Lecture for the Visually Impaired "Recognizing the Moon by Touch and Hearing - An Explanation of the "KAGUYA" Project -"
"Ai & Ai", a computer study group for the visually impaired (represented by Professor Masahide Sugiyama of the University
of Aizu and Mr. Yutaka Kato) hosted a lecture for the visually impaired titled "Recognizing the Moon by Touch and Hearing - An Explanation
of the "KAGUYA" Project -" jointly with the University of Aizu. With the participation of 50 people including the visually
impaired and their families from around the Prefecture, it was held at the 3D Theater in the University-Business Innovation Center,
on Sunday, July 20, at 2:00 p.m.
Following a speech given by Mr. Kato, Associate Professor Hirohide Demura of the University gave a lecture explaining
the Lunar Orbit Explorer "KAGUYA," a project in which he has been involved with, and introduced the moon's mysteries.
The lecture was held on the same date as the anniversary of the first-ever lunar landing made by Apollo 11. Participants
recognized shapes of craters and the "Sea of Tranquility" which was the first manned landing point on the moon, through touching
the surface of a miniature replica of the moon and "moon bell", a sound production system that expresses difference of elevation
on the moon's surface via sound.
Please refer to the following URLs to view more information on the "KAGUYA" project and the "moon bell".
- JAXA "KAGUYA" project
- http://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/index.htm
- moon bell
- http://wms.selene.jaxa.jp/selene_sok/
 A scene from the venue |  Associate Professor Demura at the lecture |
 The moon globe |
A research team of the University of Aizu has been participating the "KAGUYA" project. The team is engaged in observational data analysis transmitted by "KAGUYA" to create a comprehensive digital map of the moon. Also a launch of the "KAGUYA" was broadcast live at the University of Aizu on September 14 of last year.
- Start of observation data analysis brought by "KAGUYA"
- http://www.u-aizu.ac.jp/official/news/news119_e.html
- Live broadcast of the lunar orbit explorer "KAGUYA" launch
- http://www.u-aizu.ac.jp/official/news/news92_e.html