Soroban Colette Abacus ab Toshihiko Sakai

Opus Soroban Colette Abacus a designatore Toshihiko Sakai est victor maxime honoratus praemii praestigiosissimi 2025 Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Categoria Certaminis Suppeditamenta Artis.

AesSuppeditamenta Artis· 2025

Soroban Colette Abacus

a Toshihiko Sakai

Cliens: Asahi Printing Co., Ltd.

Victor praemii Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Categoria Suppeditamenta Artis

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Victor Praemii Verificatus

Verifica Statum Praemii pro #161708

Visita Situm Vide apud A' Design Award Communicatum Insigne Praemii

Colores

Designum

De Soroban Colette Abacus

Antea abacus angulos quadratos habuit, sed nunc renatus est forma mitiore cum angulis rotundatis, ut pueri eo tuto uti possint nihil timentes laedere. Conformatio nec cochleas nec clavos nec glutinum adhibet, quod productum tutum pueris minoribus reddit. Colorum varietate quam pueri amant, electiones amplificatae sunt. Praeterea, numerus partium quadraginta centesimis diminutus est, fabricationem simpliciorem efficacioremque efficiens.

Agnitio

De Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum

Soroban Colette Abacus victor est Praemii A' Design Award Aeneum, honoris multum aestimati formis egregiis, creandi ingenio, sollertia et acumine insignibus dati. Victores Aenei opera perita et mire creandi sunt, quae experientiam, imaginationem et solertiam auctorum suorum confirmant. Exspectatur Soroban Colette Abacus rem multum aestimatam, admiratam et carissimam, notabiliter professionalem et novam fore. Haec forma Aeneo victa optimas consuetudines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae amplectitur et in cura minutiarum excellit. Soroban Colette Abacus necessitates egregie explet, cupiditates tangit, sensus capit et curiositatem allicit.

Post Designum

Fasciculus Nuntii

Merita, sodales gregis et singula technica a designatore praebita.

Proprietates Singulares: Previously, the abacus had square corners, but it has been reborn to gentler design having rounded corners so that children can use it without worrying about damaging something with the item. The design does not use screws, nails, or adhesive, making it a highly safe product for younger children. By having a variety of colors that children like, the options have expanded. Additionally, the number of parts has been reduced by 40%, making manufacturing simpler and more efficient.
Dimensiones et Involucrum: "Traditional abacuses were mostly 23 digits, but this product has 20 digits, making it ideal for beginners. As a result, it is now A4-sized and can be stored neatly in a school bag.

The main body is made of resin, which is stably supplied, and the weight as well as the size are similar to those of conventional products.

Number of digits: 20
Material: main body from recycled polycarbonate, beads from polystyrene
Package: paper box with a cover case
Weight: 158g
Length 60mm x width 283mm x height 17mm"
Notulae: pop, colette, eco, 20 digit, colorful
Technologia Productionis: Traditionally, abacuses were made from hard, heavy wood such as boxwood, which are endangered species and hard to obtain. Over 60% of the product weight is of upcycled materials. By integrally molding the beam and shaft parts like a fishbone, we succeeded in reducing the number of parts by more than 30% compared to conventional products. With all the efforts combined, we have established manufacturing that does not rely too much on individual craftmen.
Provocatio Designandi: A modern arrangement has been added without disrupting the traditional use of the abacus. Additionally, since it will be used by children, we aimed for a safe design with no angular corners and no screws or nails. The most time-consuming task was to come up with a frame structure that integrated the beam and shaft in order to reduce man-hours. In terms of materials, from a sustainability perspective, we had to maintain enough strength while using recycled resin, which was a challenge.
Investigatio: The traditional manufacturing of abacuses is a cottage industry, involving nearly 200 steps, each of which is highly specialized, requiring a large number of workers to manufacture one abacus.

Due to the decrease in successors, the production volume has dropped to about 150,000 per year, about one-twentieth from the peak of 3 million abacuses, making it difficult for abacus schools to secure the necessary quantities.

In addition, the raw material ebony is dependent on imports, and domestic boxwood is rated as endangered on the Fukuoka Prefecture Red List, making it depleted and in need of protection.
Inspiratio: The abacus was introduced to Japan as calculator 450 years ago, and is popular even today as a traditional skill learning and brain training for children. However, as the design variations are limited because it is made of wood and traditional manufacturing process, children are currently unable to choose one that suits their preference. Manufacturing sites are facing problems such as aging of craftsmen, lack of successors, and less materials, and this shows the possibility that traditional abacus education will be reduced due to the shortage of abacuses, “sorobans” in Japanese. It is also required that newly developed products are eco-friendly.
Duratio Operis: The project was started in January, 2021, and was completed in April, 2024, It took 3 years for us to reserch and realize an ideal product.
Cursus Operationis: An abacus is designed to make it easy to understand the decimal system, with each column representing one digit. The thing that runs horizontally and divides the bead into one and four parts is called a beam. The beads at the top of it are called 5-beads, and correspond to five beads at the bottom. Use your thumb to move a 1-bead, and your index finger to move the rest. With this small abacus, users can add, subtract, multiply, and divide.
Patentes: Patent applied
Patent application 2023-176919
Membra Turmae: Toshihiko Sakai
Agnitiones Imaginum: N/A