“Engineering Design for Supporting Human Function” is a new engineering that combines the three research fields of “medical function + cognitive recognition + robotic function” with “design thinking” to implement these in society. Engineering Design for Supporting Human Function, this department will set up 12 laboratories categorized into these three research fields. In addition, the educational two courses, “Medical Function Engineering Course” and “Athletic Function Engineering Course”, are prepared for cultivating the academic ability necessary for the research works.

Research Groups & Research Areas

  • Medical Function Design

    This engineering research field is concerned with finding ways to aid metabolism-related functions occurring in the human body. It is comprised of laboratories which focus on materials, mechanobiology, nanodevices and biologistics. The best of nanotechnology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical science are marshaled together to drive and develop research in this field.

    Sera Research Group / Kamimura Research Group / Umezawa Research Group

  • Cognitive Function Design

    This engineering research field is concerned with finding ways to aid the information processing-related functions occurring in the human brain. It is comprised of laboratories which focus on photonics, image processing, health cognition and designology. Light science, image processing, data science and media design are used to drive and develop research in this field.

    Mori Research Group / Soga Research Group / Watanabe Research Group

  • Robotic Function Design

    This research field is concerned with exploring engineering which aids human limb functioning. It is comprised of laboratories which focus on robotics, para-sports engineering, humanoid motor function and humanoid control. We tackle the development of novel robotic limb functions, as well as their control, through cutting-edge engineering and the power of mathematics.

    Hobara Research Group / Kai Research Group / Matsumoto Research Group / Yoshida Research Group

List of Faculty Members

Name Title Research Area Keyword
MATSUMOTO Yoshio Professor Intelligent robotics
Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
Hygiene and public health
service robotics, assistive robotics, interaction, real-world
assistive technology, welfare device, elderly care, communication
nursing care/welfare, receipt analysis, big data
MORI Taketoshi Professor Perceptual information processing
Human interface and interaction
Intelligent informatics
Intelligent robotics
Life/Health/Medical informatics
Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
Medical systems
Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
Fundamental nursing
Sensor data information processing, sensor networks
Robotic interface, virtual reality, metaverse
Machine learning, knowledge acquisition, natural language processing, data mining, ontolog
Intelligent house, Intelligent environment, Robotic room, Sensing room, Sensor room
Medical Information, Diagnostic Imaging, Remote Diagnosis Treatment, Health Information, H
Imaging, biological modeling, biological simulation, biometric measurements
Ultrasound systems, imaging systems, minimally invasive treatment systems
Nursing Science and Engineering, Healthcare Engineering, AI
Nursing Engineering, Elderly Care, Nursing Technology
SERA Toshihiro Professor Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
Fluid engineering
Biologistics, Imaging
Biofluid
SOGA Kohei Professor Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
Inorganic materials/Physical properties
bio imaging, imuno assay
Rare earth, Phoshpor
WATANABE Toshiyuki Professor Design science Medical communication design, Dynamic visualization
YOSHIDA Eiichi Professor Intelligent robotics
Intelligent mechanics/Mechanical systems
Humanoid Robotics, Human Motion Analysis and Understanding
Robot Motion Planning and Control
HOBARA Hiroaki Associate Professor Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering Biomechanics, Prosthesis
KAI Tatsuya Associate Professor Control engineering/System engineering Nonlinear Systems, Nonlinear Control Theory, Robotics
KAMIMURA Masao Associate Professor Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
Polymer chemistry
Cell biology
Medical pharmacy
Biomaterials, Theranostics, Bioimaging
Polymer biomaterials
Mechanobiology
Drug Delivery System, Nanomedicine
UMEZAWA Masakazu Associate Professor Nanomaterials chemistry
Physical pharmacy
Environmental and hygienic pharmacy
Environmental physiology (including physical medicine and nutritional physiology)
Secondary structure of proteins, Drug delivery
Protein interaction, nanomaterial
Nanoparticle, Exosome, Brain, Bioinformatics, Nutrition, Developmental toxicity
Body temperature of deep tissues
KANG Sooin Assistant Professor Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering Medical informatics, Bioinstrumentation, Machine learning
SASAKI Tomoya Assistant Professor Human interface and interaction
Intelligent robotics
Virtual Reality, Human Interface
Human Robot Interaction
TAKAHASHI Taiga Assistant Professor Brain biometrics
Neurophysiology/General neuroscience
Two-photon microscopy, Nanosheet, Cranial window, Large-scale imaging
In vivo two-photon microscopy, Multiscale imaging of mouse brain, Ca2+ imaging
YUGUCHI Akishige Assistant Professor Intelligent robotics Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction

Information on Career Paths

Because this is a new department established in April 2023, no post-graduation employment figures are available; however, it is anticipated that graduates, armed with their engineering knowledge, user perspective-focus and creativity honed by design thinking, will be active in a wide range of fields centered on QOL-support industry companies and others.

Anticipated Post-Graduation Path

Machinery- and equipment-related fields such as medical equipment, surgical assistance robots, disability support equipment, walking assistance robots, work assistance robots and industrial robots; chemical industry fields such as pharmaceuticals, biomaterials and biotechnology; information processing service and information provision service fields such as image processing, information processing and information communication; professional and technical service fields such as management consulting; graduate school; etc.

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