Computational Intelligence and Systems
【Staff】 Hitoshi Iima (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 7, 3rd Floor
【Topics】 Research on optimization and machine learning for the design of artificial intelligence systems
【Keywords】 Artificial Intelligence / Generative AI / Large Language Models / Deep Learning / Evolutionary Computation
【Website】 https://vega.is.kit.ac.jp
We conduct research on technologies for building artificial intelligence systems across a wide range of fields using intelligent optimization methods and machine learning techniques. In optimization, approaches inspired by biological evolution and collective behavior—such as evolutionary computation and particle swarm optimization—have been proposed and actively studied. In machine learning, deep learning has advanced significantly, leading to the development of generative AI and large language models such as GPT, which have attracted considerable attention. Our research focuses on improving existing methods as well as developing novel optimization and machine learning approaches based on entirely new ideas. We also apply these methods to real-world industrial problems and study how to address the challenges that arise in practical applications.
Social Intelligence and Informatics
【Staff】 Qiang Ma (Professor), Yijun Duan (Assistant Professor), Yun Liu (Project Assistant Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 2nd Floor
【Topics】 Research and development of fundamental technologies in data engineering, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, and socially applied information systems based on these technologies
【Keywords】 Data Mining / Information Retrieval and Recommendation / Databases / Graph Machine Learning / Information Nutrition / Investment Informatics / Tourism Informatics
【Website】 https://www.soc.is.kit.ac.jp
Modern society relies on enormous amounts of distributed information interconnected through the Internet. For the sound development of society, it is essential to establish technologies that can rapidly transmit accurate information and efficiently retrieve necessary information from vast data sources when needed, as well as to continuously review and improve these technologies. To this end, we promote fundamental research in areas such as databases, data mining, multimedia information systems, information retrieval, and information recommendation. In addition, we conduct applied research—often in collaboration with experts from various fields—aimed at building information systems with high adaptability to society, including geographic and spatial information systems, investment support information systems, and information access systems.
Multimedia Data Engineering
【Staff】 Hiroki Nomiya (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Research on efficient, intelligent, and human-centered processing of multimedia data
【Keywords】 Data Engineering / Data Science / Multimedia / Affective Engineering / Facial Expression Recognition
【Website】 http://www.mmde.kit.ac.jp
With advances in computers and networks, multimedia data such as images, music, and videos have become ubiquitous in our daily lives—for example, photos taken with digital cameras, downloaded music, and videos recorded with video cameras. Accurately and quickly retrieving desired content from such large volumes of multimedia data remains a challenging task even with modern computers. This laboratory addresses these challenges through research on methods for retrieving multimedia data based on content and impressions, fast retrieval of similar multimedia data, and techniques for searching impressive scenes in videos using facial expression recognition.
Digital Healthcare
【Staff】 Siriaraya Panote (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 3rd Floor
【Topics】 Research on digital systems that enhance human well-being using advanced technologies
【Keywords】 Digital Therapeutics / VR and AR / Machine Learning / Gamification / Healthcare Support Systems
【Website】 (Coming soon)
In modern society, maintaining well-being—including both physical and mental health—has become an important challenge. AI and chatbots have the potential to enhance motivation for physical activity and support early detection of mental health issues, while VR technologies are being used to promote mental relaxation through meditation support and stress reduction. In this laboratory, we develop digital systems that improve health and well-being by leveraging advanced technologies such as VR, AR, and machine learning. In collaboration with medical doctors, health researchers, and psychologists, we aim to increase engagement and sustainability by gamifying therapies and interventions used in mental health and positive psychology. We also conduct research to improve quality of life for diverse populations, including the development of audio-based VR systems that allow people with visual impairments to experience the metaverse, and realistic AI chatbots designed to reduce feelings of loneliness.
Computer Vision
【Staff】 Shohei Nobuhara (Professor), Seiya Kawano (Assistant Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 4th Floor
【Topics】 Research and development of real-world measurement and understanding technologies using visual information, and their applications in society
【Keywords】 Computer Vision / Pattern Recognition / Machine Learning / Human Behavior Analysis
【Website】 https://vision.is.kit.ac.jp
We conduct research and development on real-world measurement and understanding technologies using visual information, with a particular focus on computer vision techniques that use images as input to measure and recognize the shapes and motions of people and objects. Our work includes the development of new measurement methods based on physical vision, especially multi-view projective geometry and optical models, as well as the construction of large-scale datasets for machine learning. We also pursue practical applications in various fields, such as behavior analysis and understanding of humans and experimental animals using fully automated markerless motion capture, and gaze estimation using overhead-view video.
Image Processing
【Staff】 Masayuki Fukuzawa (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Research on image measurement and recognition technologies and their applications to medical and manufacturing industries
【Keywords】 Image Measurement / Image Recognition / Machine Learning / Embedded Systems / Industrial IoT
【Website】 http://www.image.kit.ac.jp
As exemplified by smartphones, we use images and videos extensively in our daily lives. Beyond the home, the use of digital images has rapidly increased in areas such as defect and foreign object inspection in factories, and CT and MRI examinations in hospitals. This laboratory conducts a wide range of research related to images, including studies on ultra-high-performance hardware capable of capturing images that cannot be obtained with conventional cameras, methods for extracting, measuring, and identifying useful information from image data such as product defects and internal human lesions, and techniques for reconstructing and visualizing image processing results in 3D and 4D. Some of our research成果 have been applied for many years in manufacturing companies and medical institutions, and further social implementation of our成果 is expected.
Visual Information
【Staff】 Weiwei Du (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 7, 3rd Floor
【Topics】 Research on extracting visual information effective for experts in different disciplines
【Keywords】 Signal and Image Processing / Pattern Recognition / Computer Vision / Machine Learning
【Website】 (Coming soon)
It is difficult for humans to fully understand all visual information obtained from the external world and to derive new insights from it. In this research area, we utilize signal and image processing, pattern recognition, computer vision, and deep learning methods to study ways of supporting experts using visual information. Specifically, our research includes: (1) extraction of log features and estimation of wood strength to support experts studying timber strength; (2) digital restoration of artworks that have been damaged over many years to support artists; (3) lesion analysis of fundus images to support medical doctors; (4) development of AI plastering robots to support plasterers; and (5) systems for elucidating effective molecular structures of plant components.
Computer Systems
【Staff】 Hiroaki Hirata (Professor), Atsushi Nunome (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 4th Floor
【Topics】 Development of architectures and component technologies for high-performance computer systems
【Keywords】 Computer Architecture / Parallel Processing / Microprocessor Design / Storage System Design
【Website】 https://www.ark.is.kit.ac.jp
Computers are embedded in a wide variety of devices and have become indispensable tools in modern society, with their range of applications continuing to expand. With this broadening scope of computer usage in mind, this laboratory conducts research on various fundamental technologies related to computer systems. Our research spans the entire computer system stack, from processor design—the core of computers—to high-performance parallel and distributed computer systems composed of multiple processors and networked computers, as well as computer systems that emphasize maintaining and improving security. We focus not only on hardware technologies but also on system-wide innovations including basic software such as compilers and operating systems.
Software Engineering
【Staff】 Osamu Mizuno (Professor), Kinari Nishiura (Assistant Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 3rd Floor
【Topics】 Analyzing, mining, and scientifying software
【Keywords】 Repository Mining / Software Defects / Source Code Analysis / Testing / Refactoring
【Website】 https://se.is.kit.ac.jp
As software systems continue to grow in scale and complexity, progress in development technologies has not kept pace, leading to issues such as schedule delays, cost overruns, and declining quality. This laboratory seeks to extract insights and techniques that contribute to improving software quality through software repository mining, analyzing development histories. Our research covers a wide range of targets, from open-source software to analyses of software process data obtained through collaborative research with industry. Specifically, we study methods for detecting defect-prone software modules using deep learning and techniques for efficiently creating software tests.
Intelligent Software Engineering
【Staff】 Eunjong Choi (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 3rd Floor
【Topics】 Supporting software development using artificial intelligence (AI) models and supporting the development of AI models
【Keywords】 AI / Software Development / Similar Source Code Detection
【Website】 https://isel.is.kit.ac.jp
In recent years, the use of AI-powered tools in software development has increased, and with the widespread adoption of AI, the paradigm of software development is undergoing significant change. This laboratory focuses on both software engineering and AI, conducting research on the development of new engineering techniques and tools that utilize AI technologies to improve the efficiency of software development, as well as research on supporting the development of AI models based on established knowledge in software engineering. Specifically, our work includes research on similar source code detection methods using AI technologies and the development of tools that present development histories of AI models. By integrating AI and software engineering, we aim to contribute to improving the quality and productivity of both software and AI model development.
Information Security
【Staff】 Hiroyuki Inaba (Professor)
【Location】 Building 7, 4th Floor
【Topics】 Research on information security technologies with consideration for privacy
【Keywords】 Network Security / Secure Protocols / Copyright Protection Technologies / Personal Authentication
【Website】 https://www.sec.is.kit.ac.jp
Today, various information and communication systems are used in our daily lives, and modern society can no longer function without them. To use such systems safely and with confidence, information security technologies have become indispensable. Information security is related to a wide range of fields, from mathematical foundations such as cryptography and coding theory to network technologies and signal processing for digital content. In this laboratory, we conduct broad research on network security technologies such as intrusion detection systems and anti-spam techniques, digital content copyright protection technologies such as digital watermarking, and personal authentication technologies including fingerprint authentication.
Communication Systems
【Staff】 Daisuke Umehara (Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Research and development of communication systems connecting people, people and things, and things with each other
【Keywords】 Synchronization Techniques / Modulation and Coding Schemes / MIMO / Media Access Control / Multiple Access / Local Positioning Systems
【Website】 http://www.csl.is.kit.ac.jp
It is no longer possible to imagine daily life without information and communication devices. Future communication networks are expected to achieve not only higher communication efficiency but also improved energy efficiency. With the goal of realizing such networks, this laboratory studies modulation and coding schemes that ensure high reliability over channels subject to severe signal attenuation and noise, media access control protocols that reduce packet collisions in networks where information packets compete with one another, and sleep control techniques and network protocols that improve energy efficiency in networks that aggregate information from a large number of sensors distributed over wide areas.
Complex Systems
【Staff】 Hisashi Murakami (Associate Professor), Hiroaki Furukawa (Project Assistant Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Swarm and Embodied Intelligence
【Keywords】 Collective Phenomena / Embodied Cognition / Self-Organized Criticality
【Website】 https://sites.google.com/view/hisashimurakami
(Coming soon)
Wireless Communications
【Staff】 Koji Yamamoto (Professor)
【Location】 Building 7, 2nd Floor
【Topics】 Research on integrated sensing and communication wireless systems for creating intelligent environments
【Keywords】 Wireless Networks / Wireless Sensing / Machine Learning
【Website】 https://www.wcs.is.kit.ac.jp/ja/
In modern wireless LANs and mobile communication systems, radio propagation conditions are measured prior to data transmission, and highly efficient data transmission is performed according to these conditions. At present, propagation information is mainly used for data transmission; however, because it varies depending on environmental changes such as the movement of users, surrounding people, and objects, it can also be used to perceive environmental dynamics. This concept is known as wireless sensing. This laboratory has built multiple experimental systems to acquire propagation information using wireless LAN devices, enabling functions such as user direction estimation, device-free object localization, and respiration rate estimation. Through research on integrated systems that combine sensing and communication, we aim to realize intelligent environments.
Distributed Systems
【Staff】 Hideo Masuda (Professor), Masayuki Mori (Assistant Professor)
【Location】 Center for ICT Services
【Topics】 Research on secure and reliable Internet infrastructure
【Keywords】 Internet Operations and Management Technologies / Distributed Systems Operations Management / System Visualization / e-Learning
【Website】 https://www.v6d.dsm.cis.kit.jp
This laboratory conducts research on distributed systems operations and management technologies as well as e-Learning. Distributed systems refer to systems in which a large number of computers are connected via networks, with the Internet being one of the largest and most familiar examples. To maintain such systems in a secure and reliable state, a wide range of operational management technologies is required, including security measures and system design methods that enhance fault tolerance. In addition, e-Learning refers to educational activities that utilize network-connected computers in environments where individuals can use their own devices. By leveraging distributed systems, e-Learning is expected to enable more advanced and effective educational activities.
Educational Technology
【Staff】 Takayuki Nagai (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Center for ICT Services
【Topics】 Research and development of next-generation digital learning environments
【Keywords】 Online Learning Environments / Learning Data Collection and Analysis / Educational Information System Platforms
【Website】 https://www.et.cis.kit.ac.jp
The era in which large numbers of people shared desktop computers in computer rooms has ended, and it has become common for individuals to use personally owned devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones for learning activities. As a result, educational computing systems at universities are increasingly expected to support not only computer room environments but also various aspects of campus life, including learning and research activities. This laboratory conducts research on distributed-architecture-based educational support environments, including the development of online learning environments using server virtualization technologies, user authentication platforms, lecture recording systems, and the collection and analysis of learning data, as well as sensing and data analysis of educational and learning environments.
Cognitive Behavioral Science
【Staff】 Yukiko Nishizaki (Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Research on cognitive information processing in interactions between humans and artifacts
【Keywords】 Cognitive and Psychological Characteristics / Individual Differences / Cognitive Engineering
【Website】 (Coming soon)
With advances in information technology, the devices and systems surrounding our daily lives have become increasingly complex. This laboratory conducts research aimed at establishing guidelines for better interaction design between humans and machines by elucidating the cognitive and psychological characteristics of people who use complex machines and systems. Using experimental psychology methods, we investigate individual differences in human cognitive and psychological characteristics and seek to propose interaction design frameworks that enable people with diverse characteristics to be individually satisfied. As an applied research theme, we focus on issues related to automobile driving, using driving simulators and related tools to clarify the relationships between drivers’ cognitive and psychological characteristics, individual differences, and driving behavior.
Human Interface
【Staff】 Yu Shibuya (Professor), Wan-jou She (Assistant Professor)
【Location】 Building 8, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Research on useful and comfortable interactions for users
【Keywords】 Human Interface / Interaction Design / Media Communication / Mobile Interaction / Awareness / Health Support Systems / Social Computing / Grief Care / Medical Natural Language Processing
【Website】 https://www.hi.is.kit.ac.jp
This laboratory conducts research on human interfaces. A human interface (HI) refers to the mechanisms that mediate interactions between humans and others (such as computers), as well as the issues that arise in those interactions. Even if machines have excellent functions, they are meaningless unless people can actually use them; human interfaces are essential for enabling such use. Devices with good human interfaces are easy to use, improve work efficiency, and reduce operational errors. Beyond usability, human interfaces that users find appealing and enjoyable are also important. Furthermore, excellent human interfaces are useful not only for interactions between humans and machines, but also for supporting communication and collaborative work between people mediated by machines.
Brain Science
【Staff】 Shogo Kajimura (Associate Professor)
【Location】 Building 7, 5th Floor
【Topics】 Fundamental and applied research on the mind based on psychology, neuroscience, and information technology
【Keywords】 Cognitive Functions / Interpersonal Relationships / Brain Function Measurement / Statistical Analysis / Machine Learning
【Website】 (Coming soon)
Brain function measurement data—often described as big data—can provide a wide variety of information depending on how it is analyzed. This laboratory aims to obtain knowledge and technologies that contribute to improving mental health by analyzing and utilizing brain function measurement data acquired using shared MRI facilities through collaborations with institutions such as Kyoto University and Hokkaido University. Because the mind is an extremely complex phenomenon, our research is conducted through collaboration with researchers from diverse fields. We employ neuroscientific methods such as brain function imaging and non-invasive brain stimulation, sophisticated experimental tasks and cognitive models based on cognitive psychology, and information science techniques including machine learning and network analysis. Research topics are wide-ranging and include team compatibility, emotion prediction during performance, and elucidation of the mechanisms underlying stuttering and the development of treatment methods.