The 21st Century COE Program
Mechanical Systems Innovation
The University of Tokyo7No.

The 21st Century COE Program
Mechanical Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo

Innovative Aerial Robot Project (IARP)
In the 20th century, the main role of airplanes was to function as a means oftransportation. Now, in the 21st century, it is expected that in addition to beinga means of transportation, they will also play increasing roles intelecommunications, environmental/farmland/factory monitoring, accident
prevention and disaster relief.
In order to meet those expectations, we are working toward the realization ofinnovative aerial robots, such as UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and MAVs
(Micro Aerial Vehicle), which have multiple functions and advanced flight
performance so that they can fulfill their various missions with success. Since
2004, this work has gone forward under the auspices of the Innovative Aerial
Robot Project (IARP). In this project, cross-disciplinary members arecooperating closely under proper management by program promoters of the
21st century COE program.
To design and build innovative aerial robots, it is necessary to integrateelemental technologies from the field of mechanical engineering, such as fluiddynamics, structural mechanics, measurement, control and so on, as well as todevelop each elemental technology. For example, the limits of application inconventional mechanical engineering arise when one attempts to miniaturize
an aerial robot to the size of a hummingbird or insect. Each IARP team member
addresses his or her own challenges in close cooperation with other members.
Our goal is to contribute to the construction of a secure and safe society bygiving robots new functions and widening their applicability. Additionally, weattempt to return our achievements to society in diverse ways.

ESeptember 1, 2005

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Prof. Shinji Suzuki

The Innovative Aerial Robot Project (IARP) team, with its winged innovative flying prototype robot, has succeeded in transmitting
pictures from a camera onboard an aircraft and controlling the aircraft autonomously through cellular telephone communication
system (2005/May/12 and 2005/May/17). The flying robot of the IARP team is the word’s first small-sized Unmanned AerialVehicle (UAV) to use cellular telephones for the telecommunication of navigation and picture data.
Flying robots are expected to be of considerable use in missions such as early reconnaissance of disaster area and environment
monitoring. The prototype robot that successfully flew the experimental flight (OBK-SkyEye2) was equipped with a camera, aGPS-enabled autonomous flight system, and two slot-in type cellular telephone cards. The aircraft (1.4 meters in wingspan and 1
kilogram in weight) is easy to control and can be hand-launched, which makes the system particularly suitable for emergency
situations. The development of the robot has been sponsored by the New Energyand Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for the fiscal yearsof 2004 and 2005. It has been a cooperative effort between the university andother organizations. The robot was demonstrated at an emergency drill in Nagata
Ward, Kobe City, and was on display at Expo 2005 Aichi Japan. More recentachievements include a successful proof-of-concept experiment to demonstrate
the feasibility to conduct in-flight environment monitoring using the infrared
photography technology developed at Hiroshima Prefecture Forestry ResearchCenter. The IARP team is also conducting research on Micro Air Vehicles (MAV),
wireless power transmission technology using microwaves, and composite
Television news coverage by NHK on 2005/01/31
materials for UAV applications.

Rotorcraft-type Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV)
Department of Environmental & Ocean Engineering Lecturer Hideaki Murayama

In various situations, we can imagine applications for a small robot that can fly freely and safely in 3-dimensional space.
We are aiming to realize a rotorcraft-type micro aerial vehicle with multiple functions, namely, the ability to perform different typesof motion, such as flying, running, hopping and so on. This robot has four rotors, and it can fly freely by controlling the rotation
rate of each rotor. The main location where the micro aerial robot will be used is indoors. This means that the major challenges indeveloping the micro aerial robot are miniaturization and stabilization. Therefore, in order for a robot with small rotors to be able
to fly freely, it is necessary that we make the fuselage lighter and develop an advanced control system. We could make an ultralight fuselage using carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) and some microelectronic devices. Also, we have improved the thrustsystem and the control system. Our current goal is to develop a micro aerial robot whose maximum length is less than 30 cm andwhich is capable of stable hovering and has maneuverability.

Ultra-light MAV made of CFRP

Rover-type platform and MAVs

High-Performance Robot Exhibited at the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Prof. Shinji Suzuki

Under a contract with NEDO (the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organization), the IARP team, Ohta Business Development Consortium (OBK), MitsubishiElectric Corporation, and Chuo University collaborated on the development of a type ofhigh-performance flying robot named the OBK-SkyEye. From June 9 to June 19, the robots
were on display at the Prototype Robot Exhibition held in the Morizo & Kiccoro Exhibition
Center of Expo 2005 Aichi Japan. OBK-SkyEye is a series of small flying robots equippedwith cellular telephone communication systems and GPS-enabled autonomous flightsystems (refer to the page on UAV for details). The all wing configuration model (Type 1)
and the twin boom configuration model (Type 3) were on display along with ademonstration of how it is controlled using a flight simulator. Unexpectedly, there were very
few hands-on displays at the exhibition, and our arrangement, in which visitors had thechance to fly the robot above the exposition site on a computer monitor, was quite popularamong children. After the exhibition, one of the flying robots has been on display at theCommunication Center located next to “Akamon” on the University of Tokyo’s campus.

The high-performance flying robot
and the flight simulator on displayat Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan

Activity in IARP
Department of Environmental & Ocean Engineering Lecturer Hideaki Murayama

In IARP, we have performed various activities to promote close collaboration and improve the performance of team members.
Cross-disciplinary members from the university, public research organizations, industry and so on attend our monthly meetings.
Research reports and the exchange of information at the meeting are important for the purpose of project coordination.
The international symposium on UAV and MAV was held for the first time in Japan in Dec. 2004. We organized this successfulsymposium, and we are preparing the next international symposium scheduled for Dec. 2005.
Additionally, we are planning to hold an aerial robot competition for university and high school students in 2006. In preparation forthe competition, IARP team members and various experts self-produced model airplanes last year and held a flight performancecompetition.
As a result of these activities, collaboration among young researchers is closer. It is also notable that many graduate andundergraduate students are voluntarily taking part in IARP. We expect research and human resource developments to occur as aresult of these IARP activities.

IARP monthly meeting

Competition on the flight performanceof self-produced model airplanes

A self-produced model airplaneProgram Executive Organization
Project Promoters
Program leader
Nobuhide Kasagi

Biomedical innovation
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering

Masao Washizu

Energy innovation
Masahiro Shoji
Toshio Nagashima
Chisachi Kato
Takayuki Terai
Kazuro Kageyama
Nobuo Takeda
Tamaki Ura
Shinichi Nakasuka
Toyohisa Fujita
Shigehiko Kaneko

Mamoru Mitsuishi

Professor emeritus, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Biofunctional
Systems, Institute of Industrial ScienceProfessor, Department of Nuclear Science andManagement, School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Environmental and Ocean
Engineering, School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Advanced Energy,
School of Frontier Sciences
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Biofunctional
Systems, Institute of Industrial Science
Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Geosystem Engineering,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering

Masayuki Nakao
Teruo Fujii
Takashi Ushida

Professor, Department of Engineering for Synthesis,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Engineering Synthesis,
School of Engineering
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical andBiofunctional Systems, Institute of Industrial Science
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering

Hyper modeling / simulation
Yoichiro Matsumoto
Takafumi Fujita
Hideaki Miyata
Shinsuke Sakai
Shinobu Yoshimura

Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Biofunctional
Systems, Institute of Industrial Science
Professor, Department of Environmental and OceanEngineering, School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Quantum Engineering andSystems Science, School of Engineering

Project members
Toshiki Iino
Kensuke Tsuchiya
Yosuke Hasegawa

Project professor, International Research and Education center for Mechanical Systems Innovation, School of Engineering
Project research associate, International Research and Education center for Mechanical Systems Innovation, School of Engineering
Project research associate, International Research and Education center for Mechanical Systems Innovation, School of Engineering
Project secretaries

Project collaborates
Ichiro Yamada
Shinji Suzuki
Keiji Kawachi
Yutaka Toi
Shigeo Maruyama
Marie Oshima
Toshinori Watanabe

Professor, Department of Engineering for Synthesis,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Biofunctional
Systems, Institute of Industrial Sciences
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Biofunctional
Systems, Institute of Industrial Science
Associate Professor, Department of Aeronautics andAstronautics, School of Engineering

Yuji Suzuki
Naoki Shikazono
Shin'ichi Warisawa
Shu Takagi
Katsuko Furukawa
Hideaki Murayama

Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Associate Professor, Department of Engineering for
Synthesis, School of Engineering
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
School of Engineering
Lecturer, Department of Environmental and OceanEngineering, School of Engineering

Advisory Committee
Advisory Committee
Koutaro Inoue
Noboru Kikuchi

Senior Fellow, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Professor, The University of Michigan

Yoshitsugu Kimura
Tetsuya Tateishi

Chair, President, Kagawa UniversityFellow, National Institute for Materials Science

Activities of Mechanical Systems Innovation Program (scheduled)〈Open Seminars〉◎FYI2005-3rd Seminar
Date: June 23, 2005
Venue : Seminar Room No.2, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.2, Hongo Campus
Subject : Thermal Stress Reduction for a Czochralski Grown Single Crystal
Speaker : Prof. Huaxiong Huang (York University)◎FYI2005-4th Seminar
Date: July 8, 2005
Venue : Lecture Room No.28, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.2, Hongo Campus
Subject : Coherent Thermal Emission in Modified One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals
Speaker : Assoc. Prof. Zhuomin Zhang (George W. Woodruff School of MechanicalEngineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)◎FYI2005-5th Seminar
Date: September 7, 2005
Venue : Lecture Room No.226, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.8, Hongo Campus
Subject : High-resolution Biophotonic Imaging
Speaker : Prof. Lihong V. Wang (Biomedical Engineering & Electrical Engineering,Texas A&M University)◎FYI2005-6th Seminar
Date: July 12, 2005
Venue : Sanjo Confrernce Hall, Hongo Campus
Subject : U.S. Microgrid Research
Speaker : Dr. Chris Marnay (Environmental Energy Technologies Division,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)◎FYI2005-7th Seminar
Date: August 8, 2005
Venue : Lecture Room No.226, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.8, Hongo Campus
Subject : Multiscale Simulations Using Particles
Speaker : Prof. Petros Koumoutsakos (Institute of Computational Science, ETH Zurich)◎FYI2005-8th Seminar
Date: September 8, 2005
Venue : Lecture Room No.226, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.8, Hongo Campus
Subject : Bioinspired Flow Optimization: Theory and Practice
Speaker : Prof. Petros Koumoutsakos (Institute of Computational Science, ETH Zurich)◎FYI2005-9th Seminar
Date: August 18, 2005
Venue : Conference Room (An301), Institute of Industrial Science Bldg.An,Komaba Campus
Subject : Multiscale Simulations Using Particles
Speaker : Prof. Petros Koumoutsakos (Institute of Computational Science, ETH Zurich)〈Industry-Government-Academia Interaction Meeting for Human resource Development〉◎FYI2005-3rd Meeting
Date: June 21, 2005
Venue : Lecture Room No.226, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.8, Hongo Campus
Subject : Vision of Engineer Development
Speaker : Dr. Hideo Ohashi (Chairman, Board of Directors of Kogakuin University)〈Advisory Committee〉◎FYI2005-1st Meeting
Date: August 4, 2005
Venue : Lecture Room No.226, Faculty of Engineering Bldg.8, Hongo Campus

The 21st Century COE Program Mechanical Systems Innovation,Newsletter No.7E
September 1, 2005The 21st Century COE Program Mechanical Systems Innovation Office, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JAPAN
Phone and Fax/+81 3 5841 7437
URL/ http://www.mechasys.jp

In the interests of environmental conservation,thisnewsletter was printed
using soybean oil ink