Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Constructive Developmental Science: Revealing the Principles of Development from Fetal Period and Systematic Understanding of Developmental Disorders”
(Principal Investigator: Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Period: 2012.06-2017.03)
How does human mind develop? What causes developmental disorders? Recent studies suggest the importance of the fetal period in human development. However, study of human fetuses is strongly constrained by technical and ethical difficulties. This project aims at understanding the principles of human development by analyzing and modeling it from the fetal period. Integrating robotics, medicine, psychology, neuroscience, and Tohjisha-kenkyu (person-centered, peer-supported research), we establish a new interdisciplinary research field called Constructive Developmental Science. Its contributions include a new understanding of human development and its disorders, comprehensive diagnostic methodologies, and truly appropriate assistive technology.