Awareness is a key factor in facilitating proactive behavioral change. This research focuses on how awareness can emerge through robotic support. In our previous studies, we demonstrated that robotic devices—such as prosthetic hands—can promote proactive behavioral changes by supporting unconscious movements. These findings suggest that intervening in the human unconscious control system is a promising approach for eliciting awareness. In this project, we aim to develop a robotic system capable of fostering effective awareness by targeting unconscious cognitive and motor processes. As an initial application, we will address the treatment of chronic pain and motor paralysis, conditions often rooted in unconscious misalignment of the body schema.

The COVID-19 pandemic starkly revealed that in today’s highly interconnected society, where people can travel across the globe at unprecedented speed, “physical contact between individuals” can pose a serious threat to human life. At the same time, the shift to online interactions across various domains during the pandemic—where in-person meetings were drastically limited—has underscored, from multiple perspectives, the significance of direct human interaction. Against this backdrop, a key question arises: Can technological advancements enable online communication to replicate—or even surpass—the effects of face-to-face interaction? Among these, the virtual reproduction of tactile sensations, to the extent that palpation becomes possible, is particularly compelling. Such reproduction must not only convey information obtained through physical touch but also consider the psychological effects elicited through human contact. In this research, we refer to this form of virtual touch-based interaction between people as “Contact Reality (CR).” Our goal is to realize a palpation system utilizing CR, with a focus on the field of orthopedics, where established manual techniques and evaluation methods already exist. Specifically, we target the palpation of the forearm and wrist, commonly performed during the diagnosis of pain and joint abnormalities. Through the development of appropriate devices and systems that enable precise remote palpation, we aim to reproduce diagnostic capabilities that are equivalent to or surpass those of in-person examinations. Beyond simply transmitting the sensation of touch, this technology aspires to reduce the psychological distance between physician and patient, laying the foundation for a next-generation platform for remote tactile diagnostics.

While the advancement of IT technologies—centered on the internet—has brought about increased convenience and globalization, it has also exacerbated wealth disparity and ideological polarization, leading to a “fragmented society” that threatens the very foundations of a safe and secure world.To address this issue, we propose that the key lies in the integration of neuroscience and AI robotics. Recent progress in brain science has made it increasingly possible to scientifically interpret even abstract concepts such as “well-being” and “trust” through brain activity. It is now believed that factors contributing to social division include excessive rationality in the prefrontal cortex and a lack of emotional regulation. Meanwhile, AI robotics is evolving beyond physical support functions, demonstrating potential as an intervention tool to help regulate the brain's neural states. Our previous work in developing a remote palpation system has shown that robots can play a role in building trust within human relationships. Based on this foundation, the present study aims to develop and validate a Multi-Modal Sensory Computing (MMSC) system—a foundational technology designed to promote communication and enhance cognitive functions within the home environment by utilizing human-centered data. The household setting is where individuals most naturally reveal their “authentic selves” and where changes in cognitive function often first become apparent. If we can establish technologies that effectively modulate the activity of deep brain networks—such as the insular cortex and hippocampus—in this context, we believe it will make a significant contribution toward overcoming societal fragmentation and achieving a safer, more secure society.

coming soon