Tohoku University. Research Profiles

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"H" Researcher - 20 Result(s)

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Minimally Invasive Medical Devices and Healthcare Devices Using Micro/Nano Machining Technology

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Medical devices and healthcare devices which have several functions with small size have been developed using precise micromachining technology and MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) technology. More precise and safe diagnostics and therapy, as well as novel diagnostics and treatment can be realized by developing high-functionalized endoscopes and catheters and developing novel medical devices. Healthcare without restriction of location and time is aimed by developing thin, light and high-functionalized new healthcare devices.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Besides of basic research, we are working in cooperation with clinicians and medical device companies for practical use. We founded a university-launched venture company for bridge-building between university and company and collaborative researches have been performed.

Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering
HAGA Yoichi, Professor Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Engineering

Design and Fabrication of Micro-Optical Devices Based on Optics, Especially Optical MEMS and Sensors

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On the basis of optical engineering, optical technologies for sensing mechanical motion, spectroscopic properties, and other physical/chemical characteristics are investigated. Moreover, using semiconductor micro/nano-fabrication technology, integrated micro-optical sensors, micro/nano optical systems, optical micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are studied. Micro laser scanner for display, deformable mirror for telescope, optical displacement encoder, and fluorescent analysis system are the examples of research topics.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Optical design, Optical industries, Industries relating to semiconductor micro fabrication and MEMS, optical telecommunications, etc.

New Industry Creation Hatchery Center
HANE Kazuhiro, Professor Doctor of Engineering

High-speed and low-power asynchronous Network-on-Chip system based multiple-valued current-mode logic

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Global intra-chip interconnection complexity not only limits the clock frequency, but causes clock-skew problems in synchronous system. Asynchronous control-based circuit design, where timing is managed locally, is one of the possible approaches to solve the above serious interconnection problem because the asynchronous design has many features which are low power dissipation, high speed and robustness. However, communication-steps overhead caused by handshaking much would generally affect the cycle time.
In our approach, a high-speed asynchronous data-transfer scheme is proposed based on multiple-valued encoding and current-mode circuits. The multiple-valued encoding enables to improve communication protocol essentially. Moreover, the current-mode circuits which has high-driving capability makes it possible to perform high-speed intra- and inter-chip network. By using this method, we expect that we can conduct effective collaborative research in high-speed and low-power communication LSIs such as a many-core LSI and a multi-module NoC.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Research Institute of Electrical Communication
HANYU Takahiro, Professor PhD of Engineering

PVT-Variation-Aware VLSI System Based on Nonvolatile-Device/MOS-Hybrid Circuitry

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Nonvolatile devices, which can remain stored data without power supply, are generally used for ROM (Read-Only Memory) to store boot programs (the information to start up the computer and the basic instructions that operate it) in computers. One attractive feature is that it does not consume any static power while it remains stored data. ‘Nonvolatile logic' is a novel logic style that a nonvolatile device is used for not only a nonvolatile storage element such as ROM but also a logic-circuit element which is the basic component of a CPU and an entire system. By using the nonvolatile devices as storage elements of circuit-configuration information, we can realize a process-variation- aware logic circuit with small hardware overhead.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

The proposed technique is effective for implementing high-performance and highly-reliable LSI fabricated with cutting-edge process technology. We expect we can conduct effective collaborative research in highly reliable VLSI-systems fields.

Research Institute of Electrical Communication
HANYU Takahiro, Professor PhD of Engineering

Development of High Performance Carbon Nanotube-Alumina Composite

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One of the important challenges in the development of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced ceramic composites is uniform dispersion of CNTs in the matrix. The mechanical properties of CNT/ceramics composites have been limited to date due to the formation of CNT agglomerates in the composite. We have successfully produced CNT/alumina composites with world top class strength and toughness, by employing a newly developed CNTs dispersion technique based on a flocculation method. The processing method developed in this study enables us to prepare high performance CNT materials using a pressureless sintering method.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

The possible applications of the CNT/alumina composites developed in this study include tribological materials (ball bearing), biomaterials (artificial hip joint), micro-actuator materials utilizing electrostrictive effects, electromagnetic wave absorber, particularly in the frequency range of several GHz and several ten GHz.

Graduate School of Engineering
HASHIDA Toshiyuki, Professor Doctor of Engineering

Advanced Vision System with Less Calibration

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The difficulties of introducing robot systems in production line are maintenance of environment and teaching of robot motion. Environ recognition and motion teaching using vision system will greatly improve the difficulties. However, calibration of vision-robot system is tedious and troublesome. Feedback control using vision sensor information will allow robustness against environment and teach by showing. This technique is called visual servo.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Visual servo will allow flexible camera setting, calibration-less system setting, and easy teaching.

Graduate School of Information Sciences
HASHIMOTO Koichi, Professor Doctor of Engineering

High-Precision Capturing of 3-D Dental-Arch Shapes and Their Occlusal Relation and its Potential Implementation into CAD/CAM Dentistry

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In spite of the long history of digital dentistry, the accuracy of the prosthetics fabricated with CAD/CAM systems is far from satisfactory. Jaw opening during taking impression elicits deformation of the mandible and the lower dental arch, and consequently causes the inaccuracy of occlusal relationship of the upper and lower dental arches on the CAD data. The method presented here utilizes the check-bite record at the maximum intercuspation to correct the relative positions among the teeth in the dental arches as well as between the arches. After this correction, the accuracy of the CAD data is satisfactory enough for the fabrication of the dental prosthetics which need no adjustment during their setting.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

This method uses the newly-developed check-bite recording technique together with the conventional precious impression or optical impression techniques. It can easily be applied to the commercial CAD/CAM systems in the market. We hope to collaborate to the manufacturers of dental CAD/CAM systems to increase the accuracy of the systems.

Graduate School of Dentistry
HATTORI Yoshinori, Professor DDS, PhD

Measurement-Integrated Simulation to Analyze Complex Flows

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In order to obtain huge fluid information of real flows we are developing a new flow analysis methodology "measurement-integrated simulation" by integrating experimental measurement and computer simulation. Complex real flows are accurately reproduced by the effect of a feedback signal to compensate the difference between the measurement and calculation. This can be appliedto wide variety of complex flow problems, for example, real-time visualization of blood flows for medical diagnosis, flow analysis around automobile body, real-time monitoring of flow in a complex piping in a nuclear power plant.
We are prepared to provide academic consultations to companies interested in our research.

Institute of Fluid Science
HAYASE Toshiyuki, Professor Doctor of Engineering

Development of New Reactions Using Organocatalyst

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Organocatalyst is a synthetically useful catalyst in synthetic organic chemistry, because of the several merits. We have been investigating the development of new and efficient organocatalysts derived from proline. We have already reported the diphenylprolinol silyl ether, which is called as a Jorgensen-Hayashi catalyst, and siloxyproline, which is effective in the presence of water. We have also developed several practical asymmetric catalytic reactions based on the organocatalysts. We also applied these reactions to the total synthesis of natural products and drugs. We have already synthesized Tamiflu in one-pot reaction, and prostaglandin E1 methyl ester via three one-pot procedure.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our newly developed reactions using organocatalysis can be widely used for synthesis of medicines, agrichemicals, and chemical products.

Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science
HAYASHI Yujiro, Professor Doctor of Science

Methods to Restore Strelity of Gramineous Plants under High- and Low-Temperature Stress Conditions

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Plant reproductive development is more sensitive than vegetative growth to many environmental stresses. High-temperature injury is becoming an increasingly serious problem due to recent global warming. In wheat, barley, and other crops, the early phase of anther development is most susceptible to high temperature. Oppositely, grain yields in rice plants are often reduced by exposure to low temperature. Unexpected climate change, such as abnormally hot or cool summer temperatures, have occurred repeatedly during recent years. This method indicates that an appropriate use of specific phytohormones, such as auxin and GA, may promote stress tolerance and adaptation to abiotic stresses.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

These potentially novel functions of the classical phytohormones will be important sustainable agriculture in the face of global climate change.

Graduate School of Life Sciences
HIGASHITANI Atsushi, Professor Doctor of Science

Regulation of TSLP Production in Keratinocytes

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Thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP)has been focused as a master switch for allergy. We established a mouse keratinocyte cell line which constitutively and highly produces TSLP. This cell line will be useful to find the inhibitor of TSLP production and to study biochemical features of production and action of TSLP. The inhibitor of TSLP production might be used as an external or an inhalation drug, indicating low probability of causing a decrease in immune competence.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

By using this cell line, we expect we can conduct effective collaborative research in medical fields. For examples, the cell line is useful for analysis of TSLP production and functions, development of inhibitors of TSLP production, and detection of immunotoxic compounds.

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
HIRASAWA Noriyasu, Professor PhD

Transport Control of Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Highly Sensitive NMR

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Highly-sensitive NMR technique has been developed by manipulation polarization of nuclear spins via control of transport characteristics in GaAs and InSb quantum structures. This highly-sensitive NMR can be applied to two-dimensional and nanostructures. Furthermore, ideal gate controllability has been demonstrated in InSb quantum structures with Al2 O3 dielectrics. More importantly, the concept of generalized coherence time was introduced, where noise characteristics felt by nuclear spins can be measured including their frequency dependence. This concept will bring about a change in all nuclear-spin related measurements.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Next generation InSb devices based on good gate controllability. Various nuclear-spin based measurements and NMR utilizing the concept of generalized coherence time. Highly-sensitive NMR is now important for fundamental physics studies. In the future, it will contribute to quantum information processing.

Graduate School of Science
HIRAYAMA Yoshiro, Professor Doctor of Engineering

Development of Compound Semiconductor Radiation Detectors

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The main research subject of our group is developing material purification methods, crystal growth methods and detector fabrication technologies for compound semiconductor radiation detectors. Our group intensely studies a compound semiconductor, thallium bromide (TlBr), for fabrication of gamma-ray detectors for the advanced radiation applications. The attractive physical properties of TlBr lie in its high atomic number (Tl: 81, Br: 35), high density (7.56 g/cm3) and wide bandgap (2.68 eV). Due to the high atomic number and high density, TlBr exhibits high photon stopping power. The wide bandgap of TlBr permits the device low-noise operation at and above room temperatures.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our group focuses on development of compound semiconductor radiation detectors for advanced radiation applications including ultra-high resolution PET systems, ultra-high resolution SPECT systems, photon counting CT systems and Compton cameras. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

Department of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering
HITOMI Keitaro, Associate Professor Doctor of Engineering

Cyber Physical Systems Security and Its Applications

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Our study focuses on information security technologies for the next-generation ICT society fusing real-world and cyber-space computing. We are now conducting the research and development of ultra-high-speed, ultra-low power LSI computing to perform security functions such as encryption and secure computing, secure implementation technologies to protect systems from various physical attacks (attacks carried out by physical access to the system), and security optimization technologies tailored to the system usage environment and application area.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

We can provide collaboration and information exchange services in the fields of information security. In particular, we have experiences of domestic/international collaborative researches on embedded security with some companies, universities, and governmental institutes.

Research Institute of Electrical Communication
HOMMA Naofumi, Professor Ph.D Info. Sci.

Advanced Nanotechnology for Critical metal free secondary battery

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Monoatomic layered materials of Graphene, Transition metal sulfide nanosheet, nanocrystalline active materials, nanoparticles and nanoporous materials are investigated for realizing high capacity, high power, high safety and low cost energy storage devices as a post- Lithium ion battery. Advanced chemistry of functional materials and device processes for All solid state battery, Magnesium battery, fuel cells, supercapacitor and wearable batteries are investigated.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Academia – Industry collaboration with manufacturing companies of functional materials, batteries, and also smart grid, renewable energy, electrical power companies are encouraged for developments of advanced energy materials and post-Lithium ion battery.

Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials
HONMA Itaru, Professor Doctor of Engineering

Lethal effects of blue light on insects

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We revealed the strong lethal effect of short-wavelength visible light (blue light: 400–500 nm) on insects. That is, we found that blue light irradiation by using a common light-emitting diode (LED) can kill the eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of various orders of insects. Our findings will provide clean and safe pest-control technique as well as important information on the hazards of exposure to visible light.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Graduate School of Agricultural Science
HORI Masatoshi, Professor Doctor of Philosophy

Brainmorphic Computing Hardware

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We will develop a brainmorphic computing hardware, which realizes the brain-specific functions such as conscious/sub-conscious process, self, selective attention, and so on, by directly using inherent physics and dynamics of constituent devices. The resulting hardware would be small, efficient, high-performance. Some examples include the chaotic neural network reservoir, optimization through high-dimensional complex dynamics, and neural network composed of spin-orbit torque nano-devices.
The resulting hardware is suitable for the edge AI which learns users’ personal behavior. Examples include watching service devices embedded in hearing aids or dental implants, which monitor and learn personal cardiac and brain-wave signals or saliva ingredients, to detect abnormal situations.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Edge AI devices, especially for peri-personal space), Time-series processing (prediction, recognition, and categorization), Online real-time learning.

Research Institute of Electrical Communication
HORIO Yoshihiko, Professor Ph.D

ICT Use by Teachers and Students in the Classrooms of Elementary and Secondary Schools

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My research focuses on ICT use in the classrooms of elementary and secondary schools in Japan.
When we consider introducing technologies to the classrooms, particularly for the compulsory education in public schools, there are "inevitable issues" around consistency with the educational mission of academic development of school students, practicability and sustainability of the use of technologies for busy teachers, cost economy, and equity in the public education.
My research is characterized by its direction toward empirical approach to the ICT use in consideration of these issues.
In the past, I have been engaged in (1) a research that found the most accepted ICT among teachers was a document camera and the way teachers use it was dependent on each teacher's teaching style, (2) a research on the technology that takes fewer man-hours to develop digital textbooks and other contents, and (3) a development of e-learning materials with which elementary school students can learn key board typing.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

My research can be applied to a development of teaching support tools for elementary and secondary school teachers which can be used in the classroom and a consulting service to assist development of digital teaching materials for school students.

Graduate School of Information Sciences
HORITA Tatsuya, Professor