On 24th April 2025, Yurika Sayo (D1) and Associate Professor Takayuki Yamada, Department of Mechanical Engineering, recieved JSME Medal for Outstanding Paper.
JSME Medal for Outstanding Paper
JSME Medal for Outstanding Paper
This award is presented to outstanding papers published in the academic journals of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) over the past three years, based on their originality, academic or technological development, and contribution to mechanical engineering and society.
About awarded research
"Conceptual design method of link mechanisms based on topology optimization and concept of micropolar continuum theory"
Transactions of the JSME (in Japanese), Vol.89, No.927（2023-11）23-00082
https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.23-00082
Link mechanisms are crucial elements in mechanical systems such as industrial robots and automobiles, as they convert input motion into different types of motion. In traditional link mechanism design, the placement, dimensions, and structure of components have been determined based on the designer's experience. This paper proposes a new design method for efficiently optimizing the component placement and dimensions of link mechanisms simultaneously, aiming to improve design efficiency and create innovative mechanisms. Specifically, a new model is introduced that approximates discrete mechanisms as continuous bodies, and by formulating optimization problems according to the design requirements of the mechanism, comprehensive topology optimization of component placement and structure is achieved. In the future, it is expected that this proposed method will be applied to more complex mechanism designs.
Your impression & future plan
I am truly honored that our paper has been selected for such a prestigious academic award. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Associate Professor Takayuki Yamada for his invaluable guidance and to all the members of the research lab who participated in the discussions that led to this achievement. Moving forward, I will continue to deepen this research and contribute to the advancement of mechanical engineering, while also aiming to give back to industrial society.