Create Original Shapes by Touch and Learn Mathematics of Polyhedra through Tactile Exploration. Development of New Tactile Tools for the Visually Impaired and Elderly Individuals.

Corroborate research project with Tsukuba University of Technology JAPAN
 

TACTILE ART AND THERAPY PROJECT Tsukuba University of Technology Development of a Program to Enhance 3D Perception Skills for the Visually Impaired and Elderly Using new Modular Sculpture System“ INFORMART” and “SPACE ANATOMY”

In education and concept formation for individuals with visual impairments, the idea of sensory substitution—relying on touch, hearing, and other senses—and the dimensional aspects of information are essential. For example, braille uses a two-dimensional, six-dot pattern to convey one-dimensional text information, while tactile graphics represent objects or concepts as two-dimensional diagrams.

However, three-dimensional tactile tools for blind individuals are currently limited to physical models used in education or items on display in museums.

Mitsunobu Matsuo, a sculptor, has long advocated for “INFORMART,” an approach involving original polyhedral blocks that adhere to geometric principles like the silver ratio (Yamato ratio).

He has guided art students in this method for years. Alongside this, Matsuo has developed various tactile tools, such as tactile scores that record shapes like musical scores, and three-dimensional blocks for visually impaired individuals to enjoy creating tactile sculptures. Additionally, he created a program for constructing modular sculptures from subdivided cubes, proposing a concept called “SPACE ANATOMY”.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, Matsuo expanded “INFORMART” from China to his hometown in Kumamoto, where he collaborated with medical professionals and artists on using art in healthcare and welfare.

His activities continued with NPOs in Mie Prefecture focused on welfare, art, and culture, targeting visual art education for visually impaired individuals and dementia prevention in older adults. Matsuo obtained patents for his work, securing two in Japan and one in China. In 2020, Matsuo returned to Japan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he launched a joint research project with the Tsukuba University of Technology, a university that supports higher education for students with visual and hearing impairments.

Led by Associate Professor Kanahori, this five-year project (2023-2027) was approved as a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Category A). Matsuo joined Tsukuba University of Technology as a collaborative researcher, forming a project team with expertise in visual impairment education, mathematics, and sculptural education, which they named “TACTILE ART.”