frictiOns - the software-surface-rubbing game

Smartphone usage has drastically changed the way images are produced and contemplated, creating thus fertile ground for a virtual environment blurring information exchange with entertainment. In the experimental film frictiOns, virtuality and interaction have been reconsidered under an analogue perspective.  Disobeying assumptions on device and virtuality by challenging the concept of surface and interface. An analysis of art games and the binome (i)phone-entertainment, examines the prospective of users as players, highlighting cultural determining factors such as flattening and soft power.   &nbsp

Kawaii - estetyka made in Japan

Polish Abstract: Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie japońskiego zjawiska zwanego kawaii, cechującego się silnym oddziaływaniem na całym świecie, szczególności w rozrywce, modzie oraz popkulturze. Kawaii jest przymiotnikiem oznaczającym „uroczy”, „kochany”, będącym znaczącym aspektem japońskiej kultury. Różnorakie japońskie postacie będące kawaii stały się popularne. Artykuł omawia znaczenie kawaii, jego genezę oraz przyczyny popularności. English Abstract: The aim of the article is to present the Japanese phenomenon called kawaii, which has made large impact around the world, especially in entertainment, fashion, and pop culture. Kawaii, an adjective meaning ‘cute’, ‘adorable’, and ‘lovable’, is an important aspect of Japanese culture. Various Japanese kawaii characters have become popular all over the world. The article presents the meaning of kawaii, the origin of the phenomenon and the causes of its popularity

Kawaii - estetyka made in Japan

Polish Abstract: Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie japońskiego zjawiska zwanego kawaii, cechującego się silnym oddziaływaniem na całym świecie, szczególności w rozrywce, modzie oraz popkulturze. Kawaii jest przymiotnikiem oznaczającym „uroczy”, „kochany”, będącym znaczącym aspektem japońskiej kultury. Różnorakie japońskie postacie będące kawaii stały się popularne. Artykuł omawia znaczenie kawaii, jego genezę oraz przyczyny popularności. English Abstract: The aim of the article is to present the Japanese phenomenon called kawaii, which has made large impact around the world, especially in entertainment, fashion, and pop culture. Kawaii, an adjective meaning ‘cute’, ‘adorable’, and ‘lovable’, is an important aspect of Japanese culture. Various Japanese kawaii characters have become popular all over the world. The article presents the meaning of kawaii, the origin of the phenomenon and the causes of its popularity

Understanding the Visual Aesthetics of Mobile Apps in Everyday Life: The Influence Cute Aesthetics

This paper investigates visual aesthetics (VA) of mobile apps’ in everyday life by examining the effects of affect and cute aesthetics. We analyzed two theoretical dimensions of affect, positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA), and provided an analysis of the relevance of PA and NA by relating them to VA of three interface designs (ID) with varying levels of cute aesthetics (i.e. low, mid and high). Data was collected using a survey. Regression results from 166 participants suggest that cute aesthetics invoke PA (i.e., interested, excited, enthusiastic) and that it is a strong positive predictor for VA across all three IDs. This study contributes to a better understanding of the relevance of positive affect and cute aesthetics on visual aesthetics of mobile apps in everyday life

Consuming Hello Kitty: Saccharide Cuteness in Japanese Society

Cuteness is an aesthetic response between a viewer and an object. There is a spectrum of cuteness that allows the viewer to feel a variety of emotions based on the object they are interacting with. What is the power behind these objects that makes the viewer develop feelings for them? Cute items in Japanese society are closely associated with the feminine and the vulnerable. The largest consumer of cute products in Japanese is the shōjo (young lady). The shōjo uses cute objects to create an atmosphere around herself, allowing her to be empowered in the patriarchal society of Japan

Teleoperation control of Baxter robot using Kalman filter-based sensor fusion

Kalman filter has been successfully applied to fuse the motion capture data collected from Kinect sensor and a pair of MYO armbands to teleoperate a robot. A new strategy utilizing the vector approach has been developed to accomplish a specific motion capture task. The arm motion of the operator is captured by a Kinect sensor and programmed with Processing software. Two MYO armbands with the inertial measurement unit embedded are worn on the operator's arm, which is used to detect the upper arm motion of the human operator. This is utilized to recognize and to calculate the precise speed of the physical motion of the operator's arm. User Datagram Protocol is employed to send the human movement to a simulated Baxter robot arm for teleoperation. In order to obtain joint angles for human limb utilizing vector approach, RosPy and Python script programming has been utilized. A series of experiments have been conducted to test the performance of the proposed technique, which provides the basis for the teleoperation of simulated Baxter robot

Doki Doki Subversion Club!

This article investigates the visual novel and dating simulator Doki Doki Literature Club! (Team Salvato, 2017) and examines the unique potential of video games as a media form to produce uncanny, gothic, and abject horror texts. In DDLC!, these modes of horror are manifested through “game breaking” mechanics, such as purposeful glitches and moments where the boundaries of the operating system are transgressed. Through this transgression, the game haunts the player’s computer, and by extension, their home. This haunting is achieved through unique aspects of the video game medium as well as the ubiquitous nature of digital technology present in our daily lives and domestic spaces

Cuteness Goes to War: Pro-War Strategies of Communication in Japanese Video Games

The same as literature or films, video games can also express a positive view of the war. For example, they are part of the propaganda of armies, such as the US army, or terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah. Related to Japanese video games, they are interesting due to their unusual strategic communications within a country which promotes pacifist culture. This paper analyses which are these rhetorical strategies in two video games: Squishy Tank (2010), by Success, and Valkyria Chronicles (2008), by Sega. In order to achieve it, it will employ the Japanese aesthetic concepts of kawaii, cuteness, and moe, the identification and fetishism with a fictional character

Kawaii culture in Japan: A bibliometric analysis and text mining approach based on pop-cultural diplomacy and transmission into global values

This research aims to develop a discussion framework for Kawaii cultural study based on a bibliometric analysis and text mining approach. First, a bibliometric analysis is conducted on literature pertaining to ‘Kawaii and Japanese pop culture’ extracted from the academic database; from this standpoint, the current research topics in the field of Kawaii study are discussed. Second, we aim to provide direction for future research by mining the text data disseminated by three special exhibitions launched by Japanese museums on the theme of ‘Japanese Kawaii culture’ and planned by Kawaii cultural experts and curators. From the results of these two studies, the present research develops a discussion framework containing key dimensions and factors for researchers in this field of study