18th Japan Media Arts Exhibit at the National Art Center, Tokyo

Stopped in to see the 18th Japan Media Arts exhibit at the National Art Center in February. 

The video installation was fascinating - the first thing when you came into the exhibit. 

The Ingress mobile gaming application was interesting too, from Google's Niantic labs. 

(short summary from the award page: Ingress is a mobile application which transforms the real world into a massive multiplayer mobile game based on real-world locations, including cultural landmarks such as public works of art, historical sites, and unique works of architecture. Ingress uses GPS and a global mapping database to merge a fictional world with the real world. )

I also particularly enjoyed an installation with music and dance made to reflect the sounds and audio patterns associated with the making of traditional Japanese crafts (weaving, drum making, woodworking and ceramics). Here are photos of the woodworking examples displayed: 

The guys who were at the Maker Faire with Handiii were also in this exhibit with the prosthetic. They won one of the awards for excellence. Here's the summary: 

"handiii is a myoelectric prosthetic hand designed to offer flexibility and choice. Myoelectric bionic arms are prosthetics that people who have lost limbs can control intuitively through faint electrical signals (myoelectric) in the muscles, which are measured on the skin remaining on the arm."

The key is that they keep the cost down to under ¥30,000 (or $300usd), so it's affordable.