Shinya Serizawa: The fact that the lab has a living space is still very striking. Sometimes you see a researcher taking a nap, and members of some other labs often lounge here. It’s literally a place where you live in. That must be what Professor Inami originally intended when he created this space. It’s become a very special place for all of us.

Also, a seminar-cum-party is held once a month. While we normally only meet with students in the same field and the same age group as ourselves, the seminar-party attracts people of different generations in different fields of interest. I think we have more opportunities to associate with businesspeople and alumni than most other labs.

Shinya Serizawa: I don’t have many opportunities to actually see him at work because he is constantly on the move, but I’m always amazed at his expertise in integrating many separate researches into a coherent narrative, like connecting the dots into a picture. I have a great deal to learn from how he builds a world view and extends the vision by theorizing.

Shinya Serizawa: I had been too preoccupied with my undergraduate studies, but having seen Professor Inami’s grand approach to build a world view and associated visions, I have come to realize what kind of abilities I still need to develop. I know I cannot easily acquire the kind of abilities that Professor Inami has, but I hope to learn by osmosis.

Shinya Serizawa: I hope to do research into establishing the metrics of human mind and behavior so we can control or guide human actions.

Shinya Serizawa: Our lab is pursuing research under the banner of “man-machine integration.” It comes from jimba ittai (man and horse acting as one), a Japanese phrase for describing superior horsemanship. I hope my research will help enhance the synergy between humans and machines so that a new kind of humans, or what we call superhumans, can be created.