Harry Asada

Professor

Department
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Technology Areas
Industrial Engineering & Automation: Manufacturing & Equipment, Robotics, Autonomous Systems, Motors / Sensing & Imaging: Imaging, Optical Sensing / Biotechnology: Prostheses, Biomedical Devices & Systems, Sensors & Monitoring / Communication Systems: Wireless / Chemicals & Materials: Fabrics & Textiles, Metals, Composites / Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) / Energy & Distribution: Nuclear & Fusion, Electrochemical Devices / Biomaterials & Bioelectronics: Health Monitoring / Electronics & Photonics: Semiconductors

Background and Education

H. Harry Asada is Ford Professor of Engineering and Director of the Brit and Alex d’Arbeloff Laboratory for Information Systems and Technology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in precision engineering in 1973, 1975, and 1979, respectively, all from Kyoto University, Japan. He specializes in robotics, biological engineering, and system dynamics and control. His current research includes precise, global linearization of nonlinear systems, wearable extra legs, arms, and fingers, underwater robots, bio-artificial muscles, optogenetic control, computational modeling of cell migration and emergent behaviors. He received the Rufus Oldenburger Medal from ASME in 2011. He won the Best Paper Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in 1993, 1997, 1999, and 2010, the O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award from the American Control Council in 1985, Best Journal Paper Awards from the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers in 1979, 1984, and 1990, and the Henry Paynter Outstanding Researcher Award from ASME Dynamic Systems and Control in 1998. He also received the Spira Award for Distinguished Teaching from the School of Engineering, MIT. Dr. Asada is a Fellow of ASME.

Awards and Honors

  • Rufus T. Oldenburger Medal, American Society of Mechanical Engineering | 2012
  • Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Distinguished Teaching, School of Engineering, MIT | 2012
  • Best Paper Award, 2010 IFAC Symposium on Mechatronic Systems | 2012
  • Best Automation Paper Award, 2010 IEEE Int. Conference on Robotics and Automation | 2010
  • Best Paper Award, Society of Instrument and Control Engineers | 1979, 1984, 1990
  • SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award | 1984
  • O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award, American Control Council | 1985
  • Y. Sawaragi Best Paper Award, JACE | 1988
  • Best Paper Award, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation | 1993
  • Best Paper Award, 1995 ASME Heat Pump Symposium | 1995
  • Kayamori Best Paper Award, IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation | 1997
  • Dynamic Systems and Control Outstanding Researcher Award, ASME | 1998
  • Best Paper Award, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation | 1999
  • ASME Fellow, Dynamic Systems and Control Division | 2001
  • Best Journal Paper Award, Advanced Robotics | 2002
  • Plenary Lecture, “Wet Mechatronics”, IFAC Conference on Mechatronics | 2003
  • Plenary Lecture, “Organic Robotics”, RSJ Annual Conference | 2006

Technologies

Apparatus, Applications and Method of Wearable Mobility Assistance Robot

Non-Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #16478
Harry Asada / Federico Parietti
Technology Areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) / Biotechnology / Industrial Engineering & Automation
License

Apparatus and Method of Supernumerary, Wearable Robotic Fingers

Non-Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #16340
Harry Asada / Faye Wu
Technology Areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) / Biotechnology / Industrial Engineering & Automation / Sensing & Imaging
License

Human Step Following

Non-Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #17856
Harry Asada / Kosuke Takeuchi
Technology Areas: Industrial Engineering & Automation / Sensing & Imaging
Impact Areas: Healthy Living
License

Design Method for Piezo Motors

Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #16231
Harry Asada / Shinichiro Tsukahara
Technology Areas: Electronics & Photonics / Industrial Engineering & Automation
Impact Areas: Connected World

Extra Robotic Limbs for Supporting and Transporting a Human Body in Kneeling and Crouching Works

Non-Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #18584
Harry Asada / Daniel Kurek
Technology Areas: Biotechnology / Industrial Engineering & Automation
Impact Areas: Healthy Living
License

Rolling-Contact Buckling Mechanism for High Efficiency PZT Strain Amplification and Preload Compensation

Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #15915
Harry Asada / James Torres
Technology Areas: Electronics & Photonics / Industrial Engineering & Automation
Impact Areas: Connected World

Harmonic Buckling Actuator

Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #13983
Harry Asada / Devin Neal
Technology Areas: Industrial Engineering & Automation / Sensing & Imaging
Impact Areas: Connected World

Force and Torque Control Method for Piezo Motors

Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #16177
Harry Asada / Shinichiro Tsukahara
Technology Areas: Electronics & Photonics / Industrial Engineering & Automation

Robot on the Shoulder

Exclusively Licensed Technology / Case number: #16824
Harry Asada / Baldin Llorens- Bonilla
Technology Areas: Industrial Engineering & Automation / Sensing & Imaging

Rapid Cooling and Heating of Car Seats with Massaging Effects

Technology / Case number: #12275
Harry Asada / Jong-Hyun Hwang / Sang-Min Nah / Pyung-Yul Park / Manas Menon
Technology Areas: Chemicals & Materials / Energy & Distribution
Impact Areas: Healthy Living
License

Sign up for technology updates

Sign up now to receive the latest updates on cutting-edge technologies and innovations.