Inclusive Quiet Room -for building an inclusive society-

Abstract

A large percentage of people with autism or developmental disorders, which are mental disabilities, have sensory hypersensitivity. Therefore, the spread of “quiet rooms” in which they can feel at ease in social life is a necessary element in realizing a symbiotic society. However, the high cost of installing quiet rooms, which require highly soundproof rooms isolated from the outside, is an obstacle to their widespread use. The Inclusive Quiet Room is a new concept of portable quiet rooms that combines an easy-to-construct instant house, immersive videos, and relaxing sounds. In addition to enabling many people to experience the benefits of the room, the work proposes an image of the future quiet rooms that can be easily constructed anywhere. In this paper, we analyze the effectiveness of the Inclusive Quiet Room, exhibited in France, based on survey data from 372 respondents. Through the analysis, the relaxation effects and the demands for quiet rooms are substantiated. The room gives the feeling of being warmly embraced and secured. If all people including those without mental disorders could experience this embraced feeling, they would understand the need and benefits of relaxing environments for the people with sensory hypersensitivities.