Science for Music Performance   

Current Position

Senior Researcher and Senior Project Manager, Sony Computer Science Laboratories (SONY CSL), Tokyo, Japan (lab website)

Director, NeuroPiano Institute, Kyoto, Japan

Adjunct Professor, Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine, Hannover University of Music and Drama, Hannover, Germany

Research Goal

My research goal is to realize "Sustainable Development of Culture", through elucidating mechanisms underlying acquisition and loss of highly-skilled motor behaviors (i.e. virtuosity) in musicians. Through extensive practice, musicians can perform a variety of exceptionally fast, dexterous, and accurate movements; however, they suffer from (1) overcoming the ceiling effect of musical expertise and (2) development of movement disorders, such as tendonitis, tremor, and focal dystonia.

I study both extremes of sensorimotor skills using a variety of research techniques, such as behavioral experiments (data glove, motion capture, electromyography, psychophysics), non-invasive brain stimulation (tDCS, TMS) and neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG), together with data-science techniques (computational model, multivariate analysis, machine learning, AI-based recommendation) and robotics techniques (rigid-body linked model, exoskeleton).  My favorite research approach is "reverse engineering", which tries to elucidate neural, computational, and biomechanical principles governing skilled and disordered movements through probing sensorimotor behaviors by these measurement and analytical techniques. 

I myself also pursue to create a world where everyone can realize desired musical expression in musical performance without suffering from any physical problems and injuries; because I'm a pianist. Therefore I'm also strongly interested in developing optimal practicing and rehabilitation program for musicians. 

Publication   link to lab website