biography

Summary

Yuichi HIROI, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist at Cluster Metaverse Lab, Cluster Inc., and a Visiting Researcher at the Yuta Itoh Lab, Institute of Science Tokyo. He aims to expand human imagination and creativity through his research, especially on visual experiences, which spans mixed reality, display optics, vision measurement and augmentation, metaverse community analysis, and AI support for creative and exploratory activities.

He received his Ph.D. in Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology in March 2022. His previous research appointments include NTT Service Evolution Laboratory, Keio University, Sony CSL Kyoto, and the University of Tokyo. At Cluster, he studies how AI agents and behavioral analysis can support people's activities and community formation in metaverse platforms. Since October 2025, he has led the JST PRESTO project “Infrastructure for Human–AI Collaborative Community Building in the Metaverse”.

He has also worked as a freelance motion graphics designer since 2006. Inspired by his own creative practice and communities where creators share their work and techniques, he investigates optical and display technologies grounded in human perception, as well as environments that support creation, exploration, and exchange. He seeks to help individual creative efforts inspire one another, giving rise to expressions and experiences no one could have envisioned alone.

Profile

Name Yuichi HIROI (廣井 裕一)
Title Senior Research Scientist at Cluster Metaverse Lab
Visiting Researcher at Institute of Science Tokyo
Email y.hiroi {at} cluster.mu
Website https://yhiroi.github.io/
Scholar _ICkxzkAAAAJ
Research Interests Mixed / Augmented Reality (MR/AR), Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Displays (OST-HMDs), Realistic Visual Appearance Reproduction, Vision Augmentation, Metaverse Interaction
Location FORECAST Gotanda WEST 2F, 8-9-5, Nishigotanda, Shinagawa, Tokyo 141-0031, Japan

Work Experience

  • 2023.07 -

    Tokyo, Japan

    Senior Research Scientist
    Cluster Metaverse Lab, Cluster Inc.
    • Research on personalized metaverse interaction and AI agents in VR/AR, including support for creative activities, behavioral analysis, and human–AI collaborative community formation in commercial metaverse platforms.
  • 2026.02 -

    Yokohama, Japan

    Visiting Researcher
    Institute of Science Tokyo / Advisor: Yuta Itoh
    • Collaborate on research related to AR displays and vision augmentation.
  • 2023.07 - 2026.03

    Tokyo, Japan

    Visiting Researcher
    The University of Tokyo / Advisor: Jun Rekimoto
    • Collaborate on research related to AR displays and vision augmentation.
  • 2022.04 - 2023.06

    Tokyo, Japan

    JSPS Research Fellow (PD)
    The University of Tokyo / Advisor: Jun Rekimoto
    • Research on AR displays and vision augmentation systems.
  • 2021.06 - 2023.06

    Kyoto, Japan

    Non-full-time Researcher
    Sony Computer Science Laboratories Kyoto / Advisor: Jun Rekimoto
    • Research on rendering 3D objects with high visual fidelity in AR displays using neural rendering.
  • 2022.12 - 2023.01
    2019.11 - 2020.01

    Otago, New Zealand

    Visiting Researcher
    University of Otago / Advisor: Tobias Langlotz
    • Engage in international collaborative research exchanges on vision augmentation systems based on personal visual measurements.
  • 2020.04 - 2022.03

    Yokohama, Japan

    JSPS Research Fellow (DC2)
    Tokyo Institute of Technology / Advisor: Yuta Itoh
    • Conducting doctoral research on AR displays, developing vision augmentation systems, researching optical see-through displays integrating light measurement and modulation
  • 2019.01 - 2020.03

    Yokohama, Japan

    Project Researcher
    Keio University / Advisor: Maki Sugimoto
  • 2017.04 - 2018.12

    Yokosuka, Japan

    Full-time Researcher
    NTT Service Evolution Laboratory
    • As part of the ultra-immersive communication technology 'Kirari!', I conducted research on person and object tracking systems in sports movements and on video generation technologies from arbitrary viewpoints.
  • 2017.04 - 2017.09

    Tokyo, Japan

    System Engineer (Short-term Contract)
    NTT DATA Corporation
    • Mobile app development.

Academic Service

Honors and Awards (International)

  • 2026.08
    Best Presentation Award, APMAR 2026
    • Y-H. Hu, S. Yokoi, Y. Hatada, Y. Hiroi, T. Narumi, T. Hiraki, “The Metaverse as a Scientific Instrument: LUIDA, from Unified Experiment Infrastructure toward Bridging Research and Society”
  • 2025.10
    Best Paper Award, IEEE ISEMV 2025
    • H. Tsutsui, T. Hiraki, Y. Hiroi, S. Hasegawa, “Community Analysis of Social Virtual Reality Based on Large-Scale Log Data”
  • 2024.08
    1st Place in SIGGRAPH 2024 Student Research Competition for Undergraduate Work
    • S. Hattori, Y. Hiroi, T. Hiraki, “Measurement of the Imperceptible Threshold for Color Vibration Pairs Selected by using MacAdam Ellipse”
  • 2024.03
    Best Paper Honorable Mention, IEEE VR 2024
    • H. Aoki, T. Tochimoto, Y. Hiroi, Y. Itoh, “Towards Co-operative Beaming Displays: Dual Steering Projectors for Extended Projection Volume and Head Orientation Range”
  • 2023.03
    Best Poster Honorable Mention, Augmented Humans 2023
    • Y. Koike, Y. Hiroi, Y. Itoh, J. Rekimoto. 2023. “Brain-Computer Interface using Directional Auditory Perception”
  • 2017.03
    Best Paper 3rd Place, Augmented Human 2017
    • Y. Hiroi, Y. Itoh, T. Hamasaki, M. Sugimoto, “AdaptiVisor: Assisting Eye Adaptation via Occlusive Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Displays”

Honors and Awards (Domestic)

  • 2025.05
    Good Experience Design Award 2025, DAXX
    • R. Kurai, H. Yanagawa, Y. Hiroi, T. Hiraki, “MetaGadget: An Accessible Framework for IoT Integration into Commercial Metaverse Platforms”
  • 2025.03
    Interactive Presentation Award (PC Selection), Interaction 2025
    • 沈有方, 土佐凛斗, 畑田裕二, 廣井裕一, 平木剛史, 苗村健, "HMDユーザの探索行動支援に向けた目立たない両眼相補的色振動による視線誘導", 情報処理学会 インタラクション2025, 2025年
  • 2024.12
    Special Theme Session Award (Social Interaction), HCG Symposium 2024
    • 花島諒, 平木剛史, 浦川智弘, 倉井龍太郎, 廣井裕一, 大山潤爾, "メタバース社会のコミュニケーションにおける感情表現の大規模調査: ソーシャルVRのエモート分析から", 電子情報通信学会 HCGシンポジウム, 2024年
  • 2023.06
    Selected as a Representative Achievement in Japanese Optics Research in 2022, Optical Society of Japan
    • Y. Hiroi, K. Someya, Y. Itoh, “Neural Distortion Fields for Spatial Calibration of Wide Field-of-View Near-Eye Displays”
  • 2019.03
    SIG-MR Award, Virtual Reality Society of Japan
    • 浜崎巧, 伊藤勇太, 廣井裕一, 岩井大輔, 杉本麻樹, “光学透過型へッドマウントディスプレイを組み合わせた高ダイナミックレンジなプロジェクションマッピング”, 第57回 複合現実感研究会 (SIG-MR), 2019年
  • 2014.02
    CG-ARTS Award
    • Recognized for outstanding performance in the CG Engineer Expert and Image Processing Engineer Expert certification examinations.

Grants

  • 2025.10 - 2029.03
    (active)
    (PI) JST PRESTO "Symbiotic AI Fundamentals"
    • Grant number: JPMJPR2529
    • Project: "Infrastructure for Human–AI Collaborative Community Building in the Metaverse"
  • 2025.04 - 2028.03
    (active)
    (PI) JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
    • Grant number: 25K03173
    • Project: "Visual Augmentation through Integration of Event-Based Ocular Aberration Measurement and Retinal Projection"
  • 2025.04 - 2028.03
    (active)
    (Co-PI) JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
    • Grant number: 25K00145
    • Project: "Tactile Display Using Photo-acoustic Effects Generated by Laser-Induced Cavitation"
    • PI: Takefumi Hiraki, University of Tsukuba
  • 2024.02 - 2027.03
    (active)
    (Co-PI) JST ASPIRE for Rising Scientists
    • Grant number: JPMJAP2327
    • Project: "Seamless Reality: A Technological Foundation for Merging Cyber-Physical Spaces through Real-World-Oriented Avatars"
    • PI: Yuta Itoh, The University of Tokyo
    • Co-PI
      • Takefumi Hiraki, University of Tsukuba
      • Yuichi Hiroi, Cluster Metaverse Lab
    • International Collaborators
  • 2024.09 - 2027.03
    (active)
    (Co-PI) JSPS KAKENHI for the Promotion of Joint International Research
    • Grant number: 24KK0187
    • Project: "Unobtrusive Augmented Reality Visual Guidance with Visual Modality Modulation"
    • PI: Yuta Itoh, The University of Tokyo
    • Co-PI
      • Takefumi Hiraki, Cluster Metaverse Lab
      • Yuichi Hiroi, Cluster Metaverse Lab
    • International Collaborators
  • 2023.04 - 2025.03
    (PI) JSPS KAKENHI for Early-Career Scientists
    • Grant number: 23K16920
    • Project: "Spatial Calibration of Head-Mounted Displays Based on Implicit Function Representation of Light Fields Using Deep Learning"
  • 2022.04 - 2025.03
    (PI) JSPS KAKENHI for JSPS Research Fellow (PD)
    • Grant number: 22J01340
    • Project: "Low-latency Vision Augmentation Integrating High-Speed Human and Environmental Measurements with Field-of-View Prediction"
  • 2020.04 - 2022.03
    (PI) JSPS KAKENHI for JSPS Research Fellow (DC2)
    • Grant number: 20J14971
    • Project: "Visual Appearance Reproduction by Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Displays based on Measurement and Modulation of Lights"
  • 2019.04 - 2020.03
    Tokyo Tech TSUBAME Scholarship for Doctoral Students

Education

  • 2019.04 - 2022.03

    Tokyo, Japan

    Ph.D. in Engineering
    Tokyo Institute of Technology / Supervisor: Yuta Itoh
    • Title: "Realistic Appearance Reproduction by Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Display based on Light Measurement and Modulation"
  • 2015.04 - 2017.03

    Yokohama, Japan

    M. Eng.
    Keio University / Supervisor: Maki Sugimoto
    • Title: "Manipulation of Visual Appearance of Materials by Combination of Projection and Optical See-Through Displays"

Teaching

  • 2026-10 - 2026-12
    Lecturer on Contents Development (0ATW217)
    University of Tsukuba
    • Teaching the Contents Development course for master's students.
  • 2025-10 - 2025-12
    Lecturer on Contents Development (0ATW217)
    University of Tsukuba
    • Delivered a hands-on workshop on video production with Adobe After Effects, complemented by lectures on the underlying principles of digital image processing, color science, and computer graphics for MEng students.
  • 2020-04 - 2020-07
    2019-04 - 2019-07
    Teaching Assistant on Augmented Reality (CSC.T439)
    Tokyo Institute of Technology
    • Implemented code, created teaching materials and supported the class for MEng/Ph.D. students to develop applications with full-scratch implementation of AR markers using Processing, OpenGL and OpenCV.
  • 2015-09 - 2016-03
    Teaching Assistant on Experiments in Information Engineering II
    Keio University
    • Implemented code, created teaching materials and supported the class for Bachelor 3rd students to develop 3D AR applications with Unity and PlayStation Move Controller.

Patents

  • US Patent: Registered
    • Y. Ishii, K. Hidaka, Y. Tonomura, T. Tokunaga, Y. Hiroi, 'Object tracking device, object tracking method, and object tracking program', Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, 2022-07-26. US11398049
    • Y. Hiroi, Y. Ishii, T. Tokunaga, Y. Tonomura, K. Hidaka, 'Object tracker, object tracking method, and computer program', Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, 2022-02-22. US11257224
  • US Patent: Pending
    • C. W. Ooi, Y. Hiroi, Y. Itoh, 'An Occlusion-Capable Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Display', The University of Tokyo, 2023-03-10. US63/489,502
  • Japanese Patent: Registered
    • H. Yanagawa, Y. Hiroi, T. Hiraki, 'Information Processing System, Information Processing Methods, and Programs', Cluster Inc., 2026-05-11. No. 7861975
    • Y. Hiroi, Y. Ishii, T. Tokunaga, Y. Tonomura, K. Hidaka, 'Object tracker, object tracking method, and computer program', Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, 2021-03-10. No. 6850741
    • Y. Ishii, K. Hidaka, Y. Tonomura, T. Tokunaga, Y. Hiroi, 'Object tracking device, object tracking method, and object tracking program', Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, 2020-11-11. No. 6793151
  • Japanese Patent: Pending
    • M. Ibara, T. Hiraki, T. Kamegai, S. Yokoi, S. Tokida, Y. Hiroi, 'Information Processing Method, Equipment, Program, and System', Cluster Inc., 2025-08-28. Appl. No. 2025-141831
    • Y. Hiroi, T. Hiraki, 'Information Processing Equipment, Information Processing Methods, and Programs', Cluster Inc., 2024-03-12. Appl. No. 2024-037967