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Kyoto’s mui Lab to Showcase Smart Art System at IFA 2019 in Berlin

mui lab wood IFA 2019

mui Lab, Inc., a Kyoto-based IoT design startup, has announced it will present an exhibit at IFA 2019, the world’s largest technology showcase, from Sept. 6-11 in Berlin, Germany.

The company will demonstrate “Hashira no Kioku (Height Marking in Wood),” an art system that turns your beautiful life memory into a work of art, so you can savor the moment every day and forever. Developed collaboratively by mui Lab and Wacom Co. Ltd., the art system is one of the select Japanese innovations to be presented at “IFA Next,” a special exhibition showcasing the latest brands this year. The IFA NEXT will feature novel technologies, designs and ideas from Japan.

WHAT: Exhibit of “Hashira no Kioku (Height Marking in Wood)” (Smart art system)

WHEN: Sept. 6-11, 2019, from 10:00-18:00

WHERE: IFA NEXT Japan Pavilion, Messe Berlin GmbH, HALL26 #210, 211, 213

First presented at Milano Salone 2019, “Hashira no Kioku” is a quiet design system, meaning it stays out of the user’s consciousness while fulfilling its purpose. The wooden column, or “hashira,” which is the main feature of the art system, is impregnated with mui, an interface technology that turns a natural wood surface into a touch-sensitive smart screen. When Wacom’s digital pen is used to mark a child’s height on the column, the system automatically registers a measurement and displays its value on an adjacent box. It also occasionally displays a beautiful poem about children’s growth by a critically acclaimed Japanese poet, Mizuki Misumi, thereby humanizing the data and further enriching the user’s memories of these precious life moments.

“This is our first time to present our work at IFA, and we are excited to introduce a brand-new art experience to event-goers. ‘Hashira no Kioku’ demonstrates how infusing technology into reality can enrich people’s lives. Technology often feels cold and impersonal. It also forces us to change our natural human behaviors to manipulate devices. At mui Lab, we strive to change that, one quiet design system at a time,” mui Lab CEO Kaz Oki said.

About IFA 2019 and IFA NEXT

IFA is the world’s largest technology showcase with 1,814 exhibiters to present their innovations in this year’s event. IFA is launching a new special exhibition, IFA NEXT, this year and has selected Japan as its first “IFA NEXT Global Innovation Partner.” IFA NEXT is intended to give event visitors “a deep dive” into Japan, which is “a highly innovative industry hub, including entrepreneurs and visionary speakers, and a start-up world like never before,” according to IFA.

mui Hashira IFA

About ‘Hashira no Kioku’

“Hashira no Kioku (Height Marking in Wood)” connects a digital pen and column – an ordinary utensil and home furniture that we use in our daily life – through the Cloud to eternalize the memory of one’s height marking as a most beautiful life moment. What makes the memory even more special is the tender poem by Mizuki Mishima, a Japanese poet who became the youngest-ever recipient of the 22nd Sakutaro Hagiwara Award in 2014. “Hashira no Kioku” was collaboratively developed by mui Lab and Wacom, the world’s leading provider of pen tablets, interactive pen displays and digital interface solutions.

About mui

mui is a wooden touch panel that serves as a smart home control hub. Designed as a distraction-free “calm design” interface for the post-smart screen era, mui enables users to focus on their tasks at hand and be in the moment while staying digitally “connected.” mui is the first product of mui Lab, which draws inspiration from the Taoism philosophy of “mui shizen” works to develop calm design devices and systems that can create a harmony among technology, the humans who use and the nature surrounding them.

About mui Lab

mui Lab is a technology startup specializing in designing IoT interfaces that enable a “calm” digital living. Our design concept stems from Taoism philosophy of “mui shizen,” which means “doing nothing.” We believe “technology” can become synonymous with “unintentional,” and strive to harness the power of cutting-edge engineering to create a harmony among technology, the human who use it and the nature surrounding them. mui Lab conducts global business from its headquarters in Kyoto, a city known for its successful blending of traditions and technology. mui Lab has presented its work on various global stages, including Milan Salone (2018 & 2019) and Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019, and has garnered worldwide media attention. mui Lab is a recipient of the Best of Kickstarter Award 2018 and CES Innovation Award 2019. For more information about mui Lab, visit https://mui.jp/#en.