Soft Entrainment: Co-emergence of “Maai” and Entrainment by Rhythm Controller - Emotional Engineering - page 76

These results have further revealed that controller operation (pre-stored action)
with 1/f fl fluctuation is closely related to the possibility of creating action. Since it
has been reported that the diversity of time-series variation peaks at 1/f fl fluctuation
[ 13 , 14 ], we believe that humans provide for the possibility of creating action by
creating a huge variety of pre-stored actions. We uncovered this ! finding for the ! rst
time through experiments using the rhythm controller. Consequently, we believe
that the rhythm controller can be useful for studying physical function at the
subconscious level.

2.2 Entrainment in Multiple Cycles

We describe the relationship between the co-emergence of Maai and entrainment.
First, we explain the entrainment that is created when spatial Ma is initially shared
(i.e., when spatial Ma does not change). In order to conduct the experiment using
the rhythm controller in this situation, we developed a cooperative game system
(Fig. 6 a). In this system, players operate their own avatar while keeping the distance
between avatars constant through the rhythm controller and preventing collision
with an obstacle (ball) in virtual space. In this experiment, spatial Ma is constrained
by connecting the avatars to each other with a band. From the results, it is dem-
onstrated that entrainment in the speci ! c cycle in rhythm controller waveforms, as
is common in synchronization of a normal coupled nonlinear oscillator (phase
model) [ 15 - 17 ], is created when both players co-create temporal Ma while avoiding
running into an opponent avatar and obstacle (Fig. 6 b ). Consequently, we believe
that such an entrainment in the speci ! c cycle occurs in connection with the creation
of temporal Ma.
Next, we explain the entrainment that is created when Maai is not initially shared
(i.e., when Maai changes). To conduct the experiment using the rhythm controller
in this situation, we developed a Kendo experiment system (Fig. 7 a ). In this system,
players play a simulated Kendo match through avatars in virtual space. Because of
the dynamic nature of a Kendo match, the progression is initially completely

(a) (b)

100

Own natural period Own natural period

of player S

80

of player K

Ball

60

Avatar K Avatar S

40

20

Player K Player S

0

0.14 0.16 0.18 0.20 0.22 0.24

Entrainment period (s) (period of rhythm controller
waveforms when the entrainment is created )

Fig. 6 Cooperation game system. a Game screen. b Result of experiments