Sport
W
hile the sports world is buzzing in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the topic of sports in the context of disabilities is gaining traction too. One organisation in particular, the People Design Institute NPO, is working to encourage what they call ‘barrier-free minds’. By cooperating with local and foreign universities as well as with local governments in Shibuya and Kawasaki, their People Design project seeks out creative ways to make cities more diverse and accommodating towards sportspeople with disabilities. Last year, they organised the technology and design-focused exhibition called ‘Super Welfare Expo’. This November, the show returns to Shibuya’s Hikarie department store and also teams up with the futuristic-sounding Superhuman Sports Society at Miyashita Park. The hope is that it will encourage people to think about how technology can open up new possibilities and help to make participation in sports more equal. In contrast to the exhibitionand symposium-heavy programme at Hikarie, the new event at Miyashita Park invites visitors to participate – prepare to get physical…
Sport
NO LIMITS
Blind bowling, silent rugby and wheelchair DJing – things you can do at the Super Welfare Expo in November. Words Yukako Izumi
of Image Arts and Sciences at Ritsumeikan University along with KMD: Graduate School of Media Design at Keio University. It has wheels that act as turntables, spouting out tunes when prompted by the accelerometers that record the rotation of the wheels. Visitors can try it out for themselves to feel what it’s like to ‘dance’ and create music at the same time, while onlookers can synchronise their smartphones with the beat by shaking them in the air. PLAY SILENT RUGBY Forget the charging, tackling and kicking of a usual rugby game. This silent version is the polar opposite: the slower you walk, the greater your chances of winning. A blind sport, silent rugby is played with a special ball that makes a noise whenever the ball carrier stops or runs. This means that slow, careful walking is a smart strategy as it allows players to carry the ball into the opponent’s area and score points without being noticed. Of course, it also helps minimise the chance of you crashing into fellow players since you’ll be blindfolded while playing.
experienced players can try aiming at a soundemitting goal. DRIVE SUZUKI’S PERSONAL MOBILITY UNIT Take a test drive in a zippy personal mobility vehicle designed by Suzuki. The futuristic little unit may not go that fast, but it’s still super fun.
It has wheels that act as turntables
BE A WHEELCHAIR DJ Head for the skatepark, where you’ll hear music being played by a wheelchair DJ. This specialised chair was developed by the College
TRY BLIND BOWLING A sport you can play all on your own, blind bowling entails moving a remote-controlled ball with your iPhone. Beginners can compete to see who can get a ball to move five metres and touch their feet in the quickest time. More
EVENT DETAILS: ‘Super Welfare Expo’ Nov 10-16 at Hikarie, Nov 14 at Miyashita Park. Free entry. peopledesign.or.jp This event is open to everyone, with or without disabilities, as the public’s understanding and welfare support go a long way in helping those with disabilities enjoy more freedom. Additional activities planned in the surrounding area include ‘fashion town tours’ around Ships, Beams and Mont-bell using electric wheelchairs.
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