Student Activities

Exploring New Possibilities in Food Preservation Through the Utilization of Unexploited Terahertz Waves

Yasuhara, Akihiro (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I thought that platforms could help open up more diverse possibilities for the technology I am investigating when it is ready for social implementation. Food preservation is one field that has not shown much progress in the use of information technology. I think society needs a platform that covers agriculture as a whole. The expertise to build platforms will be essential to enable broad utilization of the method I am exploring now.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am exploring a technology that harnesses terahertz waves, or T-waves, to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria. Efforts to develop T-wave technology have made progress in recent years, and researchers are investigating applications for this technology in the informatics field and the life sciences. We have learned that electromagnetic waves in this frequency band have a highly sensitive effect on the motion of water molecules, and that irradiation with T-waves can alter chemical reactions and inhibit the process of cellular division. Through the elucidation of this mechanism, we have developed a mechanism for the safe and effective irradiation of foods.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I have gained an awareness of the approach required to build a platform—namely the need to be mindful of the platform's purpose, what it will apply to, and who will be using it.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Oscillator technologies for the terahertz band of electromagnetic radiation have been developed in recent years. I want to create a novel platform for the development of new technologies that utilize T-waves for applications ranging from biological data extraction and investigations of biological effects to quality control and inspection in the agricultural field.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I think powers of imagination are the answer. I believe it important that we strive to expand our range of choices by imagining (or fantasizing about) what we want to be or what others near us may need.

Platforms Are a Foundation of Support for People’s Lives in Society

Yamashige, Yoshihisa (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

When I began considering approaches for social implementation of my current research, I felt that the platform concept would serve that purpose, so I enrolled. In other words, the system I have in mind will involve gathering data from inspection bodies and research facilities, analyzing those datasets in the cloud, and providing feedback on the results. With this approach, it should be possible to take appropriate action in situations where change has been detected in the behavior or properties of the tested microbes.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am studying an approach that focuses on certain properties of water to assess the proliferative capacity of microbes. As an experimental device, we are using an original dielectric sensor our laboratory developed in collaboration with a private company. We know that the dielectric properties of this device, within the frequency band that it operates, are sensitive to bulk water that is not bonded to any biomolecules. The proliferation of microbes in a water sample can induce changes to the water, such as utilization of the free water in the sample or the hydration of biomolecules; this sensor appears to be able to detect those changes. Assessing the proliferative capacity of microbes with this sensor is faster than with traditional culturing methods. Moreover, because the equipment itself is simple to operate and inexpensive, we anticipate it will evolve as a technology with broad applications spanning the food and medical fields.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Not only have I acquired knowledge of platform studies, but I have also enjoyed exposure to the views of scholars from other fields and learned about things they consider important. Moreover, I was able not only to deepen my knowledge of my field, but also to reaffirm the importance of having a broad perspective.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

To put it briefly, I think platforms will provide a future foundation of support for people’s lives in society. In addition to providing for safe and comfortable lifestyles of abundance, I feel that platforms may also have the ability to create new value.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Now that it has become so much easier for people to connect and interact with one another, I think everyone needs to value their own identity while showing respect for others.

A Desire to Help Solve Rural Community Issues in Aging and Depopulation Through the DAO Approach

Tanaka, Hatsu (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

In the Master's program, I pursued research themed on solving rural community issues through the utilization of web technology. I wanted to look beyond the realm of agricultural studies and incorporate informatics into my research to catch up on the latest technologies and expand the technical scope of my approach to the solution of problems, and thus enrolled in the School of Platforms from my doctoral program.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research theme has to do with harnessing Web 3.0 technologies to find solutions to the problems facing rural communities. I believe the issues facing rural communities can be jointly resolved by the stakeholder population and neighboring villages through the launch of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and the issuance of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Aging and depopulation trends have advanced in rural communities across Japan. Moreover, many villages face difficulty solving their problems on their own. In exploring these challenges, I took note of the potential offered by online platforms and the DAO concept. Communities that have undergone depopulation or face poor economic conditions are still characterized by a rural social culture that is not easy for outsiders to penetrate. I want to create a platform that allows stakeholders to become involved and pursue exchange with these communities through online channels, in lieu of direct visits. I want to help formulate solutions to a variety of rural challenges through a platform that affords benefits that the stakeholder population can recognize and that the many elderly citizens in rural communities will find easy to use.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I feel it has equipped me with knowledge of the fundamentals of informatics and trends in that field. I believe it has not only allowed me to deepen my understanding but has also provided me with opportunities to consider the meaning of innovation and what a sustainable platform should be. Our classes and guest lectures have included presentations by not only researchers but many business entrepreneurs as well. From a business perspective, the focus on making contributions to society over the next 10 to 20 years seems relevant to my own research theme and has also influenced my views.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I want to use the DAO concept to build a platform that can solve the problems of rural communities. One point I want to stick with is that it be led by local residents. The village of Yamakoshi in Niigata Prefecture counts as one among several examples of DAO implementation by a rural community. However, I feel that this should not be something the stakeholder population can implement unilaterally without reflecting the views of local residents. I want to help ensure that funding and investments will flow into such communities by having local residents launch and utilize DAOs themselves. To that end, a community element—that is, the ties of solidarity and cooperation between individual residents—will be essential. Although crowdfunding is one way of acquiring economic assistance, all residents participating in a DAO can use their tokens to vote and be involved in the decision-making process, and receive incentives in return. What is needed is a mechanism that reflects the views of women and young people who traditionally have had little voice, and that allows participation by anyone who has a problem they want to solve.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

In advanced nations, the overconcentration of population and power in urban districts has created harms. My view is that our world will improve if these influences are decentralized. The cities are able to exist because they are supplied with food from rural farm communities. The rural districts are able to exist because they have economic and human exchange with the cities. My point is that cities and rural communities are in a relationship of coexistence. That is why I would like to see them utilize the DAO approach and other platforms. I want to make an academic contribution to the involvement of urban citizens in rural affairs. Moreover, I also want to contribute through my daily life with rural communities in mind.

Studying the Fundamentals of Disaster Prevention to Help Agricultural Irrigation Facilities Survive Unexpected Disaster Events

Shimizu, Shion (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Data science will gain importance in the years ahead. Having the opportunity to study this field within an interdisciplinary, holistic context appealed to me. My research has to do with disaster prevention measures for agricultural irrigation facilities. In recent years, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has been striving to create a safer, more secure environment for agricultural communities through disaster prevention and mitigation measures driven by digital technologies. Given that backdrop, I felt that being able to study the fundamentals in this field would benefit my own research going forward.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am working on the development of a novel simulation method to help overcome unexpected disasters. By "unexpected," I mean unprecedented disasters that, from a design standpoint, are considered unlikely to ever affect facilities like irrigation ponds or agricultural dams. The Great East Japan Earthquake and the increasingly common torrential rains of recent years are examples of actual events that caused river embankments and dams to collapse, with catastrophic consequences. To accurately predict the behavior of such disaster events when they occur, I am pursuing research aimed at developing methods capable of holistically analyzing multidimensional sets of physical phenomena.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I have gained knowledge of how to foster the penetration and use of things I create. I want to develop novel methods of numerical analysis (predictive disaster simulation) and see those methods find applications across society. In connection with this, I am learning about open-sourcing and what is needed to ensure that a novel method is able to successfully compete and survive as a platform.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Although my ideas on this still lack substance, I am interested in building a platform that places weight on simplicity. Many methods of numerical analysis related to disaster prevention have already been devised, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Also, as many have been designed exclusively for the investigation of specific physical phenomena, the reality is that they cannot be easily adapted to comprehensive simulations. Moreover, different methods can sometimes yield different results for the same physical phenomenon. To resolve difficulties of this nature, I think it would be better to build a platform that can integrate multiple methods and allow a variety of simulations using a simple set of procedures.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I believe we should be a bit more tolerant of failures. Although publishing papers is an important aspect of research, papers only present the findings of our work. I think we should put more emphasis on the things we learn from the many failures we endure in the course of experimentation leading to the findings we present in finished paper form. Rather than succumbing to the results-only mantra, I would like to see society support the entire process, including the failures that lay hidden in the shadows of success. The failures and small achievements that are part of that process likely hold future opportunities and the potential for advancement in different contexts.

Settings that Bring Scholars Together and Transcend the Boundaries of Specialization Are a Good Fit for Me.

Shibata, Tatsuya (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

The study of platforms is an interdisciplinary field that attracts participants from diverse domains of specialization. Settings that bring scholars together and transcend the boundaries of specialization are a good fit for me. Additionally, I wanted to learn more about the research content and issues in fields that I still knew little about.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

Inverse problems. These are problems that involve drawing from observational data to infer the causal factors that give rise to or control certain phenomena. In the fields of agricultural engineering and geotechnology, they involve investigating the internal characteristics of built structures and natural geological formations. For example, the echoes from an ultrasonically scanned target object may be utilized as observational data to measure or infer the internal features of the scanned object. In geological surveys, it is difficult to locate observation points, resulting in an insufficient number of measurements, reduced data precision, and other problems that introduce uncertainty into the inferred results. To address that issue, I am using Bayesian inference and other probabilistic methods that allow this uncertainty to be quantified.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

In our seminars, I have enjoyed opportunities to hear contrasting perspectives offered by researchers and professional practitioners in the field who take the podium to speak on a given topic. Differences between the views of researchers and professional practitioners are understandable, but in exploring what should be done to ensure that the research can contribute to society through social implementation, I value the remarks of professional practitioners who we rarely have the chance to hear.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

My image of platforms is somewhat vague. It often happens that people in different locations or settings are pursuing similar undertakings, which can be more efficiently improved if the common parts of those undertakings could be shared by everyone rather than pursued separately. I view platforms as settings that enable this.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Through research, I believe we can solve problems, render the impossible possible, and accordingly contribute to a happier world. To achieve that, I feel it will be important to have a multifaceted understanding of current realities, and I think platforms will be necessary because they provide interdisciplinary settings that bring scholars together from disparate fields.

An Interest Not Only in Individual Phenomena, But Also in Tying Them Together into a Unified Whole

Sato, Kenji (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I had an interest not only in learning about individual phenomena, but also in unifying them into a cohesive whole. That was the main motivating factor. Another reason was that in the agricultural field, particularly in irrigation and drainage which is the main research theme of my own laboratory, attention had focused on the adoption of ICT and smart farming methods, and I wanted to integrate that focus into my own research.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

Agricultural soils and crops are often contaminated with arsenic. For example, Bangladesh has a serious problem with arsenic contamination in its groundwater, and that groundwater is used for farm irrigation. Population growth demands increased food production, yet safety needs to be ensured even if arsenic enters the soil. One goal of my research is to elucidate the dynamics of arsenic in soil and on that basis propose methods of water management that limit arsenic absorption by crops as much as possible.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I view platforms as something that anyone should be able to utilize regardless of their age or location, and I believe it will be essential to the goal of bettering our world.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I think we need a change in awareness at the individual level. Take the issue of food waste, for example. If everyone had an awareness of the need to cut food waste, that in itself would be a huge step toward resolving the issue in the course of their lives day-to-day. I want to maintain an interest in issues of all kinds and continually ask what I myself can do to help resolve them.

I Want to Build a Farm Robot Platform that Not Only Alleviates Inadequate Skill Sets Among New Farmers But Also Eases the Burden on Existing Farmers

Okamoto, Satoshi (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Research is under way on "smart farming" as a way to achieve sustainable and productive food production. In addition to remote sensing technologies that harness UAVs (drones) and satellite imaging, technologies for yield monitoring have also been put into practice, allowing for the determination of precise doses of water and fertilizer. I am currently engaged in research on the development of autonomous or robotically controlled farm machinery. I thought that new solutions to challenges in agriculture could be developed by combining such sensing and monitoring data with autonomous operating technologies. Additionally, I felt that it might be possible to identify and resolve future issues through closer exchange with scholars in the information and communications fields.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am engaged in R&D on the automation of farm machinery. Japan faces challenges posed by its shrinking and aging farm population, and needs to boost labor productivity in this sector. So far, autonomous operations have been limited to individual fields, but the goal is to achieve full automation spanning multiple fields. To that end, I am investigating methods for the safe operation of autonomous machinery over farm roads for the purpose of moving it from one field to the next.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

The platform science lectures have allowed me to study the fundamentals of ICT and examples of its application. The lectures also incorporate exercises in the use of IoT and training in sensor implementation and data collection. Additionally, the Seminar Series covers not only the technical aspects, but also the business-related aspects of costs and mindset of building a platform. Moreover, we are able to pursue R&D from a user-based perspective by studying cases of these technologies already implemented in the field.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

The type of platform I envision for farm robots is one that people from any background will be able to utilize. As we learned through our lectures in platform studies, platforms are pointless unless they are utilized by many people. That is why I want to build a farm robot platform that will be used by many people—a platform that not only compensates for the inadequate skill sets of new farmers but that also lightens the workload for existing farmers.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I think we need to be open to gaining knowledge from other fields. In my case, acquiring knowledge from the ICT field enabled me to identify new challenges relevant to the farm sector. Furthermore, I think we can make new discoveries if we are open to the views and opinions of others in daily life and think about things from their perspective. I believe we can put our world on track to a better future through dialogue and cooperation.

Delays in the Implementation of Countermeasures After Identifying the Problem is a Challenge to Sustainable Food Production
Develop a Platform for the Effective Utilization of Sensing Data

Kubo, Yoshiharu (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I aspired to participate in this program because I felt I could contribute to activities in sustainable food production by pursuing my research and facilitating the development of a remote sensing data platform. I am engaged in field research on the sustainable utilization of agricultural resources in Africa. In the course of my research, I have come to realize that achieving sustainable food production will demand improved precision in predicting future trends and the ability to respond quickly to change. To meet these two requirements, it will be essential to accumulate and organize not only the localized data available through field research, but also the continuous, wide-area data generated by satellites and drones. Although the use of sensing data has shown progress in some advanced nations, to find solutions to food problems as a global common issue, it is urgently important that the utilization of such data be expanded in oligotrophic regions that are more susceptible to being impacted by environmental change. Given these factors, in this program, I want to learn how to build platforms for agriculture and sensing data and have a role in helping society implement them.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research is focused on evaluating the function of pasturelands in the semi-arid region of central Tanzania. Cow manure is an important agricultural resource in central Tanzania. However, soil erosion and deforestation have led to conditions of severe land degradation in that region. To investigate this, I have enlisted GPS and satellite data in an effort to shed light on actual cattle foraging behavior and feed management.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I have opportunities to gain fresh perspectives and knowledge through my interactions with young researchers from other fields. I believe discussions with peers in my field add depth to my research, while discussions with scholars outside my field help to broaden its scope.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I feel that action toward solving the food problem has been slow to gather momentum since knowledge of that problem spread. I think the cause of this delay stems from the complexity of the factors behind the problem itself, as well as the disorder characterizing efforts to organize relevant data. Therefore, I want to help build a future-oriented food production platform that unifies, as Big Data on global agriculture, information on the local region and global-scale agricultural data available from satellite imaging, and that is able to respond quickly to environmental and societal change.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I think we need to remind ourselves of the things and practices we share in common with others in our daily lives. When living in Africa, I had a strong sense of the bonds between the people and the resources in that region. To put it more accurately, perhaps you cannot live without realizing those bonds. I believe that having a strong sense of this "living within the commons" leads to behaviors that show respect for others. Many countries that have enough material goods are in an environment that clouds awareness of the resources and processes that supply those goods. For that reason, it seems imperative to me that we re-examine the connections and trends behind these various phenomena and re-portray them in a more comprehensible form. I think the platform concept is one effective means to that end.

Studying Insect Pest Control, not only with Traditional Methods But Through New Applications in ICT

Kinto, Shiori (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I am studying insect pest control in the agricultural context. Insect pests tend to be tiny; even if one can observe them in a lab setting, they are difficult to spot in the field. I felt it would be possible to observe conditions of insect prevalence and translate my laboratory findings to the field setting if I were able to film my subjects with high-performance cameras and had access to a technology capable of counting their numbers. So, I wanted to incorporate the latest technologies into my research. Farmers have been slow to adopt IT and still rely mainly on traditional methods for many of their operations. However, I believe having an environment that is conducive to the acquisition of data will aid the advancement of agriculture as a whole.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am studying themes in insect ecology with the objective of discovering new methods of agricultural pest control. Most farm crops will suffer damage if efforts in insect pest control are not applied. Up to now, farmers have generally relied on chemical pesticides, but more and more insect pests are becoming resistant to their effects. If farmers continue along this path, eventually a new strain of superbugs impervious to pesticides will appear, with the potential to leave the agricultural sector in ruins. To address this, we need to combine various approaches to pest control such as harnessing other living organisms as natural predators of insect pests and using physical barriers to prevent pests from accessing crops. To that end, I am learning about the characteristics of insect pests and investigating ways to control them.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

In my lab, we still relied on analog methods that did not involve the use of IT tools. In our field surveys, we were unable to collect data in the same manner we could in a lab setting, so, like the vast majority of farmers, we assumed information technology had little to do with our own work. However, through this program, I have been able to acquire methods and techniques that I previously had no knowledge of. Sensing technologies are improving. Conventionally, many farmers have had to do tasks other than farm work, like going out to their fields to catch and count pest insects by hand, but I feel that if IoT tools could be used to more readily gauge field conditions, farming would become easier, more profitable, and appealing, and the farm industry would be revitalized with new entrants.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I think that enabling the assimilation of information by people who otherwise would not be able to acquire it themselves is something that can help alleviate the heavy labor of farming and easily make it a smarter enterprise. In one of our seminars, we discussed the theme of forestry. During that session, the point was made that forestry has to deal not only with insect pests, but harmful animals like deer as well. Controlling harmful animals is difficult and poses hazards to humans as well. That being the case, I think that instead of having human workers take direct action, it should be possible to develop approaches that involve monitoring current conditions and alerting foresters when animal pests come near.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Although I ultimately have big dreams, the fact is that current methods that rely on chemical pesticides have their limits and cannot be used forever. In the natural world outside of cultivated fields, trees and other wild vegetation will not be annihilated without any use of pesticides. That is because carnivorous insects and bacteria play a regulatory role to keep the population density of insect pests in check. If humanity can integrate this regulatory mechanism into the agricultural setting, I think that will lead to the development of longer-lasting methods of pest control. I want to contribute to that development process.

Exploring Optimal Farming Methods in Areas with Poor Conditions for Farming

Fujii, Keisuke (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I was impressed by its philosophy of viewing things from a unified, interdisciplinary perspective that extends beyond one's own specialization. Although my own studies are in the field of tropical agriculture, I value having the ability to view things in a multifaceted light that encompasses economics, plant physiology, and other domains. The School's philosophy aligns with my own, so I decided to enroll in the interest of gaining deeper insights.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research is focused on the relationship between farm management and the size of land ownership among soybean farmers in Bangladesh's coastal areas. That coastal zone encompasses the world's largest tropical delta, formed from river sediments that washed down from the Himalayas. Landless people from urban districts migrated to the delta, and farming is their primary livelihood, but the majority are small-scale farmers. Soybean cultivation in Bangladesh became widespread relatively recently, taking off in the early 1990s. Although this region has a tropical monsoon climate with an environment that is ill-suited for soybean farming, the land area under soybean cultivation has continued to expand year after year, led by the coastal districts. Because soybeans are high in fat and protein content, they have become an indispensable crop for Bangladesh's economic development. However, is soybean cultivation in the tropical delta actually a rational choice for small-scale farmers? What farming practices do they adopt? What methods do they employ on these small tracts of land? Are they managing their farms well? These are some of the questions I plan to explore quantitatively using a statistical approach. For instance, I want to look at the correlation between farmers' incomes and the scale of farmland they own, how their competitive advantages or disadvantages change in relation to the amount of land and other assets they control, and which crops are best suited to their operations. Understanding their farm management practices will be essential to the sustainable development of agriculture in this region.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Frankly, it has been highly stimulating. Although I am very interested in the subjects of agriculture and botany, I did not feel so confident about utilizing informatics or IT tools. However, I discovered that if I integrated informatics into my research, I might be able to actually build a platform for the development of sustainable farming in Bangladesh's coastal region with a farm management perspective. I am excited about the prospect of seeing my research yield benefits for a broad segment of society. I have also grown more conscious about how my research might advance into a platform to share my findings with Bangladesh's farming communities.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

It will help to raise the living standards of farming households in Bangladesh's coastal areas. Farm management should involve making optimal choices that reflect natural environmental and societal conditions. I hope farmers will be able to utilize open resources to determine which crops and varieties are best suited for their own climate and environment. The impact of climate change is a major issue in Bangladesh. It might be possible to help farmers avoid taking unnecessary risks if it had the ability to forecast disasters with AI or other advanced technologies. Another issue has to do with social conditions. Many small farmers in South Asia raise their crops on leased farmlands; this has led to a culture of farmers lending and leasing their land to each other. I believe it would be desirable to develop a system that can maximize the returns for landholders and tenants alike.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Scholars with research backgrounds in informatics and agriculture as well as a variety of other fields are involved in the platform program. This has created a world that I would like to see expanded further in scope. Although I have been continuously engaged in experimental farming and cultivation for quite some time, my research in the doctoral program has shifted toward themes in the social sciences, and that has involved some trial-and-error. An environment where you have someone you can talk to about methodologies or your own problems—that is precisely what a platform should be. I think it is good to have a platform that enables you to work with researchers from other fields and expand your network of communication, as then you can make progress in your own research and even come up with new ideas.

Diversified Academic Knowledge Essential in Research Linking Facial Expression and Emotion

Zhang, Junyao (Department of Intelligence Science and Technology, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I believe that facial expressions play a vital role resembling that of the impact that road signs have on traffic. Facial expressions convey the types of emotions that people possess at particular points in time, indicating what they want to do under the existing social conditions. These expressions thereby fulfill an essential role in the interaction of human emotions. I also presume that, even when efforts are made to intentionally conceal them, facial expressions inevitably sustain certain ties with people’s internal states. This, in turn, makes it possible to mobilize facial expression recognition to surmise internal feelings. Technologies capable of automatic detection and analysis of such human inner states have yet to truly mature. In view of this, there is a need to gather more extensive examples of how outward appearances shift relative to our internal states, followed by the addition of accurate annotations to the assembled data. As the world gears up for the arrival of the so-called Society 5.0, demands are emerging for research and serious consideration of how to best deal with the social issues expected to occur. Taking my research theme as an example, for data analysis, it is not sufficient to use the deep learning method alone. There is a crucial need, rather, to obtain extensive knowledge from other areas of study. For instance, my theme requires me to study psychology and clinical medicine. Working through this process, it will become possible to achieve more detailed interpretations and analysis. Such interpretations and analysis, meanwhile, will combine to comprise a critical outcome in the quest for more comprehensive understanding. This conviction is also the reason that I have chosen to enroll in the School of Platforms program.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am exploring the linkage of people’s facial expressions capable of being observed externally and other information with their internal states. The aim is to define the correlation and causal relationships between people’s emotions and psychological states and the results of facial expression recognition, thereby exploring the suitability and limitations of such knowledge.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

In terms of my research, I still have a considerable way to go to achieve actual platform building. Nevertheless, working through the lectures and seminars of this program, I have learned about the combinations between different fields and platforms. A recent seminar, for example, furnished considerable knowledge about the metaverse. In the virtual world, it is possible to build communities, conduct transactions, and engage in other endeavors resembling those of the real world. While this is extremely interesting, in moving to realize such platforms we face the initial need to collect and analyze user information. Thanks to the presence of such support, however, I believe that users will be satisfied with the services that platforms supply, and enjoy putting them into use. Through this program, therefore, I have been able to expand my perspective, while learning about the building of comprehensive systems.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

What I hope to create in connection with my research is a platform capable of detecting people’s internal states. Mobilizing tools equipped with camera functions, at times when permission is granted we will monitor the external behavior of users for 24 hours, then convey the information concerning their expressions, postures, conversational give-and-take, and other areas to the platform engine as data. I am confident that generating feedback comprised of objective and specialized analysis will enable us to achieve a more precision grasp of the state of our own bodies. I believe that such a platform will also be able to be used in mobile phones, tablets, laptop computers, and other devices, supporting the pursuit of more human-friendly designs enabling ready use by disabled persons as well. This is the type of platform that I want to build, which will hopefully support people’s needs in the true sense of the word.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I once heard words to the effect that “every person is a uniquely valuable individual with special aptitudes capable of being conveyed to the world.” Over the years to come, I intend to devote my life to discovering where my own aptitudes lie, and freely share those aspects with others.

Robots Capable of Expressing the Right Humor at the Right Place

Ushijima, Yuto (Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

During the first year of my master’s degree program, I took a lecture course entitled “Perspectives in Platform Studies.” Thanks to that opportunity, I discovered how platforms are being created in various different fields. Robot applications continue to expand. Beyond mere information communications, they also excel in disaster prevention, agriculture, medicine, and various other areas. The lecture course has kindled my desire to explore the potential for deeper interaction between robots and human beings in such fields.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

Briefly stated, this sphere may be described as “human-robot interaction”; more specifically, the research genre of probing the ties between people and robots. Such robots come in various shapes and forms—from spherical robots capable of speech, to android types resembling human beings. The target of my research is a class of robots with an appearance roughly between these two categories, like the Pepper humanoid robot. Operated by human workers, they are also able to perform tasks remotely. When working with robots, many people enjoy the conversations that take place, although there are also instances of robots being abused by children or others who refuse to follow instructions. I am researching means of addressing such situations with the use of humor.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

It has provided a valuable reference in learning about what types of efforts are currently underway and the resulting accomplishments. More so than learning about systems and applications in the information field, the single greatest benefit for me has been the opportunity to become acquainted with actual cases, such as the means of simulation being applied in disaster prevention and the approaches adopted in the medical field. At a special event as part of the Seminar Series on Perspectives in Platform Studies, meanwhile, I learned a great deal from the talk by Yukihiro Matsumoto, creator of the Ruby programming language, especially with regard to starting up a business and comparisons of markets overseas and in Japan.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Insofar as my specialty lies in robots, I am endeavoring to build a platform capable of empowering robots to exert an impact in various different capacities. Potential examples include disaster prevention, medicine, customer service, and other areas, while integrating and harnessing those various undertakings and their fruits. Smartphones encompass a wide range of apps, with the ability to choose them to meet the specific purposes involved. In much the same way, while robots are close to that definition in terms of the hardware, I am envisioning systems in which the methods of use and roles may be assigned to fit the specific conditions at hand. This will consist of verification in the field and subsequent reflection at the specific locations. One specific example of this format lies in humor. There may very well be differences in the humor directed toward patients at hospitals, and that used for children at amusement parks. For instance, in dealing with people who cut into a waiting line, rather than warning them, I am looking into how to have robots provide humorous responses that would normally be voiced by human workers. That will involve gathering data on what has proved effective in specific situations, and putting that assembled intelligence to work in an efficient manner. This, simply stated, is the type of system that I have in mind.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

First, adopt an open approach to the research. After that, it will be critical to gain an understanding of how the fruits of realizing those merits can change society. Various types of data are essential for platforms. While persons using robots may initially feel hesitant at mention of collecting personal information, I believe that we can win over their acceptance through understanding of the fruits to be gained: how shopping will become more convenient, the ability to engage in enjoyable conservations with robots, and other examples of how robots can be utilized in effective means. Toward that end, it will be vital to clarify the stance being adopted toward information, thereby also rendering it easier to enlist cooperation in the research.

The Potential for Metaprogramming Research to Serve as Elemental Technology in Support of Platform Building

Murase, Yuito (Department of Communications and Computer Engineering, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

When advancing theoretical research, there will inevitably be occasions where the distance with society appears to expand, prompting anxiety. Platform studies is an academic sector that applies various types of research to the real world in moving to expand those fields. I thought that, by coming into contact with and gaining inspiration from numerous different application examples, I would be able to scope out routes for my own theories to be put into practice in society. In addition to the interest in such platform studies themselves, I was also attracted by the ability to obtain economic assistance, and grateful for the expanded options for such financial support during my studies.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am advancing research into type systems capable of safeguarding the security of programming languages. More specifically, this involves research of metaprogramming functions at the Igarashi-Suenaga Lab here at Kyoto University, which continues to generate progress in this field. Metaprogramming, the programming function for actual programming languages, is an extremely powerful tool that has become indispensable for the languages used today. On the other hand, however, it also contains certain black magic-like aspects prone to generating troublesome bugs. My research involves designing type systems to support metaprogramming, in order to prevent the generation of such bugs and support secure metaprogramming.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

At a special event as part of the Seminar Series on Perspectives in Platform Studies, I benefitted from the opportunity to hear a lecture by Yukihiro Matsumoto, creator of the Ruby programming language. I was inspired by his words concerning the design and how to expand the use of programming languages. Lectures and seminars enable us to tap into the opinions of those in other fields, with the emergence of shared challenges from such experiences serving as an area of keen interest. Building sustainable platforms requires creating mechanisms, while making platforms easier to use comprises a worthy challenge for information communications technology. In that regard, the opportunity to listen to the experiences of Professor Hiroshi Harada when he had actually participated in the formulation of international standards was also a source of precious knowledge.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

From the time that I applied to the School of Platforms, it was my view that metaprogramming offers the potential to serve as an elemental technology in support of platform building. This is because in order to create data-intensive platforms, programs are needed to conduct exchanges with databases. While metaprogramming is often used in such functions at the present time as well, it is necessary to have programs offering greater security and less prone to bugs going forward. Database is the specialty field of Professor Keishi Tajima, my vice-supervisor. In addition to general data-intensive platforms, I also want to explore the types of language crucial in building decentralized platforms utilizing the Internet of Things. I am confident that needs comprising the desire for such functions will provide inroads for initiating such research.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Platform building may also be described as the creation of infrastructure. The benefits of developing infrastructure are long term in nature, with their importance prone to be underrated at times when there is no leeway for such efforts in the society. It is for this very reason that we need to understand the aspects of investment in infrastructure throughout society at large, take steady steps in that direction, and have someone rise to the challenge. In my view, theoretical research may be considered the infrastructure for the academic world. As such, I am also pursuing research in hopes that I can contribute to such fruitful infrastructure development.

I Would Like to be Exposed to Areas Outside of My Area of Expertise and Gain Access to New Knowledge and Ideas

Yamanaka, Sakuto (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Biology is a field that takes time to research. There are also challenges in implementing technology and knowledge in society. On the other hand, even in the field of biology, machine learning and other technologies are being used, and there are attempts to link genome analysis, such as the analysis of DNA and base sequences, to medical care. Furthermore, as the terms "digital society" and "information society" suggest, informatics is a field of study directly related to society. By studying informatics, I would like to learn how science and technology can interact with society.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am researching the phenomena that control the hatching of small fishes. The timing of hatching in clownfish is regulated by light and vibration. My research focuses on what genes, proteins, and signaling pathways are involved in that regulation mechanism. I have always been fascinated with fish, so I often go fishing and harpooning. While I wanted to study fish in university, I was also very interested in genetics, so I chose a field combining both.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Since it has been less than six months since my enrollment in the program, I have not yet grasped the full scope of the program. However, through the monthly seminars and lectures, I feel that informatics technology and research results are permeating society at a rapid pace. For example, 5G and machine learning have spread rapidly over a span of 10 to 20 years and are now reflected in devices and systems. It is very speedy. At the same time, the aquaculture industry is also beginning to use IT, and there is a trend toward acquiring and analyzing data from the real world. I have high expectations for the evolution of analysis, such as simulating ocean straits, topography, and tidal currents to consider what kind of fish cages to build and where to farm fish, as well as virtually considering where to place mobile offshore fish cages.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I consider it a tool connecting technology and people's lives. No matter how well the technology is developed, the challenges of the people who use it must be well understood to apply the technology. It is necessary to have something that connects the user and the technology. For this purpose, I believe we need platforms, a foundation for collecting information. Since many in the field of biology are not very experienced with PCs and IT, I have the impression that there is a delay in applying and handling large-scale data in their areas of expertise. I believe it would be beneficial if those in the field of biology could become skilled in IT and informatics and serve as a bridge between the two.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I believe that platforms in the new era should be those that encourage diversity. In both society and research, thanks to the platforms that have been created thus far, we have been able to expand information and break down geographical barriers. However, the diversity of ideas, knowledge, values, etc., has not yet been fully embraced by society and culture. Even in the academic world, there used to be defined areas such as biology, physics, etc., but with the increasing exchange among disciplines, the barriers between disciplines are disappearing. I think it is essential to promote such interactions.

Enabling Many People to Use the findings of Basic Research Distant from Social Implementation

Yabe, Kiyotaka (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

There are two main reasons. First, the main subject of my research laboratory is the evolutionary ecology of insects, a field of basic research most distant from social implementation. I believed that by pursuing platform studies, I would gain a comprehensive view of the entire process of science, including the development and application of findings obtained through basic research. Furthermore, while ecology has established technologies that can handle large amounts of data, including genome information, the process of collecting living organisms and conducting behavioral experiments still relies heavily on the expertise of researchers, and I feel that ecology is being dominated by other fields that can obtain a large amount of data. I wished to learn methods for efficiently acquiring and processing such information.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am working on social insects. In insect societies, where they live in clusters based on altruistic interactions, there are cases where the interests of an individual conflict with the interests of the group. I am examining how natural selection acts on these conflicts and what the consequences are, both empirically and theoretically. While this research requires repeating a sort of low-tech process of breeding insects and observing their behavior and traits, as a Platform Studies student, I feel that the challenge is how to make this more efficient. Although there is a wide range of areas in which efficiency should be improved, I am currently working on the most basic of these areas: insect breeding and management. Specifically, I am developing a non-invasive method for estimating population size and constructing a monitoring system for insect breeding plants using this method. Since my affiliated research laboratory is currently engaged in a project to propagate termites to use as feed for poultry, combined with this project, I believe that this will not only improve the efficiency of our research but also lead to social implementation.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

What I gained the most was the importance of interacting with people from different fields. Although I had long been interested in ICT and thought that I understood and was familiar with the technologies in widespread use, it is impossible to create something new if the process is a one-way street, from technological development to implementation in the field. By learning about various use cases through the lectures and seminars, I became aware that two-way dialogue between the developers of information and communication technology and the users in the field is crucial in creating a platform. It is necessary to be aware of the demands of the field when developing technologies, and it is also essential to promote technological development from the field side in order to solve challenges.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I think platforms are a place to connect the general public and specialized fields, or between specialized fields, so that they can obtain the necessary information from each other without any barriers. I believe that the ability to disseminate and exchange information in both directions will connect places and fields that previously had no contact with one another.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

As specialized technologies become increasingly fragmented, a situation has emerged where it is difficult to analyze data even if it is available. It would be nice to have a system that facilitates the division of labor and collaborative work. On the other hand, I sometimes feel uneasy about treating everything as "information." I entered academia by seeing and touching living creatures. In recent years, technologies have been developed to obtain various quantitative data on living organisms, but I wonder if such data captures the true charm of those living organisms. I would like to explore ways to better use information in a way rooted in reality rather than focusing solely on information space, which in a way is merely a virtual image. As the information space continues to grow in scale and convenience, it is imperative that we, as beings of reality, establish norms for how we use information and how to avoid being swallowed captive by it.

Watching a Respected Senior Student Sparked My Interest

Ueda, Nao (Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

First, a senior whom I respected had participated in this program. Secondly, I realized the lack of public recognition of lichens. Although they are minor organisms that are not taught in compulsory education, lichens are quite commonly known overseas. Upon learning this in Thailand, where I did my undergraduate practical training, I wanted to create a society where people could learn about familiar organisms, and to do so; I wanted to absorb many things myself. Lastly, I had a strong interest in academic fields outside of my area of study. Since I was an undergraduate student, I have taken many classes outside my field of study, and I was inspired by the fact that despite the seemingly different research, the fundamental principles behind it were the same. In the Platform Studies Outlook lecture, I felt that the knowledge used in networks could be applied to improve the efficiency of tree-by-tree surveys, a research method in the field of forest ecology. In the tree-by-tree survey, there are no set rules; the forest is divided into walkable plots, and the species and size of the trees in the forest are recorded while meandering through the plots. Since each person's method and plot size are different, there is not much uniformity. However, I believe that if the data can be standardized and made more efficient, the state of Japan's forests will become more accessible to determine, and a more objective indicator of afforestation and the condition of the trees can be created.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research is on lichens. Lichens are fungi that live in a stable symbiotic relationship with algae and use a variety of locations as habitats. However, there is very little information on their habitats. Although a checklist of species is available, records of what kind of places they are found are rather general, such as rocks, trees, and so on. So, I have hypothesized that lichen habitat use is related to the characteristics of bark and tree species; thus, I am collecting data related to this.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I am currently learning about informatics. While very few of my colleagues went on to doctoral programs, I find it fascinating to be able to learn together with my peers in the program and to be able to gather together from different fields and with the same aspirations.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Currently, a platform is a means to make my dreams come true. My dream is to create a world where everyone can have access to knowledge on minor organisms in the future. For this purpose, I believe it is necessary to create platforms where many people can easily identify such organisms and where minor organisms can be used as new research subjects for researchers in different fields. Ultimately, I hope such platforms will become the "spotlight" for minor organisms.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I have always been fascinated by living organisms, but there are many organisms in the world that I still don't know about either. While more people are now considering global environmental issues, I would also like to see a society where people look at the living organisms around us from a more familiar perspective. It is often thought that lichens are abundant in forests, but in fact, they are also common in urban areas. However, many lichens are recognized as mold and are often removed. At the same time, research on the use of lichens is progressing, and some studies have shown that lichens have anti-cancer properties. In order to avoid wasting limited resources, I would like to create opportunities for researchers of these minor organisms to interact with society.

I Would Like to Master My Area of Expertise and Work on Constructing a Platform as a Sub-Area

Tajima, Hirotaka (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

My research subject is living organisms, and I conduct my research by observing and studying ecosystems in the wild. Conventionally, research was conducted through the human eye, but nowadays, enormous amounts of data can be used with the increasing use of equipment and the development of systems. Since there is a limit to how much of that data can be analyzed by human means, it is necessary to take advantage of machine learning and AI. In order to learn these techniques, I enrolled in the School of Platforms program. First of all, I would like to master my area of expertise, but eventually, I would like to work on building a platform that will allow us to provide the data we have collected and the findings obtained to others as a secondary area of specialization.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My current research is on organisms such as the ocypode spp. that come to feed on sea turtle eggs. I initially started out studying sea turtles and went on a field research trip, where I encountered a wild boar feeding on sea turtle eggs. This experience made me aware of the connection between sea turtles and the creatures that feed on their eggs, leading to my desire to deepen my understanding on the relationship between sea turtles and the creatures surrounding them from a broader perspective. While sea turtles lay their eggs on sandy beaches, it is known that on these beaches, seaweed, fish carcasses, and flotsam that wash ashore form the foundation of the food chain. Sea turtle eggs are also considered a food source brought to the beach from the sea, so I am proceeding with research to clarify what role sea turtle eggs play for the creatures that inhabit the sandy beaches. Since specific results have so far not emerged, the fun is yet to come, but I am examining whether the number of ocypode spp. that are predators of sea turtle eggs will vary depending on sandy beaches that have sea turtle eggs and sandy beaches that do not.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Since I had little knowledge of informatics and the equipment used, I feel there is much to gain from the latest technological trends to basic knowledge. Notably, the seminars allowed me to learn about case studies of platforms used in society, providing material to think more concretely about what a platform is.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I have come to think of a platform as a "place where data, research publications, knowledge, etc., can be collected and used by other people according to their specific needs. When I heard the term "platform," I used to immediately think of a search engine or other familiar software, but that perception has changed after learning about various practical examples in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, disaster prevention, medicine, and other fields, discovering that there are platforms suited to each individual field. It is multifarious, or rather, it can be applied to a broader range of fields than I had imagined. Whether it is focused on collecting data, making the collected data responsive to the needs of those who use it, or aiming for its integration. It takes various forms, and the places and people who use it vary and are extensive. It is not just in the field of informatics, nor is it just in the field of biology. I am beginning to think that it is far from limited.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

In today's society, we can access various information using smartphones and connect with a wide range of people through SNS. In contrast, I feel that there is a general decline in in-person communication. We see cases of anonymous slander and situations where stereotypes have become so entrenched that people are unable to accept other ideas. It is precisely because we live in such an era that I hope people will engage in discussions to resolve issues.

Collecting Information Worldwide on How Much Photosynthesis Plants Undergo and Sharing It with Various Fields of Study

Sunayama, Seiya (Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I would like to collect data on plant photosynthesis and use it as large-scale data. Photosynthesis does not necessarily occur in plants when exposed to light but is affected by various environmental stresses. While it is known that photosynthesis is limited by stomata and various other mechanisms, as described below, it is unknown to what extent each of these factors affects photosynthesis in the wild. Therefore, in the future, I would like to install sensors worldwide to collect data. Thus, I submitted my application for the program to obtain the technical aspects of remote communication and processing of large-scale data.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

Photosynthesis requires carbon dioxide to be absorbed through the stomata. The humidity in leaves is generally 100%, and during the day, when the temperature is high, a large amount of water vapor escapes through the stomata. Accordingly, plants tend to close their stomata during the day and thus the rate of photosynthesis is reduced, making the prediction of stomatal opening and closing essential for crop growth and carbon sequestration in forests. While the degree of diurnal stomatal closure varies greatly depending on soil moisture content, plant survival strategies, as well as weather conditions, the extent to which each of these affects stomatal behavior is unknown. To this end, I am currently growing juvenile trees of various species in a common field and measuring diurnal variation of stomatal conductance under controlled soil moisture conditions to closely observe its relationship with environmental conditions and the variation among species, individual organisms, and individual leaves.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Since there is a great deal of challenging content in the field of informatics that I am unfamiliar with, I am now gradually acquiring such knowledge. I have already found some information that could be used in field research presentations that I have seen before. For example, I have heard about a particular sensor that requires one to go to the place where it is installed and manually collect the data, but I imagine it would be much more efficient if this data could be obtained via remote communication.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

create a system capable of tracking the rate of photosynthesis of crops and trees, both in Japan and worldwide. Currently, while information on the distribution of nutrient resources, water resources, and vegetation worldwide, as well as the relationship between plant characteristics and photosynthetic capacity, is being accumulated, we do not know how much photosynthesis is taking place under open field conditions. Obtaining this information will significantly help crop management and improve the accuracy of climate change projections.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

This is a very difficult question and not easy to answer. One thing that I am able to do is show people in various fields interesting topics and important matters related to plant photosynthesis. Since most of the carbon that humans use for food and raw materials is fixed by plants as a result of photosynthesis, meaning that photosynthesis is closely related to any and all industries. I hope that people in any field will keep in mind the knowledge concerning plants and photosynthesis.

Approximately 40% of Japan's Freshwater Fish Species Are at Risk of Extinction

Ogiso, Kanato (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

These are encounters that I would not have been able to encounter if I had not participated in the Platform Studies program. I found it to be an advantage to broaden my perspective through exchanges and to be able to think about things from a more multifaceted angle.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

Currently, I am conducting research on the ecology of Japanese eels in the rivers of Wakayama and Fukushima prefectures. In Wakayama, where it is warmer, eels can be caught throughout the year. Whereas in Fukushima Prefecture, eels are scarce in the winter. I was inspired to conduct this research to understand what the differences between the two were. Since eels may descend to relatively warmer waters in winter in colder regions, I am examining how eels move through rivers and oceans using passive integrated transponder tags (PIT tags).

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Even in biological research, equipment is used to obtain data, and there is always a connection to informatics when trying to advance the analysis. Thus, a deeper understanding of informatics is an advantage. In addition, the support for research funding is substantial in this area. I often go to Wakayama and Fukushima for fieldwork, making it difficult for me to work part-time on a regular schedule, but the program allows me to pursue my research while earning money as a research assistant, which is helpful as it allows for flexibility in the days I work.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

The Japanese eel is an endangered species. However, even if we take an ecological approach to studying eels and determine the environment required for their growth in order to conserve the species, the current situation is that priority is still given to what is necessary for human livelihoods. For example, if rivers are returned to their natural state, the risk of flooding increases. Although there is a trade-off between the preservation of nature and human convenience (land development and disaster prevention), and the two need to be considered comprehensively, the impression is that each argument is treated separately in reality. It is necessary to integrate the two and find a compromise or think about the best way forward in all practicality. In fact, approximately 40% of Japan's freshwater fish species are in danger of extinction. One of the main reasons for this is environmental change. Working with the Japanese eel as a stepping stone, I aim to create a platform that will lead to both the preservation of the natural environment and human convenience.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

This is connected to the previous question, but I think it is essential to always consider the opposing side when making an argument and to explore the middle ground. It is not enough to just assert one's own argument. In this era where everyone can easily assert their opinions through SNS and other means, thinking about the opposing side is essential.

Opportunity to be Exposed to Informatics Knowledge and Insights Outside of My Area of Expertise in Marine Noise Issues

Ogawa, Mayu (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Marine noise is still relatively unknown in Japan. The ocean is filled with various sounds, but in recent years, the noise emitted by vessels has been significantly increasing, with some studies showing a five-fold increase over the past few decades. Some studies have pointed out that it is a factor that negatively affects the survival, reproduction, and communication of living organisms; thus, I would like to contribute to solving this issue. However, the target species and noise sources are diverse, with varying data to be obtained and differing methods of impact assessment. In order to address the problem, it is essential to integrate databases so that they can be effectively utilized; thus, I realized that participating in this program aimed at building a platform could potentially contribute to resolving this issue.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research focuses on building a platform to solve the marine noise issue. I am engaged in this research in two major methods. The first involves developing a system that automatically detects and evaluates the callings of marine organisms, which are considered particularly sensitive to noise, the source of the noise, and the noise level. The second involves the development of an impact assessment database to determine what effects occur on the target organisms when exposed to what levels of noise. As a model organism, I am conducting a quantitative evaluation of the effects of vessel noise on the finless porpoise. As vessel noise is mainly composed of low-frequency sounds, there are few studies on their effects on marine organisms that use ultrasonic sounds. The finless porpoise primarily uses ultrasonic sounds and is thus the most suitable model organism. Through these two methods, I intend to build a platform to evaluate the impact of noise on marine organisms.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

As I belong to the Graduate School of Agriculture, I lacked informatics knowledge. Through the lectures and seminars in this program, I have learned the basics of information and communication, the application of technology to society, what kind of platforms actually exist, and conducted case studies to determine the problems. In addition, I was able to identify what problems would arise when I applied this to my own research, what barriers I needed to overcome, and how I should solve them, which was a very significant experience.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I expect that platforms will become a standard tool that can be used to solve not only social issues but also everyday problems in the future. During the lectures, I observed platforms for various issues, and I was left with the impression that many of them were closely familiar to us. I believe that it is necessary for these platforms to be applied to various fields and made more familiar so that we can use them without even knowing it.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Although this is a step away from platform studies itself, I think it is essential that we all have a little bit of courage to communicate what we are feeling. Working with living organisms as a subject of study, I noticed that most people focus only on human beings. But that is because people don't realize what kind of danger other living organisms are currently facing. Therefore, I hope platforms will help people broaden their perspectives and serve as a portal or source of reference. It is important to disseminate information to even those who may not be directly interested, such as the current situation of living organisms and what we are obligated to do about it.

Forest Management Cannot Proceed on Rationality Alone
A Platform with Data for Multifaceted Utilization

Nonoyama, Shohei (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Shortly after entering the first year of my master's program, I heard an explanation of the program and thought it sounded interesting. The direct reason was that my research professor was involved in the program and invited me to join. While I needed knowledge of informatics and platforms for my research, it was also a field I had never been exposed to. My interest in the program was partly motivated by the idea that it would be interesting to combine the two.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am conducting research in the fields of Environmental Economics, Behavioral Economics, and Forest Policy in the Kuriyama Laboratory. By conducting a behavioral analysis of forest owners, what kind of policies should be instituted to ensure successful forest management is considered. It has been pointed out that Japan's forests are being exhausted and poorly managed, but what is the best approach for sustainable forestry? Not only economic rationality but also norms among communities and other factors will influence the decision-making process. Moreover, since this is an issue related to land rights, a policy that involves voluntary owner participation is desired. My research focuses on what incentives should be proposed and how to design a system where everyone can participate positively.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

The weekly lectures started in September, and although there have only been three or four lectures, the lectures by the professors who explained machine learning (author's note: the lectures by the professors for the next two weeks were also very interesting) were very stimulating. Since most of the data we deal with is data obtained through questionnaire surveys, the number of data to analyze tends to be small. In the past, we used to conduct analysis to derive causal relationships based on econometrics; however, in recent years, analysis incorporating machine learning methods has begun to attract attention. Against this background, I was very grateful to have the opportunity to learn about machine learning. In addition to the number of data, another issue is the small number of variables that can be included in the analysis. In the case of forestry, there was not much data on tree species, slope angles, and so on. Yet, with the recent rise of drone technology, it is becoming possible to measure these variables. As such, in this transitional period, when the number of variables that can be used is increasing rapidly, machine learning can be used to provide more accurate analysis and projections. The increase in variables is significant. While the technology to increase the number of variables is available, we have found that it is not spreading. I felt there is potential for a fusion of disciplines and the future that can be derived from this.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

The platform I’m working on will ultimately be a policy platform. Although the definition is unclear, I think it would be good if we could build a foundation for long-term policy discussions among the public, private, and academic sectors and create a system that allows anyone to use (at a certain level) the data necessary for such discussions. As an image of the latter, the "DB for seeing, learning, and utilizing local agriculture" published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries fits the bill, but I believe there is still much information lacking in these databases. There is a need to consolidate as much data as possible so that it is possible to analyze anything that is available. Evidence-based policymaking (EBPM) is finally beginning to attract attention in Japan, but there is insufficient data to serve as evidence. Therefore, for example, if GIS data could be aggregated and made available to anyone, it would be easier to utilize it for policy making. However, to strike a balance between these various factors, the issue of privacy protection also needs to be taken into consideration.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

In short, harmony and mutual recognition. Respect for others. It may sound somewhat spiritual, but I would like to enhance my own virtues. Even if someone does something unpleasant to me, I will continue to persevere and improve my behavior (virtue) so that people will eventually be willing to listen to what I have to say to spread my ideas. I believe that harmony will come after that. Since I lack practical insight, I still receive many warnings and advice from people, but I would like to be grateful for this and continue to live each day.

Amid Worsening Climate Change, I Want to Design a New Wheat Variety by Looking Ten to Twenty Years Ahead

Nie, Jilu (Division of Agronomy and Horticultural Science, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Some thirty to forty years ago, way before I entered university, breeding was based on using human experience to improve crops. Later, 10 to 20 years ago, DNA markers were used to improve crops and food. However, since then, no new approaches have emerged. Various fields, such as automobiles and buildings, are using informatics knowledge and big data to help people. That said, there is still no such platform in breeding, so I aim to create just that.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

We are researching platforms for designing and improving new crops. While humanity is facing extensive climate change, there is a lack of clear goals for breeding. Conventional breeding has focused on goals such as how to increase the yield of wheat. It is said that it takes ten years to breed one variety, but given the current accelerating rate of climate change, we cannot catch up with the change unless we look further ahead than the current environment. It is essential to design future crops by considering what varieties will be in demand 10 to 20 years from now and how to cultivate them, in combination with climate change projections. This is the topic of my research.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I attended a series of monthly seminars and even underwent interdisciplinary exams. At present, I consider platforms from a broader biological perspective, not only from the perspective of breeding. It is stimulating to be given insights into what platforms should be like from the perspective of other departments. (Although I myself am enrolled in Agricultural Science) Professor Kashima of Informatics is providing support in acquiring the techniques.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

As a student of plant breeding, I would like to see a platform where the varieties to be bred are listed. Even if the goal is to increase yield, quality is also essential for food production. At present, it is necessary to visit farmers or search the Internet to find out what traits are desired, but with this platform, I hope to create a place where information can be gathered and become a big platform that can serve as a basis for discussion and reference for deciding on such traits.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

It is said that the world will be unable to meet the food demands of hundreds of millions of people in the coming decades, especially in Africa and other regions. In preparation for climate change and other aspects of humanity's future, I hope to eliminate poverty in society by improving crops such as wheat, so that their yield will increase even in areas with limited rainfall. I look forward to creating future breeds in the next 10 to 20 years and hope to make them adaptable to the further growth of the earth's population in the future.

Examining the Relationship Between Invasive Non-native Plants and Microorganisms, Data Applicable to Both Research Institutes and Citizen Science

Nakamura, Naoto (Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I became interested in the idea of fostering platform developers who will drive society. In the era of big data, sophisticated platforms are essential. However, I had not yet thought about what exactly I would do with such data. I was thrilled to be involved in creating a platform where I could utilize the data I had collected.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research focuses on the relationship between invasive, non-native plants and microorganisms. A diverse range of microorganisms are present in soils and other natural environments and are believed to be involved in plant growth and population dynamics. The interactions occurring between plants and microorganisms differ by place including between the native and invasive sites of the plant. My research focuses on how such interactions affect the invasive potential and dynamics of non-native plants. Currently, I am researching Ardisia crenata, a plant native to East Asia that has become an invasive species in the U.S., in order to determine the factors that contribute to the success of invasive plants in the context of interacting microorganisms.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

During the monthly special seminars, I was able to listen to the latest topics regarding various platforms. What I learned from these sessions is that there are many obstacles to the utilization of big data. No matter what industry, I have found that there can be discrepancies and disagreements between the use of data in a business or industry setting and its use by researchers. I am conducting research on the production side of big data, but as I gather data in the future, I feel that the sampling method and the form of data collection must be made more accessible to utilize as a platform.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I believe the vital aspect is that anyone can collect and handle data. My field of research is not one where data can be gathered on its own, so I believe it is necessary to standardize and format measurement parameters so that they can be approached not only by research institutions but also from the aspect of citizen science. With respect to measurement items, etc., it is essential not only to make them comprehensible but it is also very significant to consider what would enable them to be widely used. I envision that the development of internationalization of platforms and the like will follow.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

By using a new evaluation criterion of interacting microorganisms, I am attempting to solve the environmental issue of invasive non-native plants. If this research advances, the general　public may be more attentive to the plants, animals, and soil surrounding us. I hope this will become a reality. I continue my research with the hope that an environment will be created where many people can obtain data, such as citizen science, and that through my research, I can help raise environmental awareness and increase interest in vegetation and living creatures.

Examining Plant Leaves to Obtain Information on Environmental Tolerance and Geographic Location of Growth

Konrai, Kaede (Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

My research is on plant leaves. While I collect trait data, referring to data from previous studies is necessary when composing a research thesis. I realized the significance of a platform where data is easily accessible and organized, which is something I wanted to create myself.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research is on leaf turgor pressure. Plant leaves expand when they absorb water, and conversely, they wilt when short of water. This research examines whether or not this turgor pressure is related to other traits and environmental data. While the data collected is fundamental and not immediately relevant, understanding how plants respond to drought will yield basic information such as environmental tolerance and the geographical locations of growth. It could also potentially be applied to global warming countermeasures.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

It is still at an early stage, but through seminars and lectures, I have been exposed to knowledge that I could not obtain in my research laboratory. While it is not directly related to my research, I feel I am gaining a lot and have enjoyed the experience. Lectures are given weekly, which significantly contributes to my learning about technologies in the field of informatics and how the platforms operate. I was also greatly moved by the lecture given by Mr. Yukihiro Matsumoto, the developer of Ruby.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Plant leaves exhibit a variety of parameters, such as firmness, thickness, and susceptibility to drying, with correlations and trade-offs. Although data has been accumulated, it has yet to be made available on an open platform. By compiling experimental methods and other information as well, I hope to create a platform everyone can use.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Since my research is fundamental, I hope the data I have steadily accumulated will be used for various applications, such as forecasting models for global warming, and contribute to society. For this purpose, I believe it is essential to accumulate data in an easily accessible condition.

Discovering the Relation Between the Genome and Phenotype Through the Research of Medaka (Oryzias latipes).

Hara, Rie (Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

My research currently focuses on genome analysis using medaka (oryzias latipes) from across Japan. Since I had been doing experimental research up to my master's program, I wanted to deepen my knowledge of informatics-based research methods using statistical modeling, such as genome analysis. While I had known about the platform program for some time, it occurred to me upon entering the doctoral program from the master's program, and I felt that the content of the program was appropriate for my research.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

The vertebrate spine is made up of a series of vertebrae. It has been observed that the number of vertebrae in fish tends to be higher in colder regions and lower in warmer regions, even among the same species. Yet, what genetic factors are responsible for this phenomenon are not well understood. Accordingly, through counting the vertebrae of medaka (oryzias latipes) living in various regions of Japan and comparing them with genomic data, my research aims to identify the genetic factors associated with the number of vertebrae.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

The most significant achievement was that my understanding of informatics has become clearer and more accurate. For instance, in the first semester's lectures, I gained an understanding of how environmental sensors are used in various fields of research. Furthermore, I was able to deepen my knowledge and understanding through hands-on experience using actual environmental sensors.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

For example, the correspondence between gene loci and traits has been somewhat elucidated in a systematic manner in humans and model plants. However, in fish, I find that such approaches are still lacking. Therefore, I hope to pioneer my own research and make it possible to compile a list of the relationship between genomes and phenotypes of various fish species, which will serve as a valuable tool in such fields as aquatic genetic breeding, disease resistance, and pharmaceutical drug development.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

In order to improve the world and Japan, I feel that, ultimately, it is necessary to involve the government. For example, it is the government's duty to decide what actions to implement in response to research findings, such as how fish populations change when the temperature rises and what kind of changes occur in the marine resource base. If a system can be established that allows the government to facilitate the incorporation of research findings through a marine science platform, realizing a more appropriate marine resources policy from a scientific perspective may be possible. I believe it is essential for research, politics, and the economy to be appropriately connected.

Cooperation is Key in Disaster Prevention; Aiming to Acquire a Comprehensive Perspective

Fukuda, Motoki (Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

In disaster prevention, handling vast amounts of meteorological and geospatial data is necessary. Given this, I thought I could use my extensive knowledge in informatics when considering how to process and store such data. Also, in disaster prevention, it is becoming increasingly essential to collaborate with other fields to learn about disaster conditions quickly and concretely through satellite information. I aim to gain a comprehensive perspective of such fields of knowledge.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My current focus is on erosion control engineering. The objective is to ensure the safety of slopes in mountains and other areas. In this context, the purpose of my research is to establish indicators to determine what types of rainfall are dangerous. While warnings are issued when there is heavy rainfall, simply indicating the danger is not enough to tell the extent of how dangerous the situation is, meaning that the warning will not lead to effective actions. Besides such accuracy issues, it is also difficult to convey what kinds of danger the situation poses. I am working to develop indicators that will be able to determine these two aspects—the extent and type of danger.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

This may stray a bit from the main point, but communication is necessary whether we receive or transmit information. "So, why was the new 5G standard necessary?" "What are its benefits?" This sort of background was explained. While we might not be able to apply this information immediately, I think it is essential to have the basic knowledge to make the most of it in our future research. In the Seminar Series, the one on forestry, which is also related to my own work, was very interesting. In addition, some lectures explained numerical calculations and how to calculate fluid flow. With new calculation methods that can solve problems that could not be solved before, we are gradually getting closer to resolving these issues. These kinds of explanations are also very stimulating.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Well. It is a place where information is gathered, and the methods of using it are integrated. Various things happen simultaneously on the sites hit by landslides and windstorms. The challenge is how to bring that information together and store it in a form that can be used later. The question is what is valuable information and how much of that information can be collected. I hope to build a mechanism to enable persons who are not familiar with the handling of information to convey or gather necessary information by following a defined procedure, so that the information can be analyzed and utilized for countermeasures.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Related to my research, I often feel that no single great method will solve an entire problem. It is essential to accurately grasp the advantages and disadvantages of the information obtained and the tools available and adequately integrate them to create a greater mechanism. I would like to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the information I have obtained and the methods I have created and hopefully disseminate this information.

Platforms Themselves Do Not Always Provide the Correct Answer; Innovation Is Needed for Social Progress

Matsuki, Akira (Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

In the field of disaster prevention studies, the specialized research format of focusing on each separate disaster has served as the mainstream approach over the years. However, what happened with the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 was a complex overlap of disasters targeted individually in the past. In the specialized research format adopted up to now, it will prove impossible to fully grasp the aspects of future disasters. There are demands for collection of information on an integrated, comprehensive, and time-series basis, followed by the formulation of predictions. The current situation may be characterized by the compilation of numerous types of data, steadily bringing an environment capable of being organized as big data into existence. While this represents progress, that alone will not be sufficient. Responses must be mounted capable of coordinating everyone’s actions upon disasters, thereby moving to achieve the identical objectives. For that purpose, it is my conviction that the need exists for possession of comprehensive information and shared perspectives, prompting me to enroll in the School of Platforms program.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am advancing development of disaster response simulation that deals with evacuation of residents, government’s relief efforts, and other routes of action after disasters occur. While there is considerable research targeting themes such as disaster damage predictions and the degree of impact that disasters will have on society, we have seen little appropriate debate on the responses needed to deal with such situations. When disasters do occur, numerous issues emerge including ambulance transport, infrastructure recovery, shelter operation, and food distribution. In my view, these issues do not occur independently, but rather unfold in the midst of complex mutual relationships. In terms of individual elements, specialized platforms or services capable of addressing each separate area may very well exist. However, there is currently no platform capable of coordinating all such responses. Although data for each specific field has been compiled, I do not feel that we have achieved a grasp of the impact between the layers of different fields. My idea is to utilize a disaster prediction model to comprehend such complex conditions, while striving through simulation of people and their actions to furnish grounds for verification.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I have heightened my perception of how platforms are applied as key driving forces in society, as well as why they fail to function as such forces in certain cases. There is no absolute guarantee that platforms themselves will generate correct answers. Just because we gather, integrate, and organize data does not mean that platforms will be completed. Designs must be formulated that truly zero in on user issues. There are numerous cases where such issues may be resolved through application of existing technology. For example, introducing robots in agriculture may result in solutions to certain challenges. There will always be users willing to use such advances in platforms, meaning that adopting that technology can render it possible to surmount the challenges. I feel I have learned how to effectively address such systems from an overall perspective.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I believe that platforms furnish equal access for all people to specialized knowledge and technology that has proved difficult to grasp and deal with to date. As such, platforms expand venues for use of new technologies (tools) in the innovation of new services by persons other than experts as well. Even ordinary people can be empowered to create things through combinations of such tools, while enabling unobstructed innovation by bringing on board the services of other parties. In this way, I also foresee newly emerging services becoming the components for others’ services, paving the way to advances in technology and industry for the society as a whole. If I am able to assume the position of a platform creator, I hope to incorporate the vision of building environments where innovation is prone to emerge in my own perspective as well.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Japan is literally awash in platforms for electronic payments, social media, music, services, and numerous other areas. This has reached the point in which I yearn for a platform capable of bundling together these numerous platforms. In addressing that challenge, however, I fear that even as functions have been enriched, various problems are emerging in terms of effective utilization by users. There is a need to create venues where all the individual pieces of the puzzle are not available, avoiding situations in which certain individuals monopolize specific areas. As a result, I foresee platforms effective in bringing all things on track coming into existence. At any rate, I keenly sense the need for collaborative design to support coexistence with society and build a better tomorrow.

Tackling the Optimal Transport Problem to Improve Society

Li, Lingrui (Department of Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

In order to research the optimal transport problem, I consider it important to address various processes and issues. This is based on my sense that achieving a firm grasp of a wide range of approaches is vital in resolving the hurdles in this area. When it comes to logistics, energy transport, and other practical issues, engineering know-how alone is not sufficient, with the need also existing for smooth integration with economic and sociological approaches. By definition, the emerging new academic field of platform studies comprises an interdisciplinary endeavor to combine field areas and information communications technology. It also furnishes opportunities for encounters with experts from numerous different fields. I am truly fond of the city of Kyoto, with the students here highly motivated and absorbed in their own studies. Personally speaking, I am able to advance my research in the midst of an extremely upbeat atmosphere.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

Within the field of the mathematics of optimization, I am tackling the optimal transport problem. This area involves envisioning methods for optimization of the costs and time when shipping products from supply points to demand points, and the maximization of profits.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

Thanks to contacts with experts from various different fields, I am able to obtain hints for problem-solving from a truly diversified range of perspectives. Working through interaction with students and faculty members, I have encountered a vast scope of knowledge and thinking and greatly expanded my horizons.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

While I have a long way to go to build an actual platform, my aim is to rise to the challenge of designing a digital platform for use in working through mathematical predictions to resolve problems, with the goal of elevating logistical efficiency and determining optimal transport routes pursuant to cost. If various conditions can be marshalled as the foundation for simulating transport and computing expected costs, it will prove effective in corporate decision-making and lowering product costs. I am confident this will help build a brighter future.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Contemporary society is burdened with numerous complex issues, making it difficult to realize solutions in any single specialty field. This creates the need to share your own knowledge with those around you, as well as input their know-how. I consider it increasingly important to engage in mutual exchanges of specialized knowledge with those in different fields of expertise.

Research Probing How Radioactive Materials Transfer and Scatter in Ecosystems

Kakuma, Minato (Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I conduct field studies and other research activities with the aim of contributing to resolution of current scientific and social issues. The course of my research efforts involves the gathering and production of various types of data. In order to effectively address these issues, meanwhile, there is a need for precision processing and analysis of the data compiled in that manner. I have pursued platform studies to attain the techniques indispensable in the processing and analysis of such data, as well as to hone the skills needed to utilize data for an accurate grasp of the essence, without under- and overinterpretation, and communicate information in appropriate fashion.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

With the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011, large amounts of radioactive materials were scattered into the environment. Among the materials released at that time, we are investigating the volumes and routes of transfer and dispersal of radioactive cesium 137 (Cs-137), a substance with a comparatively high physical survival rate, in the Fukushima ecosystem. In my view, furnishing access by the general public to the data compiled through our investigations will prove enlightening on what impact this phenomenon will continue to exert. That, in turn, promises to be critical in supporting the return of displaced local residents to their homes, reconstruction of the society, and evaluations of radioecology risks, as well as the sustained upkeep of livelihood spheres in hilly and mountainous areas and effective forest management.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I have learned about actual platform application examples from experts in various different fields, not limited to informatics, as well as personally investigating platform applications while expanding my image of their deployment in society. Going forward, I am determined to benefit from the guidance of those in a number of diversified fields, while pursuing themes in my own specialty.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I believe that platforms should be used across the lines of scientist and nonscientist, public and private, humanities and science, urban and hilly mountainous areas, and other sectors, utilizing information communications technology as the actual foundation for coping with social issues shared by the majority of people. I have high hopes that, by building platforms which are fair and easy to access, contributions can be made to stamping out harmful rumors in the event of radioactive disasters.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Upon the occurrence of past radioactive disasters, large numbers of residents have been forced to suddenly leave their homes and evacuate. Within today’s world, meanwhile, numerous people have also had to move from where they live due to climate change, wars, and other factors. There are likewise those who experience sudden changes in their physical condition after being infected with diseases, as well as individuals who see their economic circumstances abruptly shift due to factors beyond their own control. In the midst of such conditions, which can occur without warning and prove impossible to manage, I believe that, in the eyes of the impacted individuals, today’s world can prove fragile and difficult to deal with. I do not know if there are any means to enable all people to feel that the world around them is on the right track. However, I would like to see what I have learned through this program utilized not for interests limited to certain fields, but for problem-solving from a far wider perspective.

Determining the Size of Cultured Fish with Acoustic Data

Tamura, Hiroki (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

I am involved in research on aquaculture. While mulling the idea of pursuing research in this area that would benefit society at large, I was motivated by the realization that current research in the field is insufficient and approaches that harness information technology are needed. Fish farmers have expressed a desire for the development of underwater sensing equipment (for fish cages) that can be used to count the number of fish inside the cages as well as measure their growth rates. I am pursuing this research in an effort to satisfy that desire. Thinking about the knowledge I would need to develop a monitoring system capable of continuously gathering, uploading, and analyzing data to understand the underwater situations in the fish cages, I decided I wanted to study informatics.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am engaged in developing technologies related to aquaculture. In particular, I am researching a method that utilizes acoustic data to measure the volumetric size of cultured fish in the underwater environment. Fish size is usually measured by lifting the fish out of the water, but this is an arduous and time-consuming task for the human worker, as well as a task that causes stress and the risk of death for the fish. If there is a device that can be used underwater in the cage to measure fish size in real time, that would facilitate feed selection according to their growth rate. The cost of feed is reported to account for 70 percent of the total in aquaculture expenditures, and of that, approx. 20–30 percent is considered to be wasted. In the future, it is anticipated that eliminating this wasteful use of feed will help alleviate some of its harmful effects, including the pollution of water and the marine environment.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I have gained knowledge of information and communications technology. Although I was already experienced in the use of the internet and server systems, I did not have any deep knowledge of the mechanisms involved in data communications or the types of routes used for data transfers. Additionally, through the Seminar Series and lectures, we learned about case studies and, through emulation, built use models that I realized I could actually use in my own research.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I am interested in food problems and related areas. Food problems appear to be more serious abroad than in Japan, so it may be better if the systems devised to solve them can be applied worldwide. I want to pursue work on such systems while exploring their relevance to my own research.

Building a System for the Broad Application of Electric Microbial Testing, an Approach Compatible with Big Data

Chen, Siyao (Division of Environmental Science and Technology, School of Agriculture)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

My research is in food safety, a field that requires data collection and data processing skills. I have constantly sought settings where I have opportunities to talk and exchange ideas with people from diverse research fields, in addition to my own. I am interested in utilizing the School of Platforms for my research because its program affords me those opportunities. In the course of social progress, certain areas of research have increasingly attracted demand from totally different fields. The Platform program's philosophy of promoting exchange with others outside one's field of specialization resonated with me. I want to make a contribution to society by disseminating that idea.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

I am currently studying methods to quantify microbial numbers using a sensor chip and working to build a system that can measure the bioelectric properties of microbial cells. Although current approaches to microbial detection often involve investigations using spectroscopic and chemical methods, electrical methods are, I think, a better fit for Big Data. In the future, integrating approaches that examine the bioelectric properties of microbial cells will enable us to identify the biological states and characteristics of many cell types. Before, we were only able to measure the properties of microbial cells as average values; however, having a technology that is capable of evaluating individual cells means we will be able to measure differences in those properties on a cell-by-cell basis. By understanding what cellular features we can measure and acquire systematic data on, we can expand the scope of data collection. My research is about determining the type of system we should build for that purpose.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

The monthly seminars feature discussions between an expert in a certain field and people from entirely different fields of expertise, which enables us to delve more deeply into both the practical and academic dimensions of a given subject. These seminars have been highly instructive because they provided perspectives I could not gain from the field of agriculture alone, and they equipped me with a better understanding of potential social applications. They were also interesting because they provided me opportunities for exposure to the diverse thought patterns of other scholars.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I have an image of the smart city in mind. The "vertical" threads of interdisciplinary or cross-field collaboration and the "horizontal" threads of community or public–private collaboration together weave a network that will form a foundation for the integration or collaboration of urban data. If citizens are able to access and utilize that collaborative data platform, it will be possible to find solutions to a diverse range of urban challenges. I anticipate that academia will be able to contribute by promoting further interdisciplinary exchange. By developing virtual frameworks that integrate diverse fields of study, we may be able to open up entirely new avenues of research.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

Currently, a variety of microbial testing techniques are in use. However, these methods cannot be readily used in food inspection processes or other applications due to cost factors and difficulties associated with their implementation. Although methods of measurement that exploit the bioelectric properties of microbes have not yet been perfected, they can be expected to lighten the cost burden once the technology for sensor chips reaches maturity. If this technology comes into widespread use, individuals will be able to measure microbial concentrations from their own homes. Understanding the biological status of microbes and cells and applying that knowledge in healthcare will be an important modality that anticipates the future decentralization of healthcare. I want to make a modest contribution to that goal.

Permeation of Disaster Information in Society to Enable Future Use in Disaster Prevention and Other Fields as Well

Hirako, Ryo (Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics)

—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

Upon the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, despite the issuing of tsunami warnings and other emergency alerts, large numbers of people were unable to evacuate. Initially coming to mind was the question of how to convey disaster prevention information to greater numbers of people, prompting them to take proper action. I believe that, if a platform could be created with disaster prevention as the foundation and then linked to various related fields, contributions would be made in protecting human life and on various other fronts. In addition, I feel we should think beyond the limited independent framework of disaster prevention, incorporate a small amount of the elements of disaster prevention in numerous places throughout society, and work from there in creating a structure capable of making social contributions.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My chosen field of research may be described as assessment of the integrated risks of flood damage. Up to now, regarding the risks and impact of flood damage, river management has been handled by river bureaus and sewage systems by sewerage bureaus. Based on the scale of potential damage, furthermore, the risks have been assessed separately at the national or local level. From the perspective of residents, despite such events comprising the same basic rainfall-based phenomena, the issuing of different risk alerts has failed to instill an enduring grasp of what concrete actions to take. My goal is to generate information leading to integrated considerations of the steps vital in protecting lives from here on.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

My mission is to promote effective disaster prevention by steadily fusing assets existing in other fields throughout society. Within the series of seminars conducted in this program, I have been able to benefit from talks given by those in other fields and positions. This has acquainted me with the issues involved in obtaining data in the natural field, and the problems related to human life and privacy in the medical field, as well as examples of the application of communications, analysis, and other technologies. This has proved significant in obtaining and mastering the ability to effectively utilize cutting-edge know-how and applications.

What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

Briefly stated, I believe this consists of eliminating the sense of difficulty in grasping issues that demand resolution in certain fields. It also concerns the ability to access indicated sites to arrive at and utilize specific information leading to new dimensions, and incorporating that knowledge in everyday life. One such example is the instilling of added value in disaster prevention, and enabling responses in that field without express awareness that the moves consist of disaster prevention. For instance, hazard maps primarily offer data for use in evacuation. The risk that I am researching is guided by the frequency and scale at which disasters occur. This information may be used as a reference in the actions and decision-making when determining residential purchases, company locations, insurance coverage, and other matters. I also feel that this can fuel efforts for disaster risk avoidance, support for building restrictions, and other vital progress.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

I believe it is crucial to get to know your neighbors a bit better, as well as convey your own knowledge and expertise to the people and fields in your immediate vicinity. If the motivation to engage in input and output can be elevated, the world will become a better place. Linked to the growing complexity of social issues, meanwhile, there are also more and more cases where resolutions are unavailable through specialized fields alone, as well as the impeding of such efforts by the walls between such specific domains. In my view, reciprocal flows will lead to problem-solving, with the foundation of that process comprised of platforms.