Introduction

Our studies are oriented for the better relationship between human and computers, or man-machine interface. We human receive most amount of information via the vision and auditory system, so we are investigating efficient and sophisticated algorithms to process those two kinds of information on computers. This could be seen that we are interested in implementing especially eyes and ears of a robot.



(a) Hitachi Time-Space Map, (b) Smart Mirror, (c) Practice System with mirrored models, and (d) Color Terms in Multiple Languages

Image Processing (CG, AR, Deep Learning, IoT) †

We are studying various applications of image processing technologies, such as

• algorithms based on deep learning to color old monochrome photographs (collaboration with the Hitachi city museum),
• photographic mosaics and literal mosaics (with the science museum),
• image processing algorithms applied to archeology (with a research team at the Rikkyo university),
• a smart mirror with various functions including usage visualization, auto-logging of appearance, gesture and speech recognition,
• and 3D reconstruction algorithms for a newly-developed microscope (with an optical technology venture).

We are also collaborating with another software venture to develope methods for mobile robots to locate themselves basing on their camera images.

Music Information Processing †

Our studies include a user-friendly learning system for music keyboard performance, visualization of chord progressions, and algorithms to convert multiple pieces into a medley that fits the specified time duration.

Media Arts †

Our laboratory has collaborated with the science museum at the Hitachi civic center since 2017, sharing our experiences and techniques in image processing and user interface development. We also appeared in a TV program on the NHK channel, as experts in image processing.

• Photographic Mosaics
• Literal mosaics
• Hitachi Time-Space Map

External Seminars †

• Programming Workshops
  • Science Museum?: Programming hands-on with Scratch
  • Mito campus: Regio (JOI programming seminar series)
  • Mito Industrial highschool: C programinng seminars
• The Open University of Japan