"KyoHA (Kyoto Humanoid Association)" - New Participation from Aisin and ARRK for Domestic Humanoid Development (3rd Report)

The General Incorporated Association "KyoHA (Kyoto Humanoid Association)," established as a new organization aiming to revitalize Japan's humanoid robot industry, has announced that Aisin Corporation has joined as a member and ARRK Corporation has joined as a special sponsor.

Background of Establishment In recent years, humanoid robot development has been progressing rapidly, primarily led by giant tech companies in the United States and IT, EV, and robot companies in China. Japan must demonstrate its presence as a former leader in robotics.

Furthermore, social issues such as natural disasters and labor shortages are becoming serious within Japan, increasing expectations for robotics technology. In particular, "humanoid robots," which possess human-like movement performance and are capable of operating in extreme environments, are attracting attention as next-generation mechanical systems.

However, while AI and software are advancing, the domestic development system for hardware and an integrated industrial approach remain underdeveloped. To break through these challenges, KyoHA was established in Kyoto, the capital of manufacturing, as a new industrial cooperation framework to consolidate Japan's technological strengths.

Manufacturing Structure Currently, the following companies and institutions are participating as members, with Aisin Corporation newly joining and ARRK Corporation joining as a special sponsor. As a "Japan Union for Humanoids" spanning industry and academia, we will continue to broadly recruit participants.

Introduction of Directors and Members

● President: Waseda University Professor Atsuo Takanishi, Faculty of Creative Science and Engineering, Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering. Director of Waseda University Humanoid Robotics Institute / IEEE Fellow / RSJ Fellow / JSME Fellow. Graduated from Waseda University, completed Master's and Doctoral programs, and obtained a Doctor of Engineering. After serving as an assistant, lecturer, and associate professor, he assumed his current position. He has been engaged in the research and development of many humanoids, including bipedal humanoids, and has many joint research projects with domestic and foreign universities and companies. Former President of the Robotics Society of Japan.

Professor Kenji Hashimoto, Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems. Graduated from Waseda University, completed Master's and Doctoral programs, and obtained a Doctor of Engineering. After serving as a postdoctoral researcher at Collège de France-CNRS and an associate professor at Meiji University, he has been in his current position since September 2022. He is engaged in the research and development of legged robots such as human-carrying bipedal robots, bipedal humanoids, and four-limbed robots for disaster response. Recently, he has expanded his research area to robot motion control using AI and coordinated control of multiple robots.

● Tmsuk Co., Ltd. Chairman of the Board: Yoichi Takamoto. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Kanagawa University, he joined an industrial machinery manufacturing company. He began robot development in 1993 and established Tmsuk in 2000. He has been in his current position since 2020. His mission is to develop "Workloids," robots that work on-site alongside humans, and he is striving to build an industry that does not end with just verification experiments.

President and CEO: Yuji Kawakubo. In 2005, he left the doctoral program at Kyushu Institute of Technology and joined Tmsuk Co., Ltd. After serving as the representative (Chairman) of the Taiwan subsidiary Tmsuk Formosa and an executive officer of Tmsuk, he became President and CEO in 2020.

● Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Executive Officer: Makoto Kawashima. Joined Murata Manufacturing in 1987 after graduating from Kanazawa University. After being in charge of high-frequency components, he became the Director of the Functional Device Business Division in 2017. Since 2022, he has been the General Manager of Technology Planning and New Business Promotion, and in 2023, he became an Executive Officer, a position he holds today.

● SRE Holdings Corporation Consulting & Technology Solution Business Headquarters: Hirofumi Sasaki. Promoting the launch of consulting & technology solution businesses and new businesses. Engaging in the launch of new businesses and various reforms in the AI and Robotics fields, primarily in the manufacturing industry.

● Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Adjunct Professor: Hiroaki Kitano. After graduating from the Department of Science (Physics Major) at International Christian University, he obtained a Doctor of Engineering from Kyoto University. He created a new field called Systems Biology, which fuses biology and systems science. He founded RoboCup and has greatly contributed to the development of robot research through competitions using autonomous robots.