SOUL / SOIL by Ricoh 3L
DATE
6TH - 13TH
APRIL / 2025
6TH & 7TH
15:00 - 19:00(Press)
8TH - 13TH
10:00 - 19:00
PLACE
SHOWROOM 14
VIA TORTONA 14, 20144,
MILAN, ITALY
SOUL / SOIL
Designing the Invisible
CONCEPT
At Ricoh, we strive to create a world where people find joy in working.
This means experiencing fulfillment and a sense of achievement by expressing creativity in the workplace.
We want to bring this "joy of working" to everyone.
To foster creativity, both mental and physical well-being are essential.
However, the elements that support our well-being are often invisible.
That is why we take on the challenge of "designing the invisible."
For this exhibition, we focus on SOUL (the human spirit) and SOIL (soil and microorganisms).
Though unseen, both profoundly impact how we work and live.
At Milan Design Week, we present interactive prototypes based on this SOUL / SOIL concept.
What truly nurtures creativity?
How can our technology redefine the future of work?
We invite you to experience and explore its possibilities firsthand.
FLOOR MAP
SOUL AURA
EXPERIENCE 1Light Art and Sofa
SOUL AURA
An experience to visualize
the quality of communication.
By sitting on a multi-person sofa with built-in sensors, each individual's seating position interacts with a stunning kinetic light display.
Through precise sensor control, technology naturally enhances and supports multi-person communication, offering a seamless interactive experience.
Sofa
Featuring an integrated plant pot and conductive textile prints designed with patterns inspired by microorganisms.
Rug carpet
Designed for seamless integration with plants and soil, featuring a built-in water reservoir that supports natural harmony.
Kinetic Light Art
Fluctuating light reflects on a vast washi paper, transforming the space into a dreamlike scene.
TECHNOLOGY
Conductive Textile Printing
(Debut Release)
Over the years Ricoh has developed advanced high-precision jetting print technology as part of its printing business portfolio.
Now, for the first time in the world, we have successfully developed large-format textile printing using our proprietary conductive ink.
This technology allows flexible, effortless printing of any design on textiles while simultenously integrating sensor functionality.
A new world of possibilities opens up where everyday fabrics can evolve into sensors that detect and respond to the body's condition.
SOUL MOTION
EXPERIENCE 2Interactive Signage
SOUL MOTION
An experience to feel
the trajectory of human movements (clothes)
As one walks through the venue, clothing with built-in sensors propogates real-time changes in location which are shown with interactive effects.
Staff members are wearing these garments, so if you wish to try them, simply ask and explore the space at your own pace.
Original vest wear worn by exhibition staff
A style that balances office-appropriate formality with comfortable casualness.
TECHNOLOGY
Ultra-wideband (UWB) communication for high-precision indoor communication
(debut release)
We have developed an ultra-wideband wireless communication platform capable of detecting high-precision indoor location information in real time, down to the centimeter level. With a power-efficient design, it can be worn all day and can transmit wearer speech content for automatic meeting minutes or to review one’s statements from the day. In this exhibit, the communication sensor is embedded in the clothing.
SOUL BUBBLE
EXPERIENCE 3Chair
SOUL BUBBLE
An experience to step back and observe your mind and body
(Chair)
Inside a private room surrounded by displays, you sit on a chair with built-in sensors, experiencing the possibilities revealed by visualizing your mental state (such as your level of relaxation) via your seated posture.
※ This experience requires a reservation in advance.
RESERVATIONS
Chair
In addition to various sensors, a haptic feedback system is built-in.
TECHNOLOGY
Ambient AI
Ricoh believes that “how time and space are used” and “the quality of communication” are key to enhancing creativity. As the boundaries between AI and humans becomes increasingly blurred, “human-like presence and mood” affect the quality of communication. When the mind and body are in a good state, performance will improve. Therefore, by combining data obtained from unique sensors, AI can interpret human feelings and create new possibilities. Of course, privacy is protected with high-level security.
DESIGN MOTIF
In creating the prototype design, we focused on the importance of mental and physical health, drawing inspiration from microorganisms found in soil. Recently, it has become clear that countless microorganisms exist in our bodies and living spaces, and they have a significant impact on health and behavior. In fact, there are about 1,000 types of microorganisms—some 38 trillion in total—coexisting in the human body, which are closely related to our health and behavior.
Inspired by these microorganisms, which affect both mind and body, we aim to uncover the invisible dynamism of the “mind” through precise sensing technology. Therefore, in this prototype—where we implement “technology to visualize the mind”—we have adopted the “Turing pattern” formed by microorganisms and incorporated a design that allows interaction with plants, which coexist with many naturally occurring microorganisms.
WHAT WE WANT
To realize the near future, it is essential to seamlessly and comfortably integrate new technologies into everyday spaces. By exhibiting at Milan Design Week, one of the world’s leading design events, we hope to convey our potential and the future that new technologies can bring.
What we are presenting today are not products that can be purchased immediately - they are prototypes of the near future. However, the very fact that we can showcase it today is proof of what has become possible thanks to the emergence of new technologies.
The technologies exhibited this time still hold many unexplored possibilities and may give rise to new forms of expression beyond our imagination. Through Milan Design Week, we hope to meet partners who share our vision and can create the future together. If you feel the potential of these innovations, please do not hesitate to contact us.
CREDIT
Satoshi Itasaka
General Art Director
Founded the design labo, a company specializing in architecture and product design. Since 2014, has been working as a product designer for Hermès "petit h". Was responsible for the architectural design of the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025. The Mushroom Lamp has been acquired by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Yusuke Murakami
Digital Art and Experience Director / Main Visual
London-based visual artist. Founded 3AND LTD in the UK. Explores the fusion of digital and physical reality. Major works include creative visuals for RICOH PRISM’s ANIMA, DIESEL SS24, BMW, FC TOKYO, and the Wakayama area at EXPO 2025.
Alexander Reeder
Technical Art Director
Founded Art and Program, Inc. While pursuing beauty as an artist, he also works with clients and partners in diverse fields to develop software and hardware, making full use of cutting-edge technology as an engineer.
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Yuuya Kato
Lead Engineer (AURA, BUBBLE, MOTION)
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Yuuta Kimura
Lead Engineer (AURA, BUBBLE, MOTION)
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Toshiki Tanaka
Engineer (AURA, BUBBLE)
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Shuhei Watanabe
Engineer (AURA, BUBBLE)
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Eisuke Umino
Designer
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Takashi Ueno
Coordinator
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Hiromi Murao
Designer
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Kei Kawakubo
Designer
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Nandham Jeeva
Designer
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Kayo Tokunaga - KT and CO
Kayo Tokunaga
Coordinator
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Sakiko Kobayashi
Web Designer
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Yusuke Kamiyama
Technical Director / Motion Designer (AURA)
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Makoto Sakamoto
Engineer(AURA)
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Hiroki Matsuse
Engineer (MOTION, BUBBLE)
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Kazuya Okamoto
Web Developer
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BIOTA inc.
Kohei Ito
Microbiology Advisor
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Freelance
Yasuyuki Ogino
Art Director / Engineer (AURA)
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Freelance
Tetsuro Takayama
Designer (AURA)
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Freelance
Junichi Akagawa
Sound Engineer (AURA, BUBBLE)
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Yutaka Kitamura
Photographer / Cinematographer
After joining Ricoh as an engineer, he worked in corporate planning and contributed to formulating the company's vision. At the Future Design Center, he led the exploration of new business opportunities, engaged in future-oriented prototyping using advanced technologies, and created projects such as RICOH PRISM.