The HAM network will generate interdisciplinary research collaboration and bring together mechatronics/robotics researchers from the UK and Japan to share experiences and formalise discussions for defining a common strategy for future R&D and collaborations at all levels of research, teaching and technology transfer. Such a network is vital if the different communities in Japan and the UK are to work together for mutual benefit. The network will also act as a knowledge base from the existing mechatronics/robotics community to create a new research community in HAM able to address the many common issues facing the UK and Japan. In particular, the network will explore a number of key challenges, such as

a) Investigating the modelling of a man-machine system that explicitly includes all necessary functions of humans as machine operators with sufficient accuracy

b) Implementation of human adaptive behaviour in autonomous systems

c) Application of human adaptive mechatronics to upgrade UK high-tech products

d) Development of human adaptive mechatronics into biomedical applications

e) Development of mathematics to model and analyse human adaptive mechatronic processes in productions