Constructive developmental science: a trans-disciplinary approach toward the fundamentals of human cognitive development and its disorders, centered around fetus simulation

Abstract

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 (first-person view research of developmental disorders), we establish a new trans-disciplinary 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.