Yoky Matsuoka

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Yoky Matsuoka (born c. 1972) is an associate professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington (U.W.), director of that university's Neurobotics Laboratory, and a 2007 MacArthur Fellow. Her research combines neuroscience and robotics to create more realistic prosthetics.[1]

An example of her work is a lifelike robotic hand, modeled bone-by-bone from a human hand, with multiple motors each corresponding to muscles and with strings playing the role of tendons along each digit. Her intent is that nervous system signals will ultimately be able to control the electronic replica in the same manner as a natural appendage. To this end, her work uses such means as measuring the electric current along each muscle in the hand as a person reaches for and grasps an object and having patients do virtual reality exercises with an oversized arm so tht errors are more apparent. Matthew O'Donnell, dean of the U.W. College of Engineering characterizes her as "a mechanical engineer, neuroscientist, bioengineer, robotics expert and computer scientist, all in one… [with] …the ability to see what is possible by combining all these disciplines."[1] The MacArthur Foundation characterizes her work as "transforming our understanding of how the central nervous system coordinates musculoskeletal action and of how robotic technology can enhance the mobility of people with manipulation disabilities.[2]

[edit] Life

Matsuoka was born in Japan but grew up in California.[3] In her youth, she was a "very good" tennis player,[3] (once ranked 21st in Japan[4]) but was eventually sidelined by injuries; her interest in robotics began with the idea of a robotic tennis player, which she later decided was unrealistic.[3]

She received her B.S. degree in 1993 from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.S. (1995) and Ph.D. (1998) in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[1][2] From 2001 to 2006 she was an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU),[1] where, from 2004, she held the Anna Loomis McCandless Faculty Chair.[5] Before her MacArthur, she received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2004[5]) and an IEEE Early Career Award in Robotics and Automation (2005[5]).[1]

As of 2007, she has three children, the youngest a son born in September 2007, with twin daughters approximately two-and-a-half years older.[4]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Hannah Hickey, UW computer engineer wins MacArthur Foundation 'genius' award, University of Washington Office of News and Information, September 24, 2007. Accessed online 5 December 2007.
  2. ^ a b Yoky Matsuoka, MacArthur Foundation. Accessed online 5 December 2007.
  3. ^ a b c Eric Wagner, MacArthur Foundation gives local researcher a hand, Northwest Asian Weekly, November 3, 2007. Accessed online 5 December 2007.
  4. ^ a b Sandi Doughton and Kyung M. Song, 2 local researchers win $500,000 MacArthur "genius awards", Seattle Times, September 24, 2007. Accessed online 5 December 2007.
  5. ^ a b c Yoky Matsuoka, official page at the University of Washington. Accessed online 5 December 2007.

[edit] External links