Kaito Hatakeyama: Enjoying and Captivating

2022/11/28

Throughout history, humans have invented technologies to provide prosthetics for physical functions when it is difficult to move the body as desired. Eyeglasses are one such example. Today, the trend is shifting from prosthetics to the augmentation of abilities.

For example, in cases of limb loss in the legs, the action of walking was made possible by wearing a prosthetic leg, and the action of running was made possible by augmenting the body with sports prosthetics using spring technology. This has enabled individuals with disabilities to stand on the field of entertainment known as sports.

Prosthetic legs are gaining attention in the sports field, and it is a fact that records set by athletes with prosthetics have surpassed Olympic records. I was fascinated and deeply intrigued by the way individuals with disabilities "exceed the physical abilities of able-bodied people," much like a child seeing a superhuman. At the same time, I strongly questioned the stereotype of "disability," which carries a negative connotation in society.

At the time, I was involved in research on physical augmentation and wondered if prosthetic arms might hold some kind of potential, similar to prosthetic legs. Therefore, I reframed the disability of limb loss as a "blank space (sketchbook)" that can be freely designed, augmented, and customized.

Conventional research on prosthetic arms has focused primarily on functional aspects, with few proposals focusing on entertainment value. Entertainment is inherently defined as a cultural act aimed at amusing the participants, regardless of whether they have a disability.

However, it is difficult for individuals to fully enjoy existing musical instruments or sports designed for able-bodied people, and the necessary environment is not in place. In the case of congenital limb loss, the current situation is such that future options are limited from the moment of birth.

I am working to create a new framework for entertainment by designing the "MusiArm," a prosthetic arm instrument with free performance functions, for the "blank space" of limb loss. The prosthetic arm instrument achieves intuitive performance expression by merging physical and musical expression, allowing a part of the body to function as an instrument. At the Tokyo Paralympics closing ceremony, a performance by an individual with a disability was showcased, and the prosthetic arm instrument captivated the hearts of many.

By turning musical performance—one of the things individuals "cannot do"—into something they "can do and enjoy," I aim to transform the "prosthetic arm for hiding a disability" into a "captivating prosthetic arm" that fascinates people, seeking a paradigm shift in how we view prosthetics and disabilities.