Dentsu Lab Tokyo leader: We aim to cooperate for new communication technology

Dentsu Lab Tokyo leader: we aim to cooperate for new communication technology

Global Business Lead of Dentsu Lab Tokyo, the R&D creative team in Japanese corporation Dentsu, Yuma Shingai, shares valuable information about the team specializing in tech-driven ideas and experiences in our interview. 

Yuma explains the company’s approach to fusing technology-driven ideas that can facilitate new ways to communicate and build experiences with people. He reveals some cutting-edge technology that can help solve societal issues and how cooperation with different partners can bring new creative communication technologies to life. 

He expresses his interest in investing in Saudi Arabia and his admiration for the rapid change and development it witnesses.

• Can you tell us about the Dentsu lab, Tokyo, and how do you approach tech-driven ideas and experience?

There are two approaches we take. The first one starts with technology. When we have new technology, we think about how we can use that technology in the right way to move people’s hearts. The second way is that when we find problems or issues in society, we think about how we can solve these problems through technology. We have two approaches from different starting points: technologies or issues. Our philosophy is “playful solutions.” Digital transformation and new technologies can change society, but that’s not enough. We need to move the heart, touch the heart.

• What is the inspiration behind all players’ welcome?

It started with a symbolic experience with blind soccer – we learned that blind soccer players communicate with their teammates by drawing complicated strategies on their backs with their fingers, such as how to move the ball and how the formation should be. We found that this communication method was very creative and that people with disabilities often have more unique and innovative ideas. That experience was one of the seeds of inspiration for the project. We met two ALS artists, MASA and PONE. They communicate very creatively through eye movements. With their perspectives and ideas, we developed a set of musical tools that are more flexible to allow them to express themselves better and more efficiently with their real-time eye-sight input.

• Can you discuss more about the Tokyo Game Show and VR technology? And how it provided an immersive and attractive experience for game lovers?
  

The tagline of the Tokyo Game Show VR is “Game Show becomes Game.” We made a virtual venue into a dungeon, as seen in the video game. The idea is to create a venue that we cannot make in the real world, and we want to do something that we cannot do in the real world. Players have many quests in the virtual venue, and when they finish the quest, they get new items that can be used to customize their avatars. This gamification approach was designed to make the virtual expo more appealing.

• Is this game now available?

It was only available for a short period.

• What are you focusing on in the Saudi market?

Personally, I am very interested in the developments in Saudi Arabia, like The Line. The city should is showcasing new, innovative things with technology and create brand-new experiences. Not only that, but also the other drastic changes and opportunities for the new forms of cities, which Japan has not had for decades, are very exciting. 

• Are you planning to invest in Saudi Arabia? 

Our first visit to Saudi Arabia has shown much potential in the city, and we are interested and excited to see where new partnerships take us. 

• Do you want to add anything?

(Shintaro Murakami, a creative technologist at Dentsu Lab Tokyo added)

Dentsu Lab of Tokyo is an exciting place because there are copywriters, art directors, programmers like me, architects, and many different specialties. And we work together, sharing space and thoughts. That is really interesting. And that way, we can create something new in Tokyo and bring the same experience here.

We had many opportunities to meet people at the Dentsu Now to Next Event. We look forward to working together to cross borders and create something new with technology and creativity.