Prof. Kiyoshi Kiyokawa
Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
 

 

Biography: Kiyoshi Kiyokawa is a Professor at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), where he leads the Cybernetics and Reality Engineering (CARE) Laboratory. He is a distinguished researcher in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and human augmentation. Professor Kiyokawa received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from NAIST in 1996 and 1998, respectively. His career includes positions as an Associate Professor at Osaka University, a researcher at the Communications Research Laboratory (now NICT), and a visiting scholar at the University of Washington’s Human Interface Technology Laboratory. His significant contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the 2022 IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Technical Achievement Award, the inaugural 2022 IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Service Award, and the title of Fellow from the Virtual Reality Society of Japan (VRSJ).

Professor Kiyokawa's research has resulted in several pioneering technical achievements. He is known for developing advanced head-mounted display (HMD) systems, including ELMO, the first occlusion-capable optical see-through HMD in 1999. His foundational work also includes VLEGO, one of the first collaborative immersive modelers, and SeamlessDesign, which featured the first transitional interface for switching between VR and AR. His research extends to vision augmentation and assistive interfaces, collaborative virtual and augmented reality, and innovative multimodal interfaces.

Beyond his research, Professor Kiyokawa has demonstrated a profound dedication to the academic community through extensive service and leadership. He has served on the Steering Committees for top-tier conferences, including IEEE VR, IEEE ISMAR, and IEEE 3DUI. His leadership roles are numerous, having served as General Co-Chair for IEEE VR 2019 in Osaka, which was the largest in-person conference in its history at the time. Additionally, he is on the Editorial Board of IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG) and has frequently been a Board Member of the VRSJ.

 

 

 

Prof. Shin'ya Nishida
Kyoto University, Japan
 

 

Biography: Shin’ya Nishida is Professor at the Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, and former Senior Distinguished Scientist at NTT Communication Science Laboratories, Japan.

His research focuses on human sensory information processing, including visual motion perception, time perception, material perception, tactile perception, and multisensory integration. Although originally educated in psychology at Kyoto University, he pursued a broad spectrum of research ranging from fundamental perceptual science to engineering-oriented studies during his long career at NTT laboratories. His work combines psychophysics, cognitive neuroscience, computational modeling, and engineering approaches to understand human perceptual intelligence. His recent interests include the use of machine vision systems to better understand human visual intelligence. He is widely recognized as one of Japan’s leading vision scientists and has served on the editorial boards of major journals in the field, including Journal of Vision, Vision Research, and Annual Review of Vision Science.

He has also played leading roles in large-scale interdisciplinary research initiatives, including the Japanese national projects “Innovative Shitsukan Science and Technology” (2015–2020) and “Deep Shitsukan” (2020–2025), both focusing on the science of material and sensory perception. He currently serves as Sub-program Director of JST Moonshot Goal 9.

He has received numerous honors, including the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Prize (2006), the MEXT Prize for Science and Technology (2015), the Special Prize of the Japanese Psychological Association International Award (2023), and the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government (2024).
 

 

 

 

 

 

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