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Greetings from the Director

Foundation background

Project Overview

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WABOT-kun and The Book of Wabot

Wabot Research Group

House Research Group

Information Communication Research Group

Research Group for Regional Exchange and
@ Industry Creation


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Greetings from the Director

Recently, the robot technology has recorded dynamic development above all in the entertainment field.  However we have to regret the status of robot technology in the field of practical use nowadays.  In the elderly dominated society robot technology in symbiosis with humankind and the nature should have been highly required.  We can point out a background in which we all have taken it important to advance the high-functionality of robots themselves.  In the near future we all think about living with robots in daily life.  In this occasion we need to build a symbiosis between humankind, robot and their environment, such as accommodation in its structure and functions. 
The Waseda University has introduced the humanoid robot WABOT-1 in 1973, and it was the very first in the world.  Afterwards, we have kept our leading position in robotics research.  Not only in the robotics research but also in the field of architecture we have introduced different kinds of novel designs and innovative building methods.  In the field of the telecommunication, which is a backbone of different kinds of modern and postmodern technologies,Waseda University has assured big success both in research and in education.  As a good contribution in this field we can name the Global Information and Telecommunication Institute, which is conducted through theWaseda University. 
@Not only robotics engineers, architects or IT researchers but also fine artists take part in the WABOT-HOUSE project, and they try to design an optimal shape from robotic and architectural points of view.  They are researching to realize the substantial symbiosis between humankind and robots. 
The Construction of WABOT-HOUSE Laboratory moves right along at the site in Techno Plaza in Gifu.  We have already completed two houses: the 1st building in the Block B, which is planned as a space for symbiosis between humans and robots, and the Block C, a space for robots.  In the first floor of the 1st building of the Block B, you will find a dining room/kitchen and a washroom, which is supposed to introduce you a new lifestyle in the near future.  Radio frequency ID (RFID) tags and indoor GPS are some example of new technologies of structured environment for robots there.  Several enterprises participate active in the project and thanks to their participation we are going to start the experiment for robots supporting the human life.  Soon we will complete the construction of Block A, a space for humankind, and the 2nd building of the Block B, which is supposed for several individual researches. 
By the way, there is a report written by the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Robot Association.  This report suggests that the robotics industry shouldnft aspire to an oligopoly market with several huge companies, but better to keep competitive structure among ventures as well as SME (small and medium-sized enterprises), and try to expand herself as a component industry.  To realize this suggestion, we need some good system integrators who possess know-how to coordinate these different components.  The university education is under strong expectations for satisfying them.  In Gifu prefecture there are many SME, which have a good technical potential in manufacture.  We hope to launch a new robotics industry from Gifu through the active collaboration with local enterprises. 

We warmly invite you to participate in the activities of WABOT-HOUSE Laboratory and to support our mutual goals.


***Biography of Director***
Director of WABOT-HOUSE Laboratory, WASEDA University
Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the School of Science and Engineering at Waseda University.
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1958 Born in Tokyo, Japan.
1986 Research Associate at Waseda University.
1989 Received Dr.Eng. through his research and development of WABOT-2, a keyboard playing robot that was exhibited at Tsukuba Science Expo.
1990 Assistant Professor
1992 - 1997 Associate Professor
1993 - 1994 Visiting Research Scientist at Stanford University.
1998 - Professor at Waseda University
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His research interests include Machine Intelligence, especially the communication between human and robots based on the study of Bio-Mechanism. He engages in the research on robots designed to co-exist with human and the occurrence of machine emotion.
He received the technology prize from the Robotics Society Japan in 1990. He also received the Outstanding Paper Award by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) in 2001 and the Academic Achievement Award from the JSME Robotics and Mechatronics Division in 2002.
Since 1997, he has been a conference board member, a meeting chair in the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS). Since 2001, he has been a President of the Japan Association for Automation Advancement (JAAA). He is a member of IEEE, ASME, Robotics Society Japan (RSJ), The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME), The Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE) and Society of Biomechanisms Japan