In the design of public cultural facilities, there are an increasing number of examples of design methods that incorporate the users’ ideas at the architectural design stage in order to promote active use.
Our laboratory has collected 70 cases of participatory design from all over Japan. The following participatory design practices were implemented in our laboratory, and the effectiveness of participatory design was verified through analysis of user opinions and post-completion evaluations of these practices.
・Kudamatsu City Community Exchange Center (2013)
・Okayama Prefectural Doctor’s Hall (2015)
・Sanagouchi Village Office (2017)
・Kashiwa City Southern Neighborhood Center (2018)　

In order to ensure safety during construction and to assure quality and performance of buildings, I am conducting research on methods to predict and to evaluate deformation of ground and structures accurately.
Also, to reduce cost, period, and environmental load of re-building, I am researching survey or evaluation methods of existing piles and foundation design reusing them.
In case of disasters such as earthquakes or heavy rains, I quickly survey on site, analyse the cause of damage, and utilise the results for subsequent disaster prevention and mitigation.

My spetial field of study is earthquake resistant structure. The way of my study is at first understanding of destruction mode and strength of structure by experiment , and next establishing design method by simulating the experimental results by analysis.
In 2015 I took up my new post of professor of Okayama University of Science, I was beginning of study of Tublar truss structure in steel with locally company. And in 2016 I was beginning study of Base isolation structure and Seismic controle structure by using the small vibration table.
I am planning to study of new structure of minimizing damage under large eathquake expected in the near future.

The way of manufacturing is undergoing major changes. One of the changes is co-creation. Development of a new manufacturing method beyond the gap between the creator and the user is a big challenge.
In my laboratory, I am studying a method to eliminate the barriers between creators and users as much as possible using Stress Index, Virtual Reality and so on. And we aim to construct a place where co-creation is possible.

(1) Many medical devices that use electricity, such as defibrillators, AEDs, and electrocautery, are used in the medical field. If these devices are not used properly, they can cause electric shocks and burns. In this study, we investigate the electrical hazards associated with improper use of these devices.

(2) It is important to obtain information on patients noninvasively in blood purification therapy. We are developing and improving sensors such as urea sensor using chemiluminescence.

(3) In training clinical engineering technicians, it is necessary to provide various practical training, but it is not possible to use actual patients. Therefore, we are developing educational materials for practical training that can be used in place of living bodies. We are also developing educational tools that can be used in primary life saving seminars for the general public.

Computer games have grown along with technology, incorporating various cutting-edge technologies. Among them, our research focuses on real-time rendering technology that supports interactivity and immersion, and networks that support connections with others. Through research on the mechanisms of getting hooked on games and social media, I would like to work on social contribution through games (education, community revitalization, aesthetics, public relations, etc.) and the role that games play in society.

We are interested in the effects of the artificial environment of imaging systems on humans. We have studied both pros and cons effects. Examples of the good effects are viewers’ sense of power, immersion, and presence, in which the viewers feel as if they are in the space projected by the imaging system. The problem of quantifying these senses is that it is not possible to measure them with a measuring instrument. These characteristics related to human senses and sensitivity can quantified through subjective evaluations and questionnaires. At the same time, biometric measurements are performed to search for measurement items that may serve as biological indices. We are investigating the relationship between subjective evaluations and biological indices.
Conversely, undesirable effects are that a person watching 3D images or a shaky image may experience eye fatigue or a motion sickness. To clarify what can be done to minimize these undesirable effects, we are studying the relationship between the undesirable effects and presented images by subjective evaluations and biometric measurements. In this process, we measure eye movements, autonomic nervous system, and brain activity to quantify the degree of the undesirable effects. Based on these results, we have proposed measures to prevent and mitigate undesirable biological effects.

There are many application fields for the development of rational methods for inferring desired information from observed data. One of the techniques is the alternating least squares method for decomposing a matrix. This method is used in a wide range of fields from analysis of psychological data to image processing. However, the theoretical background of this approach does not seem to be fully clarified. I am conducting research with various interests, centering on research to clarify the theoretical background of the alternating least squares method.

Digital games are both industrial products and a kind of comprehensive work of art, and engineering methods cannot be applied directly to their planning and development. The planning and development of digital games requires an approach that balances creative appeal and industrial quality. We are researching the themes of what kind of production is necessary to achieve this and how the project should be managed.
A game is a kind of system, and a game system is formed by a complex of many systems. We are also researching this system called game mechanics.

Even if you think you understand it, if you look at it from a different perspective, you may find some unclear points.
We are researching the construction of an easy-to-understand learning system that makes difficult-to-understand teaching materials easier to handle, encourages confirmation from multiple perspectives, and is easy to understand.
Based on conventional CAI and e-learning methods, we aim to build and release learning support systems such as algorithms and programming.
We are also researching a system that presents answers to simple puzzles in order to cultivate logical thinking.

By taking advantage of pneumatic actuators that have features of higher force / mass ratio, lightweight and flexibility based on compressibility, we have developed low-cost wearable actuators and low-cost home-based rehabilitation devices that can be disposable after using it. Specifically, we developed a flexible pneumatic cylinder that can be used even if the cylinder bends. A spherical actuator that consists of two flexible pneumatic cylinders have been also developed as an application for portable rehabilitation device. We have also developed a low-cost wearable servo valve using buckled tubes, an artificial muscle with built-in displacement sensor and a pipe inspection robot using extension type flexible pneumatic actuators. In addition, aiming at globalization for students, all graduate students in our laboratory have presentation in international conferences.

(Numerical analysis)In scientific computing most computational time is spent in solving systems of linear equations. It is necessary to study an algorithm for solving the large linear system fast and stably. We have proposed several new iterative algorithms and preconditioning techniques.

Vertical axis is the number of iterations, horizontal axis is the index of residual vector, and we display the magnitude of the residual vector in the color. When this becomes black beyond the red, the error becomes large and when this becomes white beyond the yellow, the error becomes small.
(ICT)Distance learning is a way of learning remotely without being in regular face-to-face contact with a teacher in the classroom. We study the support system for the programming lecture in distance learning.

DNA lesions generated by the attacks of reactive oxygen species, carcinogens, ultraviolet, and ionized radiation are resposible for human diseases and aging. We characterize the DNA repair pathways, especially base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair, by molecular genetic approach using fission yeast as a model organism. We also study the role of DNA repair pathways in lifespan of non-dividing cells. Antioxidant activity, antimutagenic activity, and anti-aging activity of food and food ingredients are evaluated by using the DNA repair mutants.

I study hybridization and introgression of wild and cultivated plants using molecular markers. Especially I analyze those the distinction of which from native plants are now difficult due to their naturalizaion in pre-modern times. I also study the distinction and origin of cultivars using molecular genotying. In addition, I study the problems in denomination and nomenclature of cultivated plants as a member of the Internationl Commission for the Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants.

Infrorescence of a tree cultivated as ‘Somei-yoshino’ at the Koshikawa Botanical Gardens, University of Tokyo. I demonstrated that this individual has different genotype from true ‘Somei-yoshino’, the clonallity of the latter cultivar is verified by molecular markers.

Insects adapt to various terrestrial environments. In temperate regions, to survive cold temperatures in winter is essential for insects. Thus, many insects predict the arrival of period which is not suitable for development and reproduction, and change their physiological state. I am studying how insects regulate the life cycles in response to environmental signals, by field observations and rearing experiments.

How the earth and planets are formed ?
I’m trying to answer this question by observing protoplanetary disks, which is the on-going planet forming site around young stars. Current large telescopes such as Subaru telescope allow us to reaveal the detailed signature of the planet formation process in the protoplanetary disks.
In addition, I’m also involved with the new development of the astronomical instrument and methed.

(Left) Artist’s illustration of the protoplanetary disk around HD142527 star
(Right) Detection of olivine and pyroxene crystals around Hen3-600A star

I am actively involved in paleontological excavations spanning Mongolia, Kenya, and northern Okayama Prefecture, while simultaneously conducting meticulous paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on robust geological investigations. Moreover, my endeavors extend to the comprehensive reconstruction of the entire ecological framework of the relevant time periods, encompassing small vertebrates, insects, and invertebrates, achieved through the discernment of the intricate interconnections between fossils and their corresponding stratigraphic contexts. Furthermore, our team enthusiastically engages in lifelong learning endeavors, exemplified by organizing exhibitions, workshops, and lectures that showcase esteemed fossil specimens.

Bone histology is the study of bone function and growth by sectioning bones into thin slices to visualize internal tissues. This technique has proven instrumental in uncovering the physiology and ecology of extinct animals, providing insights into their growth rate, age, metabolism, and degree of aquatic adaptation — factors that were previously challenging to reconstruct. My research focuses on employing bone histology to explore the life and adaptive processes of large vertebrates, such as dinosaurs and mammals. Specifically, I aim to uncover what factors influenced these creatures to evolve into giants or diminutive forms and how terrestrial vertebrates altered their physiology and bone structure to successfully readapt to aquatic environments.

I have interests in parental care and sexual conflicts over reproduction in teleost fishes. My goal is to understand social relationship among individuals by approaching the field researches and observations in lab conditions, from evorutionary views. In the resent years, I also conduct some field works to examine a composition of food-webs in aquatic ecosystem and evaluate the relationships between biodiversity of aquatic animals (e.g. dragonflies) and their local and landscape habitats.

My research is a practical study based on the reality of children’s thinking and expression as seen from the school site. Arts and crafts is a subject that deepens awareness of diversity.　I will develop teaching materials that aim to foster diverse ways of seeing and thinking and the acquisition of expressive skills. I will propose teaching methods that aim to improve children’s ability to think and create figuratively through learning from each other.