午夜剧场

Now that I am in a position to manage a laboratory, I find myself spending more time thinking deeply about research once again.

My specialty is production and manufacturing engineering, and I conduct research on what is known as monozukuri (manufacturing). I imagine that for many people, terms like processing and manufacturing evoke "hard" words like craftsmanship and technical skills, but it is precisely on these foundations that Japan leads the world.

On the other hand, when it comes to manufacturing involving "soft" words like IoT and AI, I cannot shake the impression that we are yielding that position to other countries. For example, which leaves a stronger impression: Japan's "Society 5.0" or Germany's "Industry 4.0"? In truth, Japan is at the world's top level regardless of whether it is "hard" or "soft"... it is quite frustrating.

I have many thoughts on this matter, but I will save that for another occasion. I am challenging myself with "manufacturing that creates functions" by utilizing such manufacturing technologies.

This is also the core of biomimetics (biological imitation); living organisms possess various functions by "changing" themselves to adapt to their environment through the process of evolution.

My research aims to give materials themselves various functions, just like living organisms, by imitating these creatures and applying "changes" to the materials. I have created many functions so far. This is the exact moment when manufacturing leaps off the "blueprint."

So, what to think about next? One direction is the expansion into "soft" manufacturing, such as how to optimize or automate the processes that create those functions. Process DX—this is, of course, essential. It is already in motion.

What else? You are likely familiar with iPS cells. These are pluripotent cells that can grow into desired tissues according to the internal environment by incorporating certain genes. Wait a minute—could we then make "materials" pluripotent? In other words, could we create "pluripotent materials" that can grow into desired functions according to the environment of use by incorporating (modifying) something into the material?

"Material Mimetics"—this is a term I coined, but it would be fascinating if humans and other living things began to imitate the "growth" of materials.