The Human Augmentation Research Center (HARC) at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) conducts research across 8 teams including smart sensing, assistive robotics, exercise and physical function augmentation, and more. HARC uses platforms like the MR3 system and Service Field Simulator to support remote rehabilitation and detailed assessment of physical functions. HARC is also involved in international standardization through organizations like ISO and Khronos, and they have various open position types available including research scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and interns.

1. HARC: Human Augmentation Research Center
AIST: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
https://unit.aist.go.jp/harc/en/
Takeshi Kurata (t.kurata@aist.go.jp)
Deputy director of HARC, AIST

2. Group Description
• Eight research teams in HARC
• (1) Smart sensing, (2) Well-being device, (3) Assistive robotics, (4) Exercise motivation and physical function
augmentation, (5) Cognition, environment, and communication, (6) Smart work IoH (Internet of Humans), (7)
Service value augmentation, and (8) Co-creative platform.
• Private and public projects related to Interverse (Virtual economy forms and related
technologies that return value in cyberspace to physical space), tele-rehabilitation, etc.
MR3 (MR cube): Multi-Modal Mixed Reality for Remote Rehabilitation
MR3 Wear/Mannequin: support detailed assessment of
customers’ physical functions and haptic interaction.
Service Field Simulator (SFS):
Omni display & Omni treadmill
AIST Human Augmentation Research
https://unit.aist.go.jp/harc/en/
https://unit.aist.go.jp/harc/nedo-xrai-healthcare/index-e.html

3. International standardization
• ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 24 (Computer graphics, image processing and environmental
data representation)
• PNG, VRML, X3D, MAR reference model
• Category A Liason from Khronos group (Collada, glTF)
• ISO/IEC 18520:2019 Benchmarking of vision-based spatial registration and
tracking methods for mixed and augmented reality from collaboration between
TrakMark (SIG-MR in VRSJ) and ISMAR
• Terminology
• What is XR? Yes, it is an umbrella term, but…
• XR is XR? eXtended Reality? Cross Reality, etc.
• What is Metaverse?
• AR is included?
• ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 35 (User interfaces)
• ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 12 (Image safety): Motion sickness
• VRM Consortium
• VRM: 3D Avatar File Format for VR (https://vrm.dev/en/)

4. Open Positions
• Research scientist
• Type B - Tenured Position (Two rounds per year)
• Type C - Specially Appointed Position (Year-round)
• Type D - Fixed Term Position under Annual Salary
System (Two rounds per year /Year-round)
• Postdoctoral Researcher (Year-round)
• Up to five years
• Internship (Year-round)
• The longer, the better. (More than two months)
https://unit.aist.go.jp/harc/en/