Hiroyuki Shinoda

Class: Instrumentation and Information Processing

The basic research style of our lab is to apply mathematical and physical modeling skill to real-world complex problems of sensing and interactive systems. And I also like making things physically. So Haptics, the emerging scientific/technological field on touch, is the best theme for me now. It can potentially solve many practical problems of the human society, and simultaneously haptic interaction is reasonably difficult to understand and technically challenging. Midair haptics born from these activities is now advancing and becoming a powerful tool for science and practical applications.
Another important research topic is two-dimensional communication that is a physical technology to transmit information and power with electromagnetic waves traveling along a thin sheet. We initially proposed such two-dimensional connection for haptics, to realize wireless tactile-receptor sensors for elastic and tough sensor skin. The technology enhances the environment where wireless and battery-free items can work. It also contributes to wearable haptic devices.
The research of the laboratory is diverse and not limited to these two topics, as summarized in the lab webpages.

Publications: All the publications are listed here.
Awards: The list of the awards the lab members and I have received.

Education and work experience:
1988: Graduated from Faculty of Engineering (University of Tokyo)
1990: Received Master’s degree in Information Physics (Prof. Hiroo Yamasaki Lab, University of Tokyo)
1990: Research Associate (Assoc. Prof. Shigeru Ando Lab, University of Tokyo)
1995: Received Doctoral degree in Engineering from University of Tokyo
1995: Lecturer (Hiroyuki Shinoda Lab, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology)
1997: Associate Professor (Hiroyuki Shinoda Lab, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology)
1999-2000: Visiting Researcher, UC Berkeley
2000: Associate Professor (Ando & Shinoda Lab, University of Tokyo)
2012: Professor (University of Tokyo)
2013: Shinoda & Makino Lab PI

Academic activities
IEEE World Haptics Conference Steering committee chair (2019-)
IEEE World Haptics Conference 2019 General co-chair
Euro Haptics 2018 Program co-chair
Asia Haptics 2016 General chair
IEEE World Haptics Conference 2013, 2015 Associate editor-in-chief (Program co-chair)
9th International Conference on Networked Sensing Systems (INSS 2012) Program chair
IEEE Trans. on Haptics, Associate editor (2011-2012)

Board member of The Virtual Reality Society of Japan (VRSJ, 2014-2017)
Board member of Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE, 2008-2009)
Director of CELLCROSS Co., Ltd.（2003-）
Member of IEEJ, RSJ, JSME, ACM and IEEE

Research history

Midair haptics
Our laboratory conducted the initial study of Midair haptics by non-contact ultrasound tactile display. Please visit the special page of this topic.

Two-dimensional communication
The world first study to propose and demonstrate wireless transmission of signal and power by electromagnetic waves confined in a sheet-like medium. Electromagnetic waves typically in microwave frequency range are confined and guided in a thin sheet-like 2D medium. A coupler put near the surface can be coupled with the medium selectively and efficiently, which enables safe wireless power transmission and wide-band signal transmission free from interfering with the outside space. The development is now ongoing for practical use.

Telemetric skin — Elastic robot skin enabled by wireless tactile element
The world first proposal of a stretchable and free-form sensor skin by eliminating individual wires to the tactile sensing elements. A sensor skin prototype based on 1 bit tactile sensing elements was demonstrated in 2007 using 2D electromagnetic waves. This device is still in the conceptual stage.

Thermally induced ultrasonic emission device — Wide band ultrasonic emission from nonvibrating porous silicon surface
We showed wide band ultrasonic emission is thermally induced on a porous silicon surface in 1999.
Ultrasound is emitted from a nonvibratory porous silicon surface using thermal interaction. It still has problems for practical use, but many researchers in the world continue the development based on the similar principle.
*This was a collaborative work with Prof. Nobuyoshi Koshida of Tokyo Univ. of agriculture and technology.

Tactile selective stimulation — Tactile displaying by selective stimulation to skin receptors
The world first study to propose and demonstrate displaying various tactile feelings by selective stimulation to multiple kinds of mechanoreceptors in1998. A human skin has multiple kinds of mechanoreceptors having their specific spatiotemporal properties and located at their own depths. Various tactile feelings are evoked by selective stimulation to the receptor kinds. This method is widely used in tactile display design. This research is the origin of the techniques.