Research Profiles

JP

"I" Keywords - 65 Result(s)

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 I

[Integrated research]

Development of integrated safety management technology for hydrogen energy systems

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • To investigate the diffusion and combustion phenomena of reactive hydrogen gas leakage when a high-pressure hydrogen tank fails due to crack propagation caused by an initial defect, we have developed a coupled analysis method that simultaneously analyzes the material structure and reactive turbulent multiphase flow through an interdisciplinary research approach. Furthermore, we have developed a new numerical prediction method related to the diffusion flow characteristics and combustion limits of hydrogen leaking due to crack propagation failure of high-pressure tank bulkheads.
実用化イメージ

We contribute to the design of hydrogen storage containers for various types of transportation equipment and the development of safety guidelines and risk management for hydrogen station configurations.

Researchers

Institute of Fluid Science

Jun Ishimoto

[Integrated task]

Development of an AI Diagnostic Model for Summarization Skill and Metacognitive Ability in English Listening and Reading Comprehension-Based Summarization

 
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概要

Having devoted many years to English language education, my primary research interest lies in its pedagogical applications. Writing summaries in English is widely recognized as a crucial academic literacy skill for English language learners. However, English summarization is an exceptionally demanding cognitive skill that proves challenging to acquire, as it requires multiple competencies: summarizing skills, English writing skills, and metacognitive abilities. Consequently, English learners, despite being able to comprehend information in English and mentally organize it, frequently fail to produce high-quality summaries due to constraints in their English writing skills.
Our current research focuses on developing an AI-based diagnostic model designed to assess not only overall English summarization performance but also learners’ underlying summarizing skills and metacognitive abilities based on English summaries produced by Japanese English learners.

従来技術との比較

The development of an AI model that estimates and diagnoses summarizing skills and metacognitive abilities addresses criteria missing in conventional assessment frameworks, and our research, as an interdisciplinary study integrating English education, cognitive psychology, and natural language processing, is expected to make valuable contributions to both educational practice and academic research.

特徴・独自性
  • A distinctive feature of our research is its attempt to define the fundamental nature of summarizing skills more precisely by comparing summaries produced by Japanese English learners in both English and their first language, Japanese, with a particular focus on the presence or absence of barriers related to writing skills.
  • Furthermore, our research prioritizes high authenticity by targeting English source materials that integrate both listening and reading comprehension for summarization tasks. This integrated approach realizes assessment conditions that more closely approximate actual classroom environments and study-abroad learning contexts.
実用化イメージ

The AI-based diagnostic model developed in our study is expected to contribute to the improvement of summary writing instruction in English language education and to reduce teachers’ assessment burden. Teachers will be able to understand the extent to which learners have acquired summarizing skills and how effectively they can utilize metacognitive strategies when they write English summaries, thereby facilitating the provision of more effective instructional strategies and formative feedbacks. Furthermore, in the longer term, the diagnostic data of our study may support the development of online instructional materials incorporating VR (Virtual Reality) avatars, as well as the design of engaging learning environments in which avatars provide both verbal and non-verbal feedbacks at appropriate moments, thereby enhancing learner motivation.

Researchers

Graduate School of Arts and Letters

Makiko Kato

[Intelligent Mobility]

Robot Technology for Achieving Secure Society

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • Tadokoro Laboratory developed ‘Active Scope Camera,' a world-unique rescue robot that can search deep in rubble piles of collapsed structures through a gap of a few cm wide. It also developed ‘Quince,' a world-unique unmanned ground vehicle that could survey the second to fifth floors of Nuclear Reactor Buildings of Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Its technologies was applied industries, including unmanned transfer vehicle for outdoors under ice and snow environment being actually used in a factory of Toyota Motor East Japan, and ‘Robo-Scope' for debris inspection in collaboration with Shimizu Corporation.
実用化イメージ

We have a policy of education through and research for solution to actual problems. Current nearly ten collaborative researches focuses on outdoor investigation, infrastructure/plant inspection, and remote/autonomous task execution by robots.

Researchers

Tough Cyberphysical AI Research Center

Satoshi Tadokoro

[Inter-organ metabolic communication]

Development of devices regulating inter-organ neural network for diabetes therapy

 
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特徴・独自性
  • Diabetes induces several complications, including retinopathy and nephropathy. In patients with type 1 diabetes as well as those with type 2 diabetes, pancreatic beta cells have reportedly decreased. Therefore, regeneration therapy of pancreatic beta cells may be very effective for major populations of diabetic patients. We discovered a neuronal network, from the liver, which selectively elicits pancreatic beta cell proliferation (Science 2008, Fig.). In a murine model with insulin-deficient diabetes, stimulation of this network improved diabetes. Thus, building devices which regulate the inter-organ neuronal network may lead to “regenerative therapy” for diabetes which regenerates pancreatic beta cells in the pancreas using patients’ own cells and patients’ own systems. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology.
実用化イメージ

Researchers

Graduate School of Medicine

Hideki Katagiri

Development of New Drugs and Devices Regulating Inter-Organ Neural Network for Obesity Therapy

 
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特徴・独自性
  • Obesity induced the metabolic syndrome, which causes cardiovascular diseases. Obesity has now become a major health concern not only in developed countries but developing countries. However, diet and exercise are still major therapies. We discovered endogenous systems maintaining homeostasis of energy metabolism and revealed several neuronal networks among organs to be responsible for the regulation systems.
  • 1) Afferent neuronal signals from adipose tissue regulate appetite and prevent over-eating during obesity development (Cell Metab 2006)
  • 2) Neuronal network from the liver enhances basal metabolic rates to prevent obesity development when energy store is increasing (Science 2006) 3) Neuronal network from the liver suppresses adaptive thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (Cell Metab 2012).
実用化イメージ

On the basis of these original discoveries, we are aiming at developing new drugs and/or building devices which regulate the inter-organ neuronal networks and hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application to obesity therapy.

Researchers

Graduate School of Medicine

Hideki Katagiri

[Interaction]

Interactive Content to Enrich Our Lives

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • (1) Displays and Interactive Techniques
  • Designing original display systems to show visual information accurately and effectively, and interaction techniques to make better use of these display systems.
  • (2) Interactive Video Content
  • Creating new interactive content from real video taken by cameras and computer-generated animations.
  • (3) Modeling and Controlling the “Atmosphere” in a Conversation Space
  • Aiming to stimulate the “atmosphere” in a conversation space by supplying real-time feedback to the users, we are exploring means of sensing and analyzing change in the space.
  • (4) Designing and Evaluating Novel Interaction Techniques
  • Designing and evaluating novel interaction techniques on target selection for variety types of displays including large and touch displays.
実用化イメージ

Researchers

Research Institute of Electrical Communication

Yoshifumi Kitamura

[interactive lesson]

Advanced Educational Environment with Interactive Instruction System IMPRESSION

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • IMPRESSION is an interactive instruction system for both face-to-face lesson and distance education.
  • It was designed to facilitate teachers to plan and perform effective and attractive lessons with various multimedia materials, and help to evaluate performed lessons and improve them based on the double loop instructional design process, which is focusing on interaction between a teacher and students.
実用化イメージ

It could be used to perform advanced education with multimedia materials in schools, and also to design and implement training for employees at branch offices.

Researchers

Center for Data-driven Science and Artificial Intelligence

Takashi Mitsuishi

[interdisciplinary approach]

Establishment of Minimally Invasive Cell Therapy for Diabetes by Introducing Interdisciplinary Approach

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • The islet transplantation is the ideal "minimum invasive" cell transplant therapy for the severe diabetic patients who are suffering with controlling the blood glucose levels. In this project, we try to have a cross organization among the advanced technologies in islet transplantation as one of the typical cases. Our chief objective is to construct the center of medical cell-engineering therapy as successful examples in Tohoku University. We are convinced that technical innovation through this project could contribute much more to the activation of medical industry based upon cell therapy.
実用化イメージ

We have already established effective academic-industrial alliances regarding our several projects including a development of new type of cell-isolation enzyme. However, we are still looking for possible candidates concerning a special device for cell transplantation and medical grade-pathogen free animals.

Researchers

Graduate School of Medicine

Masafumi Goto

[Interface]

Molecular Dynamics Analysis of Coating and Surface Modification

特徴・独自性
  • Molecular-scale mechanism of solid-liquid affinity, wettability, thermal boundary resistance and molecular deposition are analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations toward its control. With a background of heat and mass transport and interfacial thermodynamics, transport phenomena of various scales ranging from spin coating of photoresist to SAM (self-assembled monolayer) and hydrophobic/hydrophilic treatment by attaching some molecular basis are studied. Futhermore, the molecular-scale mechanisms which determine thermophysical properties and the molecular structure that realizes desired thermophysical properties are studied. We can conduct effective collaboration and provide academic consultations to companies interested in our research.
実用化イメージ

Researchers

Institute of Fluid Science

Taku Ohara

[interface forming molecular material ]

Photo-Functional Advanced Materials for Nanofabrication by Nanoimprint Lithography

 
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特徴・独自性
  • Nakagawa group has dedicated to pursue scientific principles for molecular control of interface function occurring at polymer/other material interfaces and to put them into practice in nanoimprint lithography promising as a next generation nanofabrication tool. We are developing advanced photo-functional materials such as sticking molecular layers for "fix by light", UV-curable resins and antisticking molecular layers for "preparation by light", fluorescent resist materials for "inspection by light", and hybrid optical materials "available to light" and new research tools such as mechanical measurement systems to evaluate release property of UV-curable resins.
実用化イメージ

Our research aims at creating new devices to control photon, electron, and magnetism.

Researchers

Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials

Masaru Nakagawa

[Intergration]

MEMS/Micromachines and Microfabrication Technology

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • We are studying MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) and related technologies, which are typically used for the input/output of information/communication devices, the safety of automobiles etc. Our representative topics include integrated sensors, piezoelectric devices, RF MEMS, micro energy devices and wafer-level packages. Our facilities are open-accessible and well equipped with a lot of tools for lithography, dry/wet etching, thin film deposition, wafer bonding, device mounting and evaluations, which can be operated by each researcher. Using these tools, a variety of MEMS are being prototyped. Also, new microfabrication tools are being developed by ourselves.
実用化イメージ

We are collaborating with many companies, from which visiting researchers are dispatched to our laboratory. We also accept companies which want to just use specific tools in our facilities. Consultation is always welcome.

Researchers

Graduate School of Engineering

Shuji Tanaka

[Intermediate temperature fuel cells]

Developing energy creation and saving materials

 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • Most innovations have been triggered by advent of new materials. We focus on to explore new inorganic materials and their synthesis routes on the basis of our knowledge about the material design and various materials processing technologies. We develop proton conducting phosphate glasses working at intermediate temperatures and narrow gap oxide semiconductors applicable in visible and NIR regions. Thin-film solar cells, fuel cells using those materials are also developing.
実用化イメージ

We focus on oxide semiconductors and proton conducting electrolytes and electrodes in order to apply them in solar cells, fuel cells, light-emitting devices. But, applicable area of our technologies is not limited in those applications.

Researchers

Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials

Takahisa Omata

[International Resources Recycling]

Developing plastic waste sorter using Terahertz waves and social implementation of sustainable recycling technology

 
 
 
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概要

This research utilizes the characteristics of terahertz waves, used in next-generation communications and autonomous driving, to identify the materials of plastic waste. It improves existing recycling technologies and can be applied to evaluate the quality of recycled plastics, ensuring stable production of high-quality recycled plastics. It enables easy development of devices to solve various issues in containers and packaging and automobile recycling, contributing to the realization of decarbonization and a circular economy.

従来技術との比較

Conventional plastic waste identification and sorting technologies use specific gravity sorting or near-infrared devices. Particularly, near-infrared sorting technology has accumulated an enormous amount of data and serves as the primary sorting technology in plastic recycling plants. However, near-infrared devices struggle with identifying black plastics, additives, and degradation. This technology uses terahertz waves to measure and evaluate transmission and absorption characteristics, allowing for identification of black plastics, additives, and degradation.

特徴・独自性
  • In recent years, there has been increasing global attention on plastic waste issues, such as marine pollution from drifting garbage and microplastics, the overseas export of plastic waste resources, and the increase in disposable containers like plastic bags and straws, especially due to the impact of COVID-19. There is growing demand for advanced identification and recycling of plastic waste materials, especially in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realizing a circular economy.
  • The research group from Tohoku University, Shibaura Institute of Technology, and Shizuoka University has conducted research on the commercialization of advanced sorting devices for plastic packaging waste. We have successfully identified mixed plastics containing black plastics, additives, and flame retardants, which were difficult to identify with existing devices, by utilizing the characteristics of terahertz waves. We have also confirmed the ability of terahertz waves in assessing degradation caused by UV or long-term use. Furthermore, the method has been shown to be effective for distinguishing bioplastics, which is expected to see increasing demand in the future, in addition to plastic waste from container packaging, automobiles, and home appliances.
  • These identification technologies can be applied to properly sort plastic waste generated by the “The Plastic Resource Circulation Act,” enacted in 2022, contributing greatly to securing high-quality recycled resources through plastic waste resource recycling.
  • Our research group conducts interdisciplinary research with experts in various fields: social engineering, resource circulation (Professor Jeongsoo YU), optical engineering (Professor Tadao TANABE of Shibaura Institute of Technology and Professor Tetsuo SASAKI of Shizuoka University), information science and big data analysis (Associate Professor Kazuaki OKUBO), data collection and analysis, international cooperation (Specially Appointed Lecturer Gaku MANAGO), social experiments, and behavioral economics (Assistant Professor Xiaoyue LIU). We address the needs from social, economic, and environmental issues both domestically and internationally, working from diverse perspectives to solve challenges and contribute to the creation of a sustainable society. Collaboration and networking with private companies, government agencies, research institutions, and civic organizations are also expected.
実用化イメージ

This technology can be applied to the development of plastic waste identification and sorting devices from processes such as containers and packaging recycling, automobile recycling, and home appliance recycling, as well as the production and quality evaluation of recycled plastics.

Researchers

Graduate School of International Cultural Studies

Jeongsoo Yu

[International Students]

Multicultural collaboration and Human Rights Education

 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • In this research, students from various backgrounds study human rights together to see whether human rights could be the universal topic for students to start and developing their discussions. Thus, this research is trying to observe students' behavior and check their study outcome.
実用化イメージ

It would be great if I could collaborate with any researchers or associations to do comparative research under the topics of human rights or creating collaborative relationships among students from various backgrounds.

Researchers

Institute for Excellence in Higher Education

Mino Takamatsu

[Interstitial flow]

Development of a stromal function chip for reproduction of flow and transport phenomena in microenvironments in vivo.

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概要

Cells comprising biological tissues are surrounded by a structure known as the stroma, and their behavioradapts in response to stimuli generated by flow and transport phenomena. Despite its importance, ourunderstanding of how cells respond to their surrounding microenvironment remains limited, hindering thedevelopment of effective disease prevention and treatment strategies. A significant challenge has been thedifficulty in observing cellular behavior while simultaneously controlling the local culture environment.Although microfluidic devices have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, they have not fullyaddressed the need for comprehensive environmental control. To overcome this limitation, we developed the"stromal function chip," which focuses on three critical environmental factors within the stroma: oxygenconcentration, pH, and interstitial flow. This innovative platform enables precise and rapid manipulation ofthese parameters while facilitating real-time observation of both individual cellular responses and complexcell-cell interactions.

従来技術との比較

Traditionally, stage incubators mounted on microscopes have been employed to maintain culture conditionsduring time-lapse observations of cellular behavior. However, these conventional systems present significantlimitations in actively and rapidly controlling localized changes within the culture microenvironment. Whilerecent advances in microfluidic devices and organ-on-a-chip technologies have enhanced our ability toobserve cellular responses under controlled conditions, these approaches still exhibit considerable constraintsin achieving comprehensive environmental regulation. In contrast, our newly developed chip providesprecise, dynamic, and immediate control over the culture microenvironment during cellular experiments,enabling high-fidelity visualization and quantification of complex cellular dynamics in response to environmental stimuli.

特徴・独自性
  • The stromal function chip features sophisticated architecture comprising cell culture channels with multiplegas channels strategically positioned in vertical alignment above them. Through the controlled delivery ofprecisely mixed gases containing specific oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations to these gas channels,the chip facilitates gas exchange that enables exquisite regulation of both oxygen concentration and pHwithin the cell culture microenvironment. This approach represents a significant advancement overconventional chemical reaction-based methods, as it eliminates potential cellular toxicity while providinghighly flexible and dynamic control over oxygen concentration and pH. Furthermore, the chip's innovativedesign allows for the precise modulation of interstitial flow—achieved by embedding hydrogel within theculture channels and establishing controlled hydrostatic pressure gradients between inlet and outlet ports. Bysimultaneously manipulating these three critical environmental factors—oxygen concentration, pH, andinterstitial flow—researchers can systematically investigate cellular response mechanisms and characterizehow cells adapt to specific stromal microenvironmental conditions, thereby advancing our understanding oftissue physiology and pathophysiology.
実用化イメージ

By precisely recapitulating the hypoxic and acidic microenvironmental conditions that characterize tumorniches and inflammatory sites, this innovative chip serves as a powerful platform for pre-clinical evaluationof therapeutic efficacy, enabling researchers to determine optimal drug candidates and dosage regimens priorto in vivo studies. Moreover, the system serves as a platform/tool for fundamental medical and biologicalinvestigations, allowing for high-resolution cellular observation and analysis under rigorously controlled andphysiologically relevant culture conditions.

Researchers

Institute of Fluid Science

Kenichi Funamoto

[Intraoral system]

Biometric Monitor and Therapeutic Apparatus System Mounted Inside Mouth

 
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特徴・独自性
  • We propose the biometric monitor and therapeutic apparatus system with telemedicine, especially for the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. This system is consisted of the sensor probes gathering biometric information and daily living activities, the signal processing units with wireless telecommunication with telemedicine center, and the therapeutic operation units with drug delivery into the mouth.
実用化イメージ

This system is embedded in usual dental prosthesis, such as denture or mouthpiece, so that this system can be installed into the mouth with no sense of discomfort. The system provides the necessary means of health support in an aging society, especially for the elderly who live alone and the hospital inpatients.

Researchers

Graduate School of Dentistry

Takeyoshi Koseki

[ion beam]

Development of the cyclotron accelerator and its application

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • We develop technology of the cyclotron accelerator and its application as follows. 1)Ion source (particularly heavy ion source), 2)design of ion optics, 3)device control system for the cyclotron, 4)RF system, 5)detectors for charged particles, gamma ray, and neutron, 6) radiation test by ion and neutron beam.
実用化イメージ

We have beam lines dedicated to the neutron irradiation and the ion irradiation, respectively. We can provide fast neutron beam (20-70 MeV), and various ion beam such as p, alpha, and heavy ions up to Xe. We also develop a neutron imaging technique using fast neutron.

Researchers

Research Center for Accelerator and Radioisotope Science

Masatoshi Itoh

[ion optics]

Development of the cyclotron accelerator and its application

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • We develop technology of the cyclotron accelerator and its application as follows. 1)Ion source (particularly heavy ion source), 2)design of ion optics, 3)device control system for the cyclotron, 4)RF system, 5)detectors for charged particles, gamma ray, and neutron, 6) radiation test by ion and neutron beam.
実用化イメージ

We have beam lines dedicated to the neutron irradiation and the ion irradiation, respectively. We can provide fast neutron beam (20-70 MeV), and various ion beam such as p, alpha, and heavy ions up to Xe. We also develop a neutron imaging technique using fast neutron.

Researchers

Research Center for Accelerator and Radioisotope Science

Masatoshi Itoh

[ion-exchange resin]

Selective recovery of tocotrienol from vegetable oils using ion-exchange resins

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特徴・独自性
  • Tocotrienol, one of vitamin E, has recovered by the conventional method with molecular distillation from deodrizer distillate discharged from the oil refining processes. However, tocotrienol easily loses its activity due to its low thermal stability, so that its recovery ratio and purity were extremely low. We proposed a novel method to selectively recover tocotrienol by adsorption/desorption using anion-exchange resin at 50 degree C. Tocotrienol is retained on the resin by ion-exchange reaction, and then released and recoverd from the resin by other ion-exchange reaction. Prior to the adsorption/desorption, free fatty acid, a major component of the feed, should be removed by esterification using cation-exchange resin at 50 degree C.
実用化イメージ

This innovative technology succeeds in solving the serious problems in the current tocotrienol production, the large weight loss due to the thermal decomposition and large amount of remaining impurities. This technology applies to the production of not only tocotrienol but also tocopherol as bioactive compounds s in food chemicals.

Researchers

Graduate School of Engineering

Naomi Kitakawa

[Ionic Conductor]

Development of Solid-State-Ionics Materials for Energy Conversion, Storage and Utilization

 
 
 
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特徴・独自性
  • Our focus is on the development of solid-state-ionics materials to be used for a variety of energy conversion systems. To further improve the performance of fuel cells and lithium batteries, novel ionic conductors and mixed conductors with high ionic conductivity and chemical stability are highly demanded. We have been developing such the materials based on defect chemistry and thermodynamics of ceramics, and trying to apply those materials to actual energy conversion devices.
実用化イメージ

To date, a hydrogen production system utilizing oxygen permeable membranes and an all-solid-state battery have been prepared.

Researchers

Graduate School of Engineering

Hitoshi Takamura

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