Robot Contest - Tokodai Sky Tree Mini –

Kenichi Iga, President
July 6, 2011

This event is a competition of robots individually made by sophomore students of Mechanical and Control Engineering Department. This year, it was held on July 6 at the Ishikawadai 3 auditorium. The following is my message of congratulations which I addressed after awarding the President Trophy.

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Today, I thank all of you for giving me an opportunity to attend the contest. I really enjoyed it. Please accept my warmest regards for the winner Takashi Chiba and 48 students who took part in the game.
The rule of this year was to make a tower of 634 millimeter-high by arranging various kinds of blocks within 40 seconds. This 634 millimeter comes from Tokyo Sky Tree Tower of 634 meters-high, which is a pun of "Musashi"* (武蔵). The direct translation should be 天木塔, but on the central block, the name is written as 天空塔. It is written by Mr. Keisuke Kawashima, the winner of the year before last, who is a tenth grade holder in Syuji.

Sky Tree Tower is constructed in the anti-earthquake method of "Go-Jyu-no-Toh" (Five-Story Pagoda) in Horyuji Temple in Nara, which was built in the 7th century as an original Japanese architecture. I hope all of today's 48 participants to challenge new technology by utilizing Japanese culture as a basis.

The first, second, and third-place winners and other three players who have won the technical award can participate in the IDC World Robot Contest in MIT. I wish all the best for them. Originally, the world's first robot contest started at Tokyo Institute of Technology. Initiated by Prof. Masahiro Mori, it has spread across the world. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to teachers and tutors who have succeeded this good tradition and successfully held this year's contest.

* 6 can be pronounced as "mu", 3 can be pronounced as "sa" and 4 can be pronounced as "shi" in Japanese. So 634 would be "Mu-sa-shi" all together. This is the former name for this area where Tokyo Sky Tree Tower is now constructed.

130th Anniversary Message

May 26, We Celebrate Our 130th Anniversary

Kenichi Iga, President
May 26, 2011

  Tokyo Institute of Technology meets its 130th anniversary on May 26, 2011.

  Based upon our history of 130 years, we planned various actions, such as the "Tokodai Fund", a Lecture Series and several social events. The 130th Anniversary Ceremony was scheduled for the end of May, but the Great Earthquake attacked East Japan on March 11. Considering the large damage to society, we decided to postpone the related ceremonial events.

  Nevertheless, May 26 is the memorial date for Tokyo Institute of Technology. Having this in our mind, and in order to make peaceful world, we have to make every effort toward contributing not only to the recovery from the disaster, but also to solving numerous difficult problems such as future energy strategy, environment, food and water, globalization of industry and business, population decline and aging. We believe that all students and staffs should cooperate with alumni members to realize this aim.

  Back to 1881, Tokyo Institute of Technology was founded as Tokyo Technical School at Kuramae, Sumida-ku to initiate engineering education. This was the era of the Meiji Restoration when Japan opened its windows to the whole world. Seiichi Tejima who became the Principal of the School later on, made a great effort in its establishment by recognizing the importance of education to industrialization.

  During our history of 130 years, the School became Tokyo Technical High School and then was upgraded to a university in 1929 as Tokyo Institute of Technology. Having “Monotsukuri (Manufacturing)” as our mission, about 100,000 graduates have contributed to the development primarily of industry, science, and technology.

  We would like to thank all the people who have followed the activities of Tokyo Institute of Technology and expect further warm support and cooperation toward the development of a peaceful world.