Starting this fiscal year, the Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture has made the KES™ texture measurement tester as open tester. To promote wider use of KES™, a lecture will be held. We warmly welcome your participation.
The following is the announcement:
Okayama Prefecture supports the advancement of manufacturing mainly for local companies. As part of this initiative, the “Okayama Manufacturing University” hosts various training sessions. This time, we are pleased to announce the Fabric Hand Evaluation Seminar.
Recently, the tactile feel and comfort of materials and products—what people sense when touching or wearing them—have gained attention as added values. The Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture now offers an open tester for fabric hand evaluation, covering tensile, shear, compression, bending, surface friction, roughness, and air permeability measurements.
At this seminar, two distinguished speakers will discuss fabric hand evaluation technologies and their practical applications. The seminar will cover not only textiles but also examples from other fields, making it highly relevant for anyone interested in tactile evaluation.
We look forward to many participants joining us.
1. Date & Time
Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 13:00–16:30
2. Venue
Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture, 1st Floor, Technical Exchange Room
5301 Haga, Kita-ku, Okayama City
In-person attendance only
3. Agenda
13:00 Opening
13:05–14:35 Lecture 1
Title: Measuring Fabric Hand Feel — What KES™ Can Do
Speaker: Prof. Mari Inoue, Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University
Overview: Explanation of the KES (Kawabata Evaluation System), developed to objectively quantify the hand feel and comfort of clothing and textile products, along with case studies of analysis.
14:35–14:50 Break
14:50–16:20 Lecture 2
Title: How to Reproduce the Sense of Human Touch by Machines? — Introduction to KES™ texture measurement tester
Speaker: Mr. Kei Kawauchi, Managing Director, KATO TECH CO.,LTD..
Overview: The KES™ texture measurement tester, co-developed with Dr. Kawabata of Kyoto University in 1972, quantifies tactile sensations by mechanizing human touch motions such as pulling, bending, pressing, and stroking. This technology contributes to evaluating material quality and comfort. The new QUANTITEXTURE™ technology will also be introduced.
16:20–16:25 Information on Using the “Fabric Hand Evaluation System”
16:30 Closing
4. Capacity
40 participants (first-come, first-served)
5. Participation Fee
Free
6. Application Method
Please apply via the Okayama Electronic Application Service at the following URL by filling in the required information:
https://apply.e-tumo.jp/pref-okayama-u/offer/offerList_detail?tempSeq=48220
7. Application Deadline
Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 17:00
8. Notes
Please check the latest updates on the Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture website (https://www.pref.okayama.jp/site/kougi/) before the event, as cancellation or postponement may occur due to circumstances.
9. Contact for Application/Inquiries
Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture, Applied Technology Department, Textile Processing Section (Contact: Mr. Matsumoto)
TEL: +81-86-286-9600
FAX: +81-86-286-9630
E-mail: yuuko_matsumoto@okakogi.jp
