Dentsu’s mission is to utilize the three keywords “Idea” “Technology” and “Entrepreneurship” to realize its corporate philosophy of Good Innovation within the communication space.

As a company that is responsible for cultivating the future form of communication, Dentsu had decided to develop a new communication device that enables people, namely the Japanese who are usually shy, to express their emotions more directly. In collaboration with NeuroSky, a Silicon Valley based venture, Dentsu has developed a new augmented human organ called “necomimi”.

necomimi utilizes a special brainwave sensor that touches the forehead and senses the status of the brain and emotions. When the user is “focused”, the ears stand up, and when the user is “relaxed”, the ears lie down. By visualizing the brain activities, users will be able to express their emotions straight from the brain, and enable them to communicate with anyone, regardless of language, age, gender and race.

1) Project "neurowear" initiated - October 2010

Initiated the “neurowear” project in aim to materialize Dentsu’s mission of developing a communication tool for shy Japanese people.

2) Conceptualization

Focused on non-verbal communication methods to enable new experiences using brainwaves, and partnered with a company that developed neural sensors.

3) Design prototyping

Developed the “necomimi” (cat ear) prototype

4) Prototype announcement

Launched website and YouTube concept video March, 2011.

5) Open Demonstration

Initiated a demonstration of the product at an event and uploaded to YouTube. Word spread virally on Twitter and was picked up by various media such as BBC, NY Times, Herarld Tribune around the world.

6) Commercial product launch

7) Initial sales - April 2012

Initial sales at NICO NICO CHO KAIGI event in Japan. Sold over 3000 units in the first 2 hours.

8) Commercial launch for Japan and US - June 2012

9) Commercial launch for China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and EU - October 2012

necomimi has greatly helped the Japanese to communicate better with each other, and has been an enormous hit. The concept video on YouTube was played more than 3 million times, and has generated a phenomenon amongst its fans that posted their own necomimi video’s. Over 200 sales reps have shown interest, and more than 100 media outlets around the world such as TIME, BBC, NY Times, TF1, Globo and NHK have written about the device. It was also selected as one of TIME Magazine’s “BEST 50 INNOVATION OF THE YEAR” in 2011.

This has helped Dentsu to not only build on its reputation as an innovative communication company but also find a new business model where they gain royalties from building devices based on “brainwaves”.

We are also venturing into the development of new “brainwave” products and marketing research. For example, our prototype products include “shippo” which is a device that represents an animal tail that communicates like our cat ears, and a music service that connects the user brainwaves with a music database.

We see a future where all living creatures will be able to communicate through this technology and also communicate with electronics, cars and the city too.