The Third Between Us

In recent years, remote communication via the metaverse has attracted considerable attention, and researchers are now exploring ways to link not only the VR space visible on a screen but also the physical space in which our bodies reside with the metaverse. Traditionally, the mainstream method has been to provide visual communication through avatars represented as images or robots. However, even if we cannot see someone's appearance, we can perceive their presence through sensations such as their sounds, and vibrations. Therefore, it is conceivable that even in remote communication, it may be possible to convey a sense of presence without relying on visual cues.

This study proposed a method for transmitting presence by seamlessly and immersively connecting virtual and physical spaces through auditory and haptic channels. While multiple users remain in a shared physical space, they can perceive and share the presence of unseen remote users via spatial audio and haptic feedback. Interaction with invisible objects also becomes possible—for instance, several users can pass an unseen ball among themselves. By integrating user-position and head-orientation tracking, participants can move or turn their heads and still feel as if the invisible presence remains fixed at the same location in the physical space. Through the development of a multi-user, physically overlaid metaverse, we aim to foster shared understanding and emotional bonds through eye contact and bodily movement, proposing a vision of the metaverse that flexibly adapts to physical environments without depending on sight.

▶︎ Exhibition at the Mori Art Museum, Roppongi Ambient Avatar - Who Owns the Echo? -

People have long connected through their voices—but now AI also has a “voice.” As the boundary between humans and machines grows increasingly blurred, how much of our dialogue can still be called “human”? If AI and human voices were to share the same identity, where would people draw the line between “human” and “AI”?

At an exhibition held on 22 March 2025, we combined haptics from chairs with spatial sound to spatially present the ‘presence of avatars’ around the participants. We implemented an immersive installation that made it feel as if avatars, a fusion of humans and AI, were actually there, questioning where ‘humanity’ lies in the age of AI.