This project, in which Digital Hollywood President Sugiyama, who has ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), continues his social activities using digital twin technology, is a pioneering attempt to demonstrate the integration of support for people with disabilities and digital innovation. The reason is that Mr. Sugiyama's digital twin gave an inspiring speech at a school event and was able to expand the possibilities for new forms of communication and social participation for people with disabilities.

In 2020, Mr. Tomoyuki Sugiyama, President of Digital Hollywood, was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). He has been a pioneer in Japan's digital domain since 1994, leading the way as a creator and educator. As his daily life became increasingly challenging, he questioned whether he could continue his social activities unchanged. To answer this, he conducted an experimental demonstration in April 2023 using his own digital twin, exploring the potential of continuing his societal contributions despite his condition.

In Japan, university entrance ceremonies are held every April. It is customary for a congratulatory address to be given by someone representing each school (principal, student representative, etc.). Although the Corona Disaster also held an online entrance ceremony, all students from all over the country gather for the entrance ceremony.

This experiment challenged the proposition of how far a digital twin could replicate the influence built up over a lifetime by a living person. It explored to what extent the exceptional charm and charisma of President Sugiyama could be faithfully conveyed through a digital twin using expressions and language.

November 5, 2021: The disease was discovered and a scan was performed. At this stage, it had not yet been decided how the scan results would be used.

December 5, 2022: The project was officially launched.

March 24, 2023: Project delivery date.

April 9, 2023: The entrance ceremony took place.

We've collected 'voice data' and 'physical image and 3D data' of Mr. Sugiyama, creating a digital avatar , we call ‘digital twin’, that serves as his alter ego. Utilizing voice and video generation technologies, we've achieved a speech that requires no physical effort from him - a first step towards realizing the concept of 'digital twins' that he envisioned back in 2005 during the university's inception. While current voice generation technology has limitations in expressing human emotions, we're improving the final voice expression quality through tuning tools. This initiative is not only confined to this speech. By leveraging digital twin solutions, we're expecting to broaden Mr. Sugiyama's sphere of influence, including participating in meetings and classes, and confronting students as their mentor. We envision this technology as a tool for individuals to 'live our own way' in the near future. We are committed to breaking new ground and creating emotionally resonant experiences through our technology.

At the entrance ceremony, Mr. Sugiyama's digital twin delivered a speech to over 800 students, parents, and stakeholders, while more than 1,000 additional people simultaneously watched via live streaming. This extensive response proved that his digital twin could wield influence comparable to Mr. Sugiyama himself. This fact clearly demonstrates that digital twins have the power to genuinely move people and evoke emotions, revealing the potential for a new form of communication that transcends the boundaries between digital and real.