Next entrance examination
About the lab
KIT Haptics Lab. was established in April 2024. Focusing on the sense of touch, we are engaged in research that crosses the boundaries between humans, robots and VR.
- Haptic VR — display technology that artificially reproduces the sense of touch
- Haptic Perception — the mechanisms by which humans perceive tactile sensation
- Haptic Sensory Design — sensory evaluation and design methods that turn tactile sensation into new value
- Haptic Teleoperation — teleoperation interfaces and support systems for skillful manipulation
- Human Interface — technologies that support human behaviour through touch and force
Haptics crosses diverse disciplines such as robotics, VR, psychology, art and design, and kansei/affective engineering. What we look for is a unique passion and the wish to immerse yourself in research. Your career so far and your background do not matter.
Whether you are curious about how robots and VR relate to people, love building things that move, or are fascinated by human senses, any starting point is welcome. Each project builds on the student's own interests and strengths.
For prospective students
From other universities and colleges
Ours is an independent graduate department without an undergraduate faculty, and we welcome students from both inside and outside the university. Your background does not matter. Feel free to ask about the entrance examination or our research during a lab tour.
International students
We welcome international students. We have also hosted exchange students from Ghent University (Belgium) and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain). Communication in English is fine, so please contact us by e-mail first.
Working professionals and doctoral students
Our members include a doctoral student who carries out research while working. Please feel free to ask about the doctoral course, including doctoral study while employed.
Lab tours
We offer lab tours online or in person at any time. You can try our devices yourself while we introduce our research and daily life in the lab.
How we work
Tailored to each student
Research means working on problems to which even the supervisor does not know the answer. How we proceed and how we supervise are tailored to each student's interests and pace, discussing as equals. Students go through the whole cycle — finding a problem, choosing an approach, building and experimenting, analysing and presenting — and gain skills that last well beyond graduation.
Topics are decided together
The supervisor proposes topics, and proposals from students are just as welcome. Respecting each student's interests, we settle on a topic that is new, useful, and able to produce knowledge that others can build on.
Meetings
One-to-one meetings with the supervisor take place every other week for about an hour, covering not only progress but also plans and papers read. Lab-wide meetings of about 30 minutes are held three or four times a week, with rotating paper presentations (journal club) and progress reports.
Working hours
We keep a loose core time: how each day is spent is up to the student. We value an atmosphere in which anyone can drop by to discuss an idea, with the supervisor or with each other.
What you gain and how we support you
Technical tutorials
Lab materials and tutorials let students start even with no prior experience in robotics or VR.
Conferences and papers
During the master's course, we aim for two domestic conference presentations and one journal paper. Students experience presenting early on, and receive close guidance in writing papers.
Financial support
Students who wish to focus on their research can receive financial support, for example as research assistants (RA).
Towards a PhD
Students considering a doctoral course receive planned advice on topics and presentations, and support in applying for JSPS Research Fellowships (DC). Prof. Nagano also changed laboratory and topic in the first year of the master's course, went on to the doctoral course and was awarded a DC2 fellowship.
A year in the lab
- Apr
- New members join; lab guidance, technical tutorials and a welcome party
- May–Jun
- JSME Robotics and Mechatronics ConferenceEntrance exam: self-recommendation
- Jul–Aug
- International conferences (e.g. EuroHaptics)Entrance exam: general, 1st term
- Sep–Oct
- Annual Conference of the Virtual Reality Society of Japan; autumn-entry members joinEntrance exam: general, 2nd term
- Dec
- SICE System Integration Division Conference
- Feb
- Master's thesis presentations
- Mar
- Graduation and farewell party
Examination dates change from year to year. The latest schedule is announced in “Next entrance examination” above and in News.
Student presentations and awards
Students present their work at conferences in Japan and abroad while still enrolled, including the Robotics and Mechatronics Conference, the SICE System Integration Division Conference, the Annual Conference of the VR Society of Japan, and EuroHaptics. The full list is on the Publications page.
Student awards
Contact
If you are interested in our laboratory, please feel free to contact Prof. Nagano by e-mail.
E-mail: nagano[at]kit.ac.jp
Please replace [at] with @
We are always open to both online and offline lab tours upon request. Please fill out the form below to apply.