Keynote Speakers

　

　

Prof. Jun Ohta

Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Fellow of IEEE, JSAP, and ITE

Jun Ohta received the B.E., M.E., and Dr. Eng. degrees in applied physics, all from the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, in 1981, 1983, and 1992, respectively. In 1983, he joined Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Hyogo, Japan. From 1992 to 1993, he was a Visiting Scholar with the Optoelectronics Computing Systems Center, the University of Colorado at Boulder. In 1998, he joined the Graduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Nara, Japan, as an associate professor. He was appointed as a professor in 2004 and Executive Director and Vice President of NAIST. His current research interests include smart CMOS image sensors for biomedical applications and retinal prosthetic devices. Dr. Ohta serves as several technical program committee members, including ISSCC and VLSI Symposium, and as an Editorial Board of J. Eng., IET, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., and Sensors and Materials. He served as the General Co-Chair of the 2019 IEEE BioCAS, Nara, Japan. He serves as a Distinguished Lecturer for SSCS in the 2018–19 term and as IEEE Fellow Society/Technical Council Evaluator (EMBS) (2021-2022). He is a Fellow of IEEE, JSAP, and ITE.

　

Speech Title: "Retinal Prosthetic Devices for Large Number of Stimulus Electrodes"

Abstract: Retinal prostheses are being developed worldwide as a technology to rebuild visual sensation. Our group is developing a retinal prosthesis based on the STS (Supra Transreteinal Stimulation) method and human clinical research has already been conducted on a 49-electrode STS-type retinal prosthesis by Osaka University and NIDEK, with positive results. In this presentation, I will introduce a distributed retinal stimulation device, which is a method of further increasing the number of electrodes using the STS method. This method uses a micro CMOS chip to control more than 1000 stimulation electrodes with only four wires. This presentation describes the structure and essential characteristics of this distributed retinal prosthetic device and the results of animal experiments. I will also address prospects.

　

Prof. Wuqiang Yang

The University of Manchester, UK

Fellow of IEEE, IET, and InstMC

Professor Wuqiang Yang (Fellow, IEEE, FIET, FInstMC) has been working with The University of Manchester in the UK since 1991. His main research interests are electrical capacitance tomography (ECT), and touch sensors for robots. He has published more than 400 papers and two books with an h-index of 52. He received several national and international awards, including the 2021 IEEE IMS Best Application Award. He is an Associate Editor of IET Sci. Meas. and Technol. Currently, he is the Director of the Joint Research Laboratory of Touch Sensors for Domestic Robots at The University of Manchester.

　

Speech Title: "Capacitive Tactile Sensors for Robot Applications"

Abstract: Tactile sensing is important for a robot to interact with the external environment. Currently, most robots can handle a known object at specific location, but they are vulnerable to an unknown object and/or unknown environment. Tactile sensors play an important role in interaction between a robot hand and an unknown object because tactile sensors can provide necessary information on touch detection and for feedback control. Among various tactile sensing techniques, capacitive sensors have gained popularity, due to their simple structure, high sensitivity, low power consumption, quick response, wide dynamic range and low cost. During my Lecture, I will start from the need of tactile sensors for robot applications, and review existing tactile sensing technologies. Then, I will introduce the principle and implementation of a type of capacitive tactile sensor, which can sense 3D force, and a dedicated design of a digital-analogue hybrid chip, which contains a capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC), a 32-channel multiplexer, an ARM microcontroller and a router, facilitating collaborative capacitance measurement across multiple chips. I will describe applications of the capacitive tactile sensors and the developed chip on robots with video demonstration, and also discuss other possible applications, including implementation of artificial skin, intelligent functions for cars, elderly care, and the possibility to develop a very low-cost electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) device.

　

Assoc. Prof. Muhammad Ramlee Kamarudin

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia

　

MUHAMMAD RAMLEE KAMARUDIN (IEEE Member’08 - IEEE Senior Member’13) received his degree (Hons.) in Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2003 and an MSc in Communication Engineering and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Birmingham, U.K., in 2004 and 2007. Since May 2019, he has been an Associate Professor at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. Previously, he was a Senior Lecturer at Cranfield University, U.K., and an Associate Professor at the Wireless Communication Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He holds a Web of Science H-Index of 28 with over 2,600 citations and a SCOPUS H-Index of 34 with more than 4,400 citations. His research focuses on antenna design for 5G/6G, MIMO antennas, beamforming and beam steering, wireless on-body communications, implantable antennas, RF and microwave communication systems, and antenna diversity. In 2020, he was recognized as a Top Research Scientist in Malaysia. He is a Member of IET, IEEE, and serves as an Associate Editor for Electronics Letters and IET Microwaves, Antennas, and Propagation. Currently, he is the Director of the International Office at UTHM.

　

Speech Title: "Bridging the Digital Divide: Connect the Unconnected"

Abstract: World is now digital particularly the advancement in mobile technology such as 5G and soon towards 6G. Nonetheless, this is still unequal in term of the accessibility to the digital technology such as smartphones, tablets and more importantly, the internet. It is no doubt that the internet is now everything and vital in everyday life. Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA), in the last quarter of the year 2020, has started an impressive 4G-LTE initiative where in early 2023, about 97% of coverage has been achieved. Today, more than 60% of 5G coverage is now available nationwide, nevertheless, it is still a Non-Stand-Alone. Although majority of the areas have been coverage but still there are many areas that are unconnected. Therefore in this talk, I will share some insights on the initiative that have benefited the unconnected people in the effort of strengthening and bridging the digital divide.

　

　

　

　

Invited Speakers

　

　

Assoc. Prof. Farhad Shahnia

Murdoch University, Australia

A/Professor Farhad Shahnia received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, in 2012. He is currently an A/Professor at Murdoch University. Before that, he was a Lecturer at Curtin University (2012-15), a research scholar at QUT (2008-11), and an R&D engineer at the Eastern Azarbayjan Electric Power Distribution Company, Iran (2005-08). He is currently a Fellow member of Engineers Australia, Senior Member of IEEE, and member of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education.Farhad’s research falls under Distribution networks, Microgrid and Smart grid concepts. He has authored one book and 11 book chapters and 250+ peer-reviewed scholarly articles in international conferences and journals, as well as being an editor of 6 books.Farhad is currently a Subject Editor, Deputy Subject Editor, and Associate Editor of several journals including IEEE Access, IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution, IET Renewable Power Generation, IET Smart Grid, IET Energy Conversion and Economics, and International Transaction on Electrical Energy Systems and has served 40+ conferences in various roles such as General, Technical, Program, Publication, Publicity, Award, Sponsorship, and Special Session Chairs. Farhad has led the IEEE Western Australia Section as the 2020-2021 Chair, and was the 2019 Founding Chair of the IEEE Western Australia Industrial Electronics Society (IES) Chapter. He was the 2023 Vice-chair of the IES’s Technical Committees on Smart Grids.

　

Speech Title: "“Microgrids and Virtual Power Plants: Requirements for Faster Uptake”

　

Abstract: Electricity systems around the world are experiencing a radical transition as the consequence of replacing fossil fuels, used for electricity production, by sustainable and cleaner energies. The growing penetration of renewable energies requires smarter techniques capable of handling the uncertainties of these intermittent sources. Along with this change, traditionally centralised power systems are also converting into distributed self-sufficient systems, often referred to as microgrids, that can operate independently. Virtual power plants are frameworks under which microgrids can be deployed within communities and enable energy transaction amongst retailers, customers and private investors. This talk will focus on the role of microgrids and virtual power plants in energy transition plans, and will discuss their benefits and challenges of microgrids and virtual power plants for effective energy transition. The talk will focus more on what initiatives need to be taken to advance their uptake.

　

　

　

Previous Keynote Speakers

　

Lijun Xu Beihang University Fellow of IEEE and AAIA	Xiao Wei Sun Southern University of Science and Technology Fellow of SID, OSA, SPIE, and IoP	Rui Zhang The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Fellow of IEEE and AES	Weisheng Zhao Beihang University Fellow of IEEE
S. Joe Qin City University of Hong Kong Fellow of NAI, IFAC, AIChE, and IEEE	Mohamad Sawan Westlake University Fellow of IEEE, CAE, and EIC	Lihua Xie Nanyang Technological University Fellow of IEEE and IFAC	Masahiro Fujita The University of Tokyo

　

Previous Invited Speakers

　

　

Weijie Dong Dalian University of Technology	Farhad Shahnia Murdoch University	Ahmet Mete Vural Gaziantep University	Wu Zhou University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Tayeb Mohammed Brahim Rennes University	Nattha Jindapetch Prince of Songkla University	Damian Chinedu Onwudiwe North-West University	Mehmet Ertuğrul Karadeniz Technical University
Chen Jie Beihang University	Fei Ma Beijing University of Chemical Technology	Peng Xiao Capital Normal University	Yanan You Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Yan Huang Southeast University	Bi Chong Institute of Microelectronics, CAS	Lijun Zhu Institute of Semiconductors, CAS	Jie Zhu Dalian University of Technology
Zhong Shi Tongji University	Yanfeng Jiang Jiangnan University	Mengmeng Yang Anhui University	Hongxi Liu Truth Memory Corporation
Hao Wu Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory	Meiyin Yang Institute of Microelectronics, CAS	Xuegang Chen Anhui University	Ming Liang Jin Qingdao University
Bin Fang Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, CAS	Yong Wu University of Science and Technology Beijing	Ping Wang Tiangong University	Junxue Li Southern University of Science and Technology
Shuyuan Shi Beihang University	Yilin Wang Shandong University	Bingfeng Miao Nanjing University	Lingling Tao Harbin Institute of Technology
Shouzhong Peng Beihang University	Wei Jiang Beijing Institute of Technology	Guozhi Chai Lanzhou University	Zhifeng Zhu ShanghaiTech University
Jinwu Wei University	Zedong Xu Tiangong University	Jie Zhang Beihang University	Hirohide Haga Doshisha University