Make it fun with media technology

MIYATA Laboratory
Professor：MIYATA Kazunori

E-mail：
［Research areas］
Visual Computing, Fun Computing
［Keywords］
Computer Graphics, Media Art, Interactive System, VR, Kansei Engineering, Material Perception, Creative Activity Support

Skills and background we are looking for in prospective students

Basic knowledge (math, physics, English), just a little expertise, and intellectual curiosity.

What you can expect to learn in this laboratory

CG technology is a fundamental technology that has already deeply penetrated into our lives. Therefore, CG technology itself will expand and improve as media and interface technology. What will be important from now is to consider carefully both how and to what we can apply the existing technology, and how it can be used to improve our lives. We try to provide education not focusing on technology, but focusing on knowledge creation, including what is necessary for knowledge to be of value to others, what kind of problems exist, and how to solve problems. Students in JAIST have a wide range of backgrounds. I hope all students here will interact with as many people as possible to improve themselves.

【Job category of graduates】
printing company, electrical appliance manufacturer, game developer, internet service company, software developer

Research outline

Figure 1 Japanese Lacquerware

We are interested in computer graphics (CG), especially in procedural modeling and material expression along with the development of interactive systems combining media technology and sensing devices. In order to produce new methods of expression, we employ CG technology and technology in surrounding fields.

Figure 2 Procedural Modeling

Visual Computing

Our research interest includes procedural moーdeling, material representation, animation, non-photorealistic rendering, and image processing. We also cover the research fields relating Kansei engineering and creation support. Figure 1 shows an example of representing gold leaf and Japanese lacquer faithfully using Spectral Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (S-BRDF). Figure 2 is an example of a procedural modelling aggregates such as piles that consist of arbitrary components.

Fun Computing

“Fun Computing” is a coined term that means the use of media technology to entertain people. Fun computing may motivate people to engage in more physical activity or perform burdensome work in a fun manner. For example, Landscape Bartender (Figure 3) is a system that generates landscapes using a cocktail analogy. With this system, users generate landscapes by combining "ingredients.
"In Tsumiki Castle (Figure 4), players can create their own decorative castle in a virtual world, by only stacking simple physical blocks in the system.

Figure 3 Landscape Bartender

Figure 4 Tsumiki Castle