IIIT-Delhi's Richa Gupta Gets Japan's JST LOTUS 2026 Grant

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) has announced that Dr. Richa Gupta, Assistant Professor in its Department of Human-Centered Design (HCD), has secured research funding under Japan's JST LOTUS 2026 – ASPIRE Track.

The grant, awarded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), will support a collaborative research project titled 'Tactile Display System with Multiple Joints Augmented by Robot Manipulator'. The initiative aims to explore the integration of multi-joint robotic manipulators into tactile display systems through joint research involving Indian and Japanese institutions.

Dr. Gupta will serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) from India, while Professor Riichiro Tadakuma of the Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering at Yamagata University, Japan, will lead the project as the Japanese Principal Investigator.

The project has been allocated JPY 4,134,000 (approximately Rs 24.92 lakh) for its first year. The proposed research will investigate how robotic manipulation technologies can enhance tactile display systems, bringing together the academic expertise and research capabilities of both institutions.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Gupta expressed her enthusiasm about receiving support from the JST LOTUS programme. She highlighted the research opportunities offered by the collaboration with Professor Tadakuma and his team at Yamagata University, particularly in exploring emerging challenges at the intersection of tactile display technology and robotic manipulation.

The research collaboration is expected to continue over three years, providing researchers from IIIT-Delhi and Yamagata University an opportunity to work together on technological developments in tactile interfaces and robotics.The project also represents an opportunity to strengthen academic and research ties between India and Japan, while encouraging cross-border knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation in advanced robotics.