Invited Talk


Invited Talk 3:

History and Activities of the IEEJ Linear Drives Technical

Committee–Some Recent Technology Trends of Linear Motors and 

Magnetic Levitation

The Linear Drives Technical Committee was established at the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ) in October 1987 and has investigated technology trends of linear motors and magnetic levitation. The committee has made a great contribution to the academic and industrial development of linear drive technology in Japan and published some books and reports on the investigated technology. It organized some international technical meetings such as the International Symposium on Linear Drives for Industry Applications (LDIA) and the International Conference on Magnetically Levitated Systems and Linear Drives (MAGLEV). In the keynote speech an overview of the 34-year history and activities of the committee is presented.

 

As of March 2021, under the Technical Committee, three investigating R&D committees are doing technical survey and investigation of (1) linear motors and actuators, (2) magnetic levitation, and (3) linear drive technology for industry applications. Based on the results of activities of the investigating R&D committees, some recent technology trends of linear motors and magnetic levitation are also presented in the speech.

 

Hiroyuki Ohsaki received the B. E., M. E., and Dr. Eng. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 1983, 1985 and 1988, respectively. He joined the Department of Electrical Engineering, the University of Tokyo in 1988. From 2004 he is a Professor at the Department of Advanced Energy, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Japan. From April 2019 to March 2021, he was the Dean of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo. His current research interests include applied superconductivity, electrical machines, linear drive systems, magnetic levitation technology, etc. Prof. Ohsaki is the President-Elect of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan from May 2020 to May 2021. He was the chair of the Membership Development Committee of the IEEE Tokyo Section in 2011 and 2012, and the chair of the IEEE Power & Energy Society Japan Joint Chapter in 2017 and 2018. He is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. From June 2011 to May 2020, he was the chair of IEC TC 77 (Electromagnetic Compatibility) and a member of IEC ACEC (Advisory Committee on Electromagnetic Compatibility). He is the vice chair of the Executive Committee of IEA High-Temperature Superconductivity Technology Collaboration Program. Prof. Ohsaki is the chair of the International Steering Committees of both the International Symposium on Linear Drives for Industry Applications (LDIA) and the International Conference on Magnetically Levitated Systems and Linear Drives (MAGLEV).