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Akaike, Manabu (Manabu Akaike, Japan)

Akaike, Manabu (Manabu Akaike, Japan)

Director, Universal Design Intelligence Inc., Science Journalist

 

Mr. Manabu Akaike, born in 1958 in Tokyo, is a science journalist and the director of Universal Design Intelligence Inc.  In 1981, he graduated from the College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, and completed a Bachelor’s Degree. 

 

Universal Design Intelligence Inc., where he serves as the director, is a think-tank that provides social system design and develops goods and facilities encouraging social innovation.  Based on his visions such as “life localism,” “millenary sustainability,” and “manufacturing based on learning from nature,” he has contributed to a number of manufacturing projects by making the best use of local resources, technologies and human resources.

 

Mr. Akaike has written and lectured focusing on manufacturing technologies and scientific philosophy as a science journalist.  Also, since 2011 he has served as representative director of the Sustainable open Innovation Initiative and board member of the Japan Foundation of Public Communication on Science and Technology.  He holds prominent positions such as member of the Biomimetics Planning Committee, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, chairman of the Kids Design Award Committee, Kids Design Council, and member of the Judging Committee for the Japan Awards for Biodiversity 2013.  He has supported research and development related to biodiversity.

 

Mr. Akaike has been awarded several prizes, mainly in the field of industrial design, such as The Japan Society of Kansei Engineering Prize (2002), the Award for Social Cultural Merit (2003, Japan Culture Promoting Association), the Good Design Gold Award, Japan Shop System Award Grand Prix, and the KU/KAN Award 2011.

 

His recent books include “Konchuryoku” (Power of Insects) (Shogakukan Inc., in Japanese), “Shizen ni Manabu Monozukuri” (Manufacturing Based on Learning from Nature) (Toyo Keizai Inc., in Japanese), and “Nippon Technology” (Maruzen Co., Ltd., in Japanese).

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