Keynote Speakers

Yuichi Kurita is a Professor in the Graduate School of Engineering, director of the Applied Human Augmentation Project Research Center, and director of the KOBELCO Construction Machinery Dream-Driven Co-Creation Research Center at Hiroshima University. He received his B.E. degree from Osaka University and his M.E. and Ph.D. degrees in computer science from Nara Institute of Science and Technology. His research interests include haptics, human-machine systems, and human augmentation.

Invited talk: The Frontiers of Motor Assistance and Rehabilitation Using Physical VR

Abstract: Maintaining, enhancing, and restoring motor function requires continuous physical training; however, many individuals find it difficult to engage in such training proactively. In recent years, advanced technologies, particularly virtual reality (VR), have been increasingly explored as a means of enhancing motivation and engagement in physical training. Among these technologies, haptics, including tactile and force feedback, plays a crucial role in reproducing bodily sensations and enabling physical interaction during training. Following vision and audition, haptics is now recognized as a key modality for extending VR experiences into the physical world. In this talk, we define Physical VR (PVR) as VR systems that provide physical feedback to the human body. We introduce an approach to realizing PVR using soft actuators and present recent developments in motor assistance and rehabilitation support enabled by this framework.