• Thanks to function sophistication and quality improvement, machines have greatly contributed to increases in productivity and convenience for a wide range of human activities, in addition, of course, to liberating human workers from heavy loads and arduous labor. At the same time, as illustrated by situations in which machines make use of people, what society demands now are human-friendly machines that can co-exist with people. Going forward, what role should machines play and what sort of relationships should they have with human beings? Against this backdrop, Ritsumeikan University is tackling numerous research projects from diverse angles across a range of academic fields.