Tohoku University. Research Profiles

LANGUAGE

"S" Keywords - 161 Result(s)

S

 S

[sleep]

The Novel Ultrasound Irradiation Device

NEXT
PREV
Features

Dr. Katsunori Nonogaki has developed the novel ultrasound irradiation device, which can improve the autonomic nervous system activity and peripheral circulation. In addition, the ultrasoud device can improve hypertension and hyperglycemia within 20 min in subjects with drug-resistant hypertension and diabetes. Our initial device was approved in Japan (226AIBZX00028000). This device will be avaliable for the treatment of 1) muscle pain, 2) the autonomic neural dysfunction and stress-related disorders, 3) hypertention, and 4) diabetes. Moreover, the device will be usefull for your healthy life and aging care.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our aims are to export the device internationally. We seek the investment and international business partners.

Department of Diabetes Technology, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering
NONOGAKI Katsunori, Professor MD, PhD

Analysis of Biological Signals and Visualization

NEXT
PREV
Features

Recent development of sensor technology and ICT have enabled collection and acculumation of huge amount and wide variety of biological data. We have been investigating analysis and processing methods of the biological data for supporting clinical diagnosis and health care. For example, development of extraction algorithm of fetal electrocardiogram from maternal abdominal siglnals, and estimation and visualization algorithms of status of autonomic functions based on diverse biological signals.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

System development of biosignal anaysis, visualization, and diagnosis.
Development of monitoring and evaluation methods of alertness and sleepiness of traffic driver and workers.
Shift work scheduling based on circadian clock.

Graduate School of Information Sciences
NAKAO Mitsuyuki, Professor Doctor of Engineering

[slip]

Development of Fall-Prevention Footwear Based on Mechanical Analysis of Slip-Related Falls

NEXT
PREV
Features

The number of fatalities due to falling accidents indoor/outdoor has increased in Japan as well as in other advanced countries. The fatalities due to falling accidents in a year have exceeded those due to traffic accidents in Japan recently. Because more than 80% of the fatalities are elderly people, it is considered an urgent issue to prevent their falling. We have conducted researches on falling during walking due to induced slip, in the contact interface of shoe sole and floor, through tribological and biomechanical approaches. We clarified the required values of static friction coefficient (figure 1), between shoe sole and floor, and how to gait to prevent slipping through kinetic analysis of gait. We also succeeded in the development of a unique footwear outsole having the high-grip property (figure 2) and high slip-resistant concrete pavement blocks (figure 3) through the collaboration with regional companies. We have recently conducted research and development of footwear that is able to prevent falls due to balance loss after slipping.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Products for fall prevention in daily life or in work site. Evaluation of slip resistance of footwear and floor materials.

Graduate School of Engineering
YAMAGUCHI Takeshi, Professor Doctor of Engineering

[small molecule compound]

Innovative anemia therapy: Development of new anemia drugs targeting the novel mechanism of erythropoiesis

NEXT
PREV
Features

Strong points
Anemia is a very prevalent disease. Nevertheless, an effective therapy is yet to be discovered. Erythropoietin is effective only for those with renal dysfunction. We have found that inhibition of an enzyme for epigenetic regulation results in a prominent increase of erythropoiesis, pointing to a new target for anemia therapy. We have also generated a new, cell-based assay system for the enzymatic activity and carried out small molecule screening.

Collaboration with industry partners
We are seeking a collaboration to accelerate the development of new anemia drugs based on these findings. Together we will advance the development of the candidate molecules currently identified as well as conduct further screening of larger chemical space for better candidates and/or for drug repositioning.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Department of Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
IGARASHI Kazuhiko, Professor Doctor of Medicine

[small-molecule chemical compound]

Drug Development for Fundamental Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

NEXT
PREV
Features

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with a large unmet medical need. Recently, our pilot clinical study suggested the possibility that 1-year oral administration of decocted nobiletin-rich Citrus reticulata peel could be of benefit for improving the cognition of patients with AD, with the following pharmacological features: 1) this Kampo medicine includes a large amount of nobiletin that can rescue the memory impairment and prevents hippocampal amyloid beta accumulation in APP-Tg mice, as originally reported by us, and 2) the medicine reversed impaired learning and memory to a greater degree than nobiletin in animal, to which sinensetin, another constituent contributes in large part.
Research plan: We thus try to identify endogenous molecules that can bind selectively to nobiletin and sinensetin in hippocampal neurons, and to further synthesize novel compounds that are capable of more potently improving learning and memory impairment in animals than both natural compounds.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our research goal is discovery of the drugs for fundamental treatment of AD. I hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

Department of Pharmacotherapy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
YAMAKUNI Tohru, PhD

[Small-sized Home Appliances Recycling]

A Study on the Proper Waste Management and Urban Mining Project in Asian Countries; International Resources Recycling and Cross-Border Pollution

NEXT
PREV
Features

The objective of this research is to maximize international resource recycling efficiency through a feasibility assessment of urban mining project in East Asia. It is not only focused on valuable materials but also on less valuable materials like waste plastics. The merit of this approach is its consideration of social, economic and environmental systems in each country.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

This research is envisioned to support the establishment of resource recycling systems, developing new business models, people-to-people exchange and information sharing.

Graduate School of International Cultural Studies
YU Jeongsoo, Professor PhD(Urban and Regional Planning)

[Smart Contract]

Blockchain-based Approachs for High Secure P2P-type Decentralized Cloud Storage and Practical Smart Contract for Trading Personal Data

NEXT
PREV
Features

We are developing a decentralized P2P (Peer to Peer) type cloud storage that realizes innovative level of security by use of surplus storages of P2P nodes with the Blockchain technology. The developed storage can avoid the risk of large-scale information leakage of stored data due to the weakness of the central server. By using our cryptographic currency for rewards and usage fees in the storage, fair storage usage of all users can also be achieved.
In addition, We are developing a unique smart contract technology for practical decentralized trading of personal data among an unspecified number of users.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

We hope to conduct collaborative researches with companies developing Bitcoin 2.0 type application (e.g. smart contract, Fintech) based on the Blockchain technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, Medical Database for practical use.

Center for Information Technology in Education
SAKAI Masao, Associate Professor Doctor of Engineering

[Smartphone]

Message Transmission without Cellular Coverage, “Relay-by-Smartphone"

NEXT
PREV
Features

Our technology provides the necessary method for sending messages even when the physical infrastructure is not available. The technology utilizes common smartphone WiFi functionality to send message in a multi-hop fashion. Thus it is possible to send message to people further away. Our technology has been designed to be based on Delay-Tolerant Networks (DTN), but the technical key idea is the combination of DTN and Mobile Adhoc Network (MANET), which can improve the message delivery in an area with high population density or where mobility are fixed such as evacuation center.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

This technology can be used to distribute information during emergency situation such as after disaster. In addition, it is possible to provide additional services such as advertisement within shopping areas, distribution of coupons, exchange of information within small group during public events or uses as transceiver during group hiking. There is also possibility of using this technology to provide communications service in developing nations.

Graduate School of Information Sciences
KATO Nei, Professor Doctor of Engineering

[smartphone zombie]

Coexistence of humans and mobile robots

NEXT
PREV
Features

A variety of new mobilities coexisting with humans, such as service robots, self-driving cars, and personal mobility, are expected to be deployed. In this laboratory, we are studying technologies for the safe and smooth coexistence of these various mobile vehicles with humans.
In particular, we are approaching the problem from the aspect of predicting the movement of humans by considering their characteristics such as visual attention.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

The targeted application is service robots, personal mobility, self-driving cars, and other mobile vehicles that will be expected to coexist with humans, as well as the design of transportation environments for these vehicles to safely coexist with humans.

Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Robotics, Advanced Robotics, ..........
YUSUKE TAMURA, Associate Professor Docter

[SNS analysis]

Natural Language Processing for Semantic Analysis of Big Data

NEXT
PREV
Features

This lab conducts fundamental research for deep natural language processing (NLP) and NLP-oriented information organization such as classification, extraction, and summarization of language information. Our activities also cover a broad range of applied research including NLP-based information and knowledge mining, information credibility analysis, and resilient ICT through the maximal use of Big Data.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

(i) Analysis of market trend or research trend through intelligent text mining, (ii) Discovery of potential needs and risks from opinions in social media, (iii) Management of knowledge in a company by analyzing internal documents, etc.

Graduate School of Information Sciences
INUI Kentaro, Professor Doctor of Engineering

[Social Capital]

Nonprofit Organizations and Social Capital

NEXT
PREV
Features

Nonprofit organizations strive to solve community and social problems and to create new social values. Nonprofit organizations have the role to create citizenship and social capital - trust, norms and networks - in community. Social capital, an invisible and soft capital has increasingly become important to a sustainable management of an organization.
We hope to conduct collaborative research with willing corporations and organizations for measuring social capital at community/organizational levels and for making practical proposals on how to create and utilize social capital with viewpoints of partnership with nonprofit organizations and human resource development.

Graduate School of Economics and Management
NISHIDE Yuko, Professor Doctor of International Public Policy

[Social Infrastructure monitoring]

[social walfare]

Economics of Aging

Features

I investigate on the economics of aging, the optimal social welfare policy, low fertility and so on not based on the historical and systematic approach but based on the neo-classical economic theory. I also use econometric method and statistical approach. I often estimate the future projections of the population, public finance, magnitude of private markets, the results of public policies.
I also research on the comparative studies on East Asia (Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan) and European (especially Scandinavian countries). I provide statistic data and information on the economic and political systems on the aging in Japan.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

The future estimation on the financial status , market caused by low fertility and aging. The effective management of the medical institutions, social welfare systems, gender equality societies for the central and local government, research institutions, public enterprises, and financial Institutions.

Graduate School of Economics and Managemant
YOSHIDA Hiroshi, Professor

[Sodium]

“HYDRIDE" Researches for Energy Applications

NEXT
PREV
Features

This group is engaged in basic and applied researches of "hydrides" for practical use in hydrogen energy system. The main subject is the exploration of advanced hydrogen storage materials which support hydrogen energy technologies such as fuel cells. Currently, we synthesize a wide variety of novel hydrides composed of lightweight metals with specific nano-structures using advanced techniques for crystal and electronic structure analyses. In addition to the hydrogen storage, we develop the wide research fields related to hydrides, such as fast lithium ionic conductors.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Besides the contributions in industrial progress through the material development for future hydrogen energy system and next-generation secondary battery, we positively provide technical assistance to organizations and companies concerned about our findings.

WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research /Institute for Materials Research
ORIMO Shin-ichi, Professor

[sodium flux]

Low-Temperature Synthesis of SiC Porous Bulk by Using Na

NEXT
PREV
Features

SiC ceramics is generally prepared at high temperature of 1200–2000ºC. We are able to prepare SiC at around 700ºC by using Na. Nano-powder of beta-type SiC was obtained from a mixture of Si and carbon powders in a Na melt. SiC porous ceramics were synthesized by heating mixtures of Si powder and carbon black at 700–900ºC in Na vapor. Biomorphic cellular SiC ceramics were formed by heating carbonized woods at 700 ºC with a Na-Si melt.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Applications : SiC porous ceramics are used in a wide range of applications, such as filters for gas or molten metal, diesel particle filters, catalysis supports, and light-weight structural materials.
Industry : Ceramic Engineering

Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials
YAMANE Hisanori, Professor Doctor of Science

[SOFC ]

Development of Renewable Energy Systems for Sustainable Development Society

NEXT
PREV
Features

Development of renewable energy systems as well as research on high efficient energy conversion systems is a key technology to solve the global-scale environmental destruction and energy problems. We are working on the research on the advanced technology of renewable energy such as solar energy and hydrogen. Topics of research are two of the following roughly separately. 
(1) Development of highly effective thermal energy systems and energy saving systems by using spectral control of thermal radiation. 
(2) Aiming at the achievement of the hydrogen energy society, we develop new energy conversion devices based on solid state ionics, and perform feasible studies for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on mechanics of materials.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

High temperature solar absorption materials
High effieciency solar-termophotovoltaic (STPV) system
Small power source for mobile electric devices based on micro-SOFC
New energy harvesting devices in harsh environment

Department of Mechanical Systems and Design, Graduate School of Engineering
YUGAMI Hiroo, Professor Doctor of Engineering

Fuel Cell and Energy Storage Using Ion Conduction in Ceramics

NEXT
PREV
Features

Solid oxide fuel cell is a highly efficient power generation system operating at high temperatures using ion conducting ceramics. We conduct basic and multi-aspect research on the electrochemical and mechanical behaviors of the materials for further improving the efficiency, cost, and reliability of solid oxide fuel cells. We are also interested in the reverse operation of fuel cells which enables the storage of the electricity from renewable sources into hydrogen or methane, etc.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Graduate School of Environmental Studies
KAWADA Tatsuya, Professor Doctor of Engineering

[Soft rock]

Development of the method of Baby Borehole Hydraulic Fracturing, BABHY

Features

For the effective measurement of the reopening pressure in hydraulic fracturing, it is necessary to use the testing equipment with sufficiently small compliance. This limitation makes it difficult to apply the hydraulic fracturing for the measurement of the maximum stress, because the compliance of conventional equipments is generally so large. Taking account of this situation, we proposed a new concept which allows us to do the in-situ tests of hydraulic fracturing for stress measurement at so deep depths as more than 1 km. We call the concept the Baby Borehole Hydrofracturing, BABHY for short. In order to put the new concept into practice, we developed the BABHY sonde and finally we succeeded to carry out hydraulic fracturing test by using the tools in a vertical borehole of 811 m depth. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

Large-Scale Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Complex Flow Division, Institute of Fluid Science
ITO Takatoshi, Professor Doctor of Engineering

[soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy]

Nano-Scale Total-Analysis Based on TEM

NEXT
PREV
Features

Our lab develops accurate nanometer scale characterization methods of crystal structures by convergent-beam electron diffraction (<strong>CBED</strong>) and electronic structures by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy (<strong>SXES</strong>) for evaluating new functional materials. For performing crystal structure studies, we developed a new Ω-filter electron microscope and a refinement soft-ware, which can perform not only atom positions but also electrostatic potential and charge distributions. For electronic structure studies, a high-resolution EELS microscope and SXES instruments were developed.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Collaborated research of Local structures (symmetry, polarity, lattice defects) by CBED and electronic structures (bandgap, dielectric property and chemical state) by EELS and SXES on semiconductors, metals and dielectric materials are acceptable. Instructions of those analysis methods are also acceptable.

Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials
TERAUCHI Masami, Professor Doctor of Science

[software]

INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR ANALYZING METABOLIC CONDITION OF LIVING BODY AND RECORDING MEDIUM

NEXT
PREV
Features

AIMS: The invention is to analyze metabolic condition, especially in oxygen consumption and energy production in the adipose tissues of human (Patent: JP 3848818).
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an instrument and method for analyzing the metabolism condition of a living body which is constructed in such a manner that it can measure the metabolism condition of a living body correctly and easily, and a recording medium.
SOLUTION: A metabolism condition analyzer is provided with an input means for inputting information about the body of a subject, a control means for processing this information and an output means for outputting results of the processing. The information consists of name, age, sex, race, height, weight, bioelectric resistance value and the date and time of measurement. A data file consisting the control means stores evaluation data of a metabolic condition which is previously determined by medical judgment based on a combination of an internal respiration index and oxygen consumption and energy production in adipose tissues. These are computed by calculating the value obtained by subtracting one from a body density calculated from the height, weight of the subject and the bioelectric resistance value and then multiplying the value. Welcome to your investment or co-operation.

Department of Diabetes Technology, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering
NONOGAKI Katsunori, Professor MD, PhD