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About

Yasushi Horiuchi is a leading figure in astronomical instrumentation, specializing in the design and construction of large-scale telescope structures and robotic systems. His primary research areas include opto-mechanical engineering, precision force control, and the development of advanced handling systems for segmented mirror telescopes. Horiuchi’s major contributions are centered on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), where he played a pivotal role in the preliminary design of the Telescope Structure System (STR). His work, detailed in a 2014 overview paper (13 citations), outlines the engineering challenges and solutions for supporting the TMT’s massive 30-meter primary mirror. Beyond structural design, Horiuchi pioneered force control technology for the Segment Handling System (SHS), specifically the Segment Mirror Exchange Robot. This innovation, described in a 2016 paper (6 citations), enables safe, reliable, and automated replacement of individual mirror segments—a critical capability for maintaining the TMT’s optical performance. His achievements demonstrate a unique blend of structural engineering and robotics, directly enabling the next generation of extremely large telescopes. Horiuchi’s work is foundational for any researcher or student interested in the practical engineering that underpins modern astronomy.