Labs spotlight #2 - Cross Laboratory -

The Cross lab conducts transdisciplinary research on SDG topics, which are summarized below. The lab began in 2016 and has grown to approximately 20 students, staff and faculty. The common core research themes between the groups is machine learning, waste to energy, educational technology, batteries, hydrogen gas separation and environmental toxicology. The lab utilizes lab-based education (experiential learning) focusing on students’ thesis research, where each student is both a learner and teacher. The lab aims to conduct research and develop technology/policies to cultivate students to become experts in their research field and global engineers. The lab collaborates with Associate Prof. Tatsuya Wakeyama, an expert in Asian energy policy, who leads the Energy Policy research group.

Both students and visitors can experience a truly international research and learning environment, experience different ways of thinking, and conduct research on topics of personal interest in Tokyo. The lab partners both with local government facilities and international partners to create technology-based solutions. The lab is very active and publishes frequently in peer-review journal papers and presents numerous talks at international and domestic conferences annually.

New students can learn first-hand about what it is like to undertake research and development from a Japanese corporate staff researcher perspective, based upon Prof. Cross’s industrial experience. In addition, Japanese students can have an international research experience since students in the lab are from 11 different countries. Students in the lab often remark that they have improved English technical research presentation skills and academic writing ability. Many of the students win best presentation awards at conferences and workshops. See below for current research activities in the research groups.

AI in Education and educational technology group

The lab's AI in education and educational technology research group is committed to the transformation of learning by combining artificial intelligence technology to improve learning efficiency supported by a JSPS Kakenhi research grant. The lab has also started doing research on facial emotion recognition, personalized learning using Chat-GPT and virtual reality. Group members also develop novel apps to provide personalized online learning of mathematics, and iconicity in Virtual Reality (VR) to learn English.

• AI in Education and Edtech Group.

Energy policy group

The Energy Policy Research Group explores the production, distribution, economics, and international trade issues related to electricity and renewable energy. This has become an important topic in Asia as many countries strive to craft new energy policies and develop new technologies to achieve carbon neutrality in the near future. The group's research currently focuses renewable wave energy/costal protection, solar power forecasting, and energy storage on the moon.

• Energy policy research group

Biofuels research group

The biofuels group conducts research on carbon-negative chemical processes by waste-to-energy transformations and process optimization using machine learning. Current research activities focus on hydrogen gas separation, non-lithium batteries, machine learning based modeling, production of biofuels/aviation fuel, and value-added chemicals from wastes.

• Biofuels research group

Environmental Toxicology Group

The Environmental Toxicology Research Group investigates the harmful effects of various chemical, biological, physical agents, and new-type pollutants, such as micro/nano plastic, on living organisms. The impact of pollutants on individual organisms, the food chain, and the entire ecosystem is carried out by establishing a micro-ecosystem that emulates the natural environment in the lab. Species studied include bacteria, algae, plants, plankton, crustaceans, and fish. This research investigates the impact of pollutants on individual organisms using the theory of complex system analysis to quantitatively explore the critical conditions that lead to ecosystem damage. Experimental data collected supports evidence- based decision making and management of newly developed substances and the formulation of future environmental policies.

• Environmental Toxicology Group