Prof. TomoakiMashimo

Okayama University, Japan

Bio.: TOMOAKI MASHIMO received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan, in 2008. He was a Robotics Researcher with the Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, from 2008 to 2010. After being an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) with the Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan, in 2011, where he became an Associate Professor, in 2016. He is currently a Professor with the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Japan. His research interests include piezoelectric actuators and robotic applications.

Title: Micro Ultrasonic Motors and Their Applications

This talk will present the development of millimeter-scale ultrasonic motors and their applications. Our research has successfully achieved practical levels of torque generation from these miniature motors. Recently, we have begun exploring their applications in microrobotics. The presentation will cover the driving principles and methods of our proposed micro ultrasonic motors. We will also detail the process and key ideas involved in miniaturizing these motors while simultaneously increasing their torque output. Furthermore, the talk will show examples of robot development using tiny-scale 3D printing, demonstrating the potential of these compact motor technologies.