the US, Italy, France, the UK, and Germany. Its core aims include creating a multi-site residency programme for early-career researchers, supporting cross-cultural and interdisciplinary exchange, and exploring research at the intersection of AI, robotics, virtual reality, wearable interfaces, and cognitive science. Key themes include avatar-mediated remote work, AI-supported learning and skill transfer, and affordable augmentation technologies for marginalised communities.

Principal investigators and affiliations

• Japan: Kouta Minamizawa (Keio University, lead), Yoshihiro Tanaka (Nagoya Institute of Technology), Shunichi Kasahara (Sony CSL & OIST), Yuji Hatada (The University of Tokyo)
• US: Pedro Lopes (University of Chicago), Pattie Maes (MIT Media Lab)
• Italy: Domenico Prattichizzo (University of Siena)
• France: Anatole Lécuyer (INRIA Rennes)
• UK: Catherine Holloway (University College London & Global Disability Innovation Hub)
• Germany: Giulia Barbareschi (Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security & University of Duisburg-Essen)