OIT was originally founded in 1922 as
Kansai Engineering Technical School by
business man Kyosaburo Honjo, together with
architectYasushi Kataoka, who graduated from
Tokyo Imperial University (present
University of Tokyo) and also served as the school's first principal. The Mission is "For the World, for the People and for the Community", to develop specialists with science-based practical skills who play an important role in society.
In 1940, the school foundation established Kansai Advanced Technical School, a three-year college for men (for ages 17–20). Kansai Advanced Technical School was renamed to Setsunan Advanced Technical School in 1942, further renamed Setsunan Engineering Technical School in 1944.
In April 1949, Setsunan Engineering Technical School was upgraded to Setsunan Institute of Technology, a four-year university under Japan's new educational systems. In October 1949, it was renamed to Osaka Institute of Technology (OIT).
From Academic Year 2017, OIT offers 16 undergraduate degrees and 6 master's degrees in the field of engineering, robotics and design, information science and technology, and intellectual property. It also offers 5 doctoral degrees in the fields of engineering, robotics and design, information science and technology.
OIT offers a number of
project-based learning opportunities, including:[5]
OIT was ranked 58th in the Japan University Rankings 2019 focusing on the field of “
Innovation” [8] and
75th in Japan University Rankings 2018 focusing on the field of “
Research”.[9]
2023: According to “Scientist Database based on Standardized Citation Indicators” updated by
Stanford University and
Elsevier as a comprehensive list that identifies “TOP 2% of the world's most influential researchers” (*Category: Career-long), OIT's 4 professors from Department of
Applied Chemistry,
Biomedical Engineering, and
Mechanical Engineering were selected.[12]
2020: A research group of
University of Tokyo at Department of Applied Physics,
RIKEN(Institute of Physical and Chemical Research) and OIT at Faculty of
Information Science and
Technology succeeded in developing an innovative “Transportable
Optical lattice clock(OLC) with Ultra-precise measurements(10 to the power of minus 18)“ for the first time in the world through a verification testing on validity of
Albert Einstein's
general theory of relativity at
Tokyo Skytree. Compared to conventional space experiments, using the transportable OLC on
satellite and
rocket, the equivalent experiments are available with a height difference of 10,000 times less.[15]
2019: OIT researchers at Department of
Applied Chemistry discovered that poly-3-hexylthiophene(
P3HT), a conductive polymer widely used as a material for solar cells and transistors, has a new ability to convert
light into
heat. Since P3HT dissolves in organic solvents, it can be used as a paint, and can be applied to substrates of various shapes. Also it can be expected to be applied to local heating in a vacuum space or a fine space, such as hyperthermia, which uses heat in an outer space(space station or space shuttle) or kills cancer cells by heat. This innovative research was highly evaluated and published by the
American Chemical Society (ACS) in the field of polymer. (Macromolecules 2019, 52, 2,708-717)[16]
2017: OIT researcher at Department of
System Design, Faculty of
Robotics and
Design jointly developed an innovative Odor Measuring Platform that allows them to analyze and evaluate different kinds of odors objectively together with
Konica Minolta through
open innovation. Based on the platform, Konica Minolta unveiled "Kun Kun"(or "Sniff Sniff") body. "Kun Kun" body, simply consisting of a device and a
smartphone application, can measure odors of the scalp, armpits, skin behind the ears, and feet. Measured odor data are sent via Bluetooth and displayed in the smartphone app in 20 seconds or so. Odors are classified into 10 levels, allowing users to objectively decide whether they need to take some deodorizing measures. OIT has been researching ways of distinguishing different odors through
neural network-based
AI technology using gas sensor.[20]
2016: OIT researcher at Department of
Applied Chemistry jointly developed an innovative material transfer technology combining Liquid droplets (
Liquid marble) covered with solid particles and Light together with
Asahikawa Medical University and
Max Planck Institutes. As it makes the Light directly convert into propulsion force, there is no power conversion process like photovoltaic power generation. It is eco-friendly and low-cost as well. The research paper was published in German scientific journal "
Advanced Functional Materials".[21]
2015: OIT researcher at Department of
Applied Chemistry jointly developed an innovative technology, so-called "Non-sticky powdery adhesive" in the field of
Biomimetics materials together with
Max Planck Institutes. It was developed with hint that Aphids covers the surface of honey which they discharge by solid wax particles and prevents drowning due to honey in the nest by
liquid marble. It was introduced to journal cover published by the
Royal Society of Chemistry and
Chemistry World in
UK.[22][23]
Joint team "SHINOBI" from
Kyoto University and OIT students at Department of
Electronics, Information and Communication Engineering won the “1st prize“ in
RoboCup Japan Open 2023(Category:
Rescue robot league).
Student from Department of Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering won the "Excellent Paper Award" in the International Conference on
IEEE PEAC(
Power Electronics Application Conference) 2014 in
Shanghai. The topic was "A New
V2H System with Single-Ended Inverter Drive Bidirectional Wireless Resonant IPT.[36]
Katsuhiko Wakabayashi, Founder of HARDLOCK INDUSTRY providing an innovative nut that never comes loose used by
NASA and
Railway companies in
UK,
Australia, Japan and more.
OIT cooperates with WIPO on organizing the conferences in order to evangelize the
Intellectual Property(IP) in
Asia. For instance, “Conference for Presidents/Vice-Presidents and Technology Transfer Officers of Universities and Research Institutions on Creating an Enabling Intellectual Property(IP) Environment for Technology Development, Management and Commercialization” in 2017.
The overseas participants were mainly from
Philippines,
Thailand,
Malaysia,
Indonesia and
Sri Lanka.
[47]
^Ohara, Shinya; Omori, Hideki; Kimura, Noriyuki; Morizane, Toshimitsu; Nakaoka, Mutuo; Nakamura, Yoshimichi (2014). "A new V2H system with single-ended inverter drive bidirectional wireless resonant IPT". 2014 International Power Electronics and Application Conference and Exposition. pp. 619–623.
doi:
10.1109/PEAC.2014.7037928.
ISBN978-1-4799-6768-1.
S2CID24095613.