Machines, including robots, are ‘externalization’ of the desired functions that humans or other creatures have. On the other hand, virtual reality (VR) means artificial reproduction of an environment surrounding a human. Our laboratory has been aiming at realizing desired functions by robots based on the essential understanding of those functions, while concurrently aiming at essential understanding of human functions through the VR and so on. We target a wide range of functions such as manipulation, haptics, mobility, and environment modeling. To understand and realize these functions, we have been studying the issues on motion control of robots, autonomy, intelligence and skill emerged through the interaction with the environments (including virtual ones), and human-machine interfaces. These research topics are based on several subjects and technologies such as control theory, system engineering, sensing, mechatronics, and software. Students in our laboratory are expected to acquire multidisciplinary knowledge and abilities to solve a newly encountered problem, which are necessary for engineers and researchers, by carrying out both theory construction and experimental vilification with a real system in a proper balance.
