21st Century COE Program
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The 21st Century COE (Center of Excellence)
Program is an initiative by the Japanese Ministry of Education,
Culture, Science and Technology (MEXT) to further strengthen educational
research throughout Japan. 50 universities were chosen to lead
113 different research programs divided into 5 fields of research
(Life Sciences, Chemistry, Information Sciences, Humanities, etc.).
With special funding (total \18.1b) from MEXT these institutions
will lead Japanese research and education, and endeavor to be
the top in the world.
Detailed information about Ritsumeikan University's
COE Programs is found in the winter
issue of the Ritsumeikan
University Newsletter.
Ritsumeikan University was selected to direct
the following four projects in four different fields:
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Life
Science |
Synchrotron
Light Life Project |
YAMADA
Hironari |
Humanities |
Kyoto
Art and Entertainment Innovation Research |
KAWASHIMA
Masao |
Information,
Electronics |
Micro
Nanoscience Integrated Systems |
SUGIYAMA
Susumu |
Engineering |
Disaster
Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage |
MURAHASHI
Masatake |
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Synchrotron Light Life Project |
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Project Leader：
Science & Engineering
Prof. YAMADA Hironari |
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Presently, research highly beneficial to medicine
and life sciences is being conducted utilizing the synchrotron "MIRRORCLE,"
which can emit the world's smallest synchrotron radiation, and the
superconducting synchrotron "AURORA," both successfully
developed by Ritsumeikan College of Science and Engineering Professor
YAMADA Hironari.
Each of these devices can emit highly intense far-infrared (FIR)
energy and x-rays which may be used in the future to detect objects
normally undetectable by current radioscopy techniques, such as
cancer with a diameter of less than 1 millimeter. Other future
applications sought include using FIR energy to control the functions
and behaviour of proteins within cancer cells, effectively stopping
growth and development.
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Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems |
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Project Leader：
Science & Engineering
Prof. SUGIYAMA Susumu |
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Microsystem fabrication integrates many
mechanical applications including sensors, motors, robotic arms
etc., but also has unexplored applications in wireless transmission
and energy conversion. Integrating these technologies could bear
new capabilities beyond IC and LSI chips. The processes of an entire
factory could be done with a chip only a few millimeters wide.
One example, upon the completion of such a chip, could be to
put it into a capsule to be swallowed by a patient. The chip could
then relay information about internal bodily functions or symptoms
to an outside source, providing accurate information for medical
workers, thereby augmenting medicine.
 
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Kyoto Art and Entertainment Innovation
Research |
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Project Leader：
History
Prof. KAWASHIMA Masao |
Sub-Leader：
Science & Engineering
Prof. HACHIMURA Kozaburo |
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The latest ICT techniques are being used
to digitally preserve the traditional arts of culturally rich Kyoto.
The cultural information is then archived and disseminated to researchers
and interested individuals around the world through the Web.
Traditional Japanese dance can be "captured" and used
for comparative research overseas. Or historical cities can be
reconstructed and experienced through virtual reality (VR) technology,
including the ability for a user to engage in conversation with
computer-generated "locals" and other visitors.
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Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural
Heritage |
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Project Leader：
Science & Engineering
Prof. MURAHASHI Masatake |
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Using 21st century engineering principles and techniques,
this project aims to develop methods to protect irreplaceable cultural
treasures and heritage sites from natural disasters.
Targetting the Kyoto region, an area with abundant historical
structures, the Disaster Mitigation project examines natural disaster
patterns throughout history and brings together researchers from
the fields of engineering, information science, and the social
sciences to develop disaster prevention technology and safeguards
against earthquakes.
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