Shibaura Institute of Technology, Waseda University, and Fujitsu Collaborate to Advance Quantum Computing-Based Robot Posture Optimization
Tokyo and Kawasaki, Japan – August 25, 2025 — In a pioneering development at the intersection of robotics and quantum computing, Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), Waseda University, and Fujitsu Limited have jointly announced a breakthrough method for optimizing robot posture control using quantum computing technology. This innovation promises to enable smoother and more complex movements in next-generation robots by efficiently calculating inverse kinematics through a novel quantum-classical hybrid approach.
Addressing the Complexity of Robot Posture Control
Robot posture optimization involves solving inverse kinematics problems—determining the necessary joint angles to achieve a target position and orientation of the robot’s end-effector. This task becomes increasingly complex with multi-joint robots, as the number of possible angle combinations grows exponentially. Traditional approaches often simplify these problems by limiting joint calculations to approximately seven joints to manage computational loads, thereby sacrificing movement fluidity and precision.
The research team, comprising Associate Professor Takuya Otani from SIT, Professor Atsuo Takanishi of Waseda University, and experts from Fujitsu, has developed a novel method that leverages quantum computing to tackle these challenges more effectively. By representing each robot link’s orientation and position as qubits—the basic units of quantum information—the method dramatically reduces the computational complexity involved in calculating posture.
Harnessing Quantum Entanglement for Improved Accuracy and Speed
A significant advancement in this new method is the incorporation of quantum entanglement to model the dependency between parent and child joints. Such entanglement ensures that movements of parent joints logically influence the behavior of subsequent joints, closely replicating the physical constraints of robotic arms and humanoid limbs. This replication substantially reduces the number of computations needed for accurate posture determination.
Using Fujitsu’s quantum simulator, the team achieved up to a 43% error reduction with fewer calculations than conventional methods. Furthermore, trial runs demonstrated that inverse kinematics calculations for a full-body multi-joint robot model consisting of 17 joints—mirroring the human body’s joint count—could be completed in approximately 30 minutes. These promising results were also validated on a 64-qubit quantum computer collaboratively developed by RIKEN and Fujitsu, underpinning the real-world viability of the approach.
Potential Applications and Future Directions
This quantum computing-based posture optimization method shows significant potential for integration into various robotics fields, including humanoid robots and multi-joint manipulators. The approach not only enhances real-time control capabilities but also holds promise for improving obstacle avoidance and energy-efficient motion planning.
Moreover, the technique’s compatibility with current noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices ensures that it can be implemented using today’s quantum hardware, making near-term practical applications feasible. The researchers also foresee further improvements by integrating advanced quantum algorithms such as the quantum Fourier transform, which could accelerate computations and refine accuracy.
Research Publication and Contributors
The research titled “Quantum computation for robot posture optimization” has been published in Scientific Reports, part of the Nature Portfolio. The authors include:
- Takuya Otani, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Faculty of System Science and Engineering
- Atsuo Takanishi, Waseda University, Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Nobuyuki Hara, Fujitsu Limited
- Yutaka Takita, Fujitsu Limited
- Koichi Kimura, Fujitsu Limited
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-12109-0
About the Collaborators
Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT)
Located in Tokyo and Saitama, SIT is renowned for its philosophy of “learning through practice” in engineering education. Since its roots dating back to 1927, it has been dedicated to nurturing engineers who contribute to society and sustain cultural diversity. SIT was notably the only private science and engineering university part of Japan’s Top Global University Project supported by the Ministry of Education for a decade.
Waseda University
Established in 1882, Waseda University upholds its founding principles of scholarly independence, practical application, and citizenship. With a broad range of faculties and an ambitious mission to contribute globally by 2050, Waseda continues to strengthen its pillars of research, education, and societal contribution.
Fujitsu Limited
A leading digital services company headquartered in Japan, Fujitsu aims to foster societal trust and sustainability through innovation. Employing a workforce of over 113,000 globally, Fujitsu integrates AI, computing, networks, data security, and converging technologies to solve complex challenges and drive digital transformation.
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Press Contacts:
- Shibaura Institute of Technology — koho@ow.shibaura-it.ac.jp
- Waseda University — koho@list.waseda.jp
- Fujitsu Limited — [Public and Investor Relations Division]
This collaboration highlights a significant step toward integrating quantum technologies into robotics, offering a glimpse into the future of advanced robotic control systems powered by quantum computation.
