Osamu Tabata
Dean, Professor, Faculty of Engineering
Kyoto University of Advanced Science
Kyoto JAPAN
Formazione scolastica:
- Doctor of Engineering, Mechanical System Engineering, April 1990 – March 1993, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
- Master of Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, April 1979 – March 1981, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
- Bachelor of Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, April 1975 – March 1979, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
Focus del lavoro:
Tabata has been engaged in research on micro/nano processes, MEMS, DNA nanotechnology and micro/nano system synthetic engineering from early 1980s. After became a Dean of Faculty of Engineering on April 2020, he has been more focusing on the engineering education including nanotechnology.
Consigli agli studenti:
- Study hard: physics, chemistry, and biology.
- Try to find a field you can have the strongest interest in, and deepen the field. Then, slowly consider how nanotechnology can add something new.
- Dream the future. Think about how do you want to change the world
Collegamenti:
Colloquio:
In quali campi tecnici delle nanotecnologie si applica meglio il tuo lavoro?
Tabata:
- Nanosensori e nanoattuatori
- Nanofabbricazione
D: Quando hai scoperto per la prima volta che il tuo percorso professionale si concentrava sulle nanotecnologie?
Tabata: I started to work on MEMS from 1981 after I joined Toyota Central R&D Labs. When I spent more than 25 years, I realized the limitation of MEMS based on silicon based microfabrication technology. So, I wanted to find another possibility to miniaturize the system and met the DNA nanotechnology. It was around 2006.
D: A quali attuali applicazioni della nanotecnologia stai lavorando?
Tabata: I am trying to establish a new technology OSAM (Oriented Self-Assembly on MEMS). The aim of this technology is to fuse top-down (Si based microfabrication Technology) and bottom up (DNA Nanotechnology) to realize a miniaturized complex system which is not feasible by existing technologies. The main target of this OSAM is a sensing device in which nanoscale sensing element is integrated with MEMS device.
D: Qual è la cosa più gratificante nel lavorare con la nanotecnologia?
Tabata: The nanotechnology can open your eyes by stimulating intellectual interest in your mind. This has been done by the interaction of people working in different disciplines across- engineering, biology, medicine and so on. This intellectual interaction will continue in the future as well.
D: C'è un esempio che puoi fornire che mostra come qualcosa su cui hai lavorato ha avuto un impatto positivo sul mondo?
Tabata: The research outcomes in Nanotechnology has not been commercialized yet nor applied to the real products yet. The technology I developed in MEMS field, such as an anisotropic wet etching technology using TMAH, is now widely utilized in the microfabrication for MEMS in almost every MEMS production in the world. I believe, and I wish, that the technology I am now working will be utilized worldwide in future.
D: In quali aree prevede che la futura commercializzazione delle nanotecnologie avrà il maggiore impatto positivo sul mondo?
Tabata: The future application field of nanotechnology is everywhere — from nanoelectronics, nanooptics, nanobiology, nanomedicine, and so on. In the case of DNA Nanotechology, due to the compatibility of DNA material with body, nanosensor and nanomedicine delivered in the body or embedded in the body will have the greatest impact.
D: Qual è secondo te l'impatto più grande che la nanotecnologia ha avuto finora sul mondo?
Tabata: Nanophotonics using nanophotonic crystal. It has already applied in high power laser for the manufacturing. It will be expected to be utilized in optical communication, optical manipulation, and so on, in the near future.
D: Negli ultimi dieci anni, la nanotecnologia è uscita dai laboratori e sta avendo un impatto reale nella società. Hai lavorato a iniziative che hanno contribuito a commercializzare la nanotecnologia e hanno portato a nuovi prodotti o processi?
Tabata: Unfortunately, my research on nanotechnology has not yet been applied to real products or fabrication processes.
D: La tua formazione universitaria ti ha aiutato nel tuo lavoro sulle nanotecnologie?
Tabata: No, my current University has not had nanotechnology activities before.
D: Hai un mentore? Lo hai fatto durante gli anni del college?
Tabata: Not in the field of Nanotechnology.
D: Se dovessi rifare tutto da capo, ti concentreresti ancora sulle applicazioni delle nanotecnologie?
Tabata: Maybe YES. The reason why I said “Maybe” is fields such as information technology and biology are also very attractive for me. However, both of these fields are and will be incorporating nanotechnology.
D: Se uno studente delle scuole superiori o universitari fosse interessato alle nanotecnologie, che consiglio gli daresti per prepararsi ad assumere quei ruoli?
Tabata:
- Study hard: physics, chemistry, and biology.
- Try to find a field you can have the strongest interest in, and deepen the field. Then, slowly consider how nanotechnology can add something new.
- Dream the future. Think about how do you want to change the world
