＜Summary＞

Experienced robotics researcher with over 15 years of expertise, specializing in deep learning for robotics and solving real-world challenges. Recognized as an expert in multi-modal learning, natural language processing for robotics, and the manipulation of flexible objects. Has received multiple Best Paper Awards at top-tier conferences such as ICRA.
Currently leading the research and development of Vision Language Models (VLMs), focusing on designing, training, and applying AI models that integrate vision and language.

＜Research＞

My research interest is how robots can efficiently learn and adapt to uncertain and dynamically changing tasks and environments, such as human living spaces. I am working on robotics with deep learning for this research subject. I have been working on motion generation, multi-modal sensors, and time-series data based on machine learning, especially deep learning. The research composed of the following projects (Detail is described here):

• • Contact-rich environment manipulation

  • Training with small dataset

  • Multi-modal learning such as Image and tactile sensor

  • Natural language processing (NLP) with robotics

  • Manipulation of flexible objects using multi-DOFs

  • Dynamics motion learning for multi-DOF flexible-joint robots

  • Tool-body assimilation model based on motor babbling

  • Vision Language Model (VLM)

＜Core Competencies＞

• Deep Learning for Robotics

• Multi-modal Learning and Sensor Fusion

• Reinforcement Learning

• Natural Language Processing for HRI

• Computer Vision

• Adaptive Learning in Uncertain Environments

• Robotic Manipulation

• Contact-rich environment manipulation

• Vision Language Model (VLM)

＜Awards＞

• • 2024 FA Foundation Paper Award (Co-author)

  • 2024 Advanced Robotics Best Paper Award (Co-author)

  • 2019 FA Foundation Paper Award (First author)

  • 2019 Advanced Robotics Best Paper Award (First author)

  • 2019 RSJ2019 Young Investigation Excellence Award (First author)

  • 2019 ICRA2019 Best Paper Award finalist (First author)

  • 2018 ICRA2018 Best Paper Award on HRI (Equal contribution first author)

  • 2016 SI2016 Award (Co-author)

  • 2016 IPSJ2016 Student Encouragement Award (Co-author)

  • 2016 IPSJ2016 Conference Encouragement Award (Co-author)

• • 2011 SI2011 Award (Presenter)

＜Career＞

• Preferred Elements, Inc.

  • Engineering Manager (20th January 2025 - Current)

  • Researcher (1st Auguts 2024 - Current)

• Preferred Networks, Inc.

  • Researcher (1st April 2017 - Current)

• Ristumeika University

  • Visiting Researcher (1st November 2021 - 31st March 2024)

• Waseda University

  • Adjunct Researcher (1st December 2017 - Current)

• Institute for Cognitive Systems (Prof. Gordon Cheng), Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

  • Visiting researcher (February 2017 - March 2017)

  • Visiting researcher (February 2015 - March 2016) 

• IBM Research, Tokyo

  • Internship (4th July 2016 - 29th July 2016)

• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

  • Research Fellow DC2 (April 2015 - March 2017)

• Waseda University

  • Graduate Program for Embodiment Informatics (February 2014 - March 2017) 

  • Research Assistant (RA) (September 2013 - April 2014)

  • Research assistant in the brain circulation Abroad Program (April 2013 - July 2013)

  • Teaching Assistant（TA） (April 2011 - March 2012)

＜Education＞

• April 2013 - March 2017

  • Doctor of Engineering, Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University

  • Ph.D. thesis: “Acquisition and Extension of the Robot Body Model Using Motor Babbling through Deep Learning”

  • Ph.D. Thesis

    • • Supervisor: Prof. Shigeki Sugano 

< Laborarory >

• • • • Intelligent Machine Lab. (Prof. Shigeki Sugano), Waseda University, Japan

      • Lab. for Intelligent Dynamics and Representation (Prof. Tetsuya Ogata), Waseda University, Japan

      • Institute for Cognitive Systems (Prof. Gordon Cheng), Technical University of Munich, Germany

• April 2011 - March 2013

  • Master of Engineering, Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University

• April 2007 - March 2011

  • Bachelor of Engineering, Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University

＜International Experience＞

• February 2015 -  March 2016， February 2017 - March 2017 (Totally 369 days)

  • Institute for Cognitive Systems (Prof. Gordon Cheng), Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Visiting researcher

• August 2014 - September 2014

  • University of California, Davis (U.C.Davis); Language School

<Research Grants>

• August 2016

  • Travel Grant from the Hara Research Foundation (180 thousand yen)

• April 2015 – March 2017

  • JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 15J12683 (1.9 million yen)

• April 2014 – March 2017

  • Graduate Program for Embodiment Informatics, Waseda University Program for Leading Graduate Schools

Copyright @ Kuniyuki Takahashi All Rights Reserved.