Messages

Software is everywhere around us. It is not limited to what runs on personal computers and smartphones; many everyday appliances—such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, and vacuum cleaners—also operate through software. In our laboratory, we study a wide range of issues that arise in the process of software development, approaching them from multiple perspectives. While we are entering an era in which AI can write code, programming itself should fundamentally be an enjoyable activity that satisfies human intellectual curiosity. We explore the question: what makes software development enjoyable for people?

What Is a Bug?

When software behaves differently from what a human intended, we call it a “bug.” Ideally, bugs would be prevented in advance, but in reality, this is very difficult. One reason is that software is a conceptual construct created in the human mind. Inconsistencies at the conceptual level are themselves conceptual, and what constitutes a bug can vary depending on how people perceive it. For this reason, many challenges remain, such as how to define a bug and what exactly should be detected.

Gamification of Software Development

Some bugs are relatively easy to identify, and the process of removing them is called “debugging.” Debugging is generally considered difficult, and although tools called debuggers are used to support this process, learning to use them effectively can itself be a challenge. In our laboratory, we also explore ways to make debugging more accessible by representing debugger operations as role-playing games. Even difficult tasks can appear differently when viewed from a slightly different perspective. Such perspectives can also serve as a starting point for research.

A Laboratory with Character

Some laboratories have their own unique character, sometimes even in the form of a mascot. The photo shown here features “Aqua-tan,” the character of the Software Engineering Laboratory. The laboratory keeps a tank of newts, and this character is inspired by those newts and the snails in the tank. It is widely loved by students in the Information Science program.

In university laboratories, research involves fully engaging human intellect while simultaneously pursuing what is interesting and meaningful. We hope you will consider becoming a part of this endeavor.

In our laboratory, we study sensing technologies that utilize wireless communication devices such as Wi-Fi and mobile networks. These technologies use changes in radio signals to detect human movement and understand the surrounding environment, and are known as wireless sensing or Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC). By leveraging the wireless devices already present in our daily lives, we aim to realize not only communication but also sensing functions, opening the door to new applications.

A Highly Active Research Field Worldwide

This field is currently attracting significant attention, with researchers around the world actively working on it. In our laboratory, we collaborate with companies and universities both in Japan and abroad. If wireless communication technologies can be used to capture information such as human movement and even breathing, the potential of communication systems will expand even further.

Students’ Ideas Drive Research Forward

While faculty members are experts in their fields, working in the same area for many years can sometimes lead to fixed ways of thinking. In contrast, students often bring fresh and flexible perspectives. They explore information beyond the boundaries of the laboratory and introduce new ideas, sometimes leading to approaches that faculty alone might not have conceived.

Everyday Questions as the Starting Point of Research

At our university, many students enroll with an interest in hands-on activities such as robotics competitions. When we talk about wireless communication in lectures or open campus events, we are often asked questions like, “Why didn’t Wi-Fi work well at the competition venue?” Such everyday questions can serve as the starting point for research. New research topics often emerge from simple curiosities—“Why does this happen?” At university, we hope that you will take your own interests as a starting point and challenge yourself with new ideas.