01
OCTOBER2014

Tohoku University Research News of Engineering

From Tohoku
To Mars
Cross Talk Interview
by Three Researchers

Message from Dean
Hiroshi KANAI

Research Highlight

Akira ANDO
Voice ffrom
Keisuke ASAI
Young Scientists
Kanjuro MAKIHARA
Yuji SAKAMOTONathan BRITTON
Yusuke NARUMI

Cross Talk
Interviewby ThreeResearchers
Messagefrom Dean
I warmly welcome you to the inaugural issue of
our new periodical, "Tune" - Tohoku University
Research News of Engineering . Here you will findthe latest news and results on our cutting-edge
research and faculty, which covers a wide rangeof fields in Engineering. We launch this first issue
with a focus on Space Engineering, a field which willbrighten our future with its advanced technology.
Upon realizing a sustainable/resource-circulating but
affluent society today, with an extended yet healthy
life, we are faced with many great challenges.
Science and technologies must take the lead in
dealing with global problems that require aninterdisciplinar y viewpoint and international
cooperation, along with intergenerational action. Our
goal is for this publication to be shared by leading
lights around the world as part of a global network,
enabling it to become a key in solving such problems.
Tohoku University, with more than a century ofhistory, has over the years contributed greatly toboth Japan and the rest of the global society. In
particular the School of Engineering (SoE) is
renowned for its past research accomplishments.
Now, SoE has about a thousand professors
instructing about 6,000 students encompassing
2,0 0 0 g r adu ate s in clu din g 50 0 do c to r a lcandidates involved in research activities. Theyand our alumni also constitute another of themany networks that our national university, being
the third oldest in Japan, can be proud of.
In concluding my message I hope all of you whoread our "Tune" will pass on the message to those
who are interested in our objectives. Thank you.

Hiroshi KANAIText by S.
“Tex”POMEROY / Photographs by Masayoshi HARABUCHI

Three Innovators
in Our Midst

Department of Aerospace
Engineering, w h o h a s r e s e a r c hinterests in “energy harvesting” fromspace stations and other such
spaceborne structures.

− Dr. Makihara, your field covers use ofenergy-harvesting and motion control
systems in the space environment. For
this you make use of “Smart Materials”
like PZ T ** that ex hibit piezoe le ctriceffects. But you utilize other types ofSince its School of Engineering (SoE) opened its doors
in 1923, Tohoku University has been at the forefront ofengineering research which encompasses a wide rangeof disciplines. These now include technologies crucial inenabling faster and safer yet cost-effective exploration of
the heavens via rocketry and other means. Engineering
at SoE, mostly based in Sendai, cover s all areas
encompassed by "aerospace" engineering, which has
culminated in the successful launch earlier this year of a
micro satellite. More such satellites are slated to go aloft
successively in wake of this “orbital frontier” establishedby Tohoku University. In addition, Tohoku University
today has a trio of leading lights covering spacedevelopment in their respective fields. The three men are
all carrying on work related to aerospace at SoE.
The trio comprises: Professor Akira Ando, of the
Department of Electrical Engineering who is a plasma*physics authorit y at present focusing on electric
propulsion in addition to supersonic flow in space, notto mention power systems in general; Professor Keisuke
Asai, of the Department of Aerospace Engineering
whose research concerns experimental aerodynamics
of aerospace systems, including experimentals i m u l a t i o n of a e r i a l f l i g h t c o n d i t i o n s a s we l l a s
development of image-based measurement techniques;
and, Associate Professor Kanjuro Makihara, of theIn view of this, the “tech triumvirate”
at center stage of current space
exploration efforts were asked totalk about their research
perspectives while elaborating on
their visions for the future.

Smart Materials as well, likecolor-changing and “shape memor y”
products, in orde r to d iag nose and“self-repair” damaged space structures.
This means opening up ways to deal withdamages from space debris*** in-flight.
Can you tell us more about this?

The session star ted of f with themoderators noting that Dr. Asai is aformer Japan Aerospace Exploration
A g e n c y (JA X A ) r e s e a r c h e r we l lknown for his international links
including National Aeronautics andSpace Administration (NASA) . He is
now collaborating closely with Dr.
Ando, whose space propulsion workh a s b e e n h i g h l i g h te d s i n c e t h e
successful electrical engine
maneuvering of the JapaneseAsteroid Explorer “Hayabusa”
mission. It was underscored that Dr.
Makihara is the most recent of thethre e profe s sor s to join Tohoku
University; nevertheless, as he is still
as sociate d with the JA X A / ISAS
(Institute of Space and Astronautical
Science), he is also able to fully
utilize JAXA collaboration links.

Dr. Makihara: Yes, today I brought alonga cross-section of the International Space
Station (ISS) hull which we used forexperimentation. The outer portion has
been pierced by a debris but the inner
portion is intact. ISS is located in Earth’s
orbit which is peppered with discarded
items, a clear and present danger to spacedevelopment. I was able to, throughconnections made with other university
scientists while working on a JAXA
project, apply their research results fordamage diagnosis. The color changes due
to monochromism are seen realizing easy
diagnosis through visual observations.
D r. Asa i: T hat is quite i nteresti ng,
because I am also using “color change” inmy research. In my case the research
fo cus es on m e a su r em ent a nd f low

simulation as used in aerodynamics. I
conduct aerodynamic experiments using
several unique wind-tunnel facilities.
These not only include the Low-TurbulenceWind Tunnel at the Institute of Fluid
Science, but also the world’s only “MarsWind Tunnel” (MWT). However, I alsou s e a dva nc e d opt ica l me a su r ement
techniques like pressure-sensitive paint,t emp er at u r e -sensit ive pa i nt a nd
fluorescent oil-film skin-friction meters aspart of our studies of aerospace systems.
Dr. Ando: My research covers plasma
science and technology, is related with Dr.
Asai’s research regarding space vehicle andaircraft surface improvements. Plasma canbe used to “coat” the surface and also to see
how the outer portion can be altered in
response to changes in environmental
conditions. I’ve been told my work on
Magneto-Hydro-Dynamics (MHD) in
plasmas and electric thrusters utilizing
plasma, which can carry human and materials
to Mars, is well known, which I findflattering. I am also involved in developmentof plasma diagnostics and applications in
nano-, bio- and enviro-technologies as well.
By the way, I would like to note that Dr. Asai
is keenly interested in biomimetics due to his
Mars airplane work too.
Dr. Asai: I aim to help develop a "Marsa i r pla ne” wh ich ca n f ly under t h i n

Professor and Dean

Tune Vol.01 P1

A. ANDO×K. ASAI ×K. MAKIHARA

Tune Vol.01 P2

atmospheric conditions like those foundon Mars, our nearest planetary neighbor. I
am proud to be using our MWT for thispur pose. Yet the fact is that ear thlycreatures such as insects provide hints toMars airplane designs, for example thedragonf ly or the butter f ly. We haveadopted an approach different fromNASA's where its Ma rs exploration
project is designed for a ground-hugging
robot dubbed “Curiosity” to scrutinize
Mars surface. We can facilitate the effort
by using the Mars airplane in transporting
the probes quickly and to distant locations
on the surface. As an aside, I have foundma ny E a r t h-b ou nd c reat u res to b ehint-providers as well, as they live in anenvironment where viscous force makelife “sticky” to say the least.

Dr. Ando: The space environment is aviolent one. There are prominent MHD
phenomena like anomalous heating in asolar corona, magnetic reconnection in
the Earth magneto-tail accompanied bya powerful aurora and more. Strong
irradiation of cosmic ray is harmful tohuman body. Propulsion using electricalenergy and plasma in space enables us toreach Mars and return to Earth within ayea r. For exa mple, ion engines a nd
Hall-effect thrusters can be used forinterstellar transport, but more powerfulplasma thrusters are necessary to realize
this transport system.

Dr. Makihara: I am somewhat familiar
with “Star Blazers” but perhaps I am
more in the "Gundam/Transformers"
generation. Yet, such interests do provide
a s m u c h a n i m p e t u s i n p r o m o t i ng
aerospace studies as "hard" science, andmotivation can take different forms.
Results beckon.

interdisciplinary settings will provide all of you the resourcesthat you need. If there are people who think this field is ofinterest and wish to explore what is on offer, we seriously
encourage you to take a look at Tohoku University. In fact, as
per our discussion, SoE not only covers aerospace but otherinteresting areas as well. Perhaps one's future beckons!”

Concluding on
A Strong Noteelectrons, and neutral atoms and/or molecules including radicals.
The charged particles (ions and electrons) can be further energized− As for strong points of SoE in the**PZT: Acronym for lead zirconate titanate, one of the most common

aerospace field, these include hallmarks
such as satellites, simulation, robotics andMars and Beyond*Plasma: A plasma encompasses ionized and energized gases
e mit ting photons, which include p ositive a nd ne gative ions,by the interaction with electrostatic and electromagnetic fields andprovide thrust in space for satellites or other interstellar vehicles.

"piezoelectric device ingredients"; the ceramic material can be used to
produce items that act as an electric power generator ("piezoelectriceffect") as well as an actuator ("inverse piezoelectric effect").

information-communication technologies.
Japan is maintaining its high ranking interms of R&D for this discipline, even against***Space debris: Also known as "orbital debris" usually pertain to
defunct items such as spent rocket parts and obsolete satellites.
Found in "space," i.e., the area beyond 100km line above sea level inaltitude, waste materials large and small can include those less than
1cm in size are orbiting Earth.

− When it comes to Mars manychanges in circumstances like progress in− Speaking of sticking points, how will

academics recall that for nearly half ap r i va t i z a t i o n. J a p a n i s s h o w i n g a n

the rover and the airplane be powered?

century from the late 1800’s onwards,

increased emphasis on cost-effectivenessThe batteries and solar panels can be apeople gazed upon that planet

and diversification of career paths for

Akira ANDO

real burden on the mission, no? The

wondering what kind of engineering

graduates. But is there more?

batteries are heavy while the panels canmarvels made those "canals" possible.

be prone to failure, are they not?

Yet in 1903 powered human flight wasProfessor of Electrical Engineering at School of Engineering, Tohoku
University. He received a bachelor degree in Physics from Faculty of Science,
Kyoto University in 1981 and his Ph.D. degree (Doctor of Science) in Plasma
Physic from Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University in 1987. He was a
Research Associate at Plasma Laboratory in Nagoya University from 1987
and in National Institute for Fusion Science from 1989, and devoted himself
to the development of plasma heating devices, especially a large negativehydrogen ion source and beams. After serving as a Visiting Researcher at
Culham Laboratory, U.K., in 1993, he started researching electric propulsion
as an Associate Professor at Tohoku University in 1995. He has been in his
current position as a Professor in Electrical Engineering, Tohoku University
since 2009. His current research interests involve dynamics of fast flowing
plasmas, development of electric propulsion devices with high power, large
negative ion beams and plasma applications to the environment.

Dr. Makihara: Vibrations in space comeand go throughout the structure since
there is nothing to absorb them, leading
to stress and eventual failure of thestructure. To overcome this problem, I
developed a digital self-powered circuit
wh ich suppresses such vibrat ion. I
a dva nc e d t h is i nvent ion t o yield acomplementary system to harvest energy
at the same time as suppressing thesevibrations. Hopefully my research will
come in handy for work on Mars also, as
energy-harvesting and Smart Materials
a re appl icable to d ist a nt ly-lo cat e ds ys t e m s, b eyo n d e a s y r e p a i r.
Self-propelled mechatronic systems canbe powered and maintained in such
sit uat ions. Energ y ha r vest i ng a lso
dispenses with the need to send heavy
items to Mars, cutting down costs.
− Yes, I believe you noted after yourinvention was unveiled that “battery-less”
systems will appear on Earth soon in the
n e a r f u tu r e, as “ we a r a b l e d e vi c e s”
generating its own power.
Of course, for Mars and other distantlocations in space we need to reachthem, and that is where Dr. Ando’s work
becomes crucial.

Tune Vol.01 P3

fact, spawning a new set of amazing
feats closer to Ear th and drawing
attention away from “science fiction”;
never theless it may turn out the
production of the Mars airplane will makean aircraft which can make high-altitude
f l i g h t s w i t h i n E a r t h' s a t m o s p h e r efeasible. What are your views regarding
science fiction?

Dr. Asai: The motivation behind space
exploration might have started due tohuman fascination with the skies and thestars, but I think in modern times thismotivation is being driven by science
fiction. In my case though, one motivator
was the “Star Blazers” Anime, which left agreat impression on me. For us, aerospaceengineers, this might be science fiction,
which makes our research move ahead but I
think for the majority of the researchers it is
this imagination which drives us towards
achieving a world-class research.
Dr. Ando: Yes, I daresay I am in the sameage bracket as Dr. Asai. Indeed, the “StarBlazers” space propulsion system, asystem brought to Earth from space, is stillquite intriguing. I do believe that "StarBlazers" Anime certainly had an impact
on many scientists of our generation.

Dr. Asai: Well, I think I can speak for allof us when I say Tohoku University is oneof the leading institutions in the field ofs p a c e e n g i n e e r i n g, a n i n s t i t u t i o nproviding great benefits to society. We
ca n conti nue to of fer excel lence i nresearch. I feel there are innumerable
linkages to science available on campus
here without rest r iction, not just to“astronomy” but to a diverse range of
research areas. These are more strong
points of our university and SoE makes
them available to all those interested inaerospace studies.
D r. A nd o: Ye s, I c oncu r a b out t h e
description and would like to underscorethe fact that Tohoku University is an
institution “open” not just to the rest ofJapan and Asia but to the entire world too. I
have had the opportunity to experience thisfirst-hand through the many joint activities
carried out together with researchers fromaround the globe. Moreover, SoE offers agreat deal of freedom in dealing with the
topic of “space”... we can offer new
pathways to the future.
Dr. Makihara: I agree and would like tosum up by saying to all those, whether
student or researcher, who are considering
coming here by pointing out that the

Keisuke ASAI
Professor of Aerospace Engineering at School of Engineering, Tohoku
University. He received a bachelor degree in Aeronautical Engineeringfrom Kyoto University in 1980 and a Ph.D. degree in Aeronautics andAstronautics from University of Tokyo in 1995. He was a researchscientist at National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan from 1980 to
2003. During 1988-1989, he was a Visiting Researcher inExperimental Techniques Branch at NASA Langley Research Center.
From 1999 to 2003, he managed the Techno-Infrastructure Program
called “MOSAIC” to develop molecular sensor technology for
aerodynamic measurements. He has been in his current position as
Professor in Experimental Aerodynamics since 2003. His current
research interests involve the development of advanced measurement
techniques for unsteady flows, dynamic wind-tunnel testing, flight
dynamics and aerial exploration on Mars.

Kanjuro MAKIHARA
Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at School of Engineering,Tohoku University. He received his bachelor degree in Aeronautics andAstronautics from The University of Tokyo in 1998 and his Ph.D. degree
in Aeronautics and Astronautics from The University of Tokyo’s
Graduate School of Engineering in 2004, Doctor of Engineering. He wasan Aerospace Project Research Associate at JAXA/ISAS since 2004,
and devoted himself to energy-recycling vibration suppression for spacestructures. After serving as a Visiting Researcher at the Department ofEngineering, University of Cambridge, U.K., he has been an Associate
Professor of Aerospace Engineering at School of Engineering, Tohoku
University since 2011. He has also been a Visiting Associate Professor
at JAXA since 2012. His current research interests involve semi-active
vibration suppression, self-powered energy-harvesting, dynamics offlexible space structures, and space debris issue.

NEXT TALKOn March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake hit the Tohoku region and madeJapan face its most terrible crisis of these last decades. School of Engineering,Tohoku University has taken since steps toward recovery and has engaged inleading research on more efficient risk management, better energy policy and fasterrecovery. The second volume will “Tune” into these crucial issues inherent for asustainable and safer society.

Tune Vol.01 P4

Research Highlight
Text by S.
“Tex”POMEROY / Photographs by Masayoshi HARABUCHI

the budget of about US$3.8 million, theschedule and the team including sevengraduate students, as project manager.

RISING-2
Seen Meeting
Future Challenges
As our readers may know, ar tificial satellites are being
developed by many universities around the world today after
the first 1kg satellite "cubesat" was launched in 2003. With
this background, we are the world's leading research &development laboratory within the academic micro- andnano -satellite s communit y. Our laborator y has much
experience in satellite development and operation, now
totaling at 5 satellites. The first micro-satellite SPRITE-SAT(RISING), launched in 2009, is currently in space, and our first
2.6 -kg cube s at R AIKO wa s re lea se d into space fromInternational Space Station in 2012.
Recently our second micro-satellite
RISING-2 entered into orbit at 628km
altitude by the Japanese H-IIA rocket,
on May 24, 2014. A month later, colori m a ge s of t h e E a r t h s u r fa c e we r eobserved at about 5m spatial resolution
by utilizi ng t he H igh P recision
Telescope (HPT). This spatial resolution
holds the world record in the under-50kg
category for micro-satellites. HPT canobserve multi-spectrum images selected

Yuji SAKAMOTO
Received his bachelor degree in the Department of Aerospace Engineering from Kyushu
University in 1998 and his Ph.D. degree in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
from Kyushu University’s Graduate School of Engineering in 2004. As a Doctor ofEngineering, he was a Researcher at Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. since 2004,
and devoted himself to system design, analysis and evaluation for micro-satellites.
He has been an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at School of Engineering,Tohoku University since 2006. His current research interests involve satellite orbit
determination, attitude determination and control, and ground operation system.

f rom 4 0 0 -ba nd waveleng t h usi ng aliquid crystal tunable filter (LCTF), thisbeing a world-first trial in space. To help
deal with climate phenomena, such as
cu mu lon i mbus clouds a nd isolated
heavy rains, a wide-field bolometera r ray wit h a m id-i n f ra red i magi ng
sensor is also installed. The success ofthese experiments will offer a new Earthobservation method that equals thoseof t raditiona l la rge or m id-sizedsatellites. This is a gigantic first step for
micro-satellites to become par t of asocially beneficial infrastructure in thenear future. Now, we are developing theupcoming next-generation micro-satellite
RISESAT with five international science
missions.
U p o n d e v e l o p m e n t o f R I S I N G -2
commencing from 2009, I controlled

The detailed designs handled mainly by
students followed, such as str ucture
design as well as the electrical hardware
and software design related to attitudecontrol and determination. The efficient
processes of design, fabrication andtesting were made possible; thus, thef l ight model was completed i n just
18 months.
Keen interest from around the world is
b e i ng fo c u s e d u p o n o u r f r o n t l i n etechnology and seasoned proficiency
regarding the development of artificial
satellites. In tandem with our development
work, we are implementing the concept ofhigh-frequency Earth observations at
multi-points based on the use of 48 cluster
satellites with multi-spectrum HPTs. For
the students and researchers who want tojoin the research team, their time with us
will offer an invaluable experience.
Reference:
N. Sugimura , K . Fukuda , Y. Tomioka , M.
Fukuyama, Y. Sakamoto, T. Kuwahara, T.
Fukuhara, K. Yoshida, Y. Takahashi, "Ground
Test of Attitude Control System for Micro
Satellite RISING-2," IEEE/SICE International
Symposium on System Integration (SII 2012),
pp.301-306.

Voice from Young Scientists
Our X-Prize Team,
Paving a Road to the Future ofPrivate Lunar Development
I have been working under Professor Yoshida at The
Sp a c e Ro b o t i c s L a b a t To h o k u Un ive r sit y, i npartnership with the Google Lunar X-Prize Team,Ha kuto, since 2010. It is becoming increasingly
exciting as we continue to approach our goal oflaunching our robots to the Moon in 2015. If our
mission is successful, Tohoku University and ourpartners will be part of the first privately funded
mission to land operable machinery on the surface ofthe Moon. Proving that this scale of mission is possible
is important for the next stage of space infrastructuredevelopment which requires cheaper, more affordable

Tune Vol.01 P5

missions which utilize lunar resources.
Our mission in particular is to explore the interior of alu na r “sk yl ig ht ” , or col lapse d lu na r lava t ub e.
Skylights are the best known candidates for building
lunar habitats and staging areas for large-scale lunar
development. It is our hope that in the long term,
constr uction and refining rocket fuel from lunar
resources will allow us to reach out beyond the moonfor only a fraction of the cost it takes to do so today.
I came here with a Computer Science background andhave had the opportunity to apply my skills to lunar
robotics while also learning new things along the way
in mechanical design, power electronics, control
engineering and terramechanics. Tohoku University
has allowed me the opportunity to break into Robotics
a nd Aerospace Engineer ing, wh ich has been a ninvaluable experience in my life.

Reusable Rocket Engine
Research for the Future

Nathan BRITTONNathan Britton was born in Colorado, USA.
He came to Tohoku University as a
Monbusho Scholar, where he is currently in
his last year of the PhD Program.

To link "space development" into our future lives asa n essentia l item, we must reduce related costs
markedly. One way of accomplishing this is to realize
the reusability of the rocket. As part of this effort,
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) R&D isworking on the reusable engine for a sounding rocket.
Japanese researchers have set two major objectives in
producing a reusable rocket engine. One is to turn theengine into a durable one, usable for multiple flights.
The other is to develop a fault tolerance system,
meaning an engine which can be stopped
immediately and safely even if an engine fault occurs

du r i ng f l ig ht. To r ea l i z e t he lat t er, t he eng i ne
condition must be accurately monitored, with the fault
being detected as soon as possible upon occurrence.
This process is known as "Health Monitoring System"(HMS). Since I am focusing on HMS in rocketry,especially for the reusable rocket engine, I chose the
JAXA endeavor as the theme for my master's course
a t S ch o ol of E ng i n e e r i ng, To h ok u Un ive r sit y.
Currently I am drawing up plans for a reusable rocket
engine system and a HMS by carrying out studies onpast JAXA activities. At Kakuda, ten firing tests for areusable rocket engine have already been conducted
and many more fi r ing tests a re to be per for med
du r i ng t h is academ ic yea r. I hop e my resea rch
concerning data from these tests will help make thereusable rocket engine possible. I look forward tocontinued involvement in this R&D field.

Yusuke NARUMI
Master course student supervised by
Associate Professor Toshiya Kimura at
Future Space Transportation Engineering
Laboratory cooperated with JAXA, Schoolof Engineering, Tohoku University.

Tune Vol.01 P6

News

French Delegation on "Advanced
Materials for Energy Future"
On July 3, a delegation of scientists from French
National Research Institutions and French companies
came to School of Engineering, Tohoku University.
Their visit followed the Japan-France Symposium on“Advanced Materials for Energy Future” held in Tokyo
on June 30 and July 1, co-organized by the Science
Council of Japan, the French Embassy and theFrench Academy of Science. Their one-day trip in
Sendai consisted of visits to laboratories conducting
the same research as theirs, covering various themes
such as high temperature materials, storage energy,
and metallurgy.

RISING-2 Captures
Highest Resolution Imageof Earth’s Surface
On July 4, the Microsatellite RISING-2 succeededin capturing high precision images of the Earth’s
surface. Using a High Precision Telescope (HPT), it
has successfully taken color images at a spatial
resolution of 5m, the highest in the world among
50kg-class satellites.
RISING-2 is a microsatellite developed by Tohoku
University and Hokkaido University. It was launchedfrom the Tanegashima Space Center, Japan, on
May 24, 2014, and has been conducting various
test operations. Dayside cloud imagery and nightviews of city lights and air glow have been acquiredso far using a Wide Field-of-view CCD camera(WFC), and high resolution imaging experiments
using HPT have recently started. With an aim to
conduct highly practical observations, operations toestablish more accurate control of the satellite
attitude are scheduled to be carried out. Rising-2
will also make a challenge to obtain multispectral
images with the world’s first space liquid crystal
tunable filter (LCTF) that allows wavelength-selection.

Chargers” on September 1-3. This short-termsummer project represented the first official
academic cooperation between these institutions
and consisted of a series of lectures and therealization of a practical project. Tamkang University
provided the courses on robotics while Sendai
National College of Technology and Tohoku
University provided the courses on wireless charger.
The scope of the Joint Program was to enhance thetechnical skills of the participants and foster theircommunication skills on an international level.

Tohoku University Engineering
Summer Program 2014
on Robotics (TESP)From July 28 to August 8, the School of Engineering,Tohoku University offered for the fourth consecutive
year a two-week graduate-level summer program
focusing on “Robotics” a program designed to inspire
graduate level students or young professionals in thefield of Engineering. The program provides a series oflectures taught in English and hands-on activities on
the advanced topics of robotics. In addition, theprogram includes various activities that expose theparticipants to Japanese culture to enrich theiracademic experience. The program overall aims at
providing students with rich academic and culturalexperiences for their academic and global insight.

First International Joint Program
between Tamkang University, Taiwan,
Sendai National College ofTechnology and Tohoku University
Tamkang University, Taiwan, Sendai National
College of Technology and Tohoku University held
an International Joint Program in Sendai on“Implementation for Robotic Systems with Wireless

School of Engineering to Host
RENKEI 2014 Summer Program
Within the period of September 8-12, the RENKEI
Program Summer School gathered 17 students at
School of Engineering, Tohoku University, on thetheme of “Energy Supply within Traditional andEnvironmentally Conscious Growth Models”. Theycame from 4 Universities within the UK and 4 within
Japan among which was Tohoku University. The
school consisted of lectures, group work and site
visits at one of the Sendai municipal incineration
plants, the Toyota factory and Higashi-Matsushima.
RENKEI stands for Research and Education
Network for Knowledge Economy Initiatives. It is aJapan-UK scheme aimed to encourage knowledgetransfer and expand university and industry ties in
the fields of science and technology.

Upcoming Events in Sendai
2014 Asia-PacificMicrowave Conference (APMC 2014)
The 2014 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC 2014) will be held at the Sendai
International Center, Sendai, Japan, on November 4-7, 2014. Pre-Registration (Early
Bird & Advanced) is available on the APMC 2014 website from August 8 to October 24,
2014. Please check details about the conference at the APMC 2014 official website.
http://apmc2014.org/index.html

The Third UN World Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR),
Sendai, Japan, 2015
The Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) will beheld at the Sendai International Center from March 14-18, 2015 in Sendai,
Miyagi, Japan. Please check details about the conference at the official website.
http://www.wcdrr.org/home

Tohoku University
Research News of Engineering
Office of Research Strategy,
School of Engineering, Tohoku University
E-mail : eng-ken@bureau.tohoku.ac.jp
Tel/Fax : + 81 - 22 - 795 - 5807
Address : 6-6 Aramaki, Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8579, Japan

Tohoku University ResearchNews of Engineering (Tune) is abiannual publication of Schoolof Engineering (SoE), Tohoku
University, Sendai, Japan. Each
Tune volume provides thescientific community with thelatest research results of SoE
on a selected topic.