Annual Report 2020
Research Institute of Electrical Communication
Tohoku University

1. Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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2. Organization Chart -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -5

3. Research Activities -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -7

Research Divisions
・

Information Devices Division

・

Broadband Engineering Division・

Human Information Systems Division

・

Systems & Software Division--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -715------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Laboratories and Centers
・Laboratory for Nanoelectoronics and Spintoronics

・--------------------------------------------------------------

42

Laboratory for Brainware Systems-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

46

・

Recognition and Learning Systems-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -48

・Research Center for 21st Century Information Technology

・Management Office for Safety and Health・

Flexible Information System Center・

Fundamental Technology Center・Ad-hoc research groups----------------------------------------------

49------------------------------------------------------------------------------

55-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

56------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

58------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Related Organizations and Programs, etc.
・Division for the Establishment of Frontier Sciences -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61・Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics (CSIS)

・Center for Innovative Integrated Electronics Systems (CIES)---------------------------------------

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・

Research Organization of Electrical Communication (ROEC)-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -66

・Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN)--------------------------------------------------------------

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・

Advanced Institute for Yotta Informatics-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -68

・Leading Graduate Program----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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・

Graduate Program in Spintronics (GP-Spin) -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70

・

Advanced Graduate Program for AI Electronics

71-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -72-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

86

6. Study Groups on Electrical Communication
7. International Activities--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

92------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

95

8. Periodicals Published by the Institute
9. Staff, Budget

63-------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects
5. Symposium Organized by the Institute--------------------------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -98--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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2020１.

Introduction

It is the mission of RIEC to realize a new paradigm of communications thatenriches people’s lives. Communication is important in various ways inhuman society. Information communication technology (ICT) has beenchanging the way we deal with information drastically, overriding our
biological limitations and expanding the world of communication from amongpeople to among things as well as between people and things. Such ICT
research is gathering attention for new normal after the coronavirus
pandemic. RIEC is determined to work for future society with further
advanced ICT, contributing to the welfare of human beings by opening up a
new era of academically rooted innovation befitting a university.
The Japan’s Sixth Science and Technology Basic Plan aims to realize aSociety5.0, which is a cycle of innovation toward a super-smart society. The
plan sets out policies for strengthening the fundamental technologies thatwill support this, including cyber security, the “Internet of things (IoT),” bigdata, artificial intelligence, and devices. It goes without saying that theseresearch fields fall under the RIEC’s scope of expertise and that the institutemust play a leading role in furthering them. Meanwhile, universities are
expected to conduct basic researches, some of which would create innovations
that enrich the society. We have such examples in the history of our institute,such as Professor Junichi Nishizawa's three elements of opticalcommunication and Professor Shunichi Iwasaki's perpendicular magnetic
recording. They started related basic researches at RIEC, which opened new
fields in ICT eventually. A more recent case is spintronics, which Professor
Hideo Ohno has led from basic science to application to new devices.
Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) is a device that uses the
spintronics technology, and is attracting public attention as the promising
candidate of a critical and emerging device in the near future ICT. The
environment in which Tohoku University and RIEC operate is constantly
changing. Recognizing roles of university, RIEC must utilize resources
efficiently to execute its mission and develop the environment for the purpose.
Since 2004, the institute’s organizational structure has been organized into
three units: four research divisions (Information Devices Division, Broadband
Engineering Division, Human Information Systems Division, and Systems &Software Division), two laboratories (Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and

1

2020
Spintronics, and Laboratory for Brainware Systems), and the ResearchCenter for 21st Century Information Technology. These units are engaged inresearch aimed at achieving fruition over different time scales (Research
Divisions: 20 years, Laboratories: 10 years, Research Center: 5 years). In
addition, we collaborate closely with Tohoku University's graduate schools insubjects relating to electrical engineering (School of Engineering, Graduate
School of Information Sciences, and Graduate School of Biomedical
Engineering) in order to cover a wide range of cutting-edge research fields
and foster the development of outstanding researchers and engineers.
RIEC has also been certified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology as a Joint Usage/Research Center for collaborative
research in information science and technology. The current fiscal year marks
the fifth year of the program’s second term. As increase of importance ofcooperation across different organizations, our role in advancing theinformation and communication community―both in Japan and overseas―
will become increasingly important. To this end, we are collaborating on joint
research projects with external researchers and engineers from industry,
government, and academia in a systematic manner.
Today, information and communication technology are an essential part of thesocial infrastructure. We must therefore realize faster, higher-capacity
telecommunications with greater energy efficiency performance, while theexperience of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 reemphasized theimportance of ensuring that our social infrastructure has a high resilience todisaster. We are expected to contribute to a new paradigm of information
processing and communication methods that interconnect people in afundamentally different way. Developed by RIEC over more than 20 years,
Brainware has become increasingly important with current trends inartificial intelligence (AI) research. We will continue to address these social
needs by fully leveraging our strengths as a university-affiliated research
center. In doing so, we hope to forge the path to a new world of communication,and through these efforts continue to promote education going forward.
To contribute to the improvement of our research activities and support future
developments, we publish this Annual Report every year to make ouractivities relating to research, education, and social contribution widely
available for public scrutiny. This edition contains reports on a range of

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2020
activities, including the research conducted by each of our departments andlaboratories, collaborative research projects, international activities, social
contributions, the RIEC symposia, activities of the engineering research
association, and RIEC lectures. The bibliography section also includes dataon the various activities we have conducted over the last five years.
We welcome your frank opinions regarding our activities, and look forward to
your continued guidance and support in the future.
July 1, 2021

Satoshi Shioiri
Director, Research Institute of Electrical Communication3

20202. Organization Chart

2. Organization Chart
Director

Advisory Council

Advisory Council

Information Devices Division

Deputy Director

Information Devices Division

Research Divisions

Deputy Director
Faculty
Research Divisions
CouncilBroadband Engineering Division

Broadband Engineering Division
Human Information Systems Division

Nano-Photoelectronics
Solid State Electronics
Dielectric Nano-Devices
Nano-Photoelectronics
Materials Functionality Design
SolidSpintronics
State Electronics
Nano-Integration Devices and Processing
Dielectric
Nano-Devices
Quantum Devices
Materials
Functionality
DesignMagnetic
Devices

Spintronics
Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Communication
Nano-Integration
Devices and Processing
Applied Quantum Optics
Quantum
DevicesAdvanced
Wireless Information Technology
Information
Storage Systems
Magnetic
Devices

Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing
Quantum-Optical Information Technology
Ultrahigh-Speed
OpticalCommunication
Basic Technology
for Broadband
Communication

Applied Quantum Optics
Electromagnetic
Bioinformation
Engineering
Advanced
Wireless
Information
Technology
Advanced Storage
Acoustic Information
Information
Systems Systems
Visual Cognition and Systems
Ultra-Broadband
Signal Processing
Information Content
Quantum-Optical
Information Technology
Real-World Computing
Hybridfor
Molecular
Devices Communication
BasicNano-Bio
Technology
Broadband
Multimodal Computing

Human Information
Systems
Division
Systems& Software
Division

Research Facilities

Laboratory for
Nanoelectronics and Spintronics

Electromagnetic
Bioinformation Engineering
Software Construction
ComputingInformation
TheoryAdvanced
Acoustic
Information
Systems
Communication
Network
Systems
VisualCognition and
Systems
Environmentally Conscious Secure Information System
Information
Content
Soft Computing
Integrated System
Real-World
Computing
New Paradigm
VLSI System
Information
SocialStructure Devices
Nano-Bio
HybridMolecular
Multimodal Computing
Nano-Integration Devices and Processing
Spintronics
Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices

Systems & Software Division

Software Construction
Computing Information Theory
Laboratory for Brainware Systems
Recognition and Learning Systems
Communication
Soft ComputingNetwork
Integrated Systems
SystemNew Paradigm VLSI
System Secure Information System
Environmentally
Conscious
Real-World Computing
Soft Computing
Integrated System
Industry-Academia-Government-Collaboration
Research Center for
New Paradigm
VLSI System
Research Social
and Deveropment
Division
21st Century Information Technology Information
Structure

Research Facilities

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Research Division
exploratory Division

Laboratory for
Nano-Integration Devices and Processing
Division for the
Establishment
of Frontier SciencesSpintronics
Multimodal Cognitive System
Nanoelectronics
andSpintronics
Spintronics/CMOS Hybrid Brain-Inspired Integrated Systems
Nano-Bio
Hybrid Molecular Devices
Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics

Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems

Laboratory for Brainware Systems

Recognition and Learning Systems

Research Organization of Electrical CommunicationSoft Computing Integrated System
Center for Spintronics Research Network

New Paradigm VLSI System
Real-World Computing

Industry-Academia-Government-Collaboration
Research and Deveropment Division
Management Office for Safety and HealthInterdisciplinary Collaboration Research Division
exploratory Division

Advanced
Institute
ResearchCenterforfor Yotta Informatics
21st Century Information Technology

Common Research
Facilities

Flexible Information System Center

Division for the Establishment of Frontier Sciences

Fundamental Technology Center

Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics
Administration
Center for
Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems
OfficeResearch Organization of Electrical Communication

Multimodal Cognitive System
Spintronics/CMOS Hybrid Brain-Inspired Integrated Systems
General Affairs Section
Cooperative Research Section
Library Section
Accounting Section
Purchasing Section
Support Division

Center for Spintronics Research Network

5
Advanced Institute for Yotta Informatics

2020３.

Research Activities

Targets and achievements of the Information Devices Division
The main aim of the information devices division is to create advanced nano-information
devices utilizing physical phenomena. To accomplish this goal, we conduct research on subjects
related to material design, evaluation, process, device, and system. The research developed inthis division provides an important basis for achieving the purpose of foundation of thisresearch institute, and we aim to develop completely new functional information devices fornext-generation information processing and communication. Thus we study new functionalities
employing exotic materials and nanostructures, and apply such functionalities tonanophotoelectronic devices, new dielectrics-based nano-devices for information storage,
quantum electronics devices, spintronics devices, and next generation semiconductor devices.
To achieve the goal, the following 8 laboratories are carrying out researches anddevelopments.
1. Nano-Photoelectronics
2. Solid State Electronics
3. Dielectric Nano-Devices
4. Materials Functionality Design
5. Spintronics
6. Nano-Integration Devices and Processing
7. Quantum Devices
8. Magnetic Devices (Visitor Section)
The research target and the summary of activities of each sub-division in 2020 are describedin the following pages.

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2020
Nano-Photoelectronics

Exploring optical and electronic properties of nanometer-sized structures
and their applications in photoelectronic devices

Nanophotoelectronics Yoichi Uehara, Professor
Nano photomolecular electronics Satoshi Katano, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our main interest lies in studying the physical and chemical phenomena that take place in nanometer-scaleregions and their applications in nanophotoelectronic devices. The summary of our achievements is as follows.
(1) Mechanism of the vibrational structure appearing in the STM light emission (STMLE) spectrum
We clarified the appearance of periodic fine structures in the STMLE spectrum. It was found that when the tipsample gap length is modulated by the vibrations of sample, the tunnel current is modulated. Calculations were
performed for Ni(110)-(1×2)H, AgNP-HOPG and AuNP-Al2O3 systems, which reproduce experimental results.
(2) Finite difference time domain analysis of STMLE spectrum
We found that the vibrational energies of individual adsorbed species are determined experimentally from thestep structure appearing near the quantum cutoff in the STMLE spectrum. We elucidated the mechanism thatenhances the vibration-induced structure ratio using FDTD method. Nanostructures existing in the tip-surfacejunction enhance the local electric field, leading to the increase of the vibration-induced structure ratio.
(3) Microscopic structural control of nanocarbon
Controlling the adsorption structure of graphene oxide (GO) on the substrate is an important issue forapplications such as biosensors and optical elements. In this study, we investigated the control of the adsorption
structure of GO by using hydrophilic (C8H16SH) and hydrophobic (C10F17SH) monolayers on Au(111).
(4) Control of nanoscale photoelectron properties using metal nanoparticle array
A silver nanocube (AgNC) has been attracting many attentions as a new plasmonic material. In this study, we
conducted on the thermal reactions of PVP coated on the AgNC monolayer array. We found the sintering between
AgNCs occurs at a temperature lower than the melting point of AgNC, leading to the deactivation of SERS.
(5) Nanoscale growth mechanism of atomic insulating layer
We have studied the thermal diffusion of the NaCl thin film formed on the Au (111) surface by continuous STM
observations. We found that the growth of NaCl film proceeds via the monoatomic step of the Au substrate.
[Staff]
Professor
Yoichi Uehara, Dr.
Associate Professor
Satoshi Katano, Dr.
[Profile]
Dr. Yoichi Uehara obtained his D. Eng. degree from the Department of Engineering, University of Osaka
prefecture in 1986, after which, he was initially appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Research Institute ofElectrical Communication, Tohoku University. He eventually became a Full Professor at the institute in 2005.
Dr. Uehara has worked on three main surface physics problems at Tohoku University: (1) light emission from metalinsulator-metal and metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) tunnel junctions, (2) low-energy electron spectroscopy, and(3) light emission spectroscopy of STM.
Dr. Satoshi Katano received his D. Sci. degree from Department of Electronic Chemistry, Tokyo Institute ofTechnology in 2003.
He was a postdoctoral research fellow in RIKEN (2003-2006). He joined RIEC, Tohoku
University as an assistant Professor in 2006 and was promoted to an associate Professor in 2012. His researchinterests include surface science and nano-scale molecular optoelectronics.
[Papers]
1.
2.

8

S. Katano, and Y. Uehara, "In situ Observation of Atomic Scale Growth of NaCl Thin Crystal on Au(111) by
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy", J. Phys. Chem. C, 124, 20184–20192 (2020).
S. Katano, T. Iwahori, R. Yamasaki, A. Mizuno, A. Ono, and Y. Uehara, "Localized surface plasmon-induced
vibrational excitations in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering using two-dimensional array of silver nanocubes",
J. Appl. Phys., 127, 185301_1-9 (2020).

Contact to Associate Professor Satoshi KATANO : satoshi.katano.d1@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Solid State Electronics Laboratory

Creating Beyond 5G devices with low environmental load
Solid State Physics for Electroncis

Hirokazu Fukidome, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
To accomplish SDGs, Beyond 5G devices,which are the infrastructure of Society 5.0,
should be constructed with low environmentalload materials. Unfortunately, however, thecandidates of Beyond 5G devices consist of rare
and toxic elements. To solve this issue, we
make efforts to create the Beyond 5G devices
by using low environmental load materials
with excellent electronic properties, such asgraphene and borophene that are 2D materialsof carbon and boron.
In FY2020, we succeeded in developing anovel method of producing a wafer-scale
ultrahigh quality graphene with an affordable
cost, down to 1/00 cost, and graphenetransistors operating in THz frequencies. This
technology attracts much attention from major
companies, such as Shinetsu chemicals andIBM.
Furthermore,
wedeveloped
spatiotemporal operando x-ray spectroscopy,
enabling
spatio-temporally
examining
electronic states of advanced devices.
[Staff]
Associate Professor : Hirokazu Fukidome, Dr.
Research Assistant : Fuminori Sasaki, Mr.
Technical Assistant : Kumi Namiiri
Technical Assistant : Misako Suzuki[Profile]
Prof. Hirokazu Fukidome received Ph.D on chemistry from Osaka University. After serving forBell Labs and RIKEN, he became assistant professor at RIEC in 2008. He has been associate
professor at RIEC since 2012. He has been engaged on two-dimensional Dirac electron systems andtheir operando-microscopy analysis. He was awarded the Best Paper Award from the Surface
Science Society of Japan (2011). M. Ishida Research Foundation Award (2015). RIEC Award (2016).
[Papers][1] P. Padmanabhan, S. Boubanga-Tombet, H. Fukidome, T. Otsuji, and R. P. Prasankumar, “Agraphene-based magnetoplasmonic metasurface for actively tunable transmission and polarization
rotation at terahertz frequencies,” Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 116, No. 22, pp. 221107-1-221107-4, 2020
[2] K. Omika, K. Takahashi, A. Yasui, T. Ohkochi, H. Osawa, T. Kouchi, Y. Tateno, M. Suemitsu, H.
Fukidome, “Dynamics of Surface Electron Trapping of a GaN-based Transistors Revealed by
Spatiotemporally-Resolved X-ray Spectroscopy,” Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 117, No. 17, pp.
171605-1-171605-6, 2020
[3] N. Endoh, S. Akiyama, K. Tashima, K. Suwa, T. Kamogawa, R. Kohama, K. Funakubo, S. Konishi,
H. Mogi, M. Kawahara, M. Kawai, Y. Kubota, T. Ohkochi, M. Kotsugi, K. Horiba, H. Kumigashira,M. Suemitsu, I. Watanabe and H. Fukidome, “High-Quality Few-Layer Graphene on
Single-Crystalline SiC thin film Grown on Affordable Wafer for Device Applications,”
Nanomaterials, Vo. 11, No. 2, pp. 392-1-392-13, 2021 Editor ’s choice
Contact to Associate Professor Hirokazu FUKIDOME : hirokazu.fukidome.e7@tohoku.ac.jp

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2020
Dielectric Nano-Devices

Research on Dielectric Nano Science and Technology

Dielectric Nano-Devices Yasuo CHO, Professor
Dielectric Nanoscale Measurement Systems
Kohei YAMASUE, Associate Professor
Dielectric Materials Science and Engineering
Yoshiomi HIRANAGA, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our main area of interest is evaluation anddevelopment of dielectric materials, including
ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials and theirapplication to communication devices and ferroelectric
data storage systems. Our major contributions toadvancement in these fields are the invention and thedevelopment of “Scanning Nonlinear Dielectric
Microscope” (SNDM) which is the first successful purely Fig.1 Digital bit data written on
ferroelectric single crystal with theelectrical method for observing the ferroelectricareal recording density of 4 Tbit/inch2.
polarization distribution and it has already been put
into practical use. The resolution of the microscope has been improved up to atomic scale-order.
Therefore, it has a great potential for realizing the ultra-high density ferroelectric recording system. In
addition, SNDM can be used for the evaluation of various semiconductor materials and devices.
Major achievements of studies in 2020 are as follows: (1) We revealed a microscopic mechanism ofpotential induced degradation (PID) arising in monocrystalline Si solar cells and also showed SNDM
can visualize p- to n-type transition in atomically thin MoS2 layers on SiO2 (2) We showed SNDM canresolve carrier distribution of floating gates and channel structures in modern 3D flash memory cellswith less than 1.9 nm resolution (3) We proposed a novel local CV mapping method and demonstrated
that it permits the real-space and nanoscale imaging of ferroelectric domain switching dynamics.
[Staff]
Professor : Yasuo Cho, Ph.D.
Associate Professor： Kohei Yamasue, Ph. D.
Associate Professor: Yoshiomi Hiranaga, Ph.D.
[Profile]
Yasuo Cho graduated in 1980 from Tohoku University in electrical engineering department. In 1985 hebecame a research associate at Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. In
1990, he received an associate professorship from Yamaguchi University. He then became an associate
professor in 1997 and a full professor in 2001 at Research Institute of Electrical Communication
Tohoku University. During this time, his main research interests included nonlinear phenomena inferroelectric materials and their applications, research on the scanning nonlinear dielectric microscope,and research on using the nonlinear dielectric microscope in next-generation ultrahigh density
ferroelectric data storage (SNDM ferroelectric probe memory).
Kohei Yamasue received the Ph. D degree in engineering from Kyoto University in 2007. He thenbecame a postdoctoral fellow in 2007 and an assistant professor in 2008 at Venture BusinessLaboratory, Kyoto University. In 2010, he joined Research Institute of Electrical Communication,
Tohoku University, as an assistant professor and, in 2016, became an associate professor. His maininterests include the development of atomic resolution scanning nonlinear dielectric potentiometry
and its applications to the evaluation of the next-generation electronic materials and devices.
Yoshiomi Hiranaga received the Ph. D degree in engineering from Tohoku University in 2006. He thenbecame a research associate in 2006 (2007- assistant professor) at Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication, Tohoku University, and became an associate professor in 2020. His main interests
include domain switching phenomena on ferroelectric materials in the nanoscale area and theirapplications for next-generation high-density data storage devices.

[Papers][1] Y. Cho, S. Jonai, and A. Masuda, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 116, p. 182107, 2020.
[2] K. Yamasue and Y. Cho, J. Appl. Phys. 128, pp.074301, 2020.
[3] Y. Hiranaga, T. Mimura, T. Shimizu, H. Funakubo and Y. Cho, J. Appl. Phys. 128, 244105, 2020.

10

Contact to Professor Yasuo CHO : yasuo.cho.b3@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Materials Functionality Design

Computational Design of Functional Materials for Information Devices
Materials Functionality Design: Masafumi Shirai, Professor
Materials Science under Extreme Conditions: Kazutaka Abe, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our research targets are as follows: (1) theoretical analyses of quantum phenomena in materials foradvanced information devices, (2) computational design of new materials possessing novel
functionalities for improvement of device performance, and (3) development of new design
procedures based on large-scale computational simulation and machine learning techniques.
Our research activities in FY 2020 are as follows:(1) Transport properties at finite temperatures
We developed an ab initio method to simulate the temperature dependence of electronic structure
and transport properties at finite temperatures, considering the effects of lattice vibrations, spin
fluctuations, and the atomic disorder within the coherent potential approximation. The
temperature dependence of resistivity experimentally observed for Co2MnSi can be well reproducedby the present method [2].
(2) Machine learning for Heusler alloy/MgO junctions
We performed first-principle calculations for quaternary
Heusler alloy/MgO junctions (Fig. 1), and recorded physicalproperties such as magnetic stiffness in a database. We
constructed a model predicting physical properties at theinterfaced with the aid of machine learning. The model can
Fig. 1: The structure of apredict the interfacial magnetic stiffness of junctions in highHeusler alloy/MgO junction.
accuracy, i.e. the correlation coefficient of about 0.9.
(3) Dense metallic hydrides
New metallic phases of dense SiH2 and SiH3 are predicted by using ab initio methods. The
superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) of the SiH2 and SiH3 phases are estimated to be 83 K
at 400 GPa and 88 K at 450 GPa, respectively. These Tc values are much higher than those of SiH4
at corresponding pressures, suggesting that high-Tc superconductivity is more likely to be achievedin the subhydrides rather than in SiH4.
[Staff]
Professor: Masafumi Shirai, Dr.
Assistant Professor: Masahito Tsujikawa, Dr.

Associate Professor: Kazutaka Abe, Dr.
Assistant Professor: Hikari Shinya, Dr.

[Profile]
Masafumi Shirai received the Doctor of Engineering degree from Osaka University in 1989. Since
2002, he has been a Professor at Tohoku University.
Kazutaka Abe received Doctor of Science degree from Osaka University in 1998. Since 2003, he has
been at Tohoku University as a Research Associate and currently as an Associate Professor.
[Papers][1] M. Tsujikawa, Y. Mitsuhashi, and M. Shirai, “Theoretical design of tetragonal rare-earth-free alloys with highmagnetisation and high magnetic anisotropy,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 59, Article no. 055506, pp. 1-5, 2020
[2] H. Shinya, et al., “First-principles calculations of finite temperature electronic structures and transport properties ofHeusler alloy Co2MnSi,” Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 117, Article no. 042402, pp. 1-5, 2020[3] T. Roy, M. Tsujikawa, and M. Shirai, “Ab initio study of electronic and magnetic properties of Mn2RuZ/MgO (001)heterostructures (Z = Al, Ge),” J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, Vol. 33, Article no. 145505, pp. 1-9, 2021

Contact to Professor Masafumi SHIRAI : masafumi.shirai.b8@tohoku.ac.jp

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2020
Spintronics

Advanced technology for spintronics-based devices

Nano-Spin Materials and Devices: Shunsuke Fukami, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
We aim to deepen the understanding of spin-related physics and todevelop new functional materials and devices in which electron and its
spin states are controlled. We are also working on research anddevelopment of advanced technology for spintronics-based devices andunconventional computing, which offer high-performance andlow-power information and communication tecnologies.
The outcomes in the last fiscal year include (1) development ofartificial neuron and synapse devices using an antiferromagnet/
ferromagnet structure, (2) demonstration of probabilistic computing
using developed unconventional spintronics devices, and (3)realization of synthetic antiferromagnetic skyrmions allowing
current-induced motion without skyrmion Hall effect.
[Staff]
Professor: Shunsuke Fukami, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor: Shun Kanai, Ph. D. ,Justin Llandro, Ph. D.

[Profile]
Shunsuke Fukami received Ph. D. degree from Nagoya University in 2012. He joined NEC Corp (2005). He
moved to Tohoku University as an Assistant Professor (2011) and then as an Associate Professor (2015). He
received the JSAP Paper Award (2012), the RIEC Award for Tohoku University Researchers (2013), the Funai
Research Incentive Award (2014), the JSAP Young Scientist Presentation Award (2014), the Young Scientists’Prize of Science and Technology by the MEXT (2015), the Harada Young Research Award (2015), DPS Paper
Award (2016), ImPACT Symposium – Best Poster Award (2017), Aoba Foundation Award (2017), Asian Unionof Magnetics Societies, Young Researchers Award (2018), the Outstanding Research Award of the Magnetics
Society of Japan (2018), Gold Prize of Tanaka Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation (2019), the JSAP Outstanding
Paper Award (2019), and Marubun Research Encouragement Award (2021).
[Papers][1] J. Llandro, D. M. Love, A. KovácsJan, J. Caron, K. N. Vyas, A. Kákay, R. Salikhov, K. Lenz, J. Fassbender, M. R.
J. Scherer, C. Cimorra, U. Steiner, C. H. W. Barnes, R. E. Dunin-Borkowski, S. Fukami, and H. Ohno,"Visualizing Magnetic Structure in 3D Nanoscale Ni–Fe Gyroid Networks," Nano Letters 20, 3642-3650 (2020).
[2] B. Jinnai, J. Igarashi, K. Watanabe, T. Funatsu, H. Sato, S. Fukami, and H. Ohno, "High-Performance
Shape-Anisotropy Magnetic Tunnel Junctions down to 2.3 nm," IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting(IEDM2020), 24.6.1, Online, 2020/12/12-18.
[3] K. Hayakawa, S. Kanai, T. Funatsu, J. Igarashi, B. Jinnai, W. A. Borders, H. Ohno, and S. Fukami, "Nanosecond
Random Telegraph Noise in In-Plane Magnetic Tunnel Junctions," Physical Review Letters 126, 117202 (2021).

12

Contact to Professor Shunsuke FUKAMI : shunsuke.fukami.c8@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Nano-Integration Devices and Processing

Deepening of nano-integration technology and development of brain computer
Nano-Integration Devices

Shigeo Sato, Professor

Group I V Quan tum Hete rointegration

Masao Sakuraba, Associate Professor

Nano-Integration Neurocomputing Systems

Hideaki Yamamoto, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
In this laboratory, we focus on non-von Neumann computing such as brain computing andquantum computing, and study their hardware technology. We conduct research on various topics
including device, process, circuit, algorithm, and neuroscience, and build revolutionary newcomputer technology by integrating our findings. In this year, following results have been obtained:(1) Toward the development of neuromorphic computation hardware, we developed a spiking
neuron circuit that can reproduce various neuron pulses with ultra-low power consumption. We
confirmed by numerical simulations that the power consumption of our analog MOS circuit is lessthan 10 nW when it operates in the weak inversion region. (2) Toward the realization of Si crystal
structure transformation into penta-silicene, we performed selective etching of Ge in a Ge/ultrathin
Si/Ge heterostructure in which a 5 nm-thick Si film was sandwiched by Ge. We confirmed thatmicrometer-scale isolated Si films were obtained, which indicates that a crosslinked structure of Si
can be formed by this method. (3) We used computational
simulation to show that the two biologically plausible mechanisms,
i.e., modular network architecture and Hough transformation, help
improve the computational efficiency and robustness against
system damage in a reservoir computing model for image
recognition.
[Staff]
Professor :Shigeo Sato, Dr.
Associate Professor : Masao Sakuraba, Dr.
Associate Professor : Hideaki Yamamoto, Dr.
Research Fellow:
Satoshi Moriya, Dr.

Towards the Realizationof a Brain Computer[Profile]
Shigeo Sato was received his B.E. and Ph.D. degrees from Tohoku University, in 1989 and 1994,
respectively. In 1996, he joined the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku
University. Now, he studies brain computer and quantum computer as a professor.
Masao Sakuraba received his B.E. and Ph.D. degrees from Tohoku University in 1990 and 1995,
respectively. In 1995, he joined the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku
University. Now, he studies group IV quantum heterointegration as an associate professor.
Hideaki Yamamoto received his B.E. and Ph.D. degrees from Waseda University in 2005 and 2009,
respectively. In 2020, he joined the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku
University. Now, he studies neuronal network functions as an associate professor.

[Papers][1] S. Moriya, H. Yamamoto, A. Hirano-Iwata, S. Kubota, S. Sato, “Modular Networks of Spiking Neurons forApplications in Time-Series Information Processing”, Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications, IEICE, 11,
590-600, 2020.

Contact to Professor Shigeo SATO : shigeo.sato.e3@tohoku.ac.jp

13

2020
Quantum Devices

Electronic properties of nanostructures and device applications

Quantum Devices: Tomohiro Otsuka, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
In solid-state nanostructures, exotic phenomena like quantum effects occur. We are exploring
interesting properties of solid-state nanostructures utilizing precise and high-speed electricmeasurement and control techniques. We are also developing materials and devices using
nanostructures.
Our research activities in FY 2020 are the following.
(1) Development of high-speed electric microprobes
We developed the local electronic sensors which can directly
access local electronic states in nanostructures utilizing
semiconductor quantum dots. We improved the performance byhigh-frequency measurement techniques and data informatics
approaches [1].
(2) Measurement of local electronic states in nanostructures
We measured local electronic and spin states in semiconductor
nanostructures utilizing sensitive electronic sensors. We
revealed the detail of local electronic states in new materials
and quantum dot devices [2, 3].
(3) Development of quantum devices
We studied semiconductor quantum bits for future quantum
information processing. We conducted experiments on
quantum bit operations and developed techniques for scale-upof quantum systems.

Figure:Scanning

electronmicrograph of a nanostructuredevice[Staff]
Associate Professor: Tomohiro Otsuka, Ph. D.
[Profile]
Tomohiro Otsuka received Ph. D. degree from the University of Tokyo in 2010. After working for the
University of Tokyo and RIKEN, he became an Associate Professor at Tohoku University in 2018.
He received Research Encouraging Prize from School of Science, University of Tokyo (2010), Young
Scientist Award of the Physical Society of Japan (2017), RIKEN Researcher Incentive Award (2017),
Yazaki Memorial Foundation for Science and Technology Research Encouraging Award (2018), andthe Young Scientists’ Prize of Science and Technology by MEXT (2018), Distinguished Researcher in
Tohoku University (2020).
[Papers][1] M. Shinozaki, Y. Muto, T. Kitada, T. Nakajima, M. R. Delbecq, J. Yoneda, K. Takeda, A. Noiri, T. Ito, A. Ludwig,
A. D. Wieck, S. Tarucha, and T. Otsuka, “Gate voltage dependence of noise distribution in radio-frequency
reflectometry in gallium arsenide quantum dots”, Applied Physics Express 14, 035002 (2021).
[2] T. Otsuka, T. Abe, T. Kitada, N. Ito, T. Tanaka, and K. Nakahara, “Formation of quantum dots in GaN/AlGaN
FETs”, Scientific Reports 10, 15421 (2020).
[3] T. Kitada, M. Seo, T. Abe, M. Shinozaki, N. Sato, T. Aizawa, Y. Muto, T. Kaneko, T. Kato, and T. Otsuka,“Quantum Dots in plasma CVD Graphene Nanoribbons”, International Symposium for The Core Research
Clusters for Materials Science and Spintronics, Online, Feb. 24, 2021.

14

Contact to Associate Professor Tomohiro OTSUKA : tomohiro.otsuka.a5@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Broadband Engineering Division: Research Targets and Results
In order to establish future broadband communication systems and novel devices thatcan be flexibly applied to future ubiquitous ultra-high capacity information
communications, research and development is being carried out over the wide spectrumof microwaves, millimeter/submillimeter waves, terahertz waves, and lightwaves withregard to information generation, transmission, processing, and storage technologies.
(1) Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Communication
We are engaged in research on ultrahigh-speed optical transmission, digital coherent
transmission, and high-speed and spectrally efficient optical transmission by combining
these two approaches. With a view to supporting innovative new ICT services such as
5G and IoT, our goal is also to develop novel transmission schemes integrating opticaland wireless communications.
This year, we successfully achieved a 10 ch WDM transmission of 1.28 Tbit/s Nyquist
pulses with a total capacity of 12.8 Tbit/s over 1500 km, which is the longest transmission
distance at > 1 Tbit/s/ch. We also demonstrated 64 Gbit/s, 256 QAM coherently-linked
optical and wireless transmission with an injection-locked carrier frequency converter
for precise down-conversion of the optical QAM frequency to 61 GHz. 64 Gbit/s data weresuccessfully transmitted over 10 km through an optical fiber and 6 m wirelessly.
(2) Applied Quantum Optics
Novel functional semiconductor photonic devices including photonic integrated
circuits are being investigated to explore next-generation photonic network systems.
A study on high speed semiconductor laser introducing hybrid modulation scheme
was being continued. It was confirmed experimentally that the hybrid modulation
semiconductor laser source we proposed had wide intrinsic small signal bandwidth of
more than 80 GHz by using novel optical measurement system we proposed.
Furthermore the study on compact and narrow linewidth semiconductor laser sources
was also being proceeded by applying the optical negative feedback technology we
proposed. A compact optical filter with Si waveguide was designed to enlarge a frequency
discrimination efficiency and enlarge a feedback gain of the negative feedback system.
It was confirmed that the lasing spectral linewidth was reduced to 50 kHz by hybrid
integration of the fabricated optical filter based on the design to a single mode
semiconductor laser.

15

2020
(3) Advanced Wireless Information Technology
We are actively engaged in research work on dependable wireless information
technologies for next-generation wireless systems, which include terrestrial / satellite
communications. The covered areas of us are all technical fields from the lower to higher
layers, i.e., signal processing, RF/Mixed-signal device, antenna, MODEM, and network
technologies. This year, we have investigated (1) uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access(NOMA) in the consideration of the imperfections of synchronization for wireless IoT and(2) fully digital beam forming antenna fed by direct digital RF transmitters with 10GbE
optical fiber link.
(4) Information Storage Systems
Research on next-generation perpendicular magnetic recording is being carried out
to meet the strong demand for high density, high performance storage due to the rapid
growth of the Internet and web services. To establish high performance data-intensive
analytics, a computational storage analytics platform with unified computing andstorage is targeted in the research and development.
We have been investigating novel, three-dimensional, energy-assisted recording
technologies that enable selective recording on media with multiple, discrete recording
layers. The optimal conditions for microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) witha spin-torque oscillator (STO) and heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) using nearfield light have been identified. The feasibility of realizing the technology that enables adoubling of the data storage capacity has been confirmed. We have constructed a testbed
visualization analytics platform for brain neuro structures with unified PB-class storage
and computation functions. The data access performance for the three-dimensional
visualization of neurons imaged by fluorescent microscopy has been confirmed.
(5) Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing
We are developing novel, integrated electron devices and circuit systems operatingin the terahertz region. One of our major concerns is a new material called “graphene”,
a single-layered honeycomb-lattice carbon crystal.
First, towards the creation of novel current-injection graphene THz lasers, wedeveloped a graphene laser-transistor featured with our original asymmetric dualgrating gates demonstrating coherent amplification of THz radiation with the maximal
gain of 9% at room temperature promoted by graphene plasmon instabilities driven by
dc-channel current flow (Press-released on July 2020). Second, for the realization of

16

2020
photonics-electronics convergence devices, we developed a novel device that introduces aphotoabsorption structure of a unitraveling-carrier photodiode into an InGaAs-channel
high-electron-mobility transistor and successfully demonstrated the gain enhancementof the frequency down-conversion from 1.5-µm optical data signal to millimeter-wave
data signal by one order of magnitude by reducing the active area size of the photodiode.
(6) Quantum-Optical Information Technology
Our goal is to develop quantum information devices utilizing the quantum
interaction between photons and electrons in solids.
In 2020, we have achieved (1) spectral characterization of photon-pair sources via
classical sum-frequency generation, (2) development of high Q mg-scale monolithic
pendulum for quantum-limited gravity measurement, (3) development of photoinduced
Kerr rotation spectroscopy for microscopic spin systems using heterodyne detection, and(4) Optical detection of nano-particle characteristics on a nanofiber and optical transportof sub-micron lipid vesicles along a nanofiber.

17

2020
Research Laboratory of Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Communication

Toward Innovative Optical Transmission from Backbone to Access Networks

Research Area of Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Transmission Toshihiko Hirooka, Professor
Research Area of Lightwave Control System Keisuke Kasai, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Advanced global ICT services such as
ultrahigh-definition video transmission
andultra-realistic
communication
cannot be realized without high-speed
and large-capacity optical transmission
systems. At the same time, opticaltransmission schemes with high spectral Fig. 1. 64 Gbit/s, 256 QAM coherently-linked optical and wirelessefficiency are crucial in terms of the transmission in 61 GHz band using injection-locked carrier
frequency converter
maximum
utilizationoflimitedbandwidth resources. In our laboratory, we are engaged in research on ultrahigh-speed opticaltransmission using optical time division multiplexing with a single-channel Tbit/s-class capacity,
digital coherent QAM optical transmission, and high-speed and spectrally efficient opticaltransmission by combining these two approaches. With a view to supporting innovative new ICT
services such as 5G and IoT, our goal is also to apply digital coherent transmission to accessnetworks and mobile fronthaul, and to develop novel transmission schemes integrating optical andwireless communications. This year, we successfully achieved a 10 ch WDM transmission of 1.28
Tbit/s Nyquist pulses with a total capacity of 12.8 Tbit/s over 1500 km, which is the longest
transmission distance at > 1 Tbit/s/ch. We also demonstrated 64 Gbit/s, 256 QAM coherently-linked
optical and wireless transmission for next-generation RAN (Fig. 1). An injection-locked carrier
frequency converter enabled the precise down-conversion of the optical QAM frequency to 61 GHz.
64 Gbit/s data were successfully transmitted over 10 km through an optical fiber and 6 m wirelessly.
[Staff]
Professor: Toshihiko Hirooka, Dr.
Associate Professor: Keisuke Kasai, Dr.
[Profile]
Toshihiko Hirooka received the Ph. D. degree from Osaka University in 2000. From 2000 to 2002,
he was a Research Associate at University of Colorado at Boulder. He is currently a Professor at the
Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. He has been engaged inresearch on ultrahigh-speed optical communications and nonlinear fiber optics.
Keisuke Kasai received the Ph. D. degree from Tohoku University in 2008. From 2009 to 2012, he
was a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Fellow. He is currently an Associate
Professor at the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. He has been
engaged in research on lightwave control techniques and coherent optical communications.

[Papers][1] K. Kasai, T. Hirooka, M. Yoshida, and M. Nakazawa, “64 Gbit/s, 256 QAM coherently-linked
optical and wireless transmission in 61 GHz band using novel injection-locked carrier frequency
converter,” ECOC 2020, Th1G-7, Dec. (2020).
[2] M. Yoshida, T. Kan, K. Kasai, T. Hirooka, and M. Nakazawa, “10 Tbit/s QAM quantum noise
stream cipher coherent transmission over 160 km,” J. Lightwave Technol., vol. 39, no. 4, pp.
1056-1063, February (2021).
[3] M. Yoshida, T. Kan, K. Kasai, T. Hirooka, K. Iwatsuki, and M. Nakazawa, “10 channel WDM 80
Gbit/s/ch, 256 QAM bi-directional coherent transmission for a high capacity next-generation mobile
fronthaul,” J. Lightwave Technol., vol. 39, no. 5, pp. 1289-1295, March (2021).
18

Contact to Professor Toshihiko HIROOKA : toshihiko.hirooka.a8@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Applied Quantum Optics

Research on Innovative Highly Functional Photonic Semiconductor Devices

Highl y Functional Photonics
High a ccu ra cy op tical measuremen t

Hiroshi Yasaka, Professor
Masato Yoshida, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Novel functional photonic devices including high function laser diode (LD) sources arebeing investigated to explore new-generation photonic network systems.
The study on ultra-high-speed semiconductor lasers is being continued. It was confirmed
experimentally that the hybrid modulation semiconductor laser source we proposed had wide
intrinsic small signal bandwidth of more than 80 GHz. Furthermore the study on compact andnarrow linewidth (less than 50 kHz) semiconductor laser sources is also being proceeded byapplying the optical negative feedback technology we proposed.

Photo of optical negative feedback laser source composed of single mode laser diode and integrated
Si waveguide ring filter (left), and its lasing spectrum (right).

[Staff]
Professor ：Hiroshi Yasaka, Dr.
Associate Professor :Masato Yoshida, Dr.
Assistant Professor ： Nobuhide Yokota, Dr.
[Profile]
Hiroshi Yasaka received M.S. degrees in physics from Kyusyu University in 1985, and Ph.D.
degree in electronic engineering from Hokkaido University in 1993. In 1985 he joined Nippon
Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corporation. Since then, he has been engaging in research anddevelopment on semiconductor photonic devices for optical fiber communication systems. From2008 he has been a professor of Tohoku University.
Masato Yoshida received Ph.D. degree in electronic engineering from Tohoku University in 2001.
In 2001, he joined the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. He iscurrently an Associate Professor of the Institute. He has been engaging in research on fiber lasers
and their application to optical measurements.

[Papers]

M. Kanno, N. Yokota, and H. Yasaka, "Measurement of Intrinsic Modulation Bandwidth of Hybrid Modulation
Laser," IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 32, No. 13, pp. 839-842, 2020. (June) / DOI
10.1109/LPT.2020.2993797[2]
N. Yokota, H. Kiuchi, and H. Yasaka, "Role of modulation bandwidth in narrow spectral linewidth
semiconductor lasers under optical negative feedback," Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 59, No. 10, pp.
102001-1-10, 2020. (Oct.) / DOI 10.35848/1347-4065/abb39d[3]
N. Yokota and H. Yasaka, "Cascaded SSB comb generation using injection-locked seed lasers," Optics Letters,
vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 769-772, 2021. (Feb.) / DOI 10.1364/OL.416825[1]

Contact to Professor Hiroshi YASAKA : hiroshi.yasaka.c4@tohoku.ac.jp

19

2020
Advanced Wireless Information Technology

For realization of the next generation mobile network

Advanced Wireless Information Technology Noriharu Suematsu, Professor
Advanced Wireless Network Technology
Suguru Kameda, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Toward the realization of a ubiquitousand broad-band wireless network, we are
actively engaged in the research work on
dependable and low power consumption
advanced wireless IT. We cover the wholetechnical fields from the lower to higher
layers, i.e., signal processing, RF/Mixedsignal device, antenna, MODEM andnetwork technologies.
We have developed load balancing method
using route estimation of mobile terminal.
We have also developed RF-IC and modules
like sample-hold circuit for high speed andlow power wireless communication system.

Radio wave (UHF/microwave/mm-wave)

MIMO
Multi
Antenna

HPA

Filter

LNA

FilterTx Signal(Digital)

DAC

Voltage controlled
oscillator (VCO)

Tx/Rx
SwitchBeam
FormingTx Mixer

Filter

PLL
FilterControlsignalSynthesizer

ADC

Rx Mixer

Multi-band RF/mmWave CMOS IC
Beam-forming Transmitter/Receiver

Rx Signal(Digital)

Modulator

Encoder

Channel selector
Channel measurement
and estimation
Frequency
domainequalizer(FDE)

Demodulator

Decoder

Heterogeneous/
Channel Estimation
Signal Processing

Fig. The target system ofAdvanced Wireless Information Technology Laboratory.

[Staff]
Professor: Noriharu Suematsu, Ph. D
Associate Professor: Suguru Kameda, Ph. D
Assistant Professor: Mizuki Motoyoshi, Ph.D
Research Fellow: Jean Temga, Ph.D
[Profile]
Noriharu Suematsu received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Waseda
University in 1987 and 2000. From 1987 to 2010, he had been with the R&D center of Mitsubishi Electric, Japan.
Since 2010, he has been a professor of Research Institute of Electrical Communication (RIEC), Tohoku University.
He received the OHM technology award from the promotion foundation for electrical science and engineering in 2002
and Prize for Science and Technology, the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2009.He is a fellow of IEICE
Suguru Kameda received the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electronics Engineering from Tohoku University in 1997,
1999 and 2001, respectively. From 2001, he was an assistant professor of the RIEC. From 2012, he has been
currently an associate professor.

[Papers][1] M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "Novel Dual-Band Wireless Communication System for Medical usage," 2020 IEEE
International Symposium on Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT), pp. 130-132, Sep. 2020.
[2] B. Dang, M. Motoyoshi, J. Xu, H. Sato, S. Kameda, Q. Chen, N. Suematsu, "In-body/Out-body Dual-Use Miniaturized RFID Tag System
Using 920MHz/5.02GHz Bands," 2020 IEEE International Symposium on Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT), pp. 148-150,
Sep. 2020.
[3] T. Yokouchi, K. Akimoto, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "Evaluation of Channel Capacity of Millimeter-Wave Wireless Body
Area Network in Overcrowded Train," IEICE Communication Express, vol.9, no. 9, pp.451-456, Sep. 2020.
[4] K. Ono, K. Akimoto, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "Dual-CTS: Novel High-Efficiency Spatial Reuse Method in Heterogeneous Wireless IoT
Systems," 2020 IEEE 31st Annual International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, TS MAC-NET, Oct.
2020.
[5] K. Yoshida, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, “Effect of Estimation Timing Error on pre-TDE for Narrowband Uplink NOMA,” Wireless
Personal Multimedia Communications 2020 (WPMC2020), Oct. 2020
[6] T. Furuichi, Y. Gui, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, T. Shiba, N. Suematsu, "A Filter Design Method of Direct RF Undersampling On-Board
Receiver for Ka-Band HTS," IEICE Transactions on Communications, vol.E103-B, no.10, pp.1078-1085, Oct. 2020.
[7] T. Machii, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "Gain Improvement of a 130 GHz CMOS Amplifier by Using Radial Stub as AC
Ground," 2020 IEEE Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), pp.770-772, RS35-1, Dec. 2020.
[8] R.Tamura, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "Output Signal Characteristics of Optical Fiber Feed Direct Digital RF Transmitter
Using SFP+ Module," 2020 50th European Microwave Conference (EuMC), pp. 276-279, EuMC14-1, Jan. 2021.

20

Contact to Professor Noriharu SUEMATSU : noriharu.suematsu.a3@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Information Storage System Laboratory

High Density and High Speed Energy Assisted Magnetic Recording,and Computational Storage System ResearchInformation Storage・Computing Systems, Yoichiro Tanaka, Professor
Re cordin g Theory Computation, Simo n Greaves, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Research on next-generation perpendicular magnetic recording is being carried out to meet thestrong demand for high density, high performance storage due to the rapid growth of the Internet
and web services. We use computer simulations to study recording systems and novel technologies
to realize high speed, high density data storage. To achieve high performance data-intensive
analytics, an intelligent computational storage platform is targeted.
We investigate novel, three-dimensional, energy-assisted recording technologies that enable
selective recording on media with multiple, discrete recording layers. In this year, research wasconcentrated on both microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) and heat-assisted magnetic
recording (HAMR), with the aim of doubling the storage capacity. Using MAMR, it is possible torecord data on a medium consisting of multiple, discrete storage layers by utilizing storage layerswith different ferromagnetic resonance frequencies. Optimization of recording medium properties
and recording conditions using the microwave magnetic
field generated by a spin-torque oscillator has beenstudied [1,2]. A HAMR system has also shown thepotential to record data on media with different Curie
temperatures [3]. We have constructed a testbed
visualization analytics platform for brain neuro
structures with unified PB-class storage andcomputation functions. Computation based on the
Xeon-CPU/GPU and unified storage nodes enabled thethree-dimensional visualization of neuron structures
captured by fluorescent microscopy.
Thermal Properties of dual MAMR media[Staff]
Professor: Yoichiro Tanaka, Ph.D.
Associate Professor: Simon Greaves, Ph.D.
[Profile]
Yoichiro Tanaka received his BE, MS, and Ph.D. from Tohoku University in 1981, 1983, and 2006,
respectively. He joined Toshiba Corporation in 1983. He has been at RIEC, Tohoku University since2019. His research focus has been on high density perpendicular magnetic recording and information
storage systems. He received the Japan Magnetic Society Achievement Award (2006) and Okochi
Memorial Prize (2007). He is a fellow of the Japan Magnetic Society.
Simon Greaves has been at Tohoku University since 2003. He developed micromagnetic simulation
software to model magnetic recording and to investigate the potential of magnetic, information
storage devices. He received his Ph.D. in 1993 from Salford University, UK.
[Papers][1] W. Saito, S. Greaves, Y. Tanaka, “Investigation of selective dual-layer recording only using spin
torque oscillator”, Trans. Mag. Soc. Jpn. 4, p1-4, 2020
[2] S. J. Greaves, Y. Kanai, “Optimisation of dual structure recording media for microwave-assisted
magnetic recording”, AIP Advances 10, 125130, 2020
[3] Hikaru Yamane, Simon John Greaves, and Yoichiro Tanaka, “Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording
on Dual Structure Bit Patterned Media”, IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 57, No. 2, 2021
[3] Hikaru Yamane, Simon on Dual Structure Bit Patterned Media”, IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 57,
No. 2, 2021
Contact to Professor Yoichiro TANAKA : yoichiro.tanaka.e1@tohoku.ac.jp

21

2020
Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing

Novel Millimeter-wave and Terahertz Integrated Electron Devices and Systems
Ultra-Broadband Devices and Systems: Taiichi OTSUJI, Professor
Ultra-Broadband Device Physics: Akira SATOU, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Top: Schematic and SEM images ofan asymmetric dual-grating gate
graphene-channelFET
andextinction/gain spectra measured atroom temperature demonstrating
coherent amplification of THz
radiation with a gain of up to 9%(negative value for gain).
Bottom: a cross-sectional structural
drawing and SEM image of a UTCPD-integrated-HEMT
forthe
optical-to-wireless carrier frequency
down-conversion and comparisonof output intensities of downconverted IF signals at 22.5 GHz
from 1.5-µm optical signals using anormal HEMT and the UTC-PDintegrated HEMT.

We are developing novel, integrated electron devices and circuit systems operating in the terahertz(THz) region. First, towards the creation of novel current-injection graphene THz laser-transistors, wedeveloped a graphene laser-transistor featured with our original asymmetric dual-grating gates
demonstrating coherent amplification of THz radiation with the maximal gain of 9% at room
temperature promoted by graphene plasmon instabilities driven by dc-channel current flow (Pressreleased on July 2020). Second, for the realization of photonics-electronics convergence devices, wedeveloped a novel device that introduces a photoabsorption structure of a unitraveling-carrier
photodiode into an InGaAs-channel high-electron-mobility transistor and successfully demonstrated a
giant gain enhancement of the frequency down-conversion from 1.5-µm optical-wave to millimeter-wave
data signal by four orders of magnitude by reducing the active area size of the photodiode.

[Staff]
Professor: Taiichi OTSUJI, Dr. Eng.
Associate Professor: Akira SATOU, Dr. Comp. Sci.
Assistant Professor: Takayuki WATANABE, Dr. Eng.

Research Fellow: Victor RYZHII, Ph.D., Chao TANG, Ph.D.
Secretary: Kayo UENO

[Profile]
Taiichi OTSUJI: received the Dr. Eng. deg. from Tokyo Tech., Japan, in 1994. After working for NTT Labs.,
Japan, since 1984, he joined Kyutech in 1999, as an Assoc. Prof., being a prof. from 2002. Since 2005, he has
been a Prof. at RIEC, Tohoku Univ., Japan. Recipient of the 2019 Prizes for Science and Technology, theCommendation for Science and Technology, MEXT, Japan. A Distinguished Lecturer, Electron Device
Society, IEEE. A member of IEEE (Fellow), OSA (Fellow), JSAP (Fellow), IEICE (Senior), MRS, and SPIE.
Akira SATOU: received Dr. Comp. Sci. from Univ. of Aizu, Japan, in 2008. He was an Assistant Lecturer,
ISTC, Univ. of Aizu, in 2008 and CAIST, Univ. of Aizu, in 2009. He joined RIEC, Tohoku Univ., Japan,
in 2010 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to an Associate Professor in 2017. He is a memberof IEEE (Senior), APS, JSAP, and IEICE.
[Papers][1] A. Satou, Y. Omori, K. Nishimura, T. Hosotani, K. Iwatsuki, T. Suemitsu, and T. Otsuji, J. Lightwave Technol., vol.
39(10), pp. 3341-3349, Feb. 2021.
[2] S. Boubanga-Tombet, W. Knap, D. Yadav, A. Satou, D.B. But, V.V. Popov, I.V. Gorbenko, V. Kachorovskii, and T.
Otsuji, Phys. Rev. X, vol. 10(3), pp. 031004-1-19, July 2020.
[3] V. Ryzhii, T. Otsuji, and M.S. Shur, Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 116, pp. 140501-1-6, Apr. 2020. (invited, perspective)

22

Contact to Professor Taiichi OTSUJI : taiichi.otsuji.e8@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Quantum-Optical Information Technology

Development of optoelectronic devices for quantum information andcommunication technology
Quantum-Optical Information Technology: Keiichi Edamatsu, Professor
Quantum Laser Spectroscopy: Yasuyoshi Mitsumori, Associate professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our goal is to develop quantum information devices
utilizing quantum interaction between photons and electrons in solids. In 2020, we have achieved (1) spectral
characterization of photon-pair sources via classicalsum-frequency generation, (2) development of high Q
mg-scale monolithic pendulum for quantum-limited
gravity measurement, (3) development of photoinduced
Kerr rotation spectroscopy for microscopic spin systems
using heterodyne detection, and (4) Optical detection of
nano-particle characteristics on a nanofiber and opticaltransport of sub-micron lipid vesicles along a nanofiber.

Fig. 1. Example joint spectrum of a photonpair source measured via classical sumfrequency generation.

[Staff]
Professor: Keiichi Edamatsu, Dr.
Associate Professor: Yasuyoshi Mitsumori, Dr.
[Profile]
Keiichi Edamatsu received B.S., M.S., and D.S. degrees in Physics from Tohoku University. He was a
Research Associate in Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku University, a Visiting Associate in California
Institute of Technology, and an Associate Professor in Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka
University.
Yasuyoshi Mitsumori received B.S., M.S. and D.S. degrees in Applied Physics from Tokyo Institute ofTechnology. He was a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, a Researcher
in NTT Basic Research Laboratories, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Tokyo Institute of Technology, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Communications Research Laboratory, a Research Associate in Research Institute ofElectrical Communication, Tohoku University.

[Papers][1] S.B. Cataño-Lopez, J.G. Santiago-Condori, K. Edamatsu, N. Matsumoto, “High Q mg-scale monolithic pendulum forquantum-limited gravity measurements”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 2221102/1-6 (2020).
[2] M. Sugawara, Y. Mitsumori, K. Edamatsu, M. Sadgrove, “Optical detection of nano-particle characteristics using coupling to a nano-waveguide”, Opt. Exp. 28, 18938-18945 (2020).
[3] T. Yhoshino, D. Yamaura, M. Komiya, M. Sugawara, Y. Mitsumori, M. Niwano, A. Hirano-Iwata, K. Edamatsu, and M.
Sadgrove, “Optical transport of sub-micron lipid vesicles along a nanofiber”, Opt. Exp. 28, 38527-38538 (2020)[4] F. Kaneda, J. Oikawa, M. Yabuno, F. China, S. Miki, H. Terai, Y. Mitsumori, and K. Edamatsu, “Spectral characterization of photon-pair sources via classical sum-frequency generation”, Opt. Exp. 28, 38993-39004 (2020).
[5] Y. Mitsumori, K. Uedaira, S. Shimomura, and K. Edamatsu, “Photoinduced Kerr rotation spectroscopy for microscopic
spin systems using heterodyne detection”, Opt. Exp. 29, 10386-10394 (2021).
[6] P. Vidil and K. Edamatsu, “Nonlocal generalized quantum measurements of bipartite spin products without maximal
entanglement”, New J. Phys. 23, 043004/1-10 (2021).
Contact to Professor Keiichi EDAMATSU : keiichi.edamatsu.e3@tohoku.ac.jp

23

2020
Aims and Achievements of Human Information Systems Division
To realize advanced information communications systems, it is essential to understandand apply sophisticated information processing mechanisms of human being as well as toestablish communications environments in that human can communicate anywhere,anytime without recognizing the communications tools. The aim of this division is toresearch and develop core and system technologies essential to advanced human friendly
information and communications systems through understanding biological information
generation mechanisms, human information processing mechanisms focusing on acoustic
and visual inputs, and optimizing the communications environments.
To achieve the goal of the Division, six laboratories have been carrying out researches
and developments in the following areas: (1) Electromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering,(2) Advanced Acoustic Information Systems, (3) Visual Cognition and Systems, (4)Information Content, (5) Real-world computing, (6) Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices, (7)Multimodal Cognitive System Laboratory.
The goals and achievements in the fiscal year 2020 of each laboratory are describedin detail below.
(1) Electromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering(Aims) This laboratory aims at obtaining the high accuracy sensor system for the signals
from the human body or electric devices and at obtaining the system for approaching action
to the human body by using the nano-scale controlled magnetic materials and by thedevelopment of the devices under the functions of the magnetics.
(Achievements) To develop a highly sensitive microvibration measuring system, we workedon the fabrication of high sensitive strain sensors on a Si wafer and the design of detection
circuits with ultra-low noise. The obtained proto-type system shows extra-high sensitivity
compare with the commercial products. On the work of high frequency magnetic fieldmeasuring system, we have succeeded to measure up to 6GHz magnetic field by our
proposed system. This system could visualize the high-frequency field distribution of thecircuits. We proposed a new mechanism for micro-power generator with vibration. Using aphase transformation of the magnetic materials, new power generation system was
obtained.
(2) Advanced Acoustic Information Systems(Aims) To propose high-definition communication systems that convey a rich and naturalsense of presence. To this end, we are developing acoustic information processing
technologies based on well-grounded knowledge of the human auditory system and themultimodal perception processes related to hearing.

24

2020
(Achievements) We have focused on how humans extract target sound from distractor
sounds by using auditory selective attention. In this fiscal year, the effect of auditory
selective attention in the spatial domain was investigated. We observed the effect of auditory
selective attention when the listeners continuously directed their attention to a specificdirection. Moreover, this effect depended on the listening tasks the listeners were doing. In
addition, we developed advanced acoustic systems, such as 3D virtual auditory displays,
sound acquisition and presentation systems. We proposed sound field synthesis method
using distributed spherical microphone array based on spherical harmonic analysis.
(3) Visual Cognition and Systems(Aims) To understand the vision-related brain functions in order to apply the knowledge torealize human oriented information communication systems.
(Achievements) Firstly, we investigated the contribution of slow- and fast-motion
mechanisms to global motion using motion aftereffect (MAE), and found large contribution of
the slow-motion mechanism and little or no contribution of the fast-motion mechanism.
These results suggest that the human visual system multiple motion processes specialized
different stimulus conditions. Secondly, we interviewed performers and spectators (allprofessional dancers) while they watched the videotaped and reduced stick-figure versionsof short dance improvisations created in a laboratory installed with motion-capture sensors.
Based on the individual narratives, we propose that MA, understood not extensionally (as an
empty space or a silent gap), but is intentionally/internally as a certain quality of attention or
perceptual mode. This conceptualization of MA is important for the basic research of theinterpersonal perception/action as well as for future technologies of nonverbal
communications.
(4) Information Content(Aims) As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, everything around us coming online andjoining integrated networks. Even everyday items like furniture are going digital. We view all
artifacts, physical and digital, as content. Honoring the unique perspectives of people,
systems, and the environments they inhabit, we study the interactions between types ofcontent, with the ultimate goal of formulating cohesive, holistic, and intuitive approaches that
promote efficiency, ease of use, and effective communication, we focus on content design toenhance living.
(Achievements) This year, we mainly contributed novel mechanisms that expand existing
magnetic-based dexterous 3D motion tracking technologies using deep learning andstructure-aware filtering techniques. Second, we proposed a spatial virtual reality userinterface that offers haptic infrastructure for room-scale virtual environment, where multiple
robotic props are dynamically coordinated based on user’s motion prediction algorithms.

25

2020
(5) Real-world computing(Aims) This laboratory aims at understanding the mechanism underlying adaptive andresilient behavior of animals from the viewpoint of decentralized control schemes.
(Achievements) The main contributions achieved in 2020 are summarized as follows: (1) wehave proposed a decentralized control mechanism for the body-limb coordination underlying
quadruped locomotion; (2) we have proposed a decentralized control scheme for adaptive
locomotion of snakes; (3) we have proposed a decentralized control scheme for adaptive
one-dimensional crawling locomotion. (4) we have proposed a decentralized control
mechanism for biofilm formation through interaction among bacterial cells; (5) we haveclarified a community formation process of vampire bats that survive in harsh environments
by sharing foods.
(6) Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices(Aims) Our research activities focus on development of sophisticated molecular-scale
devices through the combination of well-established microfabrication techniques andvarious soft materials, such as biomaterials and organic materials.
(Achievements) This year, we developed a solvent-free artificial cell membrane array basedon microfabricated Si chips. Parallel recordings of the hERG channel activities in themultiple bilayer lipid membranes were demonstrated, showing the potential of this system asa high-throughput screening for ion-channel proteins. We also constructed a microfluidic
device for controlling modular architecture of neuronal networks in dissociated culture. We
showed that micropatterned neuronal networks exhibit spontaneous activity with higher
functional complexity compared to conventional, unpatterned neuronal networks. Finally, wedeveloped novel sensitive sensors based on organic and nanostructured materials, such as
piezoelectric PVDF-based pressure sensors and gas sensors based on TiO2 nanotube film
decorated with Pt nanoparticles.
(7) Multimodal Cognitive System(Aims) This group aims to study the basic mechanisms underlying multimodal cognitive
systems, including vision, audition, tactile sensation, gustation and olfaction, together withthe related groups such as the Advanced Acoustic Information Systems and the Visual
Cognition and Systems groups.
(Achievements) In this year, we have done some studies about the followings; theinteraction between food texture and kinetic sensation of masticatory muscle; the differenceof gustatory evoked color-images with auditory evoked color-images; an interactive effect ofcolors and odors on evaluating the utilities of products. We have also started the cognitive
studies about the effect of audition on binocular rivalry, the differences of attentional systemof vision and of audition, the interactive mechanisms of audition with somatosensation, andthe comparison of the effects of vision with audition on affection and arousal.

26

2020
Electromagnetic Bioinformation Engineering

Communication with human body
Ele ctroma gneti c Bioinforma tion En gineering, Kazushi Ishiya ma, Professor
Electromagnetic Biomaterial Engineering, Shuichiro Hashi, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
To develop a high sensitive microvibration measurement system, fabrication of high sensitive strain
sensors on Si wafer and the design of detection circuits with low noise were carried out. Imaging
sensitivity of high frequency magnetic field measuring system was promoted by applying newtechnologies. In addition, wireless magnetic motion capture system with four-excitation-coils wasstudied to improve its detection accuracy. We revealed that (100)[001] silicon steel sheet or (110)[001]silicon steel sheet were useful as magnetostrictive materials for a magnetostrictive power generator toconvert vibrational energy into electric energy.

Si substrate

Strain &vibration sensor
Fig. 1 Strain and vibration sensor using
inverse-magnetostrictive effect.

[Staff]
Professor: Kazushi Ishiyama, Dr.
Associate Professor: Shuichiro Hashi, Dr.

Fig. 2 Image of high frequency magnetic field
distribution for internal circuit of voltage
controlled oscillator (@623MHz).

[Profile]
Kazushi Ishiyama received his MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Tohoku University
in 1986 and 1993, respectively. His research interests are in the area of magnetics and magnetic
applications.
Shuichiro Hashi received the DE degree in Electrical Engineering from Tohoku University in 1998. His
research interests are in the area of magnetic measurement and magnetic materials.
[Papers][1] D. Tatsuoka, S. Hashi, and K. Ishiyama, “Proposal of new synchronization method in high frequency near magnetic
field measurement using pulsed laser,” T. Magn, Soc. Jpn. (Special Issues)., 4, 37-40 (2020).
[2] D. Sora, S. Hashi, and K. Ishiyama, “Evaluating characteristics of strain sensor using inverse-magnetostrictive effectcaused by forced vibration,” T. Magn, Soc. Jpn. (Special Issues)., 4, 41-45 (2020).
[3] S. Inoue, T. Okada, S. Fujieda, F. Osanai, S. Hashi, K. Ishiyama, S. Seino, T. Nakagawa, T. A. Yamamoto, and S.
Suzuki, “High-performance vibration power generation using polycrystalline Fe–Co-based alloy due to large inverse
magnetostrictive effect,” AIP Advances 11, 035021 (2021).

Contact to Professor Kazushi ISHIYAMA : kazushi.ishiyama.d8@tohoku.ac.jp

27

2020
Advanced Acoustic Information Systems

Towards high-level acoustic information communication systems
Advanced Acoustic Information Systems: Shuichi Sakamoto, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our research goal is to clarify how humans process
information through "hearing," which is one of themost important modalities in human perception. In
addition, we investigate the multimodal processing ofauditory and visual information, as well as
proprioception. Our findings are applied towards thedevelopment of advanced acoustic communication
systems and user interfaces, including the realistic
and comfortable expression of three-dimensional (3D)
sound spaces. One typical example is the developmentof new type of 3D auditory displays, which present
spatial sound images by simulating the transfer
functions for the sound paths from the sound sources Fig. 1 Application for the training ofto the listeners' external ears. Another example is the spatial cognition using a high-definition
proposal of 3D sound field information sensing systems. virtual auditory display
These systems are expected to convey a high-quality virtual sound space, which is keenly sought for
multimedia communications, cyberspace systems and virtual reality systems.
In FY2020, we focused on how humans extract target speech information from distractor sounds byusing auditory selective attention. In this year, the effect of auditory selective attention in the spatial
domain was analyzed. The auditory spatial attention is one of the important mechanisms to realize
cocktail party effects. By directing the attention to the specific direction, humans can extract thetarget sound easily from spatially distributed distractors. We investigated the effects of listening task
on the auditory spatial attention. The results suggest that auditory spatial attention has a strong
effect on speech recognition tasks, whereas the auditory spatial attention has a weaker effect on
detection tasks of target sound.
[Staff]
Professor: Dr. Shuichi Sakamoto[Profile]
Shuichi Sakamoto graduated from Tohoku University in 1997 and received his Ph. D. degree in 2004
also from Tohoku University. His research interests include human auditory and multisensory
information processing and development of advanced multimodal information systems. From 2016 to
2019, he was serving as a board member of the Acoustical Society of Japan.
[Papers]
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

28

R. Teraoka, S. Sakamoto, Z. Cui, Y. Suzuki and S. Shioiri, “Effects of listening task characteristics on auditory spatialattention in multi-source environment,” Acoustical Science and Technology, 42(1), 12-21 (2021).
T. Sato, T. Yabushita, S. Sakamoto, Y. Katori and T. Kawase, “In-home auditory training using audiovisual stimuli ona tablet computer: feasibility and preliminary results,” Auris Nasus Larynx, 47(3), 348-352 (2020).
K. Ozawa, K. Watanabe and S. Sakamoto, "Separation of multiple sound sources in the same direction by
instantaneous spectral estimation," Proc. 2020 IEEE 9th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE2020),
56-57 (2020).
S. Kim, S.-H. Chon, H. Okumura and S. Sakamoto, "Comparing training effects associated with two sets of HRTF
data on auditory localization performance," Proc. AES 148th Convention, 10379 (6 page manuscript) (2020).
Contact to Professor Shuichi SAKAMOTO : shuichi.sakamoto.d5@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Visual Cognition and Systems Laboratory

Understanding human visual system for the better communication
with visual information

Visual Cognition and Systems: Satoshi SHIOIRI, Professor
Cognitive Brain Functions: Ichiro KURIKI, Associate Professor
Attention and Learning Systems: Chia-huei TSENG, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our target is to understand the vision-related brain functions in order to apply theknowledge to realize human oriented information communication systems. We made achievementsin the fields of visual attention, depth perception, and color perception.
Firstly, we investigated the contribution of slow- and fast-motion mechanisms to global
motion using motion aftereffect (MAE), and found large contribution of the slow-motion mechanism
and little or no contribution of the fast-motion
mechanism. These results suggest that thehuman visual system have multiple motion
processes specialized for different stimulus
conditions.
Secondly,
weinterviewed
performers and spectators (all professional
dancers) while they watched the videotaped
and reduced stick-figure versions of shortdance improvisations created in a laboratory
installed with motion-capture sensors. Basedon the individual narratives, we propose thatMA, understood not extensionally (as an
empty space or a silent gap), but isintentionally/internally as a certain quality ofattentionorperceptual
mode.
This
conceptualizaation of MA is important for thebasic
researchoftheinterpersonal
perception/action as well as for future
Visual stimuli used for judgments of ittaikan andtechnologies of nonverbal communications.
MA. Two dancers in joint improvisation.
[Staff]
Professor ： Satoshi Shioiri, Ph.D.
Associate Professor ： Chia-huei Tseng, Ph.D.
[Profile]

Satoshi SHIOIRI Professor Shioiri graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology and received Dr. Eng in 1986. Then, he was a
postdoctoral researcher at University of Montreal until May of 1989. From June of 1989 to April of 1990, he was a research fellow
at Auditory and Visual Perception Laboratories of Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute. He moved to Chiba
University at May of 1990, where he spent 15 years as an assistant professor, an associate professor, and a professor of
Department of Image Sciences Department of Image, Information Sciences and Department of Medical Systems. In 2005, he moved
to Tohoku University. Since then, he has been a professor of Research Institute of Electrical Communication of Tohoku University.
Ichiro KURIKI Dr. Kuriki received Ph.D. degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1996. After that, he worked at Imaging
Science and Engineering Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology as a research associate until October, 1999. He worked as a
research associate at the Department of Mathematical Engineering and Information Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, theUniversity of Tokyo until March, 2001. He worked as a researcher in Communication Science Laboratories of NTT Corporation
until December, 2005. He joined the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University as an Associate Professor
in January, 2006.
Chia-huei TSENG Dr. Tseng is an expert on visual attention, perception, and learning. She received her B.S. and B.M.S. from
National Taiwan University and PhD from The University of California, Irvine, U.S.A.. She was a post-doc researcher atLaboratory of Vision Research at the Center for Cognitive Science, Rutgers University, New Jersey. She has designed science
outreach activities to engage community participation in many Asian cities. She was the founder and director of Baby Scientist
Program and Infant Research Lab in Hong Kong. Before joining Tohoku University as associate professor in 2016, she was auniversity professor in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Contact to Professor Satoshi SHIOIRI : satoshi.shioiri.b5@tohoku.ac.jp

29

2020
Information Content

Technologies for Interactive Content
Interactive Content Design
Human-Content Interaction

Yoshifumi KITAMURA,
Kazuki TAKASHIMA,

Professor
Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, everything around us coming online and joining integrated
networks. Even everyday items like furniture are going digital. We view all artifacts, physical anddigital, as content. Honoring the unique perspectives of people, systems, and the environments they
inhabit, we study the interactions between types of content, with the ultimate goal of formulatingcohesive, holistic, and intuitive approaches that promote efficiency, ease of use, and effective
communication, we focus on content design to enhance living.
In this year, we primarily worked on two topics; first, we proposed a new dexterous 3D motion tracking
system using deep learning and structure-aware flirting [1]. Second, we proposed a novel
encounter-type haptic device for room-scale VR applications using coordinated multiple autonomous
robotic wall-shaped props [2].

[Staff]
Professor: Yoshifumi Kitamura, Dr.
Associate Professor: Kazuki Takashima,
Dr.
Assistant Professor: Kazuyuki Fujita, Dr.
Assistant Professor: Kaori Ikematsu, Dr.
[Profile]
Yoshifumi
Kitamura:
Since
2010,
Yoshifumi Kitamura has been Professor in the Research Institute of Electrical Communication,
Tohoku University. Prior to arriving at Tohoku, he was an Associate Professor at Graduate School ofEngineering, and Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University. While
working at ATR Communication Systems Research Laboratories, he focused on sophisticated userinterfaces in virtual environments. His first formal appointment was in the Information Systems
Research Center Canon Inc., where he was involved in research on artificial intelligence, image
processing, computer vision, and 3D data processing. His formal education was obtained at Osaka
University, B.Sc (1985); M.Sc. (1987); and Ph.D. (1996).
Kazuki Takashima: He received a Ph.D from the Information Science and Technology at Osaka
University in 2008. After working at Osaka University (2008 - 2011). He joined the Research Instituteof Electrical Communication, Tohoku University as an assistant professor in 2011, and became an
associate Professor in 2018.

[Papers][1] Jiawei Huang, Ryo Sugawara, Kinfung Chu, Taku Komura, Yoshifumi Kitamura,
Reconstruction of Dexterous 3D Motion Data from a Flexible Magnetic Sensor with Deep Learning
and Structure-Aware Filtering, IEEE Transaction on Visualization and Computer Graphics (Early
Access), 2020.
[2] Yan Yixian, Kazuki Takashima, Anthony Tang, Takayuki Tanno, Kazuyuki Fujita, Yoshifumi
Kitamura. ZoomWalls: Dynamic Walls that Simulate Haptic Infrastructure for Room-scale VR
Worlds, In Proceedings of User Interface Software and Technology (UIST '20), 223–235, 202030

Contact to Professor Yoshifumi KITAMURA : yoshifumi.kitamura.b8@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Real-world Computing

Toward Understanding Design Principle for Life-like Resilient Systems

Real-world Computing, Akio Ishiguro, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Living organisms exhibit surprisingly adaptive and versatile behavior in real time under
unpredictable and unstructured real world constraints. Such behaviors are achieved via
spatiotemporal coordination of a significantly large number of bodily degrees of freedom. Clarifying
these remarkable abilities enable us to understand life-like complex adaptive systems as well as toconstruct truly intelligent artificial systems. A prominent concept for addressing this issue is“autonomous decentralized control”, in which non-trivial macroscopic functionalities are emerged
via spatiotemporal coordination among vast amount of autonomous components that cannot be
explained solely in terms of individual functionality. We study the design principle of autonomous
decentralized systems that exhibit life-like resilient behaviors from the viewpoints of robotics,
mathematics, nonlinear science, and physics.

Fig.1: Legged robot that cancoordinate body and limb motions
like sprawling quadrupeds

Fig.2: Snake-like robot that cangenerate adaptive 3D locomotion
patterns

Fig.3: Agent-based model of theinterrelation between COVID-19
outbreak and economic activities[Staff]
Professor: Akio ISHIGURO, Dr.
Associate Professor: Takeshi KANO, Dr.
Assistant Professor: Akira FUKUHARA, Dr.
Assistant Professor: Kotaro YASUI, Dr.
[Profile]
Akio ISHIGURO received B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees from Nagoya University in 1987, 1989, and1991, respectively. From 1991 to 1997, he was with Nagoya University as an assistant professor.
From May 1997 to 2006, he was an associate professor, Nagoya University. From 2006 to 2011, he
was a professor of the Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University. Since April 2011, he has
been a professor of Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. His main
research interests are in bio-inspired robotics, nonlinear dynamics. He received 2004 IROS Best
Paper Award, 2008 Ig Nobel Prize (Cognitive Science Prize), 2012 IEEE/RSJ JCTF Novel
Technology Paper Award for Amusement Culture Finalist, Living Machines 2012 Best Paper Award.
[Papers]
[1]

[2]
[3]

S. Suzuki, T. Kano, A. J. Ijspeert, A. Ishiguro, “Sprawling Quadruped Robot Driven by Decentralized Control
With Cross-Coupled Sensory Feedback Between Legs and Trunk”, Frontiers in Neurorobotics, 14, 607455
T. Kano, A. Ishiguro, “Decoding Decentralized Control Mechanism Underlying Adaptive and Versatile
Locomotion of Snakes”, Integrative and Comparative Biology, 60, 1, 232-247
T. Kano, K. Yasui, T. Mikami, M. Asally, A. Ishiguro, “An agent-based model of the interrelation between the
COVID-19 outbreak and economic activities”, Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 477, 20200604

Contact to Professor Akio ISHIGURO : akio.ishiguro.b1@tohoku.ac.jp

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2020
Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices

Development of novel bio-devices through the combination of nanotechnology
and biomaterials
Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices: Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Our research activities focus on development of sophisticated molecular-scale devices through the
combination of well-established microfabrication techniques and various soft materials.
１． Parallel recordings of hERG channel currents basedon solvent-free artificial cell membrane array
We developed a solvent-free artificial cell membrane arraybased on microfabricated Si chips. Parallel recordings of thehERG channel activities in the multiple bilayer lipid
membranes (BLMs) were demonstrated, showing thepotential of the present BLM system as a high-throughput
screening platform for ion-channel proteins. [Micromachines,
12, 98 (2021); Chem. Lett., 50, 418–425 (2021).]
２． Microfluidic device for patterning neuronal networks
We developed a microfluidic device for controlling modular
architecture of living neuronal networks in dissociated culture. Parallel recordings of hERG channel
activities.
We showed that micropatterned neuronal networks exhibit
spontaneous activity with higher functional complexity
compared to conventional, unpatterned neuronal
networks. [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 59, 117001 (2020).]
３． Piezoelectric PVDF-based pressure sensors /Highly sensitive gas sensors using a TiO2

Microfluidic device for patterning neuronalnanotube film
networks.
We developed piezoelectric PVDF-based pressure
sensors fabricated by using a novel poling method. We also
proposed highly sensitive gas sensors using a TiO2 nanotube
film decorated with Pt nanoparticles as catalysts. [Sens. Act.
A, 316, 112424 (2020); Sens. Act. B, 321, 128525 (2020).][Staff]
Professor: Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Dr.
[Profile]
Piezoelectric PVDF-based pressure
Ayumi Hirano-Iwata 2016– RIEC, Tohoku University, Japan,
sensor.
Professor, Doctorate of Science. Memberships: The Japan
Society of Applied Physics, The Japan Society of Vacuum and Surface Science.
[Papers][1]

R. Miyata, D. Tadaki, D. Yamaura, S. Araki, M. Sato, M. Komiya, T. Ma, H. Yamamoto, M. Niwano,
A. Hirano-Iwata, “Parallel recordings of transmembrane hERG channel currents based on
solvent-free lipid bilayer microarray”, Micromachines, 12, 98 (2021).
[2] T. Takemuro, H. Yamamoto, S. Sato, A. Hirano-Iwata, “Polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic films forin vitro engineering of small-scale neuronal networks”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 59, 117001 (2020).
[3] D. Tadaki, T. Ma, S. Yamamiya, S. Matsumoto, Y. Imai, A. Hirano-Iwata, M. Niwano, “Piezoelectric
PVDF-based sensors with high pressure sensitivity induced by chemical modification of electrodesurfaces”, Sens. Act. A, 316, 112424 (2020).

32

Contact to Professor Ayumi HIRANO : ayumi.hirano.a5@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Research Targets and Activities of Systems & Software Division
The goal of System & Software Division is to realize ideal ubiquitous environment where
everyone can freely communicate in real-time with anyone, anywhere, and at any timethrough any kind of information. With the reorganization of RIEC in FY2016, our division has
the following seven research fields related to such high-level ubiquitous systems, softwareand contents by integrating computer and communication:― Software Construction: Reliable and high-level software.
― Computing Information Theory: Fundamental theory of new software.
― Communication Network: Symbiotic computing.
― Environmentally Conscious Secure Information System: Embedded system security― Soft Computing Integrated System: Brainmorphic hardware.
― New Paradigm VLSI System: Post-binary CMOS-based VLSI computing.
― Structure of Information Society (Visitor Section).
An overview of research results from Apr. 2020 to Mar. 2021 of these fields except the visitor
section is described in this section.

(1) Software Construction
We research on theoretical foundations for flexible and reliable programming languages.
We also develop SML#, a new programming language in the ML family that embodies our
foundational research results. The major results of the 2020 academic year include thefollowing. On theoretical foundations, we have considered nominal rewriting with atom
variables, and have developed a new confluence criterion and a sufficient condition forcommutation,

which

generalizes

confluence

criteria.

Onpractical

implementation

methodology, we have extended the last year's result and have established a parallel andconcurrent garbage collection method for lightweight threads, where parallel collection is
performed fully concurrently with millions of light-weight threads. Our benchmark
evaluation showed that this GC-powered SML# out-performs most of existing parallel andconcurrent languages. This GC has been integrated in SML# version 4.0.0 and released to theworld functional language community.

(2) Computing Information Theory
We studied formal language theory as a theoretical basis for software verification andresearch on bi-directional transformation which is applied to data synchronization and data
sharing. One of our research results is a relationship between classes of tree transducers.
Tree transducers, which are transformation models on tree-structured data in formal
language theory, are classified into many classes according to their descriptions, and theseclasses are roughly classified into two types by representation of trees, tree transformationstyle and stream processing style. In our research in FY2020, we succeeded in proving theidentity of expressive power between two classes of the different styles. As a result, we foundthe decidability of equivalence of a particular transformation class in a stream processing
style, which has not been known in previous work. We also developed a computational model
for involutions which can be a basis of bidirectional transformation theory. This model, which
33

2020
is a syntactically-restricted Turing machine, covers all possible involutions and has been
proved to be universal. The model of computation can also be applied to the characterizationof bidirectional programming languages.

(3) Communication Network Systems
We promoted the following research on information networking technologies that support
various human activities and its application. In the area of mobile core network architecture,
we proposed the control-plane signaling method for controlling the demand on the server
resources for accommodating massive M2M/IoT devices, gave mathematical analysis forfunction splitting in 5G networks, and presented performance evaluation methods of mobile
cellular networks considering the interactions between wireless access networks and core
networks.

For new network architecture for beyond 5G, we proposed a new network slicing

architecture, that is based on fine and heterogeneous resolution of network slicing andintroducing sub-slice provider and network slice broker for efficient and scale-free network
slice construction. Furthermore, in the research on agent-based IoT and its applications, we
proposed a dedicated ontology for the flexible coordination of IoT devices, proposed IoT
service composition method utilizing the ontology, and provided a design of the data-saving
mobile agent framework for IoT devices. We also conducted a fundamental study to merge
replicas of isolative operated services without inconsistency.

(4) Environmentally Conscious Secure Information System
We are studying future secure information communication systems from theories toimplementation technologies for constructing advanced information and communication
infrastructures in a safe and secure manner. In this year, as security computing technology
for IoT devices, we developed a hardware architecture that unifies typical encryption modes
based on the international standard cryptography AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) withthe world's highest efficiency in addition to designing the world’s highest efficient AES
hardware. We also found a new implementation vulnerability on low-latency cryptographic
system and developed its countermeasure technology.

The validity of the countermeasure

was demonstrated by an experiment with an actual device.

Furthermore, we developed amethod to significantly improve the stability and efficiency of information communication
systems based on physically unclonable functions extracted from hardware, which are applied
to individual identification and secret key generation, and showed its effectiveness from boththeories and experiments.

(5) Soft Computing Integrated System
We are working on a novel high-performance, highly-efficient, flexible, and robust
brain-inspired brainmorphic computer hardware system, in particular, through physicalcomplex-networked dynamical process using an analog VLSI as a core component. Results ofthis year include the followings. (i) We analyzed the high-dimensional complex dynamics ofthe chaotic neural network reservoir through information theoretic and dynamical theoretic
measures. We also investigated the effects of the exponentially decaying internal state of theneuron on the performance in chaotic time-series prediction and speech recognition tasks. In
34

2020
addition, we implemented a prototype chip for a TSV 3D stacked cyclic chaotic neural network
reservoir LSI. Through the experiments, we confirmed the functionality of the chip. (ii) We
proposed mathematical and circuit models for neuron-like and synapse-like spintronics
devices based on the device temperature dynamics. (iii) We proposed an efficient method to
implement small and high-speed cryptographic hardware based on the augmented
Lorenz-map, and validated it using FPGA experiments. A key exchange method based on thechaos synchronization was also proposed.

(6) New Paradigm VLSI System
Our research activity is to solve the several limitations such as power dissipation,
performance and reliability due to the present binary-CMOS-based VLSI computing. The key
approach to breaking through such limitations is primarily the following two ways: thelogic-in-memory architecture based on nonvolatile logic, and the brainware LSI (BLSI)
computing, which would open up a novel VLSI chip paradigm, called a “new-paradigm VLSI
system.” In FY 2020, we have preliminarily achieved the following two activities. (a) First, wehave succeeded in realizing a high-performance non-volatile memory based on a
spintronics/semiconductor-hybrid LSI fabrication technology. The world's first dual-port
structure for a memory that uses a 3-terminal spintronics device (called SOT-MTJ device) as anext-generation memory that has no volatility, high endurance, and high-speed data
read/write accessibility. It has demonstrated 60MHz-write and 90MHz-read operations due toits simultaneous parallel data-access operation. (b) We have also succeeded in realizing
energy-efficient learning hardware based on CMOS invertible logic (CIL). We applied CIL,
which makes it possible to realize "bidirectional calculation" on a CMOS integrated circuit,which is difficult to realize with conventional CMOS-logic-based computing, to neuralnetwork

learning.

Byutilizingbidirectional

computation,

we

have

devisedahardware-friendly learning algorithm that does not use the error back-propagation method,which is a conventional learning algorithm that requires floating-point arithmetic, and trainsin FPGA and ASIC for small-scale neural networks. As a result, compared with theconventional method, energy reduction of 3 digits or more was achieved while maintaining
the same learning accuracy. The results of this year's research, including the above, are 10
academic journal papers, 6 peer-reviewed international conference papers, and 5 invitedlectures (including 1 international conference), which includes IEEE Symposium on VLSI
Circuits, one of the highest international conferences on cutting-edge integrated circuit
technology, and IEEE TCAS-I, one of the highest academic journals in the field of circuits andsystems.

35

2020
Software Construction Laboratory

Foundations for Developing High-level and Reliable Programming Languages

Software Construction Atsushi Ohori, Professor
Reliable Software Development Katsuhiro Ueno, Associate Professor
Type Inference[Research Target and Activities]
Today's software systems are becoming more and more complicated
SML# Program
due to the need of integrating various computation resources available
in the Internet. A key to control the complexity and to enhance thereliability of such a system is to develop a high-level programming
Type-safe FFIPolymorphic Records
language that can directly represent various resources andautomatically detect potential inconsistencies among the components
OS, C Libraries
in a system. Based on this general observation, our research aims at
Databases
establishing both firm theoretical basis and implementation method
for flexible yet reliable programming languages for advanced
SML#: a high-level and reliable language
applications. Research topics on theoretical foundations include:
logical foundations for compilation and type-directed compilation for polymorphic languages. We arealso developing a new practical ML-style programming language, SML#, which embodies some of ourrecent results such as record polymorphism, direct C interface, and seamless integration of SQL.
The major results of the 2020 academic year include the following. On theoretical foundations, wehave studied nominal rewriting with atom variables, and have developed a new confluence criterion
and a sufficient condition for commutation [1]. On practical implementation methodology, we haveestablished a parallel and concurrent garbage collection method, where parallel collection is performed
fully concurrently with millions of light-weight threads. Our benchmark evaluation showed that SML#
equipped with this GC outperforms most of existing parallel and concurrent languages [2]. This GC
has been integrated in SML# version 4.0.0 and released to the world functional langauge community.

[Staff]
Professor ： Atsushi Ohori, Ph.D.
Associate Professor ： Katsuhiro Ueno, Dr.
Assistant Professor ： Kentaro Kikuchi, Dr.
[Profile]
Atsushi Ohori. He was born in 1957. He received his BA degree in Philosophy from University of Tokyo,
1981; Ph.D. degree in Computer and Information Science from University of Pennsylvania, 1989. Heworked for Oki Electric Industry from 1981 until 1993. In 1993, he joined RIMS, Kyoto University as
an Associate Professor. In 2000, he joined Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology as a
Professor. In 2005, he moved to RIEC, Tohoku University as a Professor.
Katsuhiro Ueno. He was born in 1981. He received the Doctor of Philosophy (Information Sciences)
degree from Tohoku University, 2009. He joined Research Institute of Electrical Communication(RIEC), Tohoku University as an assistant professor in 2009. Since 2016, he has been an associate
professor at the same institute.

[Papers (conference presentations)][1] Kentaro Kikuchi, Takahito Aoto: Confluence and Commutation for Nominal Rewriting Systems with Atom-Variables.
In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Logic-based Program Synthesis and Transformation (LOPSTR'20),
LNCS 12561, pp. 56-73, 2021, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-68446-4_3.
[2] Katsuhiro Ueno, Atsushi Ohori: Parallel constructs of SML# and their performance (in Japanese), Proceedings of the37th annual meeting of Japan Society for Software Science and Technology, 5 pages、September, 2020.

36

Contact to Professor Atsushi OHORI : atsushi.ohori.e8@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Computing Information Theory

Filling the Gap between Humans and Computers

Computing Information Theory

Keisuke Nakano, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Notwithstanding that programming is one of themost typical methods for a human to communicate
with a computer, there is a significant gap between
programs that are recognizable for humans and thosethat are efficiently executed by computers. Programs
described as humans think are highly readable but
are not always efficient. On the other hand, programs
described with carefully considering the behavior ofcomputers show much better performance in timeand space but are very complicated and hardly
maintainable. Our ultimate goal is to fill the gap between humans and computers in programming.
More specifically, our research topics include program transformation and program verification.
Program transformation is to automatically derive well-tuned and efficient programs fromhuman-readable ones; Program verification is to statically (that is, without running) check ifhuman-written but well-tuned complicated programs behave as the programmers expect for any
input. To this end, we deeply study the theory of formal tree languages, such as tree automata andtree transducers, which has a close relationship with the program transformation and verification.
Besides that, we are working on formalizing relevant results in mathematics and theoreticalcomputer science on a proof assistant to make our theory more robust.
[Staff]
Professor ： Keisuke Nakano, Dr.
Assistant Professor ： Kazuyuki Asada, Dr.
[Profile]
Keisuke Nakano received his Ph.D. from Kyoto University in 2006. He worked as a researcher at
the University of Tokyo from 2003 to 2008. He has been an assistant professor from 2008 to 2012
and an associate professor from 2012 to 2018 at the University of Electro-Communications. Since
2018, he has been a professor at the Research Institute of Electrical Communication. His researchinterests include formal language theory, programming language theory, and functional
programming. He is a member of ACM, JSSST, and IPSJ.
[Papers]
[1]

[2]
[3]

Yuta Takahashi, Kazuyuki Asada, and Keisuke Nakano, "Streaming Ranked-Tree-to-String Transducers",
Theoretical Computer Science, Volume 870, Jan 2021 (online first), Pages 165-187.
Keisuke Nakano, "Involutory Turing Machines", Proc. 12th International Conference on Reversible Computation(RC 2020), Oslo (online), LNCS 12227, 2020, pp. 54-70.
Kazuyuki Asada and Naoki Kobayashi, “Size-Preserving Translations from Order-(n+1) Word Grammars toOrder-n Tree Grammars”, Proc. 5th International Conference on Formal Structures for Computation and
Deduction (FSCD 2020), Paris (online), LIPIcs 167, 2020, pp. 22:1--22:22.

Contact to Professor Keisuke NAKANO : keisuke.nakano.a3@tohoku.ac.jp

37

2020
Communication Network Systems

Information Network Architecture for the IoT Society

Information Network Architecture: Go Hasegawa, Professor
Intelligent Network: Gen Kitagata, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
In this year, the following studies had been done. (a) Researches on mobile network architecture toefficiently accommodate a large number of Machine-to-Machie (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT)
terminals. (b) Research on new network architecture for future beyond-5G networks, that is basedon fine and heterogeneous resolution of network slicing and introducing sub-slice provider andnetwork slice broker for efficient and scale-free network slice construction. (c) Research anddevelopment of basic technologies for autopoietic computing platforms that allow various IoT
devices, including mobile devices, to autonomously configure computing platforms for the next
generation of IoT themselves.
Service generation

Disaster/evacuation
information

Internet

Disaster
info service

Large-scale disruption

Security
service

Disaster
info service

Watch overserviceCooperative security cameras
Wireless security buzzer

Personsearch service

Regional
services
Autopoiesis
computing infra.

Network slicing architecture for beyond-5G networks.

[Staff]
Professor： Go Hasegawa, Dr.
Associate Professor： Gen Kitagata, Dr.

Sandals with wireless beacon

Autopoiesis
network

An image of autopoietic networking.

[Profile]
Go Hasegawa received the M.E. and D.E. degrees in Information and Computer Sciences from
Osaka University, Japan, in 1997 and 2000, respectively. From July 1997 to June 2000, he was
Research Assistant of Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University. From 2000 to 2018, he wasan Associate Professor of Cybermedia Center, Osaka University. He is now a Professor of ResearchInstitute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. His research work is in the area of
information network architecture. He is a member of the IEEE and IEICE.
Gen Kitagata is an associate professor of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication of
Tohoku University, Japan. He received a doctoral degree from the Graduate School of Information
Sciences, Tohoku University in 2002. His research interests include agent-based computing,intelligent networking, and resilient networking. He is a member of IEICE, IPSJ.

[Papers][1] Go Hasegawa, Masayuki Murata, Yoshihiro Nakahira, Masayuki Kashima, and Shingo Ata, “Optimizing functional split ofbaseband processing on TWDM-PON based fronthaul network,” in Proceedings of The 16th International Conference on
Mobility, Sensing and Networking (IEEE MSN 2020), December 2020.
[2] Shuya Abe, Go Hasegawa, and Masayuki Murata, “Performance analysis of periodic cellular-IoT communication with immediate
release of radio resources,” in Proceedings of IEEE CQR 2020, May 2020. (Best Paper Award)

38

Contact to Professor Go HASEGAWA : go.hasegawa.a6@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Environmentally Conscious Secure Information System

Advanced information security technology

Environmentally Conscious Secure Information System, Naofumi Homma, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
We are studying future secure information
communication
systemsfromtheories
to
implementation
technologies
forconstructing
advanced
information
andcommunication
infrastructures in a safe and secure manner. In this
year,
we
have
developed
energy-efficient
cryptographic hardware for AES, which is the mostcommonly used cipher in the world. Then, we havealso developed cryptographic hardware whichefficiently executes cipher modes of operations for, forexample,memoryprotection
andInternet
communication. In addition, we have discoveredpractical attacks on cryptographic implementations of
low-latency cipher and message authentication codes Fig. 1: Experiment for security evaluationof cryptographic hardware
with experimental validation (Fig. 1) and developed
its countermeasure. Furthermore, we have developed secure and efficient hardware authentication
systems based on hardware-intrinsic ID from physically unclonable function (PUF).
[Staff]
Professor: Naofumi Homma, Ph. D
Assistant Professor: Rei Ueno, Ph. D
Specially Appointed Assistant Professor: Ville Yli-Mäyry, Ph. D[Profile]
Naofumi Homma received the PhD degrees in information sciences from Tohoku University, Sendai,
Japan, in 2001. Since 2016, he has been a Professor in the Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication, Tohoku University. In 2009-2010 and 2016-2017, he was a visiting professor at
Telecom ParisTech, Paris, France. He received a number of awards including the IACR CHES Best
Paper Award in 2014, the JSPS Prize in 2018, and the German Innovation Award in 2018.
[Papers][1] R. Ueno et al., “Highly Efficient AES Hardware Architectures Based on Datapath Compression,” IEEE
Transactions on Computers, Vol. 69, Issue 4, pp. 534—548, 2020.
[2] M. Oda et al., “PMAC++: Incremental MAC Scheme Adaptable to Lightweight Block Ciphers,” In IEEE
International Symposium on Circuit and Systems, 2020.
[3] S. Sawataishi et al., “Unified Hardware for High-Throughput AES-Based Authenticated Encryptions,” IEEE
Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular papers, Vol. 67, Issue 9, pp. 1604—1608, 2020.
[4] Ville Yli-Mäyry et al., “Diffusional Side-channel Leakage from Unrolled Lightweight Block Ciphers: A Case
Study of Power Analysis on PRINCE,” IEEE Transactions on Forensics & Security, 2020.
[5] Rei Ueno et al., “Single-Trace Side-Channel Analysis on Polynomial-based MAC Schemes,” In International
Workshop on Constructive Side-channel Analysis and Secure Design, springer, 2020.
[6] R. Ueno et al., “A method for constructing sliding windows leak from noisy cache timing information,” Journal of
Cryptographic Engineering,” Journal of Cryptographic Engineering, 2020.
[7] Rei Ueno et al., “Rejection Sampling Schemes for Extracting Uniform Distribution from Biased PUFs,” IACR
Transactions on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems, Vol. 2020, Issue 4, pp. 86—128, 2020.
[8] K. Kazumori et al., “Debiasing Method for Efficient Ternary Fuzzy Extractors and Ternary Physically Unclonable
Functions,” IEEE 50th International Symposium on Multiple-Valued Logic, 2020.

Contact to Professor Naofumi HOMMA : naofumi.homma.c8@tohoku.ac.jp

39

2020
Soft Computing Integrated System

Brainmorphic Computing Hardware System
Soft Computing Integrated System

Yoshihiko Horio, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
We are working on a novel high-performance, highly-efficient, flexible, and robust “brainmorphic”
computing hardware system through physical complex-networked dynamical process using novel
nano-scale devices. Toward the final goal, we are developing integrated circuit and device
technologies suitable for the brainmorphic computer systems, ultra-low-power asynchronous neuralnetwork systems, neuron-like and synapse-like spintronics devices, and a brainmorphic systemarchitecture. During the FIY 2020; 1) We analyzed the dynamics of the chaotic neural network
reservoir (CNNR) using measures for information theory and nonlinear dynamics measures. We
integrated a prototype IC chip for TSV 3D stacked integration of the CNNR; 2) We proposedcompact mathematical models for neuron-like and synapse-like spintronics devices based on thedevice temperature dynamics; and 3) We proposed
an efficient method to implement small andhigh-speed cryptographic hardware based on theaugmented Lorenz-map, and a key exchange
method based on chaos synchronization.
[Staff]
Professor ： Yoshihiko Horio, Ph.D.
[Profile]
Yoshihiko Horio received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Keio
University, Japan, in 1982, 1984, and 1987, respectively. He is currently a Professor with the
Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Japan. From 1987 to 2016, he
was with Department of Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Denki University, Japan, being a Professor
from 2000. From April 1992 to March 1994, he was a Visiting Professor at Center for
Telecommunications Research, Columbia University, U.S.A. His current research interests are in
the area of neuromorphic and brainmorphic hardware systems based on complex physical dynamics,
mixed analog/digital VLSI circuit design, and high-order brain-inspired VLSI systems withconsciousness, self, and embodiment. Dr. Horio received the 3rd Hiroshi Ando Memorial Young
Engineer Award (1990), the IEEE Myril B. Reed Best Paper Award (1991), NCSP Best Paper
Awards (2005, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2020), IEEE NDES Best Paper Awards (2005, 2007), ISCS-ISISBest Paper Award (2008), JSAP Outstanding Paper Award (2019), NOLTA2020 Best Paper Award(2020), IEICE NOLTA Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), Fellow, IEICE (2018), and Emeritus
Professor of Tokyo Denki University (2020). .
[Papers][1] T. Orima and Y. Horio, "A design method for a passive reflectionless transmission-line model based on the cochlea
through parameter optimization techniques," Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications, IEICE, vol. 11, no. 4, pp.
624-635, DOI: 10.1587/nolta.11.624, October 1, 2020.
[2] K. Miyauchi, Y. Horio, T. Miyano, K. Cho, "Design of the nonlinear look-up table in the chaotic pseudorandom
number generator based on augmented Lorenz map," Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications, IEICE, vol. 11, no. 4,
pp. 571-579, DOI: 10.1587/nolta.11.571, October 1, 2020.
[3] A. Shinozaki, T. Miyano, and Y. Horio, "Chaotic time series prediction by noisy echo state network," Nonlinear
Theory and Its Applications, IEICE, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 466-479, DOI: 10.1587/nolta.11.466, October 1, 2020.

40

Contact to Professor Yoshihiko HORIO : yoshihiko.horio.a3@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
New Paradigm VLSI System Research Group

Realization of a New-Paradigm VLSI-Computing World

New Paradigm VLSI System: Takahiro Hanyu, Professor
Ne w Pa radigm VLSI Design: Masanori Natsui, Asso ciate Professor
Ne w Paradigm VLSI Computing: Naoya Onizawa, Associate Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Rapid progress in recent deep submicron regime has led the capability to realize giga-scaled embedded
systems on a chip (SoC), while performance degradation of SoCs due to wiring complexity, power
dissipation and device-characteristic variation are increasingly getting serious problems in the recent
Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) chip. Our research activity is to solve the above problems primarily
by the following two ways: the logic-in-memory architecture based on nonvolatile logic, and thebrainware LSI (BLSI) computing, which would open up a novel VLSI chip paradigm, called a “newparadigm VLSI system.”This year, we have succeeded to design and implement the 3-terminal magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)based nonvolatile memory (MRAM) (Fig. 1), and the stochastic-computing based CMOS invertible logic
that realizes bidirectional computing for training neural networks (Fig. 2).
[Staff]
Professor ： Takahiro Hanyu, Dr.
Associate Professor ： Masanori Natsui, Dr.
Associate Professor ： Naoya Onizawa, Dr.
[Profile]
Takahiro Hanyu received the D.E. degrees in Electronic engineering from Tohoku University, Sendai,
Japan, in 1989. His general research interests include multiple-valued current-mode logic and its
application to high performance and low-power arithmetic VLSIs.
Masanori Natsui received the Ph.D. degrees in information Sciences from Tohoku University, Sendai,
Japan, in 2005. His research interest includes automated circuit design technique, nonvolatile-based
circuit architecture and its application, and design of high speed low-power integrated circuits.
[Papers][1] M. Natsui, et al., 2020 Symp. VLSI Circuits, 2 pages, June 2020.
[2] D. Shin, et al., IEEE Access, vol.8, pp.188004-188014, Oct. 2020.
[3] R. Arakawa, et al., IEEE Trans. Circuits and Systems I, vol.68, no. 1, pp.67-76, Jan. 2021.
[4] N. Onizawa, et al., IEEE Trans. Circuits and Systems I, vol. 67, no. 5, pp.1541-1550, May 2020.

Contact to Professor Takahiro HANYU : takahiro.hanyu.c4@tohoku.ac.jp

41

2020
Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics
The Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics of the Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication (RIEC) was established in April of 2004. Its purpose is to develop and establish
the science and technology of nanoelectronics and spintronics for information technology.
Utilizing the facilities installed in the Nanoelectronics-and-Spintronics building and undercollaboration between RIEC and related laboratories of the Graduate Schools of Engineering,
Information Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, of Tohoku University, R&D on
nanotechnologies of materials and devices in Nanoelectronics and Spintronics are continued
extensively. Furthermore, nation-wide and world-wide collaboration research projects are
conducted to build a systematic database in electrical communication research.
The Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics mainly consists of laboratories of NanoIntegration Devices and Processing, Spintronics, and Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices;
together with the project office of the Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems, andthe groups of Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing, Soft Computing Integrated System andQuantum Devices. These groups cooperatively carry out the research aimed at establishing aworld-wide Center of Excellence (COE) in the research area of nanoelectronics and spintronics.

Highlights of our research activities in 2020 are shown below.

42

2020
Nano Integration●
Nano-Integration Devices and Processing (S. Sato, M. Sakuraba, and H. Yamamoto)(1) Toward the development of neuromorphic computation hardware, we developed a spiking
neuron circuit that can reproduce various neuron pulses with ultra-low power consumption.
We confirmed by numerical simulations that the power consumption of our analog MOS circuit
is less than 10 nW when it operates in the weak inversion region.
(2) Toward the realization of Si crystal structure transformation into penta-silicene, we
performed selective etching of Ge in a Ge/ultrathin Si/Ge heterostructure in which a 5 nmthick Si film was sandwiched by Ge. We confirmed that micrometer-scale isolated Si films wereobtained, which indicates that a crosslinked structure of Si can be formed by this method.
(3) In the fabrication of SiC Schottky barrier diode, influence of Al electrode deposition method
was investigated. We confirmed that, while the electron-beam evaporation method showed apossibility of degradation in crystallinity and interface properties, the RF sputtering method
enabled superior diode fabrication with significant suppression of reverse bias current.
(4) We designed an analog circuit that recapitulates the function of spike-timing dependent
plasticity, a biologically plausible learning rule for artificial neural networks. The number oftransistors in a circuit was reduced by 20% for future implementation in ultralow-power edge
computing devices.
(5) Modular architecture is a network structure that evolutionarily conserved in animals’
nervous system, and Hough transformation is a model consistent with the mechanisms of
information processing in the visual cortex. We used computational simulation to show thatthe two biologically plausible mechanisms help improve the computational efficiency androbustness against system damage in a reservoir computing model for image recognition.
●
Soft Computing Integrated System (Y. Horio)(1) We analyzed the dynamics of the chaotic neural network reservoir (CNNR) using combinations of the measures for information theory and nonlinear dynamics such as
Lyapunov spectrum, permutation entropy, spatial mutual information, average firing rate, andKullback-Leibler divergence. We also introduced complexity-entropy causality plane. We foundthat the exponentially decaying internal state of the neuron greatly affect the performance ofspeech recognition and nonlinear time-series prediction tasks. We integrated a prototype IC
chip for TSV 3D stacked integration of the CNNR; and confirmed the functionality of the
prototype chip through experiments.
(2) We implemented compact mathematical models for neuron-like and synapse-likespintronics devices based on the temperature dynamics. We then tuned the model parameters
using experimental data.
(3) We implemented small and high-speed cryptographic hardware based on the augmented
Lorenz-map using FPGA. In addition, we investigated a key-exchange method based on chaos
synchronization. Furthermore, we prepared for a long-distance communication experimentusing the proposed chaotic encryption system.
Spintronics and Information Technology●
Spintronics (S. Fukami)
Our research activities focus on realizing low-power functional spintronic devices. The
outcomes in the last fiscal year are as follows: (1) Succeeding in fabricating three-dimensional
self-assembly nanostructure made of magnetic material and elucidating the magnetic
structure by means of electron holography, (2) putting forward an analytical and numerical
scheme to derive the current distribution of metallic multilayer based on Boltzmann transport
theory, (3) investigating the spin-orbit torque generation efficiency in heterostructures with
antiferromagnetic PtMn and ferromagnetic CoFeB, and obtaining a new insight of the spinorbit torque generated by antiferromagnets, (4) succeeding in electric field modulation of theproperties of spin Hall nano oscillator, that is promising as an artificial synapse, (5)

43

2020
successfully demonstrating the current-driven manipulation of Neel vector of polycrystalline
PtMn which has a compatibility with semiconductor processes, (6) revealing the mechanism of
all optical switching in ferrimagnet/non-magneto/ferromagnet heterostructure, anddemonstrating a new energy efficient scheme of all optical switching, (7) developing the worldsmallest magnetic tunnel junction down to 2.3 nm with high performance using ferromagnetic
multilayer structure and shape anisotropy, (8) developing a new magnetic tunnel junction
device operated with both spin-transfer torque and spin-orbit torque and achieving the world
fastest magnetization switching of the pulse width of 200 ps, (9) establishing a new theoreticalframework to describe the stochastic behavior of superparamagnetic nanomagnet andachieving the world fastest random telegraph noise of 8 ns.
●
Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing (T. Otsuji and A. Satou)
The goal of our research is to explore the terahertz frequency range by creating novel
integrated electron devices and circuit systems. III-V- and graphene-based active plasmonic
heterostructures for creating new types of terahertz lasers and ultrafast transistors are major
concerns. By making full use of these world-leading device/circuit technologies, we aredeveloping future ultra-broadband wireless communication systems as well as
spectroscopic/imaging systems for safety and security. The followings are the majorachievements in 2020FSY.
1. Creation of graphene-based current-injection terahertz lasers
Graphene, a monolayer sheet of honeycomb carbon crystal, is expected to break through thelimit on conventional device operating speed/frequency performances. Towards the creation ofnovel current-injection graphene THz lasers, we developed a graphene laser-transistorfeatured with our original asymmetric dual-grating gates demonstrating coherent
amplification of THz radiation with the maximal gain of 9% at room temperature promoted bygraphene plasmon instabilities driven by dc-channel current flow (Press-released on July2020).
2. Development of photonics-electronics convergence mixers
To realize the carrier frequency down-conversion from optical to wireless data signals, which
is one of key technologies in future photonics-electronics convergence networks, we developed
a novel device that introduces a photoabsorption structure of a unitraveling-carrier photodiodeinto an InGaAs-channel high-electron-mobility transistor and successfully demonstrated thegain enhancement of the frequency down-conversion from 1.5-µm optical data signal tomillimeter-wave data signal by one order of magnitude by reducing the active area size of thephotodiode.
●
Quantum Devices (T. Otsuka)
We are exploring interesting properties of solid-state nanostructures utilizing precise andhigh-speed electric measurement and control techniques. We are also developing materials anddevices using nanostructures. Our research activities in FY 2020 are the following.
(1) We developed the local electronic sensors which can directly access local electronic statesin nanostructures utilizing semiconductor quantum dots. We improved the performance byhigh-frequency measurement techniques and data informatics approaches.
(2) We measured local electronic and spin states in semiconductor nanostructures utilizing
sensitive electronic sensors. We revealed the detail of local electronic states in new materials
and quantum dot devices.
(3) We studied semiconductor quantum bits for future quantum information processing. We
conducted experiments on quantum bit operations and developed techniques for scale-up ofquantum systems.

44

2020
Nano-Bio Hybrid Molecular Devices●
Nano-Bio Molecular Devices (A. Hirano-Iwata)
Our research activities focus on development of sophisticated molecular-scale devices throughthe combination of well-established microfabrication techniques and various soft materials,
such as biomaterials and organic materials.
(1) We developed a solvent-free artificial cell membrane array based on microfabricated Si
chips. Parallel recordings of the hERG channel activities in the multiple bilayer lipid
membranes (BLMs) were demonstrated, showing the potential of the present BLM system asa high-throughput screening platform for ion-channel proteins.
(2) We developed a microfluidic device for controlling modular architecture of living neuronal
networks in dissociated culture. We showed that micropatterned neuronal networks exhibit
spontaneous activity with higher functional complexity compared to conventional,
unpatterned neuronal networks.
(3) We developed piezoelectric PVDF-based pressure sensors fabricated by using a novel polingmethod. We also proposed highly sensitive gas sensors using a TiO2 nanotube film decorated
with Pt nanoparticles as catalysts.

45

2020
Research Targets and Activities of Laboratory for Brainware Systems
The Laboratory for Brainware Systems of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication wasestablished in 2004 and renewed in 2014. Its purpose is to contribute to the research and developmentof advanced information science and technology for Brainware systems which realize a seamless fusionof the changeable and complex real world and the cyber space.
We aim at establishing scientific and technological foundations and at exploring human-likebrainware computing applications for Adaptive Cognition and Action Systems Division (Recognition
and Learning Systems Group), Autonomous Decentralized Control Systems Division (Real-World
Computing Group), Brainware LSI Systems Division (New Paradigm VLSI System Group and Soft
Computing Integrated System Group), and Brain Architecture Division. The Laboratory for Brainware
Systems consists of the above four divisions which cooperatively carry out the research. At the sametime, they serve as a laboratory for nation-wide cooperative research in the field of Brainware systems.
The technology developed in the Laboratory is expected to enhance the research carried out in thefour Divisions of the Institute, and the research conducted in the Divisions, in turn, is expected toprovide scientific basis for the information technology developed in the Laboratory.

[Research Target]
The goal of this facility is to develop fundamental technologies and their applications that willlead the world to the next-generation information system that seamlessly integrates thecyber-physical world and the ever-changing real world. In order to realize this goal, eachlaboratory participating in this facility has set the following individual goals and promotes
research activities as follows:
Real-World Computing Section: Animals exhibit adaptive locomotion under unpredictable andunstructured environments by coordinating their large number of bodily degrees of freedom inreal time. We aim to understand the design principle of such adaptive locomotion by focusing on
autonomous decentralized control wherein macroscopic behaviors emerge from local interactions
among each individual components. Moreover, we aim to develop artificial agents (e.g. robots) that
46

Contact to Professor Takahiro HANYU : takahiro.hanyu.c4@tohoku.ac.jp

2020
function like animals by implementing the obtained design principle.
New Paradigm VLSI System Section: Rapid progress in recent deep submicron regime has led
the capability to realize giga-scaled embedded systems on a chip (SoC), while performancedegradation of SoCs due to wiring complexity, power dissipation and device-characteristic
variation are increasingly getting serious problems in the recent VLSI chip. Our research activity
is to solve the above problems primarily by the following two ways: the use of logic-in-memoryarchitecture based on nonvolatile logic, and the use of asynchronous data-transfer schemes basedon multiple-valued current-mode logic, which would open up a novel VLSI chip paradigm, called a“new-paradigm VLSI system.”
Recognition and Learning Systems Section: Humans can perform various actions based on therecognition of the outside world that is constructed through multiple sensory inputs such as visionand touch, even though they frequently move their own body parts in the environment. Here we
investigate the adaptive-process and functions of the human cognitive system for action throughpsychophysical experiments. On the basis of the experimental evidence, we aim to createcomputational models of the recognition and learning processes in the human brain.
Soft Computing Integrated System Section: We are working on a novel high-performance,
highly-efficient, flexible, and robust brain-inspired brainmorphic computer hardware system, inparticular, through physical complex-networked dynamical process using an analog VLSI as acore component. Toward the final goal, we are developing integrated circuit and device
technologies suitable for the brainmorphic computer systems. We further intend to realize an
autonomous brain-inspired computer with a sense of self and consciousness based on dynamic andcomplex changes in spatiotemporal network state and structure.
[Research Activities]
Aiming at the seamless integration of the cyber-physical world and the real world, which is thegoal of Laboratory of Brainware Systems, the following research results were obtained. In
particular, the following research results in fiscal year 2020 are an important step towards thegoal as:--Real-World Computing Section demonstrates "Sprawling Quadruped Robot Driven by
Decentralized Control with Cross-coupled Sensory Feedback between Legs and Trunk” reported in
Frontiers in Neurorobotics.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbot.2020.607455/full--New Paradigm VLSI System Section has succeeded in demonstrating the operation of adual-port SOT-MRAM cell array that can read and write at the same time.
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLRSP535812_V10C20A6000000/
https://eetimes.jp/ee/articles/2006/18/news027.html--Recognition and Learning Systems Section demonstrates "Effects of listening task
characteristics on auditory spatial attention in multi-source environment" reported in Acoustical
Science and Technology.
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ast/42/1/42_E2002/_article/-char/ja/--Soft Computing Integrated System Section develops "Cyclic reservoir neural network circuit for3D IC implementation" reported in Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications, IEICE.
https://www.ieice.org/publications/nolta/
The more detailed research results of each section (laboratory) are shown as follows:
Real-World Computing Section:(refer to Real-World Computing Laboratory in Human Information Systems Division)
New Paradigm VLSI System Section:(refer to New Paradigm VLSI System Laboratory in Systems & Software Division)
Recognition and Learning Systems Section:(refer to Visual Cognition and Systems Laboratory in Human Information Systems Division)(refer to Advanced Acoustic Information Systems Laboratory in Human Information Systems
Division)
Soft Computing Integrated System Section:(refer to Soft Computing Integrated System Laboratory in Systems & Software Division)
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2020
Recognition and learning systems laboratory

Understanding the human recognition and learning systems(Visual Cognition and Systems, Satoshi Shioiri, Professor)(Advanced Acoustic Information Systems, Shuichi Sakamoto, Professor)[Research Target and Activities]
To create computational models of the process that thehuman brain integrates multiple sensory inputs fromthe outside world, we are investigating the visual andauditory functions in the human brain for implementing
these functions in hardware under biologically plausible
settings. Our approaches include psychophysics, brain
wave measurements, and computer simulations.
This year, first, we investigated the role of theslow motion detection process for global motion
identification. Analyzing global motion is one ofimportant visual functions to understand the world andalso self. Motion of an object provides shape information
Figure. Directional dependency of auditory spatialattention in the horizontal plane. The listener directsof the object and motion of whole visual field provide
his/her auditory selective attention to the frontal
direction (0 degree). When the target speech sound isinformation of self-motion. The present study revealed
presented
fromthedirection
under
noisy
environments, the listener easily extracts the target
an important role of slow motion signal for global motion
speech sound.
perception. Since we often see slowly moving object andvisual motion through slow self-motion, the use of slow-motion signals to global motion analysis is
physiologically plausible.
Second, we investigated how humans extract target speech information from distractor
sounds by using auditory selective attention. We especially analyzed the effect of auditory selective
attention in the spatial domain. The auditory spatial attention is one of the important mechanisms
to realize cocktail party effects. We measured the shape of the spatial window of auditory spatialattention and revealed that there is no directional dependency in the effect of auditory spatialattention. This tendency was observed not only in front of the listener but also behind the listener.
Moreover, the spatial pattern of the auditory selective attention was different for the listening
tasks.
[Staff]
Professor: Satoshi Shioiri, Ph.D.
Professor: Shuichi Sakamoto, Ph.D.
[Papers][1] S. Shioiri, K. Matsumiya, and C. H. Tseng, “Contribution of the slow motion mechanism to global motion
revealed by an MAE technique,” Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 3995, 2021.
[2] T.J.T. Hsieh, I. Kuriki, I.P. Chen, Y. Muto, R. Tokunaga, S. Shioiri, "Basic color categories in Mandarin
Chinese revealed by cluster analysis," Journal of Vision, 20 (12), 6-6, 2020
[3] R. Teraoka, S. Sakamoto, Z. Cui, Y. Suzuki, & S. Shioiri, "Effect of auditory spatial attention in rear side,"
Proc. 179th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, 3aPP8, 2619-2619, 2020.
[4] R. Teraoka, S. Sakamoto, Z. Cui, Y. Suzuki, & S. Shioiri, "Effects of listening task characteristics on auditory
spatial attention in multi-source environment," Acoustical Science and Technology, 42(1), 12-21, 2021.

48

2020
Research Center for 21st Century Information Technology
Research and Development of the IT-Based Practical Technology
by the Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration[Research Target and Activities]
The purpose of the IT-21 center is development of practical technologies for IT based on theadvanced technologies of RIEC with the partnership among Industry, Government and University.
The term of development is limited less than 5 years. The projects are planned on matching withboth basic technologies in the University and application in the Industry. Combination of thetechnologies of the University and Industry makes practical technologies with availability for thecommercial products. The center actively accelerates to obtain the intellectual properties generated
from the development of practical technology to the Industry. Last year, the center was reformed andtwo divisions are newly established. One is “Interdisciplinary Collaboration Research Division” andit consists of two projects, “Research project of human value estimation of multimodal information
based on informatics paradigm to manage both quality and value” and “Research project of
spintronics/CMOS-hybrid brain-inspired integrated system”.
Another is “Challenging andExploratory Research Division” and it consists of two projects, “Interactive drone content forentertainment / wildlife symbiosis” and “Wireless IoT Technology for a safe & secure mediciation
management system”. Former “Technology Development Division” was renamed to“Industry-Academia-Government-Collaboration Research and Development Division” and it consistsof one group, “Wireless ICT platform project”. Presently, following projects are carried out in thisgroup.

・R&D on Technologies to Densely and Efficiently Utilize Radio Resources of Unlicensed
Bands
From 2017, the mobile wireless technology group has started a project “R&D on Technologies toDensely and Efficiently Utilize Radio Resources of Unlicensed Bands in Dedicated Areas” supportedby the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. In this project, we are going to develop areal-time frequency monitor to avoid the interference between different wireless systems indedicated areas such as factory or office. This year, we have developed a prototype of miniaturized
0.8 to 6GHz-band/real-time spectrum monitor which can detect ms order burst signal/noise. After
field test, we have closed this R&D project successfully.
・R&D on Adaptive Media Access Control for Increasing the Capacity of Wireless IoT Devices
in Factory Sites
From 2019, the mobile wireless technology group has started a new project “R&D on Adaptive
Media Access Control for Increasing the Capacity of Wireless IoT Devices in Factory Sites” supportedby the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. In this project, we are going to develop a
5GHz-band simplified beam forming wireless IoT communication system using Wi-Fi backscatter.

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2020

[Staff]Director: Noriharu Suematsu, Professor
Industry-Academia-Government-Collaboration Research and Development Division(Wireless ICT platform project)
Noriharu Suematsu, Leader, Professor
Suguru Kameda, Associate Professor
Mizuki Motoyoshi, Assistant Professor
Takashi Shiba, Specially Appointed Professor
Yasunori Suzuki, Visiting Professor
Kenichi Maruhashi, Visiting Professor

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Research Division
Satoshi Shioiri, Project Leader, Professor
Takahiro Hanyu, Project Leader, Professor
Challenging and Exploratory Research Division
Yoshifumi Kitamura, Project Leader, Professor
Suguru Kameda, Project Leader, Associate Professor

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2020
IT21 Center Industry-Academia-Government-Collaboration Research and Development
Division, Wireless ICT Platform Project

Dependable Air

Noriharu Suematsu, Professor (Project Leader)
Suguru Kameda, Associate Professor
Mizuki Motoyoshi, Assistant Professor
Takashi Shiba, Specially Appointed Professor
Quasi-Zenith Satellite
Communication

100000km

Location &Short Message

Universal Clock

Dependable AirSpace(Heterogeneous Air Interface)

10000kmDependable
Network Control
physical distribution

CDMA

TDMA

distance

PDC cdmaOne

1000m

W-CDMA
cdma2000

car/ITS

Dependable
Air Interface

HSPA

Multi-mode/Multi-band
Module802.16e802.20

Cellular

Surface

Wide area
802.11 802.11b

PHS

100m

Wireless LAN

High
throuput

802.11a/g

ZigbeeShort range 802.15.4

Non IEEEIEEE (IP friendly)

Bluetooth802.15.1

Mobile Internet
smart grid
medicalplant control

LTEfarming/fishery/
forestryhome network

LTEAdvanced
VHT SG
802.11nUltra highthroughput

10mStandard

broadcast/communication
network

OFDMA

UWB

mmWave802.15.3c
802.11ad

RF-ID

10
Sea

100

10k

100k
10M
1M
Broadband
Narrowband

100M

1G
10G
throughput [bit/s]

Fig. Dependable Air.

[Research Target and Activities]
Mobile wireless communication technology is one of the significant communication technologies that
support the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) society, connected with the high-speed
backbone network using optical fiber. Evolution of the mobile wireless communication technology inJapan is indispensable to keep the leadership in this technology area in the world. The mobile
wireless technology group has been proposing the concept of “Dependable Air,” which is aheterogeneous and highly-reliable wireless network. The Dependable Air is able to work even in theevent of a big disaster. The group has started a R&D project “R&D on Technologies to Densely andEfficiently Utilize Radio Resources of Unlicensed Bands in Dedicated Areas” supported by the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications from 2017. The group has also started a new R&D
project “R&D on Adaptive Media Access Control for Increasing the Capacity of Wireless IoT Devices in
Factory Sites” supported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications from 2019.
[Staff]
Professor: Noriharu Suematsu, Ph.D
Associate Professor: Suguru Kameda, Ph.D
Assistant Professor: Mizuki Motoyoshi, Ph.D
Specially Appointed Professor: Takashi Shiba, Ph.D
[Papers][1] T. Machii, K. Edamatsu, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "Link Design and Received Power Measurement of
5 GHz Band Wi-Fi Backscatter System Using a Miniaturized Antenna Module," 2020 IEEE International Symposiumon Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT), pp. 226-228, Sep. 2020.
[2] K. Edamatsu, T. Machii, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, N. Suematsu, "5-GHz Band Wi-Fi Backscatter System for
Multiple Sensor Nodes Identification," 2020 IEEE International Symposium on Radio-Frequency Integration
Technology (RFIT), pp. 112-114, Sep. 2020.
[3] J. Temga, K. Edamatsu, M. Motoyoshi, N. Suematsu, "A Compact 28GHz-Band 4x4 Butler Matrix Based
Beamforming Antenna Module in Broadside Coupled Stripline," 15th European Conference on Antennas andPropagation (EuCAP2021), T02-A02-5, Mar. 2021.

Contact to Professor Noriharu SUEMATSU : noriharu.suematsu.a3@tohoku.ac.jp

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2020
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Research Division

Research project of human value estimation of multimodal information basedon informatics paradigm to manage both quality

Satoshi Shioiri, Dr. Professor
Nobuyuki Sakai, Dr. Professor[Research Target and Activities]
Human facial expression is related to emotion, perception, cognition, decision and so on. We
attempted to predict preference judgments of images from facial expression while evaluating
images using machine learning methods. We performed preference estimation for images andcompared performance of three models, and found that facial expression proves useful informationfor estimating human judgments.
Fig. 1 Estimation of humanpreference judgments fromfacial expressions andimage features.
(a) Subjective judgmentsfor preference of images
evaluation.
(b) Analyses of facial
expression and image
features for prediction of
the preference judgements.

[Staff]
Professor ： Satoshi Shioiri, Dr.
Professor ： Nobuyuki Sakai, Dr.
Assistant Professor : Kosuke Yamamoto, Dr.
[Profile]
Satoshi SHIOIRI Professor Shioiri graduated Tokyo Institute of Technology and received Dr. Eng
in 1986. In 2005, he joined Tohoku University and he has been a professor of Research Institute ofElectrical Communication of Tohoku University since then.
Nobuyuki Sakai graduated from Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University in 1998.
Then he worked at Hiroshima Shudo University and National Institute of Advanced and Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST) , Kobe Shoin Women’s University. He, then, moved to Sendai in
October 2011, and he is a professor of Graduate School of Arts and Letters of Tohoku University
now.

[Papers]
[1]

[2]
[3]

52

S Shioiri, Y Sato, Y Horaguchi, H Muraoka, M Nihei, "Quali-informatics in the society with yotta
scale data" IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 1-4, 2021
M Harasawa, Y Sawahata, K Komine, S Shioiri、Effects of content and viewing distance on thepreferred size of moving images, Journal of vision 20 (3), 6-6
N. Sasaki and N. Sakai: Effect of valance, arousal, and modality on cortical activities evoked byemotions. Tohoku Psychologica Folia, 79, 12-25, 2021

2020
Exploratory Research DivisionInteractive Drone Content for Entertainment / Wildlife Symbiosis

Yoshifumi KITAMURA, Professor[Research Target and Activities]
This project aims to develop core technologies of interactive drone content for real industrial use
including entertainment and wildlife symbiosis, through close industry/academia/government
cooperation. It is expected to support continuous development of drone technologies through thisinnovation, and produce new industry and services in response to societal needs.
The followings are current research projects:(1) Development of intuitive user interface for a drone pilot(2) Development of crow-type-drone to communicate with crows.
[Staff]
Professor: Yoshifumi Kitamura, Dr.
[Profile]
Yoshifumi Kitamura: Since 2010, Yoshifumi Kitamura has been Professor in the Research Instituteof Electrical Communication, Tohoku University. Prior to arriving at Tohoku, he was an Associate
Professor at Graduate School of Engineering, and Graduate School of Information Science andTechnology, Osaka University. While working at ATR Communication Systems ResearchLaboratories, he focused on sophisticated user interfaces in virtual environments. His first formal
appointment was in the Information Systems Research Center Canon Inc., where he was involved
in research on artificial intelligence, image processing, computer vision, and 3D data processing. His
formal education was obtained at Osaka University, B.Sc (1985); M.Sc. (1987); and Ph.D. (1996).
[Papers][1] Ryotaro Temma, Kazuki Takashima, Kazuyuki Fujita, Koh Sueda, Yoshifumi Kitamura:
Enhancing Drone Interface Using Spatially Coupled Two Perspectives, Journal of Information
Processing, Vol. 61, No. 8, pp. 1319-1332, 2020. (Recommended Paper) (in Japanese)[2] Naoki Tsukahara: Fool the crow (カラスをだます)，NHK Publishing, February 2021.

53

2020
IT21 Center
Exploratory Research Division
Wireless IoT Technology for a Safe & Secure Medication Management System

Safe & Secure Medication Management System using Wireless IoT Technology
Suguru Kameda, Associate Professor (Project Leader)
Noriharu Suematsu, Professor
Takahiro Hanyu, Professor
Kazushi Ishiyama, Professor
Naofumi Homma, Professor
Qiand Chen, Professor
Mizuki Motoyoshi, Assistant Professor
Sensor IC
ID1# of
non-doses
1

ID3

1

ID

1mm

Controller,
TX/RX, etc.

ReaderID3

Tablet & Capsule (with sensor)

Tablet & Capsule

Fig.1 Battery-less tablet-ID# of doses

ID1

2

ID2

1

ID1

ID:2
ID1

Reader(placed near
the throat)

ID2
ID1

Fig.2 Safe medication management system

pasting-type sensor[Research Target and Activities]
Medical costs that continue to increase with progress in aging society and medical advances areserious social problems on the worldwide scale. In order to reduce medical expenses, it is indispensable
to construct a medication management system that enables inventory control and confirmation ofingestion.
This division conducts exploratory research on establishing a safe medication management systemusing wireless IoT technology. The goal of this research is the realization and practical implementationof system construction that allows patients to take medication management just by taking tablet-type
medicine. In this research, we are now studying for the battery-less tablet-pasting-type sensor by
applying wireless IoT technology.
In this year, we designed low power ASK transmitter using SOI-process with high impedance
substrate to increase the efficiency. In addition, the reflector under the loop antenna was employed toincrease the radiated power toward the chip surface. As a result, the antenna gain is improved about
5dB in the Electro-Magnetic simulation.
[Papers][1] M. Motoyoshi, et al., "Novel Dual-Band Wireless Communication System for Medical Usage", 2020 IEEE
International Symposium on Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT), pp.130-132, Sep. 2020.

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2020
Management Office for Safety and HealthRealizing and Maintaining a Safe and Comfortable Environment to Support
Research[Research Target and Activities]

Safety and health seminar (Online)
High pressure gas safety seminar (Online)
1. Outline of the Management Office for Safety and Health
The Management Office for Safety and Health is established to maintain the safety and health ofstudents and staff working at the institute. The use of chemicals, high-pressure gas and radiation in
research activities at the institute entails many risks. The Management Office for Safety and Healthprovides support for safety and health management in research laboratories, experimental facilities
and the Fundamental Technology Center through various activities to ensure safe and smooth research
activities within the institute.
2. Activities by the Management Office for Safety and Health
For the actual management of safety and health at the office, the Safety and Health Committee firstpresents the basic policies of safety management at the institute, and the Management Office for Safety
and Health then plans and executes activities based on them. At the institute, laboratories and otherindividual sections are highly independent of each other; unlike a general corporate organization, topdown safety management is not suitable and measures appropriate for independent sections need to betaken. Various considerations are also necessary for students, researchers, and other members engaged
in research activities as well as faculty staff. At this institute, extremely hazardous materials andfacilities are used, including chemicals, high-pressure gas, and X-ray devices. Since there is also a clean
room and other special workplaces, safety management should be extended by considering them. In
these circumstances, the Management Office for Safety and Health will monitor situations andcharacteristics in each section at the institute, plan and recommend practical management methods
and improvement measures, and support their implementation for the efficient and effective
management of safety and health. The main activities in this fiscal year are as follows:○ Holding safety and health seminar and high-pressure gas seminar for staff and students at theinstitute○ Inspection of and assistance in improving the safety and health management system and working
environment within the institute○ Holding first aid training course○ Investigation of laws related to safety and health and collection of information regarding safety andhealth management○ Providing advice and information to safety and health personnel in each department[Staff]
Manager: Kazushi Ishiyama, Professor

Deputy Manager: Yoichi Uehara, Professor
Nobuyuki Sato, Assistant Professor
Maho Abe, Technical Staff

Haruka Takahashi, Clerk
anzen-riec@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

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2020
Flexible Information System Center
Development and Management of Flexible Information System[Summary and Role of the Flexible Information
System Center]
The existing information systems are inflexible,
meaning that they only provide processing functions
predetermined in their design phase.

The objectiveof this center is to introduce, operate, and maintain
information networks and systems to support
research activities in RIEC, based on the concept offlexible information processing that reflect humanintentions and environment.
Moreover, utilizing know-how obtained throughFigure 1 RIEC network system

practical experiences of the information networks and systems, this center designs and constructs
the state of the art systems for advanced organization, utilization, management and operation, anddispatch of scientific information.
1. Information collection, organization, dispatching, utilization and research support environment.
2. Advanced maintenance, management and operation of network.
3. Technical supports for information networks and systems in the institute.

[Status Report of the Flexible Information System Center]
Management and operation of the RIEC network information system.
At the Flexible Information System Center we manage and operate the server system and theinformation network underlying the academic research conducted throughout the ResearchInstitute of Electronic Communication (hereafter RIEC).
・Maintaining and monitoring the server and network hardware.
・Responding to information security crises.
・Advising and answering problems on the use of network services raised by individual researchgroups.
・Conducting seminars to network managers of research groups.
・Managing the information system accounts.
・Constructing and renewing the official RIEC web site.
・Developing and publishing videos containing the events and conferences associated with RIEC
activities.
・Improving on the security measures of mobile device checked out of the RIEC premises.
・Operating the system with backup power sources under scheduled power shutdowns.

56

fir@riec.tohoku.ac.jp

2020[Staff](1) Steering Committee
Professors: Atushi Ohori, Ph.D., Masafumi Shirai, Dr., Takuo Suganuma, Dr., Hiroshi Yasaka, Dr.,
Akio Ishiguro, Dr., Go Hasegawa, Dr.
(2) Staff
Director (Professor): Atushi Ohori, Dr.
Professor*: Takuo Suganuma, Dr.
Associate Professor*: Gen Kitagata, Dr.
Technical Official: Masahiko Sato, Kenji Ota
Technical Official*:Yuko Maruyama
Technical Support Member: Mutumi Syutou, Riho Ooizumi

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2020
Fundamental Technology Center

Supporting research with high-level specialized knowledge and technology

Overview of the Fundamental Technology Center[Research Target and Activities]
The Fundamental Technology Center provides a wide range of technical support for research anddevelopment through four divisions: Machine Shop Division, Evaluation Division, Process Division, andInformation Technology Division. The following is a summary of the activities of the divisions of theFundamental Technology Center for the current year.
1. Machine Shop Division
Following requests from researchers, the Machine Shop Division supplied 97 machining products.
About 13% of the requests were from outside the institute.
2. Evaluation Division
20 laboratories utilized the evaluation and measurement apparatuses for shared usage (theutilization time was 3,906 hours). 2 glass processing products were supplied. Technical assistance on
the use of liquid helium was provided for 3 laboratories, and 559 liters of liquid nitrogen were supplied.
In cooperation with the administration and the management offices for safety and health, this divisionalso engaged in safety maintenance of the institute.
3. Process Division
In cooperation with the technical office, a section of the Laboratory for Nanoelectronics andSpintronics, 224 Electron-beam lithography products, 21 photomasks and 8 focused-ion-beam micro
products were supplied.

Technical supports and maintenance were provided for operating the clean

rooms of the Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics.
4. Information Technology DivisionThis division operated the in-house network at the institute and maintained shared-useinformation-equipment, in cooperation with the Flexible Information System Center. This division also
engaged in the contracting aspects of collaborative research based on intellectual property rights andgave advice to researchers who tried to apply for the grant of patents.

[Staff]Director (Professor): Shigeo SATO.
Assistant Professor: Nobuyuki SATO.
Technical Officials:

Tamotsu SUENAGA, Kento ABE, Yasuaki MAEDA, Kana SEKIYA, Maho ABE,
Takenori TANNO, Hiroyuki YAGYU, Iori MORITA, Rikima ONO,

Michimasa MUSHA, Masahiko SATO, Yuko MARUYAMA, Kenji OHTA,
Koichi SHOJI.

58

eac-riec@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

2020
Ad-hoc research groups
Taking advantage of the wide range of expertise in the institute, ad-hoc research groups areformed outside of the formal organizational structure to investigate challenging exploratory topics
and needs-based, cutting-edge subjects.

[Group of multimodal attention]
Selecting information obtained through sensory organs by attention is inevitable to live thecomplicated world with dynamic changes. A number of studies have investigated the mechanisms ofattention related to cognitive processes, and little is known about attention effect on action. This
research group investigates representation of space in the brain, which expresses the outside space
based on multiple sensory information. We hypothesize that attention in the multi-sensory spatial
representation is crucial to select action. We investigated interaction between visual and auditory
attention and found the effect of visual attention on auditory perception. We also continued toinvestigate method to measure self-initiated attention as the KAKENHI (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific
Research (A)) project entitled 'Control of audiovisual attention by spontaneous attention,' which
was accepted in 2019.

[Cyber-Physical Security Research Group]
For the next-generation information and communication infrastructures such as IoT, M2M, and
CPS, we aim to developing advanced information security technologies to ensure security andreliability at the level of vast and diverse information sources (i.e., embedded devices such as sensor
terminals) in a vertically integrated manner by various researchers from the viewpoints of software
constitutive theory, system security, hardware security, circuit architecture, next-generation
microprocessor, and so on. In 2020, we continued discussion about our goal and research direction
with several seminars and meetings.

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2020
[Brainmorphic Nano-Devices and Circuits Research Group]
Brain-inspired hardware systems have been actively developed recently. However, a big
break-through to the true brain-like system has not been reached yet. This research group aims at
development and implementation of novel brainmorphic computational hardware that reproduces
the bio-physics and dynamics in the brain directly through dynamics and physics of nano-devices
and ultra-low-power integrated circuits based on the latest physiological knowledge. In this year,
we supported the JST Sato CREST project, organized a special session on brain-type hardware in
the JNNS National Conference, and participated in the thematic program “Designing the
Human–Centric IoT Society” of Tohoku Forum for Creativity, to propel collaborative researches onbrainmorphic computing from broad perspective including brain science, spintronics, analog/digital
integrated circuits, cultured neurocyte, and nonlinear complex dynamics. In addition, we supported
an application to the JSPS KAKENHI (Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas).

[Group of developing the AI clone system]
The aim of the group is to adopt knowledge of the cognitive science to AI (artificial intelligence)and AR (augmented reality) technology. Specifically, we develop "AI clone", which is the model ofrecognition and action characteristics of a person. AI clone enables others to re-experience thetarget person's recognition and action with AR interface. Our goal is to establish the newcommunication technology that improves mutual understanding among people with differences in avariety of aspects, using AI clone and AR interface. We applied KAKENHI (Grant-in-Aid for
Challenging Research) grant to investigate action property of person with visual deficits.

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2020
Division for the Establishment of Frontier Sciences
Multimodal Cognitive System Division

Research project on multimodal information integration based on foodperception.
Integration

Classical Bottom‐Up model for perception of foodExpectation for Taste

Top‐down model for perception of food in this research

Fig. 1 The model adapted in this research is shown in right panel. The perception of food is based on interactive
top-down processing of multimodal sensory inputs, not on simple integration of sensory inputs.
Nobuyuki Sakai, Dr. Professor[Research Target and Activities]
In this year, we have done some experiments about the followings; the interaction of olfaction andvision, and gustation and vision; the effect of knowledge by dental education on aesthetic evaluationof human faces, and its brain mechanisms investigated by fMRI and fNIRS, etc. We have also
started the cognitive studies about the effect of audition on binocular rivalry, the differences ofattentional system of vision and of audition, the interactive mechanisms of audition withsomatosensation, and the comparison of the effects of vision with audition on affection and arousal.
[Staff]
Professor ： Nobuyuki Sakai, Dr.
Assistant Professor : Kosuke Yamamoto[Profile]
Nobuyuki Sakai graduated from Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University in 1998.
Then he worked at Hiroshima Shudo University and National Institute of Advanced and Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST) , Kobe Shoin Women’s University. He, then, moved to Sendai in
October 2011, and he is a professor of Graduate School of Arts and Letters of Tohoku University
now.
[Papers][1] F. Nakamura , N. Sakai , N. Sako , W. Tome & N. Kitai: Influence of dental education on the perception of overjet.
Orthodontic Waves, 79,89-94, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/13440241.2020.1791649[2] C. Fujii, T. Onuma, F. Nakamura , N. Sakai , N. Sako , W. Tome & N. Kitai: Influence of dental education on eye
gaze distribution when observing facial profiles with varying degrees of lip protrusion. Journal of Dental
Education, 85, 476-482, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.12471[3] N. Sasaki and N. Sakai: Effect of valance, arousal, and modality on cortical activities evoked by emotions. Tohoku
Psychologica Folia, 79, 12-25, 2021

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Spintronics/CMOS Hybrid Brain-Inspired Integrated Systems

Ultralow-power Spintronics/CMOS hybrid Brain-inspired VLSI for Edge Devices
Spintronics/CMOS Hybrid Brain-Inspired Integrated Systems
Spintronics/CMOS Hybrid Brain-Inspired Integrated Systems

Tetsuo Endoh, Professor
Yitao Ma, Assistant Professor[Research Target and Activities]
The purpose of our research activity is to breakground for a new AI hardware approach acrossfrom the fundamental science of material andinformation to the devices, circuits, architecturesand software technologies to develop the novel
high efficient and low power brain-inspired
computing hardware system for precise andreal-time processing of information value
judgment, choice, and refusal. This year, we
completedbuildingthehigh-speed
andhigh-precise
multi-pin/multi-device
VLSI
Realization of ultralow-power nonvolatile brain-inspired
measurement platform for Spintronics/ CMOS
VLSI
based on novel Spintronics/CMOS hybrid approachhybrid Brain-inspired chips based on both300mm-wafer and package. Moreover, leveraging
our well-equipped CMOS/MTJ hybrid VLSI design environment built-up by the last academic year, in the“von Neumann” approach, we successfully completed the design of our novel nonvolatile adaptive K-means
unsupervised learning processor and nonvolatile FCNN object detection processor under
55nm-CMOS/5Xnm-pMTJ hybrid technology. On the other hand, in the “non-von Neumann” approach, we
focused on SNN architecture and finished the design of our novel nonvolatile multi-core SNN recognition
processor for ultralow-power object recognition accelerators in battery-driven edge devices.
[Staff]
Professor ： Tetsuo Endoh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor: Yitao Ma, Ph.D.
[Profile]
Tetsuo Endoh received the Ph.D. degree in electronic engineering from Tohoku University in 1995. He
joined Toshiba Corporation in 1987 and became a Lecturer at the RIEC, Tohoku University, in 1995, an
Associate Professor in 1997, and a Professor in April 2008. From 2012, he has been a Professor at theGraduate School of Engineering and director of CIES and CSIS, Tohoku University. He is a JSAP Fellow.
He was the recipient of the LSI IP Design Award (2001), the JJAP Paper Award (2009), the 6th Fellow
Award of the JSAP (2012), and the SSDM Paper Award (2012), 2020 VLSI Test of Time Award (2021), the14th Prime Minister’s Award for its Contribution to Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration (2017),
and National Invention Award (2018).
Yitao Ma received the Ph.D. degree in electronic engineering from The University of Tokyo, in 2011. Heworks in Tohoku University as an Assistant Professor of the Graduate School of Engineering from 2018,
and then an Assistant Professor of the RIEC since 2019. He has been the key member of many projects
such as JST-CREST, CSTI-FISRT, JST-ACCEL, CSTI-ImPACT, JST-OPERA, and CSTI-SIP.
[Papers][1] Tetsuo Endoh, et al., IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, Honolulu, HI, USA, 16-19 June 2020.
[2] Tao Li, Yitao Ma and Tetsuo Endoh, IEEE Access, Vol. 8, pp. 142931 - 142955, August 2020.
[3] Hui Shen, Yitao Ma and Tetsuo Endoh, SSDM2020, (Virtual), September 2020.
[4] Tetsuo Endoh, IEDM2020, (Virtual), December 12-18 2020.
[5] Hui Shen, Yitao Ma and Tetsuo Endoh, JJAP, Vol. 60, No. SB, pp. SBBL02, February 2021.
[6] Hui Shen, Yitao Ma and Tetsuo Endoh, Symposium for The Core Research Clusters for Spintronics, (Virtual), February
2021.

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Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics (CSIS)＜About the Center＞＞
Establishment：January 30, 2018
Organization：Director: Yoshio Hirayama (Professor, Graduate School of Science)
Number of academic members: 44 (concurrent members from Grad. School of Science,
Grad. School of Engineering, IMR, RIEC, IMRAM, AIMR, FRIS, CSIS, CIES, and CSRN,
Tohoku University)
Research Target：Creation of world-leading research center pioneering in so-called “Spin-Centered Science”
by strategic consolidation of excellent researchers from foreign leading universities infundamental and applied fields.
Research Activities：Spin-centered fundamental science, advanced spintronic materials, spintronic devices,
and integration technology of spintronic devices.
＜Major Achievements in 2020＞＞
・Promotion of world-leading research in spintronics
Excellent 11 proposals were adopted to the cooperative research projects in CSIS were adopted to promoteinternational collaborations as well as those beyond the organizations at Tohoku University. In particular,
additional budget was provided to the 5 most excellent proposals to accelerate the collaborations.
・Fostering excellent early-career researchers
Excellent early-career researchers, 6 persons from foreign countries, were employed as assistantprofessors or posdoc researchers to promote collaborations beyond the organization at Tohoku University.
・Promoting international academic exchange
Most international workshops to promote academic exchange between CSIS and foreign leading
universities were cancelled or postponed in FY2020 due to the influence of COVID-19. The 4th International
Symposium for the Core Research Cluster for Spintronics was held via online in February, 2021 and theregistrants were about 230 persons. The 2nd Tohoku-Lorraine Spintronics Workshop was held via online in
March, 2021.

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Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems (CIES)＜Overview＞＞
Establishment: The CIES was established in October 2012 to enhance industry-academia collaborations
and contribute to further development of the electronics industry. The building of the CIES wasconstructed in March 2013 as the first Science Park in this country by a private donation locatedin Aobayama New Campus at Tohoku University.
Organization: Director: Tetsuo Endoh (Professor, Graduate School of Engineering)Number of staff: 79 (including appointments across Graduate School of Engineering, Graduate
School of Information Sciences, RIEC etc.)
Mission: The CEIS researches and develops integrated electronic technologies with various research seeds
that Tohoku University has and abundant results of industry-academia collaboration as centripetal
force. And the CIES pursues to contribute to the enhancement of global competitiveness in thefield of next generation integrated electronics systems by establishing an international industryacademia collaboration base. Further, the CIES aims for practical use of the technologies in thisfield and is aiming to create new industries.
Research topics: Under the framework of industry-academia joint research, national projects, regional
collaboration projects, the CIES has expanded from the world's most advanced spintronics
technology, which has been developed at CIES, to AI hardware technology and power electronics
technology. While promoting research and development of these three core technologies, we areaiming to develop them into IoT / AI systems that require ultra-low power consumption.
＞＜Major activities in FY2020＞
CIES has managed the “CIES consortium” which consists of industry–academic collaborations, major
national projects (CAO SIP 2nd, JST OPERA, JST NexTEP, JSPS Core-to-Core, NEDO Strategic Innovation
Program for Energy Conservation Technologies, JAXA Space Exploration Innovation Hub, METI Tohoku
Supporting Industry) and regional collaboration projects in cooperation with various international anddomestic companies from material, equipment, devices and system aiming for the practical applications ofinnovative core technologies created by Tohoku University. The research and development field has been
expanded from spintronics to AI hardware and power electronics, and the industry-academic collaborations
have been significantly expanded from seven to eighteen. Companies participating in the CIES consortium
have been steadily increasing and the consortium has grown into the world's largest one in this research field.
Here, these companies utilized “a special private-sector investment promotion zone system (for information
service-related industries)” under a joint application from Miyagi prefecture and local municipalities, and“financial assistance according to the amount of property tax paid (created under an agreement between
Tohoku University and Sendai City)”.
CIES has developed a variety of innovative technologies with world-first 300mm wafer process line andfacilities operated by the university for prototype manufacturing and characterizing spintronics integrated
circuits compatible with world-class companies, and has made progress in developing IoT and AI systems that

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require ultra-low power consumption. Specifically, we succeeded in the demonstration operation of high-speed
and highly reliable magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices that enable automotive application of STT-MRAM,
paving the way for expanding the application range from the IoT/AI to the automotive related fields. In addition,
the world's first non-magnetic high-speed (350 picoseconds) rewrite spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices with
400°C thermal resistance and 10-year data retention characteristics have been developed. We have succeeded
in integrating the SOT-MRAM cell with CMOS technology and demonstrating the operation of the SOTMRAM chip, and have made great strides toward the practical application of high-speed non-volatile magnetic
memory. In power electronics, taking advantage of the low loss and high-frequency operation of GaN on Si
power devices, we have promoted higher functionality, smaller size and lighter weight of motor drive inverters
and DC-DC converters. This will lead to the electrification of automobiles and the main power source of
renewable energy, and will greatly contribute to decarbonization.
In addition, aiming to contribute to the development of the innovative integrated electronics business andfurther advancement of industry-academia collaboration, Power Spin Inc., a venture from Tohoku University
founded by Prof. Tetsuo Endoh, is now in its third year, and with the support of a national project targetingsmall and medium-sized venture companies, it has been put into practical use based on the technology andknow-how of this center. Furthermore, in 2020, this center was selected as the first regional open innovationbase (International expansion type: Representative Prof. Tetsuo Endoh) under the METI's "Regional Open
Innovation Base Selection System". In the future, while receiving support from the METI, we will contributeto the development of important industrial areas in Japan in response to the measures of Miyagi and Iwate
prefectures.
In order to establish world leading R&D base for integrated electronic systems and AI hardware, we willcontinue to create innovative core technologies and contribute to the industry and the enhancement of global
competitiveness by the practical applications, and “new creation and innovation” through global and regional
partnership.

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Research Organization of Electrical Communication（（ROEC））
Towards Construction of Disaster-Resistant Information Communication Network[Purpose of our establishment]
Many serious problems have become clear as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which exposed theweaknesses of the most advanced information communications network in the world by severing the mobile phone andoptical fiber lines thus cutting off essential telecommunications services. To solve these problems, Tohoku
University’s Disaster Reconstruction and Regeneration Research Project includes an ICT Reconstruction Project for
restoring information communication. The mission given to the researchers in the Electrical Engineering andInformation Sciences group after the disaster was to achieve a disaster-resistant information communication network
through the ICT Reconstruction Project, taking the needs of the disaster areas into consideration.
To realize this network, we needed to employ the combined strength of our problem-solving abilities by linking
researchers in electrical engineering and the information sciences across multiple faculties, including the School ofEngineering, the Graduate School of Information Sciences, the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, theCyberscience Center, and the Research Institute of Electrical Communication. These faculties and schools came
together to form a new organization that could create close and flexible links between researchers and organizations,and on October 1, 2011 we established the Research Organization of Electrical Communication (ROEC) (Fig.1). The
ROEC intends to take an all-Japan approach based on collaboration between industry, academia and government, andassemble expertise from the university with the participation of related local governments, private companies, publicresearch organizations, and other universities with the goal of developing the most advanced disaster-resistantinformation communication network in the world (Fig.2).
[Main Activities]
Since 2012, we have been promoting 12 disaster-resilient ICT projects supported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications. In 2020, six ongoing projects were promoted. We have also been engaged in project supported by
OPERA, JST. As a result of resilience ICT research and development, we gave a lecture on OPERA research results atthe disaster-resistant ICT research symposium. The research results produced by the promoted projects were presented
in ROEC Homepage.

Fig.1 Research Organization of Electrical Communication.

Fig.2 Overview of ICT Reconstruction Project.

[Staff]Prof. Hirohito Yamada (Executive Director)
Prof. Taiichi Otsuji (Vice Executive Director)
Specially Appointed Prof. Hiroyuki Ogawa (Vice Executive Director)
Specially Appointed Prof. Katsumi Iwatsuki (Research Administrator)
Mr. Yoichi Mikami (Office Manager)
Ms. Ayako Murakami (Manager)[Papers][1] Fumiyuki Adachi, “Wireless Challenge for Beyond 5G”, 16th EAI International conference on Collaborative
Computing: Networking, Applications and Worksharing (EAI Collaborate Com 2020)[2] T. Furuichi, Y. Gui, M. Motoyoshi, S. Kameda, T Shiba, N. Suematsu, “A Filter Design Method of Direct RF
Undersampling On-Board Receiver for Ka-Band HTS,” IEICE Trans. Commun., vol. E103-B, no.10, pp.1078-1085,
Oct. 2020.
[3] T. Otsuji, K. Iwatsuki, H. Yamada, and M. Yashima, "Concept of resilitent electric power and information
communication technology (R-EICT) converged network systems based on overall optimization of autonomous
decintralized cooperative control of DC microgrids," ISGT-NA: IEEE PES (Power & Energy Society) Innovative Smart
Grid Technologies Conference North America, Washington D.C., USA, online web, Feb. 15-18, 2021. DOI:
10.1109/ISGT49243.2021.9372169.

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Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN)＜About the Center＞＞
Establishment：April 1, 2016
Organization：Director: Koki Takanashi (Professor, IMR)
Number of academic members: 64 (including 2 full-time members and the other concurrent
members from Grad. School of Science, Grad. School of Engineering, IMR, RIEC, IMRAM,
AIMR, CSIS, CIES, and FRIS, Tohoku University)
Research Target：The center will be the hub of a network to promote collaborations with other research
institutions within Japan and overseas, aiming to (1) improve competitiveness ofworld-leading spintronics research in Japan, (2) create new branches and enhanceexisting areas of industry, and (3) foster the next- generation human resources.
Research Activities：[Spintronics Device Creation Division]
We develop advanced systems and devices for energy creation and energy saving byusing spintronics technology to provide eco-friendly infrastructure and to innovate
conventional information and communication technology.
[Spintronics Device Characterization Division]
We develop advanced measurement techniques to characterize the behavior of spins in
integrated spintronics devices. We also clarify the physical mechanism of the behaviorof spins in spintronics devices theoretically to propose innovative spintronics devices.
＜Major Achievements in 2020＞＞
・Cooperative Research Project
We adopt 64 cooperative research projects to promote collaborations with other spintronics researchers.
The collaborators belong 41 institutions in Japan and 32 overseas institutions (in 13 countries). For detail,see the following URL: http://www.csrn.tohoku.ac.jp/
・Share of Experimental Facilities and Equipment
We offer 23 facilities and equipment for sharing with researchers in spintronics. The list of sharedfacilities/equipment is open to the public at the above URL.
・Academic Meetings
For promoting exchange and fostering human resources of spintronics researchers, CSRN jointly hosted 2international conferences, 5 domestic workshops, and 3 seminars/schools. A domestic workshop was held inJune, 2020 to provide an opportunity of presentation for early-career researchers (about 60 oral presentations
and more than 260 registrants).

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Advanced Institute for Yotta Informatics＜About the Center＞＞
Establishment：April 1, 2018
Based on research activities as a Program for Key Interdisciplinary Research of Tohoku
University from 2015 to 2017, Yotta Informatics Research Center is granted by MEXT in
2018.
Organization：Director: Satoshi Shioiri (Director, Professor, RIEC)
Number of members: 37 (RIEC, Graduate School of Engineering, CIES, Graduate School ofArts & Letters, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Graduate School of Economics
and Management, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of
Education, Graduate School of Life Sciences)
Research Target：Novel science and technology to manage both quantity and quality of yotta-scale
information, in order to establish the future ICT technology and new humanics bycollaborative work of engineering and human and social science.
Research Activities：The amount of information is rapidly increasing, which is projected to reach to theamount of one yotta (1024 ) bytes. Ordinary extension technology of the conventional ICT
cannot cope with such gigantic amount of information, therefore essential paradigm change
for the information processing is indispensable. In this institute, we aim at the new
information science, which can manage the quality of information as well as the information
amount. For the sake, experts of information engineering, human and social science fromdepartments are discussing about interdisciplinary collaborating works to understand thequality and value of information, as well as the quantity. The value information is the key
properties for the future informatics to receive the full benefit of the information in theupcoming “beyond the big data” era.
＜Major Achievements in 2020＞＞
1. We have started or continued 9 interdisciplinary projects that lead the new information science, which canmanage the quality of information as well as the information amount and select important information
appropriately. We published 87 papers and 67 presentations (including 26 invited talks), and proceededwith 56 external grants in this year.
2. We organized “Symposium of Yotta Informatics – Research Platform for Yotta-Scale Data Science 2021”.
We co-organized international symposiums "Tohoku U - NTU Symposium: When AI Meets Human
Science" and "International Workshop on Emerging ICT". We also co-organized two IEICE conferences(EMM and HIP).
3. We started a new Cooperative Research Project U funded by RIEC Nation-wide Cooperative Research
Projects and continued International Cooperative Research Project, proceeding cooperative research withan overseas research institute. To establish an open innovation platform for information-quality
informatics studies, we continued an interdisciplinary project with the IT-21 Center in collaboration with
Division for Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education.

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Leading Graduate Program “Interdepartmental Doctoral Degree Program for
Multi-Dimensional Materials Science Leaders”＜Overview＞＞
Establishment：October, 2013This program was adopted as a Program for Leading Graduate Schools of JSPS.
(The financial support from JSPS was finished in FY2019.)
Organization：Program manager: Masahiro Yamaguchi(Vice President for Educational Reforms and International Strategy)
Program coordinator: Tetsuya Nagasaka (Professor, Grad. School of Engineering)
Program members: 59 academic staffs in Tohoku University
Mission：Fostering human resources through creating leaders who have a firm grasp of the fundamentals ofmaterial science and extensive research experience. The term “multi-dimensional” (MD) refers to
the extensive, panoramic perception of materials through dimensions such as functionalities,
characteristics, processes, environmental compatibility, economics, safety, and assessment
techniques.
＜Major Achievements in 2020＞＞
On April 1st, 2020, a new graduate student joined the MD program and the number of students became 30
in total. Most activities in FY2020, such as briefing sessions of internship, overviews and qualifying
examinations were carried out via online. On August 6th, 2020, a tea party was held via online in order toprovide an opportunity for communications between students. Total 12 participants including the students
and staffs reported their present situation and exchanged information regarding upcoming activities of the
MD program. A student of the MD program received the 11th JSPS Ikushi Prize on January 28th, 2021.

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Graduate Program in Spintronics (GP-Spin)＜Overview＞＞
Establishment：April 1, 2015
Organization：Head of the Division for International Joint Graduate School Programs: Masahiro Yamaguchi(Vice President for Education Reform and Global Engagement)
Graduate Program in Spintronics (GP-Spin) Program Director: Yoshiro Hirayama (Professor,
Graduate School of Science)
Program members: 21 academic staffs in Tohoku University
Foreign organization: Johannes Gutenberg Univ. Mainz (Germany), Univ. Regensburg(Germany), Tech. Univ. Kaiserslautern (Germany), Tech. Univ. München (Germany), Univ.
Lorraine (France), Univ. Chicago (USA), Tech. Univ. Delft (The Netherland), Univ.
Groningen (The Netherland), University of York (UK), University of Leeds (UK), Polish
Academy of Sciences (Poland), Tsinghua University (Chaina)
Mission：Education of world-class leaders in spintronics from fundamental to applications
Activities：(1) Education by world-leading professors from all departments and institute in Tohoku
University with participation from all over the world(2) Joint education with foreign organization including joint supervised degree/joint degree,
mutual visit and long-term internship, international school/workshop, qualifying examination toguarantee the educational quality＜Major Achievements in 2020＞＞
Although most seminars and lectures were cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19 in FY2020, the 2nd
Workshop “Math meets Quantum Materials” co-sponsored by Tohoku University and Riken was held via
online on September 29-30, 2020 and an Assistant Professor of GP-Spin gave an invited talk in theWorkshop. The 4th International Symposium for Core Research Cluster for Spintronics was held via online
on February 24-25, 2021. After the invited talk by an Assistant Professor, 5 students gave oral presentationsin the session organized by GP-Spin program. A series of 4 seminars “Spin-based Quantum Bits” was given
by Prof. Thomas Schäpers (Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany) via online in March, 2021.

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Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan
WISE Program (Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative & Smart Education)
Advanced Graduate Program for AI Electronics＜About the Center＞＞
Establishment：Adopted October, 2018.
It has been adopted by the WISE Program (Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative& Smart Education) of MEXT. This program is a new education program that starts fromFY 2018.

Organization：Chief executive: Hideo Ohno (President of Tohoku University)
Program leader: Masahiro Yamaguchi (Vise-President of Tohoku University (Education
Reform / International Strategy))
Program coordinator: Toshiro Kaneko (School of engineering, Professor)
Program manager: Approximately 60 people (including managers and a coordinator)

Target of Program：In this Graduate School Program, we will foster world-class talented doctors who canmake an innovation continuously through the learning of “an practical ability”, “solving ofsocial problems”, “creation of novel value”, and “an ability that can see real space andcyber space in Society 5.0 with wide perspectives”.

＞＜Major Achievements in 2020＞
We have started a PBL (Project Based Learning) course, which is an original subject of the
WISE program. This course is jointly developed and implemented by 12 sponsoring
companies and the university faculty and forms the core of industry-university cooperativeeducation. After the completion of the course, a symposium on the results of learning washeld, and students made a presentation on their respective progress in this course. As a new
approach to the internship program under the Corona disaster, the program students
participated in internships at overseas and domestic companies by combining on-sitetraining and online training. We also held six AIE lectures and two international symposia,
in which prominent professors from Japan and abroad gave lectures on a wide range of
topics, including basic techniques, applications, and issues in artificial intelligenceelectronics. We recruited and selected 20 new students (3 new M1, 11 new M2, and 6 new
D1) for the third year (2021) of the program.

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４.

Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects

The Institute has a long history of fundamental contributions in many fields of engineering andscience that include the fields of semiconductor materials and devices, magnetic recording, opticalcommunication, electromagnetic technology, wireless communication, applications of ultrasoniccommunication and acoustic communication, non-linear physics and engineering, and computer
software. On the basis of this rich historical background the Institute was designated as a National
Center for Cooperative Research in 1994. Accompanying Tohoku University’s transformation to “anational university juridical entity” in April, 2004, this institution plays a leading role on the worldstage, as its researchers, both domestic and foreign, continue the task of “investigating the theory
and application of universal science and technology to realize communication, to the enrichment of
humanity.”
With this background, the Institute organizes Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects bycoordinating its activities with research workers. The main themes for Cooperative Research are
selected annually by the Committee for Cooperative Research Projects. Then invitations for project
proposals and participation are extended to university faculties and government laboratories aswell as industrial research groups. Each project approved by the Faculty Council of the Institute iscarried out by a team of researchers that include members of the Institute as well as outside
participants.
The Advisory Council which includes members from other institutions has an advisory function to
the Director in defining the general direction of the research at the Institute and its Nation-wide
Cooperative Research Projects.
The Project Selection Committee that includes members from outside of Tohoku University has a
Judging function for project proposals. The purpose of the Project Steering Committee is the proper
operation of approved projects.

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Nation-wide Cooperative Research Projects List 2020
Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Study on advanced devices using
H30/A01 operando spatiotemporal x-ray
spectroscopy

H30/A02

FUKIDOME Hirokazu
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KANEKO Toshiro
Creation of Bio-Medical Devices Using
Graduate School of Engineering,
Gas-Liquid Interfacial Plasmas
Tohoku University

Development of vibrational
spectroscopy having high temporal
H30/A05and spatial resolution and its
application to devices

H30/A06

Principal Investigator

Development of general control
techniques of quantum systems

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

FUKIDOME
Hirokazu

HIRANO Ayumi

INAOKA Takeshi
Physics Program, Department of
Physics and Earth Sciences, Faculty of UEHARA Yoichi
Science,
University of the Ryukyus
FUKUHARA Takeshi
Center for Emergent Matter Science,
RIKEN

ISHIHARA Jun
Department of Applied Physics,
Control of spin state in semiconductor
H30/A07
Faculty of Science,using photon-spin conversion
Tokyo University of Science

OTSUKA
Tomohiro

KANAI
Shun

KATANO Satoshi
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KATANO Satoshi

SHIGA Motoki
Faculty of Engineering,
Gifu University

OTSUKA
Tomohiro

Energy Harvest applied Active
H30/A11 Reflectarray for Mobile IoT searchrange expansion

MARUYAMA Tamami
Department of Production Systems
Engineering,
National Institute of Technology,
Hakodate College

SUEMATSU
Noriharu

A Study of delay-sensitive accessnetwork configuration using widely
H30/A12frequency selectable optoelectronics
devices

YOSHIMOTO Naoto
Faculty of Science and Technology,
Chitose Institute of Science andTechnology

OTSUJI
TaiichiSingle and coupled hard-type
oscillators using resonant tunneling
H30/A13
diodes and their application to THz
signal processing

MAEZAWA Koichi
Graduate School of Science andEngineering,
University of Toyama

OTSUJI
TaiichiNanoscale optical measurement andH30/A08 ultimate photoelectronic control ofcarbon nanomaterials

H30/A09

Informatics approaches in quantum
devices

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2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

Loss Analysis of High Efficient
H30/A14
Contactless Power Transmission

INAMORI Mamiko
Department of Electrical andElectronic Engineering,
Tokai University

Study on method for modulating
H30/A15
emotional experience by choice

Takuya Onuma
Faculty of Humanity-oriented Science
SHIOIRI Satoshi
and Engineering,
Kindai University

Modulation of peripersonal space
H30/A16 representation by self-motion
information

TERAMOTO Wataru
Graduate School of Social andCultural Sciences,
Kumamoto University

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

Study of difference between monaural MORIKAWA Daisuke
H30/A17 listening and binaural listening on
Faculty of Engineering,sound space perception
Toyama Prefectural University

SAKAMOTO
ShuichiEmergency vital measurement using
H30/A18 flexible fiber electrode underelectromagnetic environment

TORIMITSU Keiichi
Research Organization of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

Research on gravimetric technology
ARAYA Akito
H30/A19 for monitoring volcanic activities using Earthquake Research Institute,an optical fiber network
The University of Tokyo

KAMEDA Suguru

SUEMATSU
Noriharu

YOSHIDA Masato

Hardware Technology for Brain
H30/A20
Computation

SATO Shigeo
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

SATO
ShigeoResearch on development of flexible
H30/A24 pressure sensors based on PVDF thinfilms

TADAKI Daisuke
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

TADAKI Daisuke

Basic study on Perceptual User
H30/A26
Interfaces for Interaction with IoT

OMATA Masaki
Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary
Research,
Yamanashi University

KITAGATA Gen

KIMURA Mutsumi
Faculty of Science and Technology,
Ryukoku University

HORIO Yoshihiko

H30/A28

74

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

Brain-like Integrated System using
Thin-Film Devices

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

OGUMA Hiroshi
Department of Electronics andComputer Engineering,
National Institute of Technology,
Toyama College

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

H30/A29

Hardware security technologies for
IoT

H30/A30SATO Fumiaki
Advanced IoT Infrastructure Based on
Faculty of Science,Intelligent Edge
Toho University

H30/A32

A Malware Detection System for
Secure Campus BYODs

SATOH Akihiro
Information Science Center,
Kyushu Institute of Technology

KITAGATA Gen

H30/A33

Research of human life support basedon agent IOT

UCHIYA Takahiro
Information Technology Center,
Nagoya Institute of Technology

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

H30/A34

Development of Metal Source/Drain
CMOS on Ge-on-Insulator

Hiroshi Nakashima
Global Innovation Center,
Kyushu University

SAKURABA
Masao

HOMMA Naofumi

OHORI
Atsushi

KANAYA Haruichi
Research of on-chip terahertz antenna Graduate School of Information
H30/A37
for ultra-wideband communication
Science and Electrical Engineering,
Kyushu University

SUEMATSU
Noriharu

Satoshi Yoshida
Research Field in Engineering,
Science and Engineering Area,
Research and Education Assembly,
Kagoshima University

MOTOYOSHI
Mizuki

H30/A38

Millimeter-wave array antenna using
multi-layered substrate

Japan-USA International
Collaborative Research on Terahertz
H31/A01 Devices based on GraphenePhosphorene van der Waals
Heterostructures

MITIN, Vladimir
Department of Electrical Engineering, OTSUJI
Taiichi
University at Buffalo, The State
University of New York

Fabrication of high performance
H31/A02 quantum device with atomically thinlayered materials

KATO Toshiaki
Graduate School of Engineering,Tohoku University

Formation of Self-Aligned Si-Ge based MIYAZAKI Seiichi
H31/A04 Quantum Dots and Characterization Graduate School of Engineering,of Their Electrical Properties
Nagoya University

OTSUKA
Tomohiro

SATO
Shigeo

75

2020

Grant
Number76

Title of Research

Principal Investigator

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

Dynamics of spin-orbit torque induced
TRETIAKOV/Oleg
switching of metallic
H31/A05
School of Physics,
antiferromagnet/non-magnet
University of New South Wales
heterostructures

FUKAMI
Shunsuke

SHINJI Isogami
Development of efficient
Research Center for Magnetic and
H31/A06 magnetization-switching devices using Spintronic Materials,
transition-metal compounds
National Institute for Materials
Science

SHIRAI Masafumi

Development of high Q microwave
H31/A07
resonators for quantum detection

INOMATA Kunihiro
Nanoelectronics research institute,
Advanced Industrial Science andTechnology

SATO
ShigeoDevelopment of non-volatile phase
H31/A09 transition oxide elements targeting
application for optoelectronics

SAKAI Joe
Oxide Nanophysics Group,
Catalan Institute of Nanoscience andNanotechnology

UEHARA Yoichi

Study of ferromagnetic resonanceinduced by spin orbit torque and the
H31/A10 phase rockling via spin waves for
microwave oscillators excited by dc
currents

KODA Tetsunori
General Education Division,
National Institute of Technology,
Oshima College

HASHI Shuichiro

High-Speed Driver for Optical
H31/A11 Modulators using InGaAs HEMTs
with Slant Field Plates

UMEDA Yohtaro
Faculty of Science and Technology,
Tokyo University of Science

SATOU
Akira

Study of the open environment for
H31/A12sharing vision models

SAKAI Ko
Faculty of Engineering Informationand Systems,
Tsukbua University

SHIOIRI Satoshi

Communication system for controlling TANAKA Akihiro
H31/A13 human cognition and behavior from
Department of Psychology,
kansei information speech
Tokyo Woman's Christian University

SAKAMOTO
ShuichiPre-verbal infant learning: Infants'
H31/A14 preference and understanding fromeye movements and pupil dilation

LAU Esther
Department of Psychology,
Hong Kong Educational University

TSENG Chia-huei

Improvement of outdoor mass
H31/A16 notification sound systems byreconstructing speech structures

CUI Zhenglie
Media Informatics ,Aichi University of Technology

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

Development of compact quantum
H31/A18 light source using a gain-switchinglaser diode

MATSUDA Nobuyuki
Graduate School of Engineering,Tohoku University

EDAMATSU
Keiichi

Exploration of a new electricaldetection method of magnetization
H31/A19 dynamics in CoFeB-MgO magnetic
tunnel junction structure withperpendicular anisotropy

Eli Christopher Inocencio Enobio
Department of Physics,
Mindanao State University-Iligan
Institute of Technology

FUKAMI
Shunsuke

YAMADA Yoji
A Study on Phase Alignment Accuracy Department of Electronics andH31/A21 of Software Defined Radio for Rapid
Information Engineering,
Prototyping
National Institute of Technology,
Ishikawa College

KAMEDA Suguru

JOSHI Anirudha
IDC School of Design,
IIT Bombay

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

Development of re-experiencing
H31/A23
system for learning supports

SHIOIRI Satoshi
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

SHIOIRI Satoshi

Performance Analysis for
H31/A24 Heterogeneous Environment ofInternet Congestion Control

UTSUMI Satoshi
Faculty of Symbiotic Systems Science, HASEGAWA Go
Fukushima University

H31/A22

H31/A26

Interactive Content for Emergent
Users

Study of 2D nanomaterial devices forterahertz applications

AMINE El Moutaouakil
OTSUJI
Department of Electrical Engineering,Taiichi
United Arab Emirates University

Wireless Propagation Channel for
H31/A28
Body Area Network

AKIMOTO Kohei
Department of Intelligent
Mechatronics,
Akita Prefectural University

MOTOYOSHI
MizukiDevelopment of graphene based
devices for terahertz applications

MEZIANI Yahya Moubarak
Dept. Fisica Aplicada,Salamanca University

OTSUJI
TaiichiTANII Takashi
Faculty of science and engineering,
Waseda university

YAMAMOTO
Hideaki

R02/A01

Analyses and mathematical modeling
R02/A02 of the function of artificial neuronal
circuit

77

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

UCHINO Takashi
Development of optoelectronic devices Department of Electrical andR02/A03based on two-dimensional materials
Electronic Engineering,Tohoku Institute of Technology

OTSUJI
TaiichiSpin transport and magnetism in 2D
R02/A04 van der Waals ferro andantiferromagnets.

Singh Ravi PrakashDepartment of Physics,
Indian Institute of Science Education
and Research Bhopal

FUKAMI
Shunsuke

New Group-IV Semiconductor
R02/A05 Materials and Highly-Integrated
Device Process

SAKURABA Masao
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

SAKURABA
Masao

ODAGAWA Hiroyuki
Development of piezoelectric constantInnovative Research Center,
R02/A06 distribution measurement system in
National Institute of Technology,
micrometer area
Kumamoto College

CHO
Yasuo

Beta-Ga2O3 thin film and device
fabrication by the sputtering process

IMAIZUMI Fuminobu
Department of MechanicalEngineering,
National Institute of Technology,
Oyama College

KAMEDA Suguru

Study on Electromagnetic Crosstalk
Suppression in Mobile Devices Using
R02/A08
Negative Magnetic Permeability
Materials

MUROGA Sho
Graduate School of Engineering
Science,
Akita University

HASHI Shuichiro

R02/A07

SHIBATA Kenji
Control of quantum transport in metal
Department of Electrical andR02/A09 nanojunctions and its application toElectronic Engineering,
functional devices
Tohoku Institute of Technology
Investigation of physical structure
R02/A10 model of high-k/Ge interface affectedby fabrication processes

R02/A11

Single-crystal graphene functional
deviceJapan-Russia International
collaborative research on a large-area
R02/A12
photoconductive terahertz detector for
high-speed imaging

78

Research
Collaborator
of RIECOTSUKA
Tomohiro

OTANI Yohei
Department of Mechanical andElectrical Engineering,
Suwa University of Science

SATO
ShigeoNAGASE Masao
Institute of Post-LED Photonics,
Tokushima University

OTSUJI
Taiichi

DMITRY Ponomarev
Laboratory of high-power microwave
and mm-wave applications,Institute of OTSUJI
Taiichiultra high frequency semiconductor
electronics of Russian academy ofsciences

2020

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

R02/A13Ultra-low-latency video coding for 8K
high resolution image sencing

Matsumura Tetsuya
College of Engineering,
Nihon University

OTSUJI
Taiichi

Development of Wireless Massive
Connect IoT

OGUMA Hiroshi
Department of Electronics andComputer Engineering,
National Institute of Technology,
Toyama College

KAMEDA Suguru

R02/A14

Principal Investigator

SUEMATSU Noriharu
A study on over 100GHz-band/optical Research Institute of Electrical
R02/A15
fiber feed direct digital RF transceiver Communication,
Tohoku University

SUEMATSU
Noriharu

ITOH Keiichi
Department of Electrical andInformation Engineering,
National Institute of Technology,
Akita College

SUEMATSU
Noriharu

HyperCubeHarmonic: A Conceptual
Complete and Consistent Model to
R02/A17
Control Multiple Dimensional
Information of MusicKITAMURA Yoshifumi
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

Modeling the Japanese-Taiwanese
R02/A18 racial effect in facial expression
recognition

CHEN Chien-Chung
Department of Psychology,
National Taiwan University

TSENG Chia-huei

Development of device modules that
R02/A19 embed sensors onto objects and its
application

MANABE Hiroyuki
Department of Computer Science andEngineering,
Shibaura Institute of Technology

TAKASHIMA
KazukiKAMIYA Haruyuki
Graduate School of Medicine,
Hokkaido University

HIRANO Ayumi

R02/A16

Study on development of millimeterwave antenna using 3D printer

R02/A20

Understanding and reconstruction ofminimal brain

R02/A21

ITO Masashi
Direction dependence in the acoustical
Faculty of Engineering,transfer function of human pinna
Tohoku Institute of Technology

ZABIR Salahuddin Muhammad
Salim
Research on the development of a new
R02/A22
Department of Creative Engineering,
generation IoT platform
National Institute of Technology,
Tsuruka College

SAKAMOTO
ShuichiKITAGATA Gen

79

2020

Principal Investigator

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

Exploring and Understanding Touch
R02/A23 Interaction using a Slidable-Sheet on
Smart Devices

SAYAN Sarcar
Faculty of Library, Information andMedia Science,
University of Tsukuba

KAZUYUKI Fujita

Investigating cultural issues for the
R02/A24 design of touch-based interactive DFLIP photo management system

CHINTAKOVID/Thippaya
Department of Library Science,
Faculty of Arts,
Chulalongkorn University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

Multimodal Data Flow Processing
R02/A25 Platform for Enhancing Human
Abilities

MINENO Hiroshi
Faculty of Informatics,
Shizuoka University

KITAGATA Gen

Implicit non-verbal behaviors andR02/A26
brain communications

TSENG Chia-huei
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

TSENG Chia-huei

Multilingual study of cultural andindividual differences in color lexicon

TOKUNAGA Rumi
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,
Chiba University

KURIKI
IchiroGaze Visualization in CooperativeWork

KIYOKAWA Kiyoshi
Graduate School of Science andTechnology,
Nara institute of science andtechnology

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

KIM Sungyoung
ECT Engineering Technology,
Rochester Institute of Technology

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

Grant
Number

R02/A27

R02/A28

Title of Research

Investigating cultural-backgroundR02/A29 effect on auditory selective attention
processes

KEI Ishii
Research for feedforward regulation of Automotive Human Factors Research
R02/A30 the visual and sensory systems via
Center,cardiovascular regulation
National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology

80

HATORI Yasuhiro

Constructive research on nonlinear
R02/A31 complex systems and development of
their theories

HORIO Yoshihiko
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

HORIO Yoshihiko

Determinants of multisensory
R02/A32
auditory space perception

HONDA Akio
Faculty of Informatics,
Shizuoka Institute of Science andTechnology

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

Research
Collaborator
of RIECTANAKA Yoichiro
Research for In-Storage/Memory
Research Institute of Electrical
R02/A33 Computing Platform for Brain NeuroCommunication,
ScienceTohoku University

TANAKA Yoichiro

Formation of spatial and temporal
ANDO Akira
H30/B04 structures and various reactive fields Graduate School of Engineering,in plasma flows
Tohoku University

ISHIYAMA
Kazushi

HAMAMOTO Kiichi
Faculty of Engineering Sciences,
Kyushu University

YOSHIDA Masato

Functionalization of oxide surfaces
H30/B07and its application to nanodevices

HIROSE Fumihiko
Graduate School of Science andEngineering,
Yamagata University

HIRANO Ayumi

Establishment of information science
approach and psychological
H30/B08 verification method for intellectual
productivity acquisition in group
discussion

ITOH Yuichi
Graduate school of Information
Science and Technology,
Osaka University

TAKASHIMA
Kazuki

H30/B06

Research and development of opticalspace mode

Establishments of Optimal Design and
SEKIYA Hiroo
High-Efficiency Control Scheme for
H30/B12
Graduate School of Engineering,High-Frequency Wireless Power
Chiba University
Transfer Systems

HORIO YoshihikoHigh-dimensional neural dynamics to
H30/B13 develop next-generation neural
hardware

HIROSE Akira
Graduate School of Engineering,Tokyo University

SATO
ShigeoH30/B14 Future Office Space and Interaction

KAZUYUKI Fujita
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KAZUYUKI Fujita

Development of Swarm Intelligence
Optimization based on Nonlinear
H30/B17
Dynamical Systems Theory and Its
Application

JINNO Kenya
Faculty of Knowledge Engineering,
Department of Information andCommunication Engineering,Tokyo City University

HORIO Yoshihiko

Empirical Research on
H30/B18 Infrastructurization of Ubiquitous
Computing

MURAO Kazuya
College of Information Science andEngineering,
Ritsumeikan University

KITAGATA Gen

81

2020

Grant
Number

H30/B20

Title of Research

Principal Investigator

TSUTSUI Ken-Ichiro
Understanding the brain mechanisms
Graduate School of Life Sciences,of mind""
Tohoku University

Research
Collaborator
of RIECSHIOIRI Satoshi

Information-related Functional
H31/B01 Expression in Hybrid Plasmas ofPhysical and Chemical Systems

KOGA Kazunori
Faculty of Information Science andElectrical Engineering,
Kyushu University

SATO
ShigeoPrecise understanding and function
H31/B02 development of non-equilibrium
dynamics in solid state devices

KOBAYASHI Kensuke
Graduate School of Science,
The University of Tokyo

FUKAMI
Shunsuke

Studies on Elemental Technologies for KONNO Keisuke
H31/B03 Development of The Next Generation Graduate School of Engineering,
Wireless Communication Systems
Tohoku University

MOTOYOSHI
MizukiDevelopment of next-generation
academic community that applies
H31/B04
human-computer interaction
researches

SAKAMOTO Daisuke
Graduate School of Information
Science and Technology,
Hokkaido University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

HCI Research Community
H31/B05
Development in Asia

KITAMURA Yoshifumi
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

Visual KANSEI mechanisms for
H31/B06
SHITSUKAN and color perception

OKAJIMA Katsunori
Faculty of Environment andInformation Sciences,
Yokohama National University

KURIKI
IchiroResearch and Development of UAVs
UI/UX and its applications for
H31/B08
stimulating region community/social
implementation

SUEDA Koh
Smart System Institute,
National University of Singapore

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

New development of practical research KOGI Yuichiro
H31/B09 on microwave and laser-based
Department of Engineering,
synthetic aperture radar
Fukuoka Institute of Technology

YASAKA Hiroshi

KASHIWAZAKI Hiroki
Wide-area distributed cooperation ofCenter for Cybersecurity Research andH31/B10 edge computing infrastructure and its
KITAGATA Gen
Development,international development
National Institute of Informatics

82

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

H31/B11

A study on static analysis for a
dynamic language and its realization

User Interface for Viewing andH31/B12
Editing Complex Graph Contents

Principal Investigator

MATSUMOTO Yukihiro
Ruby Association

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

UENO Katsuhiro

KAZUYUKI Fujita
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KAZUYUKI Fujita

H31/B13Spin-orbit dynamics and its
manipulation in solids

KOHDA Makoto
Graduate School of Engineering,Tohoku university

KANAI
Shun

H31/B15

Studies on Generative Technology for
Enriched Multimedia

SONODA Kotaro
Graduate School of Engineering,Nagasaki University

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

Efficient Reliable Software
H31/B16 Construction by Type-directed
Compilation

MORIHATA Akimasa
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, UENO Katsuhiro
The University of Tokyo

PSDL2: Physical Security of Deep
H31/B17
Learning 2

BHASIN Shivam
Temasek laboratories,
Nanyang Technological University,
Singapore

HOMMA Naofumi

Study of Dynamic Service
H31/B18 Orchestration for Mobile Edge
Computing

SHAO Xun
Division of Information andCommunication Engineering,
Kitami Institute of Technology

HASEGAWA Go

VERBAUWHEDE Ingrid
Securing IoT devices against EM Fault Electrical Engineering, COSIC
H31/B19
Injection
research group,
KU Leuven

HOMMA Naofumi

Research on magnetic devices foradvanced information system by
R02/B01
controlling multiscale structure ofmagnetic material

IKEDA Shinji
Faculty of Production Systems
Engineering and Sciences,
Komatsu University

ISHIYAMA
Kazushi

Coherent Communication andR02/B02 Measurement Systems Incorporating
Lightwave and Microwave

INOUE Takashi
Electronics and Photonics ResearchInstitute,
National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology

HIROOKA
Toshihiko

83

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

ISHIBASHI Koji
Advanced Wireless andCommunication Research Center,
The University of ElectroCommunications

R02/B03

Layerless Design of Future WirelessCommunications and Its Applications

R02/B04

KUKI Takao
Research on Wireless Technologies for
School of Science and Engineering,the Beyond-5G System
Kokushikan University

Attentive Search: Theory andR02/B05
Application

TSENG Chia-huei
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KAMEDA Suguru

SUEMATSU
Noriharu

TSENG Chia-huei

Spatial User Interface by
YAMAMOTO Goshiro
R02/B06 Understanding Human's Physical and Kyoto University Hospital,
Spatial Behaviors
Kyoto University

TAKASHIMA
Kazuki

OKABE Yasuo
Human / Social Sensing Infrastructure Academic Center for Computing and
R02/B07
by Heterogeneous Data Fusion
Media Studies,
Kyoto University

OTSUJI
Taiichi

YAMAMOTO Yuji
Research Center of Health, PhysicalFitness, and Sports,
Nagoya University

KANO
Takeshi

SUEDA KohMedia Science Laboratory,
Digital Hollywood University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

ISHIKAWA Masato
Graduate School of Engineering,Osaka University

ISHIGURO Akio

Control principle of joint action robot
R02/B08with human

R02/B09

Study of designing interaction forcoexisting with crows

A study on design principle inspired
R02/B10 by adaptive and reflective behavior ofanimals

Development for automation of crows'
TSUKAHARA Naoki
R02/B11 behavior control method using vocal
CrowLab Inc
communication

International Research Collaboration
R02/B12 of Brainware LSI and Its Emerging
Technologies

84

Research
Collaborator
of RIECHANYU Takahiro
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

HANYU Takahiro

2020

Grant
NumberTitle of Research

Principal Investigator

Research
Collaborator
of RIEC

R02/B13

Cognition-Aware-Systems for
Improving Human Performance

Tag Benjamin
Melbourne School of Engineering,
School of Computing and Information
Systems,
The University of Melbourne

R02/B14

Self-motion perception andmultisensory integration in 3D space

SAKURAI Kenzo
Faculty of Liberal Arts,
Tohoku Gakuin University

SAKAMOTO
Shuichi

TERO Ryugo
Department of Environmental andLife Sciences,
Toyohashi University of Technology

HIRANO Ayumi

Measurement and control of thefunctions of lipid bilayer membrane
R02/B15 and membrane proteins based on
microfabrication technology andnanomaterials

Ｒ02/S1

H30/SI1

Mimura Hidenori
Establishment for innovative coherent
Research Institute of Electronics,
wave technology and its applications
Shizuoka University

AI and Human Studies

Investigating usage of nonverbal
Ｒ02/U01 information for online
classes

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

YASAKA
Hiroshi

Su-Ling Yeh
AI and Advanced Robotics Center,
Institute Graduate School National
Taiwan University

SHIOIRI
Satoshi

Shioiri Satoshi
Research Institute of ElectricalCommunication,
Tohoku University

SHIOIRI
Satoshi

Kitamura Yoshifumi
AI of Nonverbal Information to Realize Research Institute of Electrical
Ｒ02/U02
Rich Inter-personal Communication
Communication,
Tohoku University

KITAMURA
Yoshifumi

85

2020
５.

Symposium organized by the InstituteThis Symposium is planned to exchange relevant information on current important topics
concerning Electrical Eng., Electrical Communications, Electronic Eng., and Information Eng.
Many related researchers inside and outside Tohoku University participate the Symposium
and stimulate discussion.

Symposium In Past
1

Title

Date

Quantum Electronics of Liglht Waves and Micro Waves

Feb. 6- 8, 1964

Magnetic Recording

Feb.14-15, 1964

2 Ultra-High Frequency Acoustelectronics

Feb.11-12, 1965

3 Artificial lntelligence

Mar. 8- 9, 1966

4 Thin Film Electronics

Jan.26-27, 1967

5 Crystal GrowthDec. 19-20, 1967

6 1968 Sendai Svmoosium on Acoustelectronics

Aug.19-20, 1968

7 Current Status and Future Trends of Superconductivitv

Jan.22-24, 1970

8 Soeech Information Processing

Feb.24-26, 1971

9 Surface Acoustic Wave Technology

May.25-26, 197210

Liquid Crystals · Their Molecular Orientations and Application to
Display Devices

11 Computer Network
12

The Memorial Symposium on the 40th Anniversarv of the Foundation of
RIEC

Dec.13-14, 1974
Mar.17-18, 1975
Sep.25-26, 1975

13 Application of Amorphous Ferromagnetic Materials

Mar.10-11, 1977

14 Stoichiometry of Compound Crystals

Nov.24-25, 1977

15 Submillimeter Waves

Nov.16-17, 1978

16 Solid State Chemical Sensors

Feb. 1- 2, 1980

17 Graph Theory and Algorithms

Oct.24-25, 1980

18 Perpendicular Magnetic Recording

Mar.11-12, 1982

19 Approach to Optical Computer

Mar.10-11, 1983

20 Plasma Non-Linear Phenomena - Basic Problems for Fusion Plasmas

Mar. 8- 9, 1984

21 New Computer Architecture

Jul.25-26, 1985

22 Guided Wave Technology and Its Application at Mid-Infrared

Mar.13-14,1986

23 Physics and Applications of Tunnelling Phenomena

Mar.12-14, 1987

24 Biomagnetics and Bioelectronics

Feb.26-27, 1988

25 Ultrasonic Electronics - New Applications of Piezoelectricity

Feb. 2- 3, 1989

26 Boundaries between Light and Electromagnetic Wave

Feb. 1-2, 1990

86

2020
Title

Date

27 Issues and Realization of Pattern Recognition and Understanding

Feb.28-Mar.1,1991

28 Discrete Algorithms

Oct.17-18, 1991

29

Perspective for New Computing Paradigm

Feb. 4- 5, 1993

Current Status and Future Prospects of System Control

Mar. 3- 4, 1993

30 Future Prospects of Electron Beam Devices

Nov. 1- 2, 1993

31 Discharge and EMC

Dec.20-21, 1994

32 Statistical Physics and Information Science

Mar.22-23,1995

33 Photo-and Plasma-Excited Processes on Surfaces

Nov.30-Dec.1,1995

34 Nano Spinics and Power Electronics

Feb.15-16, 1996

35 Potential Formation and Related Nonlinear Phenomena in Plasmas

Sep.17-19, 1996

36 New Trend in Ultrasonic Measurements

Feb. 3- 4, 199737

Toward the Realization of the High-Definition Multi-Media
Communication

Nov. 4- 6, 1997

87

2020
International Symposium Organized by the Institute
1
2
3
4
5
6

Title
Intrinsic Josephson Effect and THz Plasma Oscillation in High Tc
Superconductors
Design and Architecture of Information Processing Systems Based on
The Brain Information Principle
Novel Techniques and Applications of Millimeter-Waves
The International Joint Conference on Silicon Epitaxy andHeterostructures
International Workshop on Photonic and Electromagnetic Crystal
Structures
Physics and Application Spin Related Phenomena in Semiconductors

Date
Feb.23-25, 1997
Mar.16-18, 1998
Dec.14-16, 1998
Sep.13-17, 1999
Mar.8-10, 2000
Sep.13-15, 2000

7 Rewriting in Proof and Computation

Oct.25-27, 2001

8 Nonlinear Theory and its Applications

Oct.28-Nov.1, 2001

9 New Paradigm VLSI Computing

Dec.12-14, 2002

10 Ultra High Density Spinic Storage System
3rd International Workshop on New Group IV (Si-Ge-C)
11
Semiconductors
3rd International Workshop on High Freaqency Micromagnetic Devices
12and Materials (MMDM3)
4th International Conference on Silicon Epitaxy and Heterostructures
13(lCSl-4)
1st International WorkShop on New Group IV Semiconductor
14
Nanoelectronics
GSIS International Symposium on Information Sciences of New Era:
15
Brain, Mind and Society
The 1st RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics -Spin Transfer
16
Phenomena4th International Workshop on High Frequency Micromagnetic Devices
17
and Materials (MMDM4)
4th International Conference on Physics and Applications of18
Spin-Related Phenomena in Semiconductors (PASPS-lV)
2nd International Workshop on New Group IV Semiconductor
19
Nanoelectronics
20 2nd RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Oct.23-24, 2003

Japan-China Joint Conference on acoustics, JCA2007
International Conference on Discovery Science/
International Conference on Algorithmic Learning Theory
The 3rd RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics
3rd International Workshop on New Group ⅣSemiconductor
Nanoelectronics
International Workshop on Nanostructures & Nanoelectronics
The 18th International Symposium on Algorithms andComputation(ISAAC2007)
International Interdisciplinary-Symposium on Gaseous and Liquid
Plasmas (ISGLP 2008)
4th International Workshop on New Group IV Semiconductor
Nanoelectronics

Jun.4-6,2007

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

88

Oct.12-13, 2004
Apr.11-12, 2005
May 23-26, 2005
May 27-28. 2005
Sep.26-27, 2005
Feb.8-9, 2006
May 8,2006
Aug.15-18,2006
Oct.2-3,2006
Feb.15-16,2007
Oct.1-4,2007
Oct. 31-Nov.1,2007
Nov.8-9,2007
Nov.21-22,2007
Dec.17-19,2007
Sep.5-6,2008
Sep.25-27,2008

2020
Title

Date

29

The 4th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Oct.9-10,2008

30

Global Symposium on Millimeter Waves 2009 (GSMM2009)

Apr.20-22,200931

Mini R.I.E.C. workshop on multimodal perception

Apr.24,200932

The 4th International Symposium on Ultrafast Photonic Technologies

Aug.4-5,2009

33
34
35
36

PIMRC2009 Personal Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications
Symposium 2009
2nd RIEC-CNSI Workshop on Nanoelectronics,Spintronics andPhotonics (5th RIEC Symposium on Spintronics)
International Workshop on the principles and applications of spatial
hearing 2009 (IWPASH2009)
5th International Workshop on New Group IV Semiconductor
Nanoelectronics

Sep.13-16,2009
Oct.22-23,2009
Nov.11-13,2009
Jan.29-30,2010

37

6th RIEC International on Spintronics

Feb.5-6,201038

2nd International Workshop on Nanostructure & Nanoelectronics

Mar.11-12,2010

39

2nd RIEC International Symposium on Graphene Devices (ISGD2010)

Oct.27-29,201040

9th Japan-Korea Symposium on Surface Nanostructures

Nov.15-16,201041

The 7th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Feb.3-4,2011

42

The 42nd RIEC International Symposium
12th International Multisensory Research Forum (IMRF2011)

Oct.17-20,2011

43

The 8th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Feb.2-3,2012

44

The Sixth International Symposium on Medical, Bio- and Nano-Electronics

Mar.8,2012

45

3rd International Workshop on Nanostructures & Nanoelectronics

Mar.21-22,2012

46

9th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

May 31-Jun.2,2012

47
48
49
50
51

The 1st International Workshop on Smart Technologies for Energy,
Information and Communication (STEIC2012)
Technical University of Dresden and Tohoku University Symposium2012
The 1st RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
Computer
Tohoku – Harvard Joint Workshop New Directions in Materials foranoelectronics,Spintronics and Photonics（10th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics）
11th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics &3rdCSISInternationalSymposiumonSpintronics-based VLSIs

Oct.18-19,2012
Nov.2,2012
Nov.15-16,2012
Jan.15-16,2013
Jan.31-Feb.1,2013

52

7th International Symposium on Medical, Bio- and Nano-Electronics

Mar.7,2013

53

6th Global

Apr.22-23,2013

54

The 2nd RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
ComputerFeb.21-22,2014

55

8th International Symposium on Medical,Bio- and Nano-Electro

Mar.6-7,2014

Symposium on Millimeter Wave 2013

89

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Title

Date

56

5th International Workshop on Nanostructures and Nanoelectronics

Mar.6-7,2014

57

12th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Jun.25-27,2014

58

The IEEE International Conference on Microwave Magnetics

Jun.29-Jul.2,2014

59

RIEC International Symposium on Perception and Communication

Jul.24,2014

60

APMC 2014(2014 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference)

Nov.4-7,2014

61

The 3rd RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
ComputerFeb.18-19,2015

62

International Symposium on Brainware LSI

Mar.2-3,2015

63
64
65
66
67

The 9th International Symposium on Medical, Bio- andNano-Electronics
The 6th International Workshop on Nanostructures andNanoelectronics
RIEC International Symposium on Vision and Cognition
The 23rd Symposium of the International Colour Vision Society(ICVS 2015)
RIEC International Symposium on Computer Graphics and Interactive
Techniques: New Horizon

Mar.2-4,2015
Mar.2-4,2015
Mar.20,2015
Jul. 3-7, 2015
Sep. 26-27,2015

68

13th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Nov. 18-20,2015

69

The 4th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
ComputerFeb. 23-24,2016

70

International Symposium on Brainware LSI

Feb. 26-27,2016

71

The 10th International Symposium on Medical, Bio- and Nano- Electronics

Mar. 1-3,2016

72

The 7th International Workshop on Nanostructures and Nanoelectronic

Mar. 1-3,2016

73

RIEC International Symposium on Ultra-Realistic Interactive Acoustic
Communications 2016
RJUSE TeraTech-2016: The 5th Russia-Japan-USA-Europe Symposium

May 20-21,2016

74

on Fundamental & Applied Problems of Terahertz Devices & Technologies Oct.31-Nov.4,2016(RIEC International Symposium on Fundamental & Applied Problems of
Terahertz Devices & Technologies)

75

Dependable Wireless Workshop 2016

Nov.9-10,2016

76

14th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Nov.17-19,2016

77

The 4th RIEC International Symposium on Brainware LSI

Feb. 24-25,201778

The 5th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
ComputerFeb. 27-28,2017

79

RIEC International Workshop on Biomedical Optics 2017

Mar. 6,2017

80

The 8th RIEC International Workshop on Nanostructures andNanoelectronics

Mar. 6-7,2017

81

RIEC Russia-Japan Joint International Microwave Workshop 2017

Oct.19-20,2017

90

2020
Title
82
83

International Symposium on Photonics and Optical Communications（ISPOC 2017）
RIEC International Symposium on Experience Design and Cognitive
Science（The Second ACM SIGCHI Asian Symposium）

Date
Oct.25-26,2017
Nov. 18-19,2017

84

15th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Dec.13-14,201785

The 6th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
ComputerFeb. 1-2,2018

86

The 5th International Symposium on Brainware LSI

Feb. 23-24,201887

The 9th International Workshop on Nanostructures and Nanoelectronics

Mar. 1-2,201888Japan-Korea International Symposium on Magnetic Devices andMaterials

Aug.24,2018

89

International Symposium on Universal Acoustical Communication 2018

Oct.22-24,2018

90

Asian Wireless Power Transfer Workshop (AWPT2018)

Nov. 2-4,2018

91

3rd Japan-EU Flagship Workshop on Graphene and Related 2D Materials Nov. 19-21,201892

The 2nd Tohoku-NTU U Symposium on Interdisciplinary AI and Human Studies

93
94

The 14th International Conference on Intelligent Information Hiding andMultimedia Signal Processing (IIH-MSP2018)
RIEC International Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction（The Third ACM SIGCHI Asian Symposium）

Nov. 24,2018
Nov. 26-28,2018
Dec.12-13,2018

95

16th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Jan.9-10,201996

The 7th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain Computer

Feb. 22-23,201997

The 6th International Symposium on Brainware LSI

Mar. 1-2,201998

The 10th International Workshop on Nanostructures and Nanoelectronics Mar. 6-7,2019

99

12th Global Symposium on Millimeter Waves 2019 (GSMM2019)

May. 22-24,2019

100 The 16th International Workshop on Emerging ICT

Oct. 31- Nov. 2,2019

101 17th RIEC International Workshop on Spintronics

Dec. 3-6,2019

RIEC International Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction- Welcome CHI 2021, thinking of the future of HCI together The 8th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
103
Computer
The 9th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain
104
Computer
102

Jan. 24-25,2020Feb. 13-15,2020Dec. 5,2020

105 RIEC International Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction

Jan. 24,2021

106 11th International Workshop on Nanostructures & Nanoelectronics

Mar. 1-2,2021

107 The 4th Tohoku - NTU Symposium on Interdisciplinary AI and Human Studies

Mar. 12-13,2021108

Symposium of Yotta Informatics Research Platform for Yotta-Scale Data
Science 2021

109 The 7th International Symposium on Brainware LSI

Mar. 23-24,2021
Mar. 31,2021

91

2020
6.

Study Groups on Electrical Communication

Study Groups on Electrical Communication are organized to solve scientific and technologicalproblems and to promote research and development through the collaboration of the ResearchInstitute of Electrical Communication, Group of ECEI（Electrical Engineering, Communication
Engineering, Electronic Engineering, and Information Engineering ) in Graduate Schools ofEngineering, Information Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, related scientists and engineers insideand outside Tohoku University. The Study Groups on Electrical Communication consist of 15
Sub-Groups as listed, to deal with specific subjects. Each Sub-Group holds workshops and theabstracts of the workshops are published annually in The Record of Electrical and Communication
Engineering Conversazione Tohoku University.
Many scientists and engineers not only from universities but also from government laboratories
and industries attend the workshops, present papers, and discuss issues actively. We are pleased toprovide information on these activities upon request. Please contact the General Chairman or each
Sub-Group Chairman for general information or more specific questions.

Electromagnetic and Optical Waves Engineering
Chair

Prof.

Hiroki Nishiyama

ManagerProf.

Hiroki Nishiyama

Acoustic Engineering
Chair

Prof.

Akinori Ito

Manager

Associate Prof.

ManagerProf.

Takashi Nose

Shuichi Sakamoto

Sendai "Plasma Forum"
Chair

Prof.

Akira AndoManagerProf.

Toshiro Kaneko

Sendai Seminar on EMC
Chair

Prof.

Hideaki Sone

ManagerProf.

Masahiro Yamaguchi

92

2020
Computer Science
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Eijiro Sumii
Kazutaka Matsuda

Systems Control
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Makoto Yoshizawa
Norihiro Sugita

Information-biotronics
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Ayumi Hirano
Koichiro Miyamoto

Spinics
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Yasushi EndoManager

Assistant Prof.

Ton That Loi

Kazushi Ishiyama

New Paradigm Computing
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Masanori Hariyama
Masanori Natsui

Ultrasonic Electronics
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Hiroshi Kanai
Mototaka Arakawa

93

2020
Brainware
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Akio Ishiguro
Takeshi Kano

Mathematical Physics and its Application to Information Sciences
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Masayuki Ohzeki

Manager

Assistant Prof.

Manaka Okuyama

Kazuyuki Tanaka

Biocyber netics and Bioinformatics
Chair

Prof.

Manager

Associate Prof.

Takeshi Obayashi

Manager

Assistant Prof.

Yasuhiro Hatori

Satoshi Shioiri

Nanoelectronics and Spintronics
Chair

Prof.

Shigeo SatoManagerProf.

Syunsuke Fukami

94

2020
7. International Activities
Many of the staff in RIEC contribute to the development of technology and science in theworld by serving as editors of referees of international journals or by chairing or
programming international conferences. In some fields in electronics, electricalcommunications, or information engineering RIEC serves as a Center of Excellence(COE), which attracts researchers and students from all over the world every year.
Several academic exchange programs with foreign colleges or institutes are in operation.
International academic exchange programs
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

University of California, Santa Barbara (U.S.A.)
University of California (U.S.A.)
Purdue University (U.S.A.)
National Taiwan University (Taiwan)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne (Swiss)
The University of York (U.K.)
National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan)
The Technische Universität Dresden (Germany)
Berlin Institute of Technology (Germany)
National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan)
Harvard University (U.S.A.)
Technische Universität München (Germany)
The University of Kaiserslautern (Germany)
Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (Germany)
Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany)
The University of Melbourne (Australia)
University of Regensburg (Germany)
Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (Germany)
University of Salamanca (Spain)
St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University (Russia)
Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)
IHP-Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics (Germany)
The Interdisciplinary Center on Nanoscience of Marseille,
National Center of Scientific Research (France)
Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
WINLAB, Rutgers University (U.S.A.)
Research and Educational Center "Photonics and Infrared Technology" and Institute of RadioElectronics and Laser Technology, Bauman Moscow State Technical University(BMSTU)(Russia)
Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)(U.S.A.)
Telecom ParisTech (France)
Faculty of Physics, M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia)
Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University(Taiwan)
V.G. Mokerov Institute of Ultra High Frequency Semiconductor Electronics of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, and Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (Russia)

95

2020
International journals in which a staff in RIEC participates as an editor
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Applied Physics Express
Auditory Perception and Cognition
Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds
Frontiers in Neuroscience
IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics
Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications, IEICE
Scientific Reports
Soft Robotics

Recent international conferences programmed by a staff in RIEC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

96

10th 2021 IEEE International Conference on Communications, Network, andSatellite (IEEE Comnetsat 2021)
11th International Workshop on Nanostructures & Nanoelectronics (IWNN-11)
15th International Symposium on Functional and Logic Programming (FLOPS 2020)
17th EuroVR International Conference (EuroVR 2020)
2020 IEEE International Symposium on Radio- Frequency Integration Technology(RFIT 2020)
2020 International Conference on Advanced Technologies for Communications(ATC 2020)
2020 International Symposium on Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications(NOLTA2020)
26th IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC 2021)
29th International Workshop on Post Binary ULSI Systems
39th ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2021)
50th IEEE International Symposium on Multiple-Valued Logic (ISMVL 2020)
7th International Workshop on Rewriting Techniques for Program Transformations
and Evaluation (WPTE 2020)
IEEE Asia Pacific Conference on Wireless and Mobile 2021 (APWiMob 2021)
IEEE International Workshop on Computer Aided Modeling and Design ofCommunication Links and Networks (CAMAD 2021)
IEEE The International Magnetics Conference (INTERMAG 2020)
IEEE The International Magnetics Conference (INTERMAG 2021)
IEEE The Magnetic Recording Conference (TMRC 2020)
IEEE The Magnetic Recording Conference (TMRC 2021)
IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Quality of Service 2021 (IwQoS 2021)
International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines 2021,
Program committee
INTERNATIONAL TELETRAFFIC CONGRESS ITC 32
The 11th International Conference on ICT Convergence (ICTC 2020)
The 2020 IEEE 5G World Forum (5GWF’20)
The 2021 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM 2021)
The 2021 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC 2021)

2020
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34

The 2021 International Workshop on Pervasive Information Flow (PerFlow'21)
The 2nd International Symposium on Designing Human-Centric IoT Society
The 35th International Conference on Information Networking (ICOIN 2021)
The 65th Annual Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (MMM 2020)
The 8th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology(ICoICT 2020)
The 9th RIEC International Symposium on Brain Functions and Brain Computer(9th BFBC)The Eighth International Symposium on Computing and Networking (CANDAR'20)
The IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2021)
The Symposium on Emerging Topics in Computing and Communications(SETCAC'20)

97

2020
8. Periodicals Published by the Institute
The Institute publishes the following two periodicals to inform readers on recent research results of
the Institute.
1. The Record of Electrical and Communication Engineering Conversazione Tohoku University
This journal aims at providing an opportunity to publish research results of the Institute as well as
the result of the Graduate Schools of Engineering, Information Sciences, Biomedical Engineering.
Since the journal also aims at publishing general research activities of the Institute and of the
Graduate Schools such as records of the final lectures of retiring professors, records of the InstituteSymposium, and reviews.
The name of the Journal `Conversazione´ is attributable to the `Tuesday Conversazione´ at the
Department of Electrical Engineering, which had been held once a week on Tuesday since around 1920.
Minutes of the meetings had been distributed to researchers outside of the University via various
routes and therefore some of them had been referred to as `Records of Tuesday Electrical Engineering
Conversazione Tohoku University´ with the result that they came to be treated as official publications.
Though the meeting was once interrupted by World War Two, it was restarted in 1947. In 1952, thepublication of the records was succeeded by the Institute and the records have been published asperiodicals, two times a year recently, since No. 1 Vol. 21 was published in July, 1952.
2. The Annual Report of Research Activity at the Research Institute of Electrical Communication,
Tohoku University
Published annually since 1995. This report details the activities of each research division andresearch facility. Also included are reports on nation-wide cooperative research projects, international
symposium and seminars organized by members of RIEC, and the reports and evaluation on the RIEC
advisory board members. English version is also available since 2007.
3. RIEC NewsAs a part of RIEC’s publication service, “RIEC News” is published.
With the 75th anniversary of the establishment of RIEC, RIEC News introduces cutting-edge’s
research and the vision of the future from RIEC’s contributions to the progression of science andtechnology in Japan. RIEC News was first launched in March 2011. Every issue introduces special
topics such as large scale projects and Specially-Promoted Research, etc. RIEC News also includes
current information about each laboratory and center, all kinds of RIEC events, research exchange
meetings, laboratories open to the public (RIEC Open Day), etc. English version was also launched in
March 2014. Further, RIEC News offers a notification service by mail whenever a new issue is released
and an electronic version of every issue published so far can be downloaded by following the link below.
http://www.riec.tohoku.ac.jp/riecnews/

98

2020
With the 26th issue of RIEC News, it has finished multi-monthly publication style as before. From
April 2020, in order to bring you the latest research results and event information as quickly as
possible, RIEC News was renewed to a new web-based publication style. The new RIEC Newsweb ispublished by the following link.
http://www.riec.tohoku.ac.jp/riecpr/

99

2020

9.

Staff, Budget

1. Faculty & Staff
as of May 1, 2020
Professors

23

Associate Professors

21

Assistant Professors

22

Research Fellows

10

Specially Appointed Professors

2

Specially Appointed Assistant Professors

4

Administrative Staff（Including Limited Regular Employees）

29

Technical Staff（Including Limited Regular Employees）

16

Total

127

2. Researchers (FY2020)
Foreign Researchers

Visiting Professors

0

Visiting Asociate Professors

0

Cooperative Researchers of Private Company etc

10

JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists

10

JSPS Postdoctral Fellowship for Overseas Researchers

2

Invitation Fellowship for Research in Japan

0

Contract Researchers

3

Contract Trainees

1

Total

26

3. Students
as of May 1, 2020
School ofEngineering

Graduate School ofGraduate School ofInformation Science Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Students

53 (1)

Master Course Students

92 (11)40 (6)

9Doctor Course Students

17 (6)

10 (4)

2100

162 (18)

Total
53 (1)

Institute Reserch Students
Total

RIEC

50 (10)11141 (17)29 (10)111224 (28)

2020
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2-1-1 Katahira,Aobaku,Sendai 980-8577, Japan
Tel. +81-(0)22-217-5420 Fax.+81-(0)22-217-5426
http://www.riec.tohoku.ac.jp/en/