Workshop for IROS2024

Prof. Paolo Dario,
Male, Italy,
Professor and former-Director, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA) and
Chief Scientist, Dubai Future Labs (DFL) 

Paolo Dario is Emeritus Professor of Biomedical Robotics at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy. He has been and is professor and fellow at various universities and scientific institutions worldwide. Currently, he serves as Chief Scientist at Dubai Future Labs (DFL). His current research interests are in the field of bio-robotics, bionics, and companion robotics. He has coordinated many large national and European projects, and served in many EU Committees. He is an IEEE Life Fellow and the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics. He served as President of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, chaired several IEEE Conferences and received several prizes and Awards, including the 2024 IEEE Technical Field Award for establishing and advancing Bionics and Biorobotics. His research accomplishments have led to the creation of several start-up companies, and to several practical applications in medical robotics and medical bionics.

Prof. Norihiro Hagita,
Male, Japan,
Program Director, JST Moonshot Goal 1 Program, 
Director, ATR Norihiro Hagita Laboratory and 
Professor, Osaka University of Arts

Norihiro Hagita received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Keio University, Japan in 1976, 1978, and 1986. From 1978 to 2001, he was with the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT). He joined the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) and established the ATR Media Information Science Laboratories in 2001 and the ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories in 2002, and has been serving as the Director, ATR Fellow, ATR Norihiro Hagita Laboratory, respectively. He is also a chair and professor at Art Science departments in Osaka University of Arts. From 2014 to 2022, he served as the research supervisor in the JST CREST research programs on intelligent information processing systems creating co-experience knowledge and wisdom with human-machine harmonious collaboration. He was a member of Science Council of Japan in 2017-2022. Since 2020, he has been serving as the program director in the JST moonshot goal 1 program on realization of a society in which human beings can be free from limitations of body, brain, space, and time by 2050.

Dr. Takahiro Miyashita
Male, Japan,
Director, ATR Interaction Science Laboratories and
Director, ATR Interaction Technology Bank

Takahiro Miyashita received his Ph.D. degree in engineering for computer-controlled machinery from Osaka University, Japan, in 2002. Currently, he serves as the Director of Interaction Science Laboratories (ISL) and Interaction Technology Bank (ITB) at Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR). Additionally, he serves as one of group leaders of Moonshot R&D Program Goal 1 Avatar-Symbiotic Society Project under the supervision of Prof. Hiroshi Ishiguro. His research focuses on Cybernetic Avatars (CA), communication infrastructure for CA called CA-PF, human-robot interaction, and cloud-networked robotics. Furthermore, he is dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship and facilitating industry collaboration for the societal implementation of cutting-edge technologies. In 2015, he established the i-RooBO Network Forum, a consortium of companies in the fields of robotics and IoT. In 2021, he also established the Corporate Consortium for Avatar-Symbiotic Society (C-CAS2), a consortium specifically dedicated to companies involved in cybernetic avatar technologies.

Prof. Kouta Minamizawa
Male, Japan,
Professor, Keio University and
Project Manager, JST Moonshot Goal 1 Program

After receiving his PhD. in Information Science and Technology from the University of Tokyo in 2010, he joined Keio University Graduate School of Media Design (KMD) and directs KMD Embodied Media Project, where conducts research and social deployment of embodied media that transfer, enhance, and create human experiences with digital technologies. His areas of research expertise include Haptics, Embodied Interaction, Virtual Reality and Telexistence. He also promotes activities on Haptic design, and Superhuman sports, also serves as a project manager of the Cybernetic being project under the Moonshot R&D program.

Mr. Kan Akutsu
Male, Japan,
Research Team Leader, Araya Inc.

Kan Akutsu received his M.S. degree in Information Science and Technology from the University of Tokyo in 2012. Following his graduation, he joined DeNA Co., Ltd., where he developed and planned several IP titles, one of which won the prestigious Famitsu Award for Excellence, a well-known accolade in the Japanese entertainment industry. He later worked at ZEALS, aiming to develop general-purpose interaction robots, where he served as a Product Owner. He is currently a team leader at Araya Inc. and serves as the Principal Investigator under PM Kanai for Moonshot Goal 1, a project led by the Cabinet Office. His research focuses on creating a common platform for operating avatars using multimodal biological signals, including brain information.

Prof. Fumihito Arai,
Male, Japan,
Professor, The University of Tokyo and
Project Manager, JST Moonshot Goal 1 Program

Fumihito Arai is a full Professor of the Department of Bioengineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, at The University of Tokyo, Japan. He is mainly engaging in the research fields of bio-robotics, micro- and nano-robotics, micro- and nano-mechatoronics, MEMS, and Biomedical applications. He received a Doctor of Engineering degree from Nagoya University in 1993. Since 1998, he has been an Associate Professor at Nagoya University. Since 2005, he has been a Professor at Tohoku University. Since 2010, he has been a Professor at Nagoya University. Since 2020, he has been a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Tokyo. He was the Vice President of Technical Activities, at IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) (2014–2015) and (2016–2017). He is currently an Adcom member of RAS since 2022. He has been the Program Manager of the Moonshot R&D program on In-body Cybernetic Avatars since 2022.

Prof. Yoko Yamanishi
Female, Japan,
Professor, Kyushu University and
Project Manager, JST Moonshot Goal 1 Program

Yoko Yamanishi received the Ph.D. degree from Imperial College London in 2003. She became Assistant Professor of Dept. of Bioengineering and Robotics, Tohoku University in 2006-2009, mainly have engaged in the researches about Bio-medical Science and Engineering. She became Associate Professor of Dept. of Micro-Nano Systems Engineering of Nagoya University and also a member of PRESTO JST during 2010-2012, and have started her work of a needle-free bubble injector. She was Associate Professor of Dept. of Mechanical Engineering of Shibaura Institute of Technology during 2013-2015 and became a Professor in Kyushu University on 2016 (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Kyushu University) and is leading biomedical fluid engineering laboratory. She is also currently the Program Manager of moonshot Goal1(Creating A Society Whose Citizen’s Health is Monitored by Remote Control of Intracellular Cybernetic Avatars). Intracellular Cybernetic Avatar (hereinafter referred to as intracellular CA) technology will allow individuals to improve the state of their bodies by external remote control of intracellular CA constructed of nanometer-scale artificial and natural biomolecules. Remote control of the avatars is expected to keep people’s bodies in good condition at a cellular level using micrometer-scale cell-cell interactions.

Dr. Tarek Taha
Male, UAE
Robotics Lab Lead, Dubai Future Labs (DFL)

Tarek Taha has 20 years of experience in technology development in the fields of robotics, autonomous systems, and embodied artificial intelligence while working in industry and academia. He obtained his PhD in Robotics and Mechatronics from the Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems (CAS),　University of Technology Sydney, Australia, followed by a degree in Research Commercialization from Australian Technology Network and Chief Technology Officer Degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He currently leads the Robotics Lab at the Dubai Future Labs with a focus on R&D initiative and applied research activities in the field of autonomous robotics and embodied A.I. Throughout his career, he has led productive teams to conduct advanced R&D activities focusing on developing cutting-edge engineering solutions and products for deployment in real-world applications. He has peer-reviewed papers on autonomous aerial systems, autonomous exploration, navigation and mapping, machine vision, human-robot interaction, assistive robotics and reinforcement learning.
He is passionate about technology development and the proper implementation of R&D strategies and programs to produce world-class products, services, and solutions that positively influence our lives.