About Project

The mission of this project is to elucidate the mechanisms of human movements thereby untapping the full potential of human movement performance with the development and application of a specific methodology based on scientific and engineering principles. Core members are specialists in sciences in sport and engineering who constitute a functional hub for the mission. Activities will include measurements of various human movements (e.g. walking, running, jumping) and designing and manufacturing humanoids and devices, and application of research outcome to each other. The laboratory will be open to visitors for demonstration and collaboration for their proposals.

Research Director

Picture of Kawakami Yasuo

Kawakami Yasuo

Faculty of Sport Sciences; Human Performance Laboratory, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University

Yasuo Kawakami received Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo (1995). Following his career as an assistant and associate professor at the University of Tokyo, he is presently a professor of the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University. His expertise is in biomechanics and exercise physiology with the main research interest in the area of muscle mechanics, particularly on the in vivo skeletal muscle behavior during various human movements and the effect of exercise training, growth and aging on the human musculoskeletal system. Since 2017 he and professor Shigeru Wesugi (Faculty of Science and Engineering) have been leading Human Performance Laboratory, and started research and outreach activities at Miraikan with Professor Atsuo Takanishi and Professor Shinji Takeoka (Faculty of Science and Engineering).

Message from Research Director

Integration of sport sciences and science & engineering to study human movements will be carried out, on children, young and elderly individuals including athletes. Research will be carried out as human studies, development of devices and robots, and the exchange of ideas and findings among lab members. Participatory events for visitors will be held periodically. We are looking forward to the visit of those interested, both children and adults!

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