The Future Robotics Technology Center (fuRo) at the Chiba Institute of Technology was established in 2003. fuRo has mastered leading-edge robot technology, pursuing a range of research and development to provide society with many valuable outcomes. One of fuRo’s activities that is currently drawing a lot of attention is the disaster response robot Quince, which proved its worth after the

Tohoku Earthquake. Developed at the request of Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated (TEPCO), Quince is conducting remotely controlled surveys of the reactor building at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant where humans cannot enter. The robot, which can work continuously in a highly radioactive environment, is extremely effective as a means of assessing the state of damage. Now second and third models have been developed, and they are being used to measure radiation and humidity and to collect airborne dust, as well as for other tasks.

Robot technology is a key technology for the future of Japan. The

New Growth Strategy approved by Cabinet decision in 2010 consists of the three pillars of the environment, the aging population, and tourism.

Robot technology is expected to be an important technology for supporting an aging society with a declining birthrate. For this reason, fuRo aims to achieve robots for personal mobility and for the care of elderly people. Furthermore, CIT students are participating in some of fuRo’s activities. This is to instill in them the importance of teamwork through participation in robot development. fuRo aims to foster people and technologies that will contribute to creating prosperous lives for people, cities, and societies.

The Planetary Exploration Research Center (PERC) was established in April 2009. Here, experts in every research field of planetary science, whether theoretical, experimental, or analytical, gather to conduct research into the universality of life in the cosmos. Planetary exploration uses unmanned probes equipped with observation equipment to carry out various surveys and analysis. Specifically, they the probes  use robots to survey the topography of planets, the substances that form rocks, the presence of organic matter, and traces of life.
Three years after its establishment, PERC is starting to work on a variety of full-scale projects. First, we are working on three parts of the asteroid probe Hayabusa II, scheduled for launch in 2014. The first is a laser distance measurement device used for measuring the distance between planets and the probe. In addition to measuring distances, we will attempt to detect particulate matter around the asteroid. The second project is development of a camera for filming the asteroid, and subsequent image analysis. Understanding the surface of the asteroid provides valuable information for insights into its development. The third project  is development of a device for making a crater by firing a bullet at the asteroid. This will clarify the mechanism of crater formation and enable research into differences between the surface and subsurface of the asteroid. Furthermore, PERC is also conducting a subminiature satellite project. This satellite will observe the meteors that rain down on the earth, investigating the substances that reach the earth from space, and researching their connection with life. As a successor model, a subminiature satellite that will collect cosmic dust from the vicinity of the earth is also planned. We are also participating in the BepiColombo Mercury probe undertaken by Japan and Europe, and the European cometary probe Rosetta. PERC will continue to seek to clarify the mysteries of the planet and of boundless space.

The Research Institute started as the Engineering Center in 1970, and was renamed Research Center before it got the current name, Research Institute, in 2004 to mark a fresh start with the goal of integrating knowledge and helping promote and activate academic studies on campus in response to rapidly changing scientific technologies. The Institute has the Material Analysis Room for centralized control of analysis equipment to be used by internal researchers. Such equipment includes X-ray diffractometers, surface analyzers, and electron microscopes (TEM and SEM). The Institute offers seminars for users of the equipment, as well as analysis support services.

CIT has a stock of around 250,000 books and 2,900 academic journals in two libraries on the Tsudanuma and Shin-Narashino Campuses. The two libraries are connected online so that users can search, borrow, and return books at either library. Students can access various services, such as an online journal for gathering the latest academic information, copying service for collecting reference materials, and a wide array of audio-visual data and equipment. On the 2nd floor of the Shin-Narashino library there is a space for students to study by themselves or in groups, borrowing notebook computers if needed.

CIT has two computer rooms in Shin-Narashino Campus and three rooms in the Tsudanuma Campus. All rooms are available for learning of the ICT freely at time without the lecture. One computer room of the Tsudanuma Campus is private cloud facility that contains 180 client work stations and 27 servers using VMware and Linux. User is able to program a network and the cloud applications or to administrate server system. Four other rooms can use various application such as MS Office or Adobe Master Collections, AutoCAD, Autodesk Maya, Bio-tools with Windows7-based PC facilities.(292 in Shin-Narashino, 221 in Tsudanuma) Particularly, the rooms of Shin-Narashino Campus are managed by the desktop cloud service (DaaS) using the datacenter out of the campus from 2011.

The engineering center is on the Tsudanuma Campus, and it can be used by all students and faculty for producing prototypes, specimens, molding work and so on. The facilities are equipped with everything from standard machine tools to state-of-the-art computer controlled water jet cutters and so on. Here, students receive instruction in processing technology. Components and devices for research and educational purposes that are ordered by other departments are also fabricated here. The Students’ workshop is a facility where individual students can make whatever they like and practice for classes. Students can learn the basics of manufacturing through personal exploration using the tools and machinery.

Chigusa Students’ Dormitory in Hanamigawa, Chiba is home to around 300 male students. New students share a room (two to a room), gaining valuable experience of communal living. Each room has a bunk bed and an Internet connection. Shared facilities include the study room, cafeteria, and communal bath, and the menus are supervised by a nutritionist to provide a balanced diet. A free school bus is available to and from the dormitory and the Tsudanuma and Shin-Narashino Campuses. Various events are held including a sports meeting (June) and a dormitory festival (October), enabling students to study and develop sociability through group living.

Located in a nature-rich environment close to the sea, the Center is carefully designed to provide opportunities for students to meet and enjoy learning.