Kinki University Faculty of Business Administration Department of Commerce Akimitsu Hirota Seminar developed AR (Augmented Reality) in 2022 at the event "MIDORI Collection" to be held at Umekita Outer Garden SQUARE from 3:27 on Sunday, March 14, 2021. Conduct demonstration experiments for commercialization of functional masks.If you wear this mask and take a picture with a smartphone app, you can take a picture that looks like you are in an extraordinary space with the buildings in Umeda, Osaka in the background by processing AR.
Hirota Zemi (major: Marketing Strategy Theory) is studying "design thinking *", and based on observational surveys in daily life, "masks that must be worn" in Corona's illness are "masks that make you want to wear them". In 2021, we developed the "Wonder Mask" equipped with an AR function with the aim of converting to.
The design of "Wonder Mask" is an AR marker, and when you take a picture of the person wearing it with a dedicated app, AR content is displayed based on the location information recognized by GPS, and you can take pictures and videos with effects. can.
Until now, we have repeated tests for commercial use in outdoor commercial facilities and tourist spots, but this time, we are cooperating with the open collaboration hub "LODGE" operated by Yahoo Japan Corporation and the Umekita Outer Garden SQUARE Management Council. After that, it was decided to carry out a demonstration experiment for commercialization.
Considering masks as a fashion item in the new normal society, we will unveil masks in collaboration with the outdoor fashion show "MIDORI Collection" with the theme of ethical and inclusive. Students who developed "Wonder Mask" participated as a model, and then the event participants were asked to experience "Wonder Mask" and interviewed about the usability. conduct.
The wonder mask project won the highest award at the "Idea Competition for Thinking about Future Masks" held by "LODGE" in December 2020.After that, development accelerated with the support for realization from "LODGE".In developing the prototype, we obtained the cooperation of Artifis Co., Ltd., which has a track record of developing AR products, and Ryo Ogawa Co., Ltd., which develops the mask manufacturing business.
This case is being implemented as part of the "All Kindai" New Coronavirus Infectious Disease Control Support Project, which Kinki University is working on throughout the university.
* Design thinking is a way of thinking that discovers problems from on-site human observation, quickly prototypes solution ideas, and repeats experiments and corrections to use ideas and methods.Utilization is progressing mainly in global companies in Japan as well.
