NeuroMusic
We are working on the following projects:
1. Musician’s Brain. How the musician’s brain is different compared with non-musicians? This project aims to research about the structural and functional brain differences between musicians and non-musicians. In collaboration with Keio University Graduate School of Medicine, we use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and Electroencephalography (EEG) technologies to answer the question.
2. Music and Psychiatry. What is music and mind in our brain? This project aims to investigate the rhythm perception and production capabilities in people with psychiatric disorders. We also investigate structural and functional brain network of people with psychiatric disorders by using MRI, TMS-EEG, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) etc.
3. Human Augmentation. This project aims to augment human ability for motor learning. The winner of a contest to find the world's fastest drummer (WFD) set a record of 1208 taps per minute. In our previous studies, we elucidated the wrist muscle activities of the WFD. In collaboration with Dr. Pedro Lopes (Prof in Chicago Univ) we are developing a special drum training method using Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS). An ultimate goal of this project is to establish a new world record of fastest drumming.
4. Motor Control. How skilled musicians control their body movements? In this project, we aim to investigate the motor control mechanism of skilled musicians. We analyze the performance and movements of musicians (e.g., using motion capture technology). Currently, we are investigating the tapping performance of skilled percussionists, tanging performance of trombone players, and perception-action skills of expert conductors etc.
5. Music Chill. How can we augment emotional experience during music listening? This project aims to perform basic experiments on the physiological mechanisms underlying the sensation of musical pleasure or"chills". We are inventing Japanese version of Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire, and performing psychological and physiological experiments to investigate musical pleasure and chills.
6. Music Baby. How baby reacts to sound? In collaboration with the Developmental Brain Science Lab at the University of Tokyo, we are investigating about the heart rate change of infants when they enjoy creating percussion sounds.
You will be required to intensively learn how to setup and running experiments, collect and analyze behavioral/neural data, and write scientific reports. We encourage you to present your research at international conferences and publish peer-reviewed research articles. Our lab also encourages international research collaborations.