Makiko KOUCHI
Affiliation
Prime Senior Researcher
Digital Human Research Center
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
TEL: +81-3-3599-8194
FAX: +81-3-5530-2066
E-Mail: m-kouchi@aist.go.jp
Digital Human Research Center
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
TEL: +81-3-3599-8194
FAX: +81-3-5530-2066
E-Mail: m-kouchi@aist.go.jp
Biography
| 1979 | Completed Dr.s' course, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo. |
| 1979 | Assistant professor, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo |
| 1982 | Dr. of Science (Physical Anthropology) The University of Tokyo "Geographic variation in modern Japanese somatometric data and its interpretation" |
| 1987 | Senior Researcher, Industrial Products Research Institute |
| 1993 | Senior Researcher, National Institute of Bioscience and Human-Technology |
| 1997 | Group Leader, Anthropotechnology group, National Institute of Bioscience and Human-Technology |
| 2001 | Senior Researcher, Digital Human Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology |
| 2003 | Senior Researcher, Digital Human Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology |
| 2007 | Prime Senior Researcher, Digital Human Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology |
| 2001- | Visiting Lecturer, The University of Tokyo |
Awards
1992 : Promotion prize of Anthropological Science for a significant paper
"Allometry of the foot and the shoe last"
2000 : AIST Director-General's Award, Ministry of International Trade and Indsutry
"A study on the technology for the analysis and utilization of 3D human body forms"
2001 : Basic Research Award, International Society of Biomechanics, 5th Footwear Symposium
"Development of a low cost foot-scanner for a custom shoe making system"
Research Topics
- Analysis and utilization of 3D human body forms
- The purpose is to develop techniques for utilizing the infomration on 3D human body forms for designing industiral products for which the morphological fit to the human body is essential. The 3D surface form data of human body is normalized based on anatomical correspondence (homology). Such homologous models are utilized for analyzing the variations in 3D body forms as well as calculating virtual forms representing the distribution of 3D forms for a population. The differences between 2 homologous models are represented by a transformation function that deforms the original form into the target form. The transformation function is utilized for designing 3D product forms.
- Human morphological variations
- Japan has experienced a very rapid secular change in last 100 years. Due to the secular change, variations in Japanese body size and shape is exceptionally large at present. Since industrial products must cover the very large variation, it is important to know the range and the cause of variations. For example, younger generations and older generations are different in body size and form. Is it because older generation has changed due to the aging process? Or, is it because older generations are different from younger generation due to the secular change? I am interested in factors that cause systematic differences between population groups such as age, gender, size, and race. I am also interested in the changes in forms due to the movement.
Awards
- Anthropological Society of Nippon, Financial Audit (1997-1999)
- Anthropological Society of Nippon, Executive Officer (Information) (2000-2004)
- Member of editorial board, Anthropological Science, Japanese Series
- Member of ISO TC159/SC3/WG1