Hiring Technical Staff: Supporting Student and Faculty Research with the Latest Machine Tools

Kazunori Watanabe graduated from Keio University's Faculty of Science and Technology and Graduate School of Science and Technology. He currently handles educational and research assistance at the Center for Experimental Education Support, Faculty of Science and Technology. We asked him about his future goals and the joy he finds in his work.

When I was a child, robot technology was advancing to the point where it was normal for robots like ASIMO not just to walk, but to run. I think that's when I first started to think that I wanted to build a robot myself one day.

At university, I belonged to the Yan Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and researched machine processing. I was researching electrical discharge machining, a technology that uses electricity to process materials. For three years, from my fourth year of undergraduate studies to my second year of my master's degree, I was engrossed in research, processing various materials to examine the properties of each.

Starting in graduate school, I worked for two years as a contract employee at the Center for Experimental Education Support, Faculty of Science and Technology. After being hired as a full-time employee in April 2016, I underwent two months of on-the-job training at the Mita Office of Student Services, and have been working at the Center for Experimental Education Support, Faculty of Science and Technology since June 2016.

During my two months of on-the-job training at the Mita Office of Student Services, my main duties were basically handling phone calls and front-desk inquiries. Since I was training at the Law School section of the Office of Student Services, I would sometimes get calls from law firms, and I was often confused by unfamiliar technical terms. I was nervous every day back then. However, my senior colleagues gave me detailed advice and guidance on how to handle phone calls and other tasks, so it turned out to be a very good experience.

The Center for Experimental Education Support, where I work, assists with education and research for the entire Faculty of Science and Technology. In particular, the Manufacturing Center, where I am based, is responsible for supporting classes that use machine tools, such as those in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as building experimental equipment needed for student and faculty research and advising on how to improve that equipment. When someone in the Faculty of Science and Technology wants to fabricate something, the Manufacturing Center, with its extensive collection of the latest machine tools, plays a central role.

The Manufacturing Center was established in 2014, on the 75th anniversary of the Faculty of Science and Technology. With new machinery and facilities, I believe we are now able to provide even better services. While most university science and technology faculties have a facility called a "factory," I don't think there are many universities that have such a complete lineup of the latest machine tools. Using these machine tools, it's possible to create experimental equipment that requires high precision and to perform complex processing. If you were to outsource something for research, it would normally take one to two months. The ability to process it on campus in about a week is, I think, a huge advantage for students and faculty. My current goal is to have more people take advantage of this excellent environment.

There is a competition called the Cybathlon held once every four years, and our team is building an electric wheelchair for this year's main event. It's a competition held under the theme of how people with disabilities can overcome their challenges with the power of machinery, and various teams from universities and companies around the world participate. Our team has developed an electric wheelchair that uses four caterpillar tracks to support movement while changing its posture to navigate stairs and slopes. It's inspired by disaster relief robots, and I'm involved in everything from design to fabrication. In the future, we aim for practical application and are considering improvements to bring it to a level where elderly people can use it at home.

At the Japan competition held last year, we placed third overall and first among the Japanese teams. This year, the world championship is in Switzerland, so I'm working hard with students and faculty to win.

I feel that our work on the Cybathlon is a great opportunity for students to interact with machines like machine tools and robots. When I see the students working on it with such enjoyment, I feel a sense of purpose in my job. It also contributes to society in the end, so my days are truly fulfilling.

When I first started this job, I didn't know much about how to use the machine tools, but I use the time when there are no classes to attend training courses on how to use them and spend time honing my skills. By gaining experience this way, I've become able to do processing that I couldn't do before, and it makes me very happy when that helps the students.

Naturally, the students change every year. The type of processing also changes depending on the students' research topics, so I approach my work with a fresh perspective each time. I always feel that this job has real depth.

What I'm most proud of about the Manufacturing Center is, without a doubt, our well-equipped facilities. Thanks to this excellent environment, I feel that my processing skills have improved over time, and the quality of my guidance and support for students has also increased. As someone who supports students and faculty, when I think about how I should grow, I feel the need to constantly hone my own skills. And to obtain cutting-edge information, I plan to go to exhibitions to gather information, so I can properly teach students about the global needs for machine tools and the latest processing technologies.

If there's one piece of advice I can give from my work experience to students thinking about working as a technical staff member at Keio University, or to those who haven't yet figured out what they want to do, it's to value harmony and human relationships. This is something I also felt while building the machine for the Cybathlon: things that are impossible for one person can be achieved by combining everyone's knowledge and abilities. There were many times when I couldn't get things right on my own, but by consulting with those around me and solidifying our methods and approach, we were able to achieve good results. Therefore, I hope you will cherish your relationships with people.