Research Fields of the Department of System Design Engineering

Thermal fluid sensing, ranging from the nano and micro scale of cells and electronic devices to the macro-scale systems of reactors and spacecraft exposed to extreme thermal environments, is a critically important field for system design. New nano- and micro-scale thermal fluid and thermal property sensing technologies, based on innovative ideas that integrate laser measurement and MEMS, will create world-leading next-generation technologies.

Our daily lives are supported by all sorts of electric-powered devices, like electric vehicles and elevators. These electrical devices achieve their intended motion and functions by using sensor information to precisely control the flow of electricity and drive motors. This department gives students the opportunity to study the management and control of energy, along with its engineering applications, such as robotics, control engineering, power electronics, and energy management, through cutting-edge research and development of robots and electrical equipment.

In the manufacturing sector, where Japan remains a world leader, machine tools that produce products constitute a critical foundation. Further innovation in industrial technology requires the development of intelligent machine tools and new machining processes. To contribute to the further development of a super-aged society through the expanded application of ultra-precision machining and 3D printing technologies, we are engaged in research on areas such as autonomous control systems for machining processes, metal 3D forming systems, and the creation of functional materials.

As we move toward the era of 100-year lifespans, Japan is facing the “2040 Problem,” requiring it to lead the world in preparing for an ultra-aged society. To this end, the Department of System Design Engineering is advancing research aimed at realizing new architectural and urban systems that anticipate the needs of the next 50 or 100 years. Specifically, we are advancing research across a wide range of fields, centered on sustainable design for architecture and cities — the foundations of everyday life. This encompasses not only comfortable living spaces that promote human health and urban disaster resilience, but also societal mechanisms aimed at achieving the SDGs.

Without information processing and signal processing technology, no social infrastructure could exist. For example, AI requires real-world data, autonomous driving requires control systems, smart cities require urban planning and local government cooperation, biosensing requires medical expertise, and hardware construction requires performance, power consumption, thermal management, and usability evaluations. At the Department of System Design Engineering, we are pursuing unique, practical information systems research through collaboration across various fields.

Our bodies can be understood as life systems composed of countless cells organically combined as components. By harnessing heat and fluid dynamics, micro- and nano-fabrication technologies, and molecular dynamics simulations, we measure macroscopic phenomena such as the “forces” generated within cells and tissues while analyzing the microscopic behavior of intracellular molecules. This allows us to understand systems hierarchically, from the micro to the macro level, and we are engaged in designing life systems aimed at controlling the environments necessary for cells to develop into tissues and organs. Through interdisciplinary research made possible by system design engineering, we aim to contribute to the future of regenerative medicine and cancer treatment.