Toshihiko Fukushima

Toshihiko Fukushima

Doctoral Researcher in Robotics

Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

Work Hard, Play Harder

🌱 Motivation

Understand nature through robots and evolve the robots

  • Observe animals, develop and test robotic animals to understand their behavior and intelligence
  • Engineer and functionalize the intelligence to expand the robots’ task space

Control complex systems with a simple law

  • Control fuzzy Human-in-the-loop systems in the real world
  • Utilize embodied intelligence and inherent feedback systems

Fast prototyping and quick iterations

  • What I cannot create, I do not understand.
  • You cannot model it if you cannot see its unexpected behavior in the real world

πŸ› οΈ Skill set

CV for full skill sets

  • Robotics: Bio-inspired robot, Legged robot, Musculoskeletal robot, Biomimetics, Embodied intelligence, Locomotion, Pneumatic actuator, Electrohydraulic actuator, HASEL, Sensor fusion
  • Mechatronics: Mechanical design, Electrical design, BLDC motor, Embedded system, Arduino
  • Software & CAD: Matlab, Simulink, Simscape, MuJoCo, Genesis, DeepLabCut, Solidworks, CATIA
  • Automobile: Steering system, Vehicle test, By-wire system, NVH, HiL, MBD, Functional safety
  • Automotive software: dSPACE, MicroAutobox, ControlDesk, ModelDesk, ASM, CarSim
  • IT: Adobe, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, UNIX, DNS, Apache, Samba, OpenSSH, Bootstrap

πŸ’» Language

Natural language
πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Japanese (Native)
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ English (Professional)
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ German (Beginner)
πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³ Chinese (Beginner)
Computer language
Matlab, $\TeX$
Python, Simulink, Arduino
HTML5, CSS, Processing
C, OpenCV, Shell script
C++, PHP

πŸ’Ό Experiences

CV for full work descriptions

  • Associated Fellow

    Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems (CLS)

    Mar. 2023 – Present Stuttgart, Germany
    • Research embodied intelligence in soft robotics
    • Collaborate with international institutions and universities
    • Supervise master and bachelor students

  • Doctoral Researcher

    Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

    Mar. 2021 – Present Stuttgart, Germany
    • Research soft robotics with soft electrohydraulic actuators (HASELs)
    • Develop musculoskeletal robotic legs for agile, adaptive, yet energy-efficient locomotion
    • Develop compact sensing and controlling devices for high-voltage-driven robots (~10kV) to optimize the system efficiencies

  • Research Engineer

    Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

    Sep. 2021 – Mar. 2021 Stuttgart, Germany
    • Research morphological intelligence of animals and deploy them to robotic systems
    • Published 3 journal papers about robotic locomotion inspired by geckos, fish and squirrels

  • Application Engineer

    NTN WΓ€lzlager (Europa) GmbH

    Oct. 2019 – Sep. 2021 Stuttgart & Erkrath, Germany
    • Develop bearing systems for automotive customers (EV motor, engine, transmission, steering, etc.)
    • Coordinate worldwide development teams and managed customer requirements and their deliveries

  • Control System Engineer

    Toyota Motor Sports GmbH

    Feb. 2017 – Jan. 2018 Cologne, Germany
    • Develop an Active Suspension System and promote Model based Development (MBD)
    • Coordinate international branches and teams, and integrate multi-located systems

  • Chassis System Engineer

    Toyota Motor Corporation

    Apr. 2014 – Oct. 2018 Susono & Toyota, Japan
    • Develop a steering-by-wire system for concept cars (Feb. 2018 – Oct. 2018)
    • Develop a steering and leaning by-wire system for a 3-wheeled ultra compact EV (Jan. 2016 – Jan. 2017)
    • Develop Electric Power Steering Systems (EPS) for mass production cars (Jun. 2014 – Dec. 2015)

  • Technical Assistant

    The University of Tokyo

    Apr. 2012 – Mar. 2013 Tokyo, Japan
    • Maintain UNIX server systems (DNS, mail, HTTP and Samba)
    • Renew website of a research lab. (Twitter Bootstrap, PHP)

πŸŽ“ Education

CV for full research descriptions

  • BE - Engineering

    Toyota Technological Institute

    Apr. 2007 – Mar. 2012 Nagoya, Japan
    • Control System Lab. led by Prof. Tatsuo Narikiyo
    • Thesis: Gait stabilization of passive dynamic walker by foot shape optimization
    • Control System, Mechatronics, Mechanics, Computer Science

πŸ“Έ Media Exposure

Link to the media archives »

5 TV shows

BBC News (UK), 3sat (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), SWR (Germany), YTN (South Korea), WKYT (USA), TNN (Thailand), KBS (South Korea)

3 Radio programs

NDR (Germany), rbb24 (Germany), Radio Eins (Germany)

4 Magazines

National Geographic Deutschland, Wirtschafts Woche, Stuttgarter Maschinenbau, Max Planck Society Year book

200+ News articles in 12+ languages

REUTERS, AFP, heise, Computer Bild, EL Economista, The National Tribune, THE HINDU, etc.

πŸ† Awards and Honers

Research highlights 2024

Max Planck Society (selected 12 papers out of 15,000+ publications)

Editors’ Highlights

nature communications, 2024

Video Friday Selection

IEEE Spectrum, 2024

Young Investigation Excellence Award

The Robotics Society of Japan, 2014

Scholarship for Students with Outstanding Achievements

Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), 2014

Student travel grant

6th International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines (AMAM), 2013

Presentation award

The 13th SICE System Integration Division Annual Conference (SICE SI), 2012