Shonan Future Verse

🛠️ Tool

🔗 Website

💻 Digital
🇯🇵 Japan

Keio University

Keio University is Japan’s first modern institution of higher learning. Founded on the principle of Jitsugaku (empirical science), it bridges academic excellence with practical application. Through its specialized Graduate School of System Design and Management (SDM), Keio develops advanced digital frameworks and social systems to address complex urban challenges such as aging populations and environmental sustainability.

Context and problem statement

City planners often struggle to predict the long-term social and environmental impacts of new infrastructure. Traditional planning is often “top-down,” leading to low social acceptance. There is a critical need for a tool that allows for “Backcasting”, visualizing an ideal future and testing the pathways to get there through collaborative simulation.

Solution overview

Specific problems / challenges addressed:

  • Lack of citizen engagement in urban planning.
  • Difficulty in predicting the impact of Beyond 5G and autonomous technologies on city life.
  • Need for real-time visualization of energy consumption and traffic flow.

Value proposition:

It transforms urban planning from a static process into a dynamic “rehearsal,” enabling cities to optimize resources, improve disaster resilience, and ensure that new technologies align with citizen values.

Functional Scope and Features

  • Key functionalities: Real-time data synchronization, multi-agent simulation (human flow/traffic), VR/AR visualization for stakeholders, and environmental impact modeling (CO2/energy).
  • Type of data / inputs used: IoT sensor data, mobile network statistics, 3D mapping (GIS), and citizen feedback via interactive interfaces.
  • Outputs produced: Dynamic 3D maps, policy impact reports, and immersive virtual environments for public consultations.
  • Innovation: The platform integrates Psychological and Behavioral modeling, meaning the “digital citizens” in the simulation act based on diverse human values, not just mathematical averages.

Use Cases and Deployments

  • Main use cases: Disaster prevention planning, mobility service testing, and participatory urban design.
  • Deployment examples: Piloted in the Shonan area (Fujisawa City) to test urban reorganization and new communication infrastructures.
  • Scale of application: District and City levels.

Related Challenges

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Related Pilots

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Interested in this solution?

Get in touch to explore deployment opportunities or propose a complementary approach.

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