Bringing 25+ Years of Engineering Experience to Research and the Future of the Region: Starting Technical Support Volunteering at JAIST
For more than 25 years, I have worked as an engineer across a wide range of technologies.
AI, cloud computing, web applications, quantum computing, and Physical AI. I love learning new technologies and building real systems with my own hands, and before I knew it, a long time had passed.
Recently, a feeling has been steadily growing inside me:
"I want to put the skills and experience I have built up over the years to better use for society."
Not just providing technology as a job, but could I also support people working on research, people trying to create new businesses, and people working to solve local challenges?
With that in mind, I have decided to start volunteering, as an individual, to provide technical support to researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).
1. Helping people and society through technology
In my career so far, I have served as VPoE (Vice President of Engineering) and Principal Engineer at a startup, where I was involved in everything from managing engineering organizations and launching new businesses to designing and implementing systems.
My areas of expertise include generative AI, Physical AI, quantum technology, cloud computing, and full-stack development.
In the field of quantum technology, I was selected twice as the principal representative in NEDO's quantum prize challenge program.
At the same time, I believe that technology is ultimately a means, not an end.
No matter how good an AI or robot we build, it does not create social value unless it solves someone's problem or opens up new possibilities.
For the rest of my life, I want to use the skills I have gained not only for my own work, but also to support other people's challenges.
I want to make that one of my life's missions going forward.
2. Why JAIST, and why Hokuriku
I love mountain climbing and traveling, and on my days off I visit various regions in search of nature.
Among them, I feel a special attraction to the Hokuriku region.
Beautiful mountains and rich nature, cultures and ways of life that differ from place to place, and people rooted in their communities who are taking on new challenges.
Every time I visit a rural region, I feel that there is still a great deal of untapped potential.
At the same time, these regions face many challenges, such as population decline, an aging society, and a shortage of people to sustain local industries.
I believe the opportunities to apply technologies such as AI, robotics, and IoT to these challenges will only grow.
I am currently conducting research on Physical AI and robotics in the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory (CHONG Lab) at JAIST.
Beyond learning new technologies through graduate research, I hope to find places where my experience can be useful through interactions with researchers, students, and people in the local community.
Research, technology, entrepreneurship, and the region. I want to start activities that connect these, with JAIST as one of my bases.
3. For researchers: accelerating research with AI and engineering
University research requires not only work on the research topic itself, but also a great deal of engineering, such as building experimental environments, processing data, and programming.
For example, are you struggling with any of the following?
- You want to bring machine learning into your research, but don't know where to start.
- You want to build a computing environment using GPUs or the cloud.
- You want to process and analyze experimental data more efficiently.
- You want to accelerate research and development with generative AI and AI coding agents.
- You want to implement your research ideas and build prototypes you can experiment with.
In situations like these, my engineering experience may be of help.
4. For aspiring entrepreneurs: start small and turn ideas into reality
Another group I especially want to support is people who are aiming to start a business.
You want to bring your research results into real-world use. You want to build a service that solves local challenges. You want to start a new business using AI.
Even if you have ideas like these, there is no need to build a large-scale system from the start.
Rather, I believe it is important to start small and gradually combine the technologies you need while validating your customers' problems.
For example, by making use of generative AI and cloud services, it is sometimes possible to prototype, on a relatively small budget, systems that once would have required significant development costs.