Akira Nakayasu

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Most Recent Affiliation:


  • Kanazawa College of Art and Kobe Design University, Associate Professor

Location:


  • Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

Website:


Bio:

  • Akira Nakayasu (born 1973) is an interactive artist, projection designer, and an educator based in Kanazawa, Japan. He graduated from Kyushu Institute of Technology, where he earned Bachelor of Engineering in 1996, and received Ph.D in Design from Kyushu University in 2013. As an educator, he is currently Associate Professor at Kanazawa College of Art. He works across digital media art and robotics, and collaborates with the theatrical world, contemporary music and dance. He recently focuses on a life-like expression using robotics, and is inspired by a wiggling tentacle of the sea anemone and by grass blowing in the wind. His works always use proprietary developed shape-memory alloy actuators to realize a life-like movement.

Writings and Presentations:


  • Title: Luminescent Tentacles
    Writing Type: Sketch / Art Talk
    Author(s):
    Exhibition: SIGGRAPH Asia 2016: Mediated Aesthetics
    Abstract Summary:

    The Luminescent Tentacles is an interactive art that is inspired by waving tentacles of sea anemones under the sea. The 256 shape-memory alloy actuators react to hand movement and the top of the actuator softly glows like a bioluminescent organism. Each actuator is actuated by three shape-memory alloy wires. The actuator can bend in six directions by the combination of three currents. The control application interacts with fluid dynamics to realize a kinetic representation like a water ripple. The sound reaction to hand movement creates music. The Luminescent Tentacles provides a comfortable interaction like interacting with sea anemones.

    Title: Animated Robotic Sculptures: Using SMA Motion Display to Create Lifelike Movements
    Writing Type: Paper
    Author(s):
    Exhibition: SIGGRAPH 2020: Think Beyond
    Abstract Summary:

    Animated robotic sculptures are works of art that combine plant and animal motifs with robotics to give their audience a sense of the objects being alive through their lifelike movements, such as stirring leaves or squirming tentacles.

    Role(s):