xDiversity To Iu Kanosei No Chosen (xDiversity: Challenging the Possibilities)

This book compiles the research activities of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) CREST project “Design and Deployment of a xDiversity AI platform for Audio-Visual-Tactile Communication towards an inclusive society” (Principal Investigator: Yoichi Ochiai), commonly known simply as xDiversity (Cross-Diversity). One of the key concepts of this project is “how to intersect the diversity of technology with the diversity of challenges.” What is required to connect diverse information technologies, including AI and machine learning, with the diverse challenges encountered by people with disabilities? In this project, the researchers have tackled this question from various perspectives.
 
For example, I have been working on designing machine-learning experiences for non-experts as part of my research to address this challenge. In most cases, few people understand both the diversity of technology and the diversity of challenges. To connect the diversity of technology and its challenges, researchers and stakeholders must engage in dialogue and share their knowledge of diversity. We believe that providing machine learning in a user-friendly manner to non-experts can be an important opportunity for this communication, and we have been working on system development and demonstration experiments. We conducted workshops and hands-on sessions using tools that allow users without prior knowledge of machine learning to easily train sound classification models, targeting diverse participants such as deaf and hard-of-hearing users and general visitors to the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), demonstrating the effectiveness of providing the experience of creating AI for non-experts.
 
This book, with each chapter written by the core project members, does not provide a single, clear answer to the issue of diversity in technology and its challenges. Individuals’ perspectives may differ significantly, and there may even be contradictory messages. However, from my perspective, this is the essence of the xDiversity project. Advocating diversity as a goal is difficult, and we, the project members, do not represent all aspects of diversity. Amidst this, we have constantly communicated with many stakeholders and updated our thinking through the five-year research project. The process of diverse people converging, recognizing their differences, and creating something together is the essence of the xDiversity project. Learning from each other and changing through dialogue and co-creation may be one approach to sincerely confronting the diversities in this world.
 
Although the research project has already concluded, the activities of the general incorporated association xDiversity established during the research period will continue. We aim to provide an open communication platform for diverse stakeholders and researchers, and we hope to expand our activities to involve more people.
 

(Written by SUGANO Yusuke, Associate Professor, Institute of Industrial Science / 2024)