Masakazu Morimoto
Associate Professor | Ph.D. in Engineering
[mail] morimoto@eng.u-hyogo.ac.jp
Artificial Intelligence and Informatics Course
Image Communication Research Group
In the classroom, Associate Professor Morimoto draws on practical programming examples to help students see how the concepts they study translate into real-world applications. His research centers on visual information, spanning image processing, AI-based image recognition, automated visual inspection, data analysis, and the development of autonomous robots.
Practical Image Recognition Systems
What students can learn
Through industry collaborations, students build a solid foundation in image processing and AI-based image recognition, along with hands-on experience designing and operating practical recognition systems for real-world settings.
This research spans a broad range of AI-based image recognition systems. Among its notable outcomes is BakeryScan, an image-recognition checkout system now used in bakeries throughout Japan. The group also develops cytology support systems that scan large volumes of cell images to flag cells with characteristics suggestive of cancer for physician review, as well as visual inspection systems created in collaboration with industry partners.
Autonomous Robots Based on Image Recognition
What students can learn
Here, students develop practical skills in controlling IoT devices and analyzing the data they generate.
This research focuses on developing autonomous robots for harvesting chamomile flowers. The system combines GPS-guided autonomous movement through the field, detection and precise localization of flowers at the optimal picking stage, and coordinated control of a robotic arm and hand. By integrating cameras with a range of sensors, the project aims to help ease the physical burden of agricultural labor.
