Work, play, and all other human activities are the subject of "information"
Creating excitement that will "change the world" through information, AI, and IT

"In the Department of Information Engineering, we learn the fundamentals of information-handling technology, including AI. Information is, to put it simply, everything human beings do, and it is related to everything, whether it be work or play. In other words, information engineering research themes are full of all sorts of possibilities."

　One of Professor Matsubara's research themes is sports informatics.
"For example, let's say we had soccer players wear sensors and cameras while playing, and collected location and biometric data. We think that we could use that data to not only devise training methods for the players and devise team tactics, but also to suggest new ways to enjoy sports. If we process this data together with footage taken of the field using generative AI, it would be possible to see the game from a bird's eye view, and experience the same sense of realism as if you were standing on the field from the players' perspective," says Professor Matsubara, his eyes shining.

　Furthermore, if footage from the player's perspective can be trusted, it is possible that the rules for judging fouls and violations may change. Just as rules were established and disseminated with the invention of the automobile, new technology requires new rules.

"I want students to be the ones creating new rules, rather than being bound by existing rules. Our university has a wide variety of academic fields, including medicine, humanities, and social sciences, and we are also very active in sports. I hope that students will find a research topic that interests them and take on the challenge."
An automatic handbell that uses LED table lights to visually enjoy the melody. A work by a first-year student in the Department of Information Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

Beyond the boundaries of humanities and science, students from 9 faculties and 15 departments can learn together
Developing the ability to utilize IT through creative approaches

To create new rules and values, we need not only knowledge and skills in programming and data science, but also knowledge about society in general, including economics and management. Professor Teruo Higashino, Vice President of the University of Tokyo, answers this question.

"Our university offers a learning environment that transcends the boundaries of our nine faculties and 9 departments, so that students can demonstrate their ability to utilize IT in a creative approach. In a rapidly changing world, it will be the young people of the digital native generation who have received specialized education in the information field who will lead Japan in the future. I hope that they will develop their skills by connecting with a variety of fields, such as robotics, games, animation, medicine, welfare, economics, and business."

　In fact, playful projects are popping up all over the campus, such as a collaboration between students from the Department of Information Engineering and the Department of Nursing to develop a program equipped with generative AI called a "Swallowing Exercise Chatbot" for the elderly. In addition, the environment in which students can freely create games and animations from their first and second years, as well as opportunities to present their results both on and off campus, also supports the growth of students.

"Finally, you don't need to be good at math to study information. Some of our students are from the humanities and have even won the Student Encouragement Award at the National Conference of the Information Processing Society of Japan. If you're even slightly intrigued or excited, try attending our open campus or events."