Keio Media Design Research Institute at Keio University Graduate School of Media Design (Yokohama, Japan; Director: Nanako Ishido; hereinafter referred to as the “KMD Research Institute”) has established B Lab which officially commenced operations on July 7.
B Lab will serve as a practical research and social implementation hub dedicated to addressing societal challenges and creating new value through interdisciplinary collaboration spanning technology, design, policy, and education.
1. Background of Establishment
Recent advances in technologies such as AI, XR, and IoT have expanded the possibilities for redesigning social structures themselves. However, despite the existence of groundbreaking technologies and research outcomes, many innovations fail to reach practical implementation or gain societal acceptance, creating a significant gap between research and society.
To address this challenge, B Lab seeks to realize future society through a new research model that integrates visioning, experimentation, and social implementation into a unified framework.
(1) Positioning of B Lab
B Lab serves as an operational platform for social transformation, simultaneously advancing research, experimentation, and societal deployment. Rather than limiting outcomes to academic publications or conceptual proposals, the center is committed to practical activities aimed at real-world implementation.
(2) Core Concept of B Lab
Going beyond the conventional framework of university research centers, B Lab establishes a new model of research and implementation based on the following principles:
● A Distributed Research Network Connecting Universities and Research Institutions Worldwide
B Lab will foster a global research community through collaboration with universities, research institutions, and companies both in Japan and internationally.
● Field-Based Experimental Research Conducted Around the World
Cities, educational settings, local communities, and businesses will serve as living laboratories for experimentation and validation.
● An Open Participation Model: “Anyone Can Be a Researcher”
Participation is not limited to academics. Professionals, creators, entrepreneurs, and citizens are all welcome to contribute.
● Innovation × Incubation (The i² Model)
B Lab will establish a cyclical model that integrates innovation and incubation to accelerate social impact.
(3) The Meaning Behind the “B”
The “B” in B Lab represents multiple concepts that embody the center’s philosophy and operational principles.
A. Boundary Crossing
A research model that transcends divisions of knowledge and fosters interdisciplinary connections.
- Boundary – Crossing existing boundaries between disciplines, organizations, and nations.
- Borderless – Creating an open structure unconstrained by fields or positions.
B. Bridging Connections
A platform where diverse stakeholders intersect to generate new value.
- Bridge – Connecting different domains and actors.
- Base – Providing a foundation for co-creation.
C. Building the Future
A commitment not only to envisioning the future but also to realizing it.
- Build – Constructing the future in tangible ways.
- Beyond – Opening possibilities beyond existing trajectories.
D. Breakthrough Transformation
Driving innovation that challenges and renews the fundamental assumptions of society.
- Breakthrough – Surpassing existing frameworks and conventional assumptions.
B Lab is a hub for crossing boundaries, connecting people and knowledge, building the future, and transforming the very foundations of society.
2. Key Activities
(1) Future Vision Creation and Social Design Research
B Lab will envision and implement future society across a broad spectrum of domains, integrating frontier technologies, culture and expression, human-centered innovation, and social systems.
These three domains are not independent; rather, they intersect to create new forms of value.
A. Frontier
Advanced technologies driving social transformation
- Generative AI, Robotics, XR, IoT, and 6G
- Quantum Technologies, Space Technologies, and Fusion Energy
- Mobility, Security, and Medical AI
- Data Infrastructure, Networks, and Computing Platforms
B. Creative
Domains that generate meaning, experiences, and value
- Pop Culture, Content, and Entertainment
- Neurodiversity and Well-being
- Media and Communication
- Art
- Human Augmentation, Superhuman Sports, and Esports
- Values and Cultural Formation
C. Social
Systems and institutions shaping society
- Education
- Urban Development and Regional Revitalization
- Policy and Governance
- Social Impact and the SDGs
- New Industries and Business Models
- The Relationship Between Technology and the Economy
- Social Implementation and Market Creation
B Lab will pursue diverse projects simultaneously across fields ranging from AI, space, quantum technology, mobility, healthcare, entertainment, and esports, without limiting itself to any specific domain.
(2) Experimentation and Prototyping
B Lab will promote experimental research aimed at validating and implementing envisioned futures in real-world environments.
- Conducting projects in living laboratories such as cities, schools, businesses, and local communities
- Developing prototypes utilizing advanced technologies
- Promoting social implementation through collaborative research with corporations and local governments
(3) Building a Co-Creation Platform (Co-Creation & Incubation)
To translate research outcomes into societal impact, B Lab will integrate co-creation and incubation functions.
- Establishing co-creation ecosystems through joint research with corporations, local governments, and research institutions
- Forming interdisciplinary and cross-border teams through the “Anyone Can Be a Researcher” model
- Developing incubation functions that connect research, prototyping, and commercialization (the i² Model)
- Implementing hands-on talent development programs for students and young professionals
(4) Public Engagement and Cultural Transformation (Adoption & Cultural Transformation)
B Lab will actively disseminate research outcomes while promoting societal acceptance through dialogue and immersive experiences.
- Communicating research outcomes through exhibitions, events, and media
- Designing dialogue and experiential programs to enhance public acceptance
- Creating new values, cultures, and social norms
- Establishing public platforms for sharing visions of the future society
B Lab is not a research center confined to a single discipline. Rather, it is a core hub that continuously generates interdisciplinary projects to envision and implement the future society.
Supplementary Information
B Lab will inherit and further develop the research and experimentation activities previously conducted under B Lab at iU. These activities will be fully transferred to the KMD Institute by April 2027.
By integrating existing projects, networks, and accumulated expertise with KMD’s research infrastructure, the center aims to advance both cutting-edge research and societal implementation.
3. Comment from Professor Nanako Ishido, Director of B Lab
B Lab is a research hub dedicated to transcending all kinds of boundaries, connecting people and knowledge, building future society, and redefining the very assumptions upon which society is built.
Together with diverse stakeholders, we will co-create inspiring visions of the future, continuously generate interdisciplinary projects, and pursue both research and social implementation as complementary drivers of innovation.
I am delighted that B Lab can now combine its practical expertise in social implementation with KMD’s educational and research foundation spanning Design, Technology, Management, and Policy. This integration will significantly accelerate our ability to move from future visioning to real-world implementation.”
Contact Information
Keio Media Design Research Institute at Keio University Graduate School of Media Design
B Lab
E-mail: info@blaboratory.org