Dr. Yasunori Sakai is an Assistant Professor at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). He possesses an extensive academic and professional career in Japan, where he held a tenured associate professor position at Shibaura Institute of Technology, as well as academic roles at the University of British Columbia (Canada), Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Tokyo Denki University.

His unique academic journey began immediately after junior high school at Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology (KOSEN), where he completed a five-year practical mechanical engineering program and earned his associate degree in Mechanical Engineering. He subsequently earned his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical System Engineering and his Master's degree in Bio-Application and Systems Engineering from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. In 2015, he received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Control Systems Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology, completing the program in just 2.5 years due to his research achievements. He worked as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellow (DC2/PD) at the same university.

Dr. Sakai is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E., Japan) in Mechanical Engineering, the highest national certification for practicing engineers in the country, reflecting his practical expertise.

His current research focuses on:

• Industrial AI (AI agents and quality inspection).

• Integrated design and manufacturing of sensors and actuators using composite origami metamaterials.

• Nonlinear vibration energy harvesting and monitoring.

• Precision motion system (Dynamics, Control and Tribology).

• Process automation (e.g., robotic assembly, vision-guided systems).

His expertise is underpinned by a diverse research background in MEMS, laser microjoining, plastic working, precision positioning systems, seismic response analysis of structures, and moldless processing. He has received several awards, including the JSME Young Engineers Award (Research) in 2019 and the Tokyo Tech Suematsu Award in 2017.

(In Chinese)

酒井康徳（Yasunori Sakai）博士现任西交利物浦大学（XJTLU）助理教授。他拥有深厚的日本学术与职业背景，曾任芝浦工业大学终身副教授（tenured associate professor），并先后在加拿大英属哥伦比亚大学（UBC）、东京工业大学及东京电机大学担任学术职务。

酒井博士的学术生涯植根于扎实的工程实践。他自初中毕业后即进入东京都立产业技术高等专门学校（KOSEN），完成为期五年的实用机械工程课程，并获得机械工程副学士学位。随后，他于东京农工大学先后获得机械系统工程学士及生物应用与系统工程硕士学位。2015年，凭借研究成果，他仅用两年半便提前完成了东京工业大学机械与控制系统工程博士课程。博士毕业后，他曾在日本学术振兴会（JSPS）特别研究员（DC2/PD）的资助下于东京工业大学从事研究工作。

此外，酒井博士还持有日本技术士（Professional Engineer, Japan，机械部门）国家资格，这是日本工程技术领域的最高级别国家认证，体现其实践专业能力。

他目前的主要研究方向包括：

• 工业人工智能（AI Agent 及质量检测）。

• 基于复合材料折纸超材料的传感器与执行器集成设计与制造。

• 非线性振动能量采集与监测。

• 精密运动系统（动力学、控制与摩擦学）。

• 流程自动化（例如机器人装配、视觉引导系统）。

他的专业深度得益于在 MEMS（微机电系统）、激光微连接、塑性加工、精密定位装置、结构地震响应分析以及无模具加工等领域的广泛研究积累。酒井博士曾荣获日本机械学会奖（研究奖励奖，2019年）及东京工业大学末松奖（2017年）。

Opportunities 

For Students:
Our group is currently seeking motivated Research Assistants (RAs). Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, from any school or even outside XJTLU, I would love to have an informal chat with you. If you are curious about our research in 1) metamaterial application, 2) DIW 3D printing for softrobotics, 3) Sensors and Actuators, please feel free to reach out via email or WeChat. Specifically, we are now welcome to have students for these projects.

• Development of Buckled-Beam Metamaterial Arrays for Vibration Isolation of Linear Motor-Driven Two-Axis Precision Positioning Stages
  Design and fabricate a passive vibration isolator using buckled-beam metamaterial arrays with Quasi-Zero Stiffness (QZS) characteristics. Prototypes are printed using a 4-material DIW 3D printer, integrated into the precision 2-axis linear stage, and evaluated for vibration transmissibility and positioning settling time using an electrodynamic shaker.
• Development of Multimaterial 3D Printed Origami Metamaterial Sensors for Passive Wireless Strain Mapping
  Design and fabricate flexible, passive, wireless strain-sensor sheets using multi-material DIW (Direct Ink Writing) 3D printing. The sensors incorporate origami-inspired fold patterns and integrated electrical circuits that change their resonant frequency in response to deformation.
  
  
• PVDF-Based Origami/Kirigami Metamaterials for Wearable Knee Motion Monitoring
  Design and fabricate a flexible, battery-free strain sensor by printing fold/cut patterns onto a pre-polarized piezoelectric film and assembling it into an origami/kirigami structure guided by DIW-3D printed embedded structures.
  
  
• We are also conducting research on real-time control of industrial robots in digital twined environments, as well as on quality inspection of small metal industrial parts using AI/VR.

For Industry and Academic Collaboration:
I am always open to new collaborations, including joint research, contracted R&D, and academic and educational collaboration. To protect intellectual property, we typically work under NDAs once a partnership is established. Whether you represent a startup, a multinational corporation, or an academic institution, please feel free to email me to explore how we can innovate together.

I also actively welcome JSPS Postdoctoral Overseas Research Fellowships.

机会与合作

致同学们:

我们课题组目前正在招募有积极性的研究助理（RA）。无论你是本科生还是研究生，来自哪所学校，甚至不是西浦大学的学生，我都很乐意和你进行聊一聊。如果你对我们以下方向的研究感兴趣：1）超材料应用，2）用于软体机器人的DIW 3D打印，3）传感器与执行器，欢迎通过邮件或微信联系我。具体来说，我们现在欢迎学生参与以下项目：

1. 基于屈曲梁超材料阵列的线性电机驱动双轴精密定位平台隔振开发
   设计并制造一种利用具有准零刚度特性的屈曲梁超材料阵列的无源隔振器。原型样品使用4材料DIW 3D打印机打印，集成到精密双轴线性平台上，并使用电动振动台评估其振动传递率和定位稳定时间。
2. 基于多材料3D打印折纸超材料传感器的无源无线应变映射开发
   设计并制造柔性、无源、无线的应变传感片，采用多材料DIW（直接墨水书写）3D打印技术。该传感器包含受折纸启发的折叠图案和集成电路，这些电路会随变形改变其谐振频率。
3. 基于PVDF的折纸/剪纸超材料用于可穿戴膝关节运动监测
   设计并制造一种柔性、无电池的应变传感器，方法是在预极化的压电薄膜上打印折叠/切割图案，并通过DIW 3D打印的嵌入式结构引导其组装成折纸/剪纸结构。

我们还在数字孪生环境下对工业机器人进行实时控制，以及利用AI/VR对微小金属工业部件进行质量检测等研究。

致企业及学术界伙伴:
我们非常欢迎各种形式的合作，包括共同研究及受托开发等。为保障双方知识产权，相关合作通常在签署保密协议（NDA）的前提下开展。无论是初创企业、跨国公司还是学术机构，欢迎随时通过邮件交流，共同探索创新机遇。

我也积极接收日本学术振兴会（JSPS）海外特别研究员。

Functional Material Application

Tribology

Vibration Control

Manufacturing Process Analysis

System Engineering

Assistant Professor, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 2024 - Present

Researcher, The University of British Columbia, 2023 - 2024

Associate Professor, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 2022 - 2023

Assistant Professor, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 2019 – 2022

Assistant Professor, Tokyo Denki University, 2017 – 2019

Postdoctoral Researcher, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2017 – 2019

Research Fellows, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2015 – 2017

Research Fellow (DC2 and PD), Japan Society for Promotion of Science, 2015 – 2017

Lecturer, Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology, 2013 – 2016

MFE409TC Work-Integrated-Learning Project, 2025 - present

MFE408TC Internship, 2025 - present

MFE301TC Final Year Project, 2025 - present

RBE104TC C/C++ Programming Language, 2025 - 2026

MFE209TC Sensors, Instrumentation and Industrial Applications, 2025 - present

MFE406TC Systems Thinking and Modelling, 2024 - present

Master Course Research Project, 2021 – 2023

Undergraduate Research Project, 2019 – 2023

Undergraduate Research Project, 2017 – 2018

Precision Systems /Exercise 1, 2022 – 2023

Precision Systems /Exercise 2, 2022 – 2023

Precision Systems /Exercise 3, 2022 – 2023

Precision Systems /Exercise 4, 2022 – 2023

Precision Manufacturing Systems, 2022 – 2023

Exercises of System Engineering B, 2022 – 2023

Machine Materials, 2019 – 2023

Manufacturing Engineering, 2019 – 2023

Information Processing 2, 2019

Exercises of Information Processing 2, 2019

Machinery System Seminar, 2019 – 2023

Introduction to Mechanical Systems, 2019 – 2021

Mechanical Engineering Laboratory 1, 2019

Mechanical Engineering Laboratory 2, 2019 – 2023

Experiments in Mechanical System Dynamics, 2019 – 2023

Workshop of System-thinking, 2019 – 2023

Fundamentals of Design and Drawing, 2018

Introduction to Mechanical Engineering I, 2018

Seminar for Freshman, 2017 – 2018

Strength of Materials 2, 2017 – 2018

Engineering Mechanics 1, 2017 – 2018

Engineering Mechanics 2, 2017 – 2018

Laboratory on Mechanical Engineering 1, 2017 – 2018

Laboratory on Mechanical Engineering 2, 2017 – 2018

Machine Design and Drawing 3, 2017 – 2018

Machine Design and Drawing 4, 2017 – 2018

Computer Aided Engineering, 2013 – 2016

3D-CAD Mechanical Design 1, 2013 – 2016

3D-CAD Mechanical Design 2, 2013 – 2016

Laboratory on Mechanical Systems Engineering 1, 2013

Best Oral Presentation Award (Supervised Student), The 2024 3rd International Conference on Computer, Internet of Things and Smart City (CIoTSC) , Nov. 2025

Graduate Student Initiative (GSI) award, The University of British Columbia, Oct. 2023

Innovative Poster Gold Award, The 16 South East Asian Technical University Consortium (Supervised Student Received), Feb. 2022

Innovative Poster Silver Award, The 16th South East Asian Technical University Consortium (Supervised Student Received), Feb. 2022

Featured Research Paper, Advances in Engineer (Canadian research company), OA, Canada,  Oct. 2020

Best Paper Award of Manufacturing System Division, Japan Society for Mechanical Engineers, Mar. 2020

Young Engineers Award, The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Apr. 2019

Best contribution award for research and corroboration, Tokyo Denki University, Feb. 2019

Suematsu Award (Young Researcher Award), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Dec. 2017

Planting Seeds Research Award, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Dec. 2017

Best Research Paper Award, MAZAK Foundation, May. 2015

Award for Student of Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Mar. 2011

Scholarship of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Foundation, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Apr. 2010

Best Research Award, Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology, Mar. 2009