FACULTY RESEARCH ACTIVITY 2014

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21Functional Machinery and MechanicsAn extraordinary new material: Carbon nanotubesCreating and analyzing high-functionality nano-composite materialsDivision of Mechanical Engineering and RoboticsI am working to explain the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT), for example elasticity, vibration, and buckling, and to use CNT to develop high-functionality composite materials. My lab leverages the unique properties of CNT, which cannot be achieved with other materials, to create lightweight and highly functional CNT-strengthened composite materials and to utilize them in numerous ways.Since experimental measurement is dicult, computers are used for logical analysis and evaluation of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes.Associate Professor Natsuki took his current position in 2006 after working as a researcher at Hitachi Chemical’s Tsukuba Research and Development Center, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization. His principal areas of research include the creation of composite materials, composite material engineering, and computational science for the analysis and evaluation of their properties.Nano-composite materials made using CNT can be made suitable for use in aerospace and sports equipment applications by increasing their mechanical properties of attenuation and vibration control. Further research and development can be expected to lead to expanded use of CNT properties for numerous purposes.Outlook for researchGraduates are active in a wide array of domains, including at software companies and government agencies in addition to textile, appliance and electrical equipment, and automotive part manufacturers.Outlook for students after graduationA model of molecular structure is used to analyze the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes.The vibrational properties of carbon nanotubes are analyzed using the nite element method.Toshiaki NatsukiAssociate ProfessorTakashi KawamuraAssociate ProfessorFunctional Machinery and MechanicsResearching robots based on mechanisms and bringing the skills of humans and living things to robotsDivision of Mechanical Engineering and RoboticsI am pursuing research into mechatronics robots based on mechanical engineering. The key word in this endeavor is “skills.” My lab focuses on observing the skills of living things nurtured through evolution and in daily life and analyzing them from an engineering standpoint to understand their nature and significance for building systems.Associate Professor Kawamura rst came to the Faculty of Textile Science and Technology at Shinshu University as an assistant professor. After subsequently working as a senior assistant professor, he took his current position in 2003. In 1996, he served as a visiting researcher at the University of Illinois. His interests include mechatronics, intelligent control, robots capable of learning the skills of living things, kansei (sensitivity) robotics, and human dynamics.To develop mechatronics robots, it is necessary to design systems based on a wide range of engineering knowledge along with observation, understanding, and evaluation of motion. I aim to design easy-to-use, highly functional mechatronics systems.Outlook for researchMechatronics is a comprehensive technology combining machines, electronics, and information control. Graduates can be expected to nd jobs as mechatronics engineers, which are in high demand in the world today.Outlook for students after graduationI am working to develop robots capable of competing with human teams in the sport of curling. These robots sense minute changes in the surface of the ice and prepare strategies to play.Robotic mechanisms handle metal sheets (left), turn pages based on the same principles as the human hand (upper right), and ap wings based on a dragony (lower right).

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