Reconstruction of Wasan — Recreating Edo-Period Calculation with a Robot Arm

Recreating Edo-Period Calculation with a Robot Arm

Wasan, Japan's indigenous mathematics, developed independently over the 260 years of the Edo period, reaching a level rivaling Western mathematics. Wasan mathematicians solved systems of higher-order equations in multiple unknowns — beyond the reach of the soroban (abacus) — using sangi counting rods: red-colored rods (white in this exhibition) for numbers to be added, and black rods for numbers to be subtracted.

The process by which a robot arm — a technology of our time — derives answers using sangi rods is at once utterly simple and remarkable, offering a reinterpretation of the beauty of wasan. It speaks not of superiority between Japanese and Western mathematics, but of the fact that while sensibilities may differ through cultural, geographical, and philosophical thought, the core concepts are universal.

Work Details

2022 / 2,000×1,000mm / acrylic, myCobot 280

Documentation