Tsukuba-Dooba-Doo

In celebration of Reagan's 2nd birthday, the Haines' and Walkers (or as I like to call us: The American Full House. 3 Haines' and 2 Walkers) spent a day in Disneyland Tokyo!


Personally, I wasn't sure how excited I was supposed to be since I'm 24 years old and I am was a Disneyland virgin.  "So...wait, its just for little kids right?" WRONG! (sort of).  Obviously, the theme park is geared towards children, but I found many aspects about Disneyland which I (as an adult) enjoyed a lot.  Also, lets be honest, I act like a child 90% of the time so it was easy for me to share in the pre-pubescent bliss.

When we walked into the park we decided to hit up Tomorrowland (which I mistakenly call "Futuretown" every time).  The problem is that we were instantly hit with the realization that every popular ride had a 100+ minute wait.  It is, after all, summer at Disneyland in Tokyo.  So the first ride we went on was the rocket ship ride (shown below).




Following this we walked to the wacky world known as Toontown.  Reagan especially enjoyed all of the crazy interactive buildings.


While in Toontown, we decided to get in line for the "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" inspired ride.


So Katie and I waited, and waited, annnnd waited.  During our seemingly endless wait in line Katie and I stayed sane by playing Yatzee on my iPod.  This proved to be an essential survival tool throughout the rest of the day.  I also ended up teaching Katie how to whip a wet towel in order to pop any unsuspecting friend on the leg or tushy.  2 hours later, we were very relieved to board the log ride.  It ended up being great.  Plus, we got a killer photo from the big drop!



One inescapable fact about all early Disney princesses and princes are that they are very obviously Caucasian.  Consequently, Disney must hire white people in foreign Disneylands in order for the characters to be believable.  Before you pull the race card just remember: it isn't racist if its for the kids!



We met back up with the Haines' after the parade and quickly went back to Tomorrowland in hopes of catching the Buzz Lightyear or Monsters Inc attractions.  We did make it to the Buzz line before the wait time topped an hour.

Just as we were about to walk out of the park we passed by the "Captain EO" attraction which is a 3D short movie that George Lucas and Francis Coppola made with Micheal Jackson.  For some reason this ride in particular had been pulling at my soul all day, plus it was only a 10 minute wait at this point.  It was 80s to the max with its blend of funky bass lines, dancing, Star Wars-esque vibe, and MJ saving the day by shooting purifying lasers out of his feet via whip kicks.  


As we stumbled out of the theater, having headaches from the bad 80s 3D, we had one more chance to take some photos before we left.  It was a truly gorgeous night with a bright moon shining next to the Disney Castle. 


Since we had such a great time AND we didn't get to do all of the rides, I'm pretty sure we will be going back soon.  Sometimes it pays to know the birthday girl.



-Seth

A testimate to the power of Facebook:

Koji, a man I met through the Tsukuba Hiking and Mountaineering Club, posted an event labeled "Awesome Summer Trip to Aquarium, Beautiful Beach, Isosaki Shrine in Oarai" and invited all of his friends.  Two weeks later the Walkers and Haines' hop on a Greyhound sized bus (rented specifically for this occasion) with 50+ other people and make our way to Oarai.  Amazing. 


About 75% of the 61 confirmed guests were students at Tsukuba University and in true 'Science City' fashion, almost every individual was from a different country.  As we made our way to Isosaki Shrine, our first stop, the bus microphone was passed down the bus as everyone introduced themselves.  For most, English is their 2nd language which meant it was fun to hear greetings in many different languages.  Of course, since there is really no need to learn another language in the U.S, when I was handed the mic I said


Upon arrival at the shrine we quickly determined that the beachfront 100 yards away was more appealing.  This particular part of coastline is famous for its images of the temple gate embedded in the coastal rocks (see below).

Luckily, I was able to stay relatively dry as we got back on the bus and made our way to the Aquarium.  After grabbing some "American Dogs" (a.k.a. corn dogs), we entered the Aquarium.  Quite frankly, the aquarium was all around better than the Kamagawa Sea World we visited the week before.  Although navigating around in the Aquarium is like trying to make your way through an M.C. Escher drawing, the facilities and animals were quite good.

The main highlight of the aquarium was the dolphin show.  Since Katie and I missed the dolphin show at Sea World, I was really excited to see it here.  Apparently Reagan wasn't able to contain her excitement either as the following video shows.







After a miscommunication lead to us waiting for about an hour by the bus, our group finally arrived at the sandy beaches of Oarai for swimming, beach soccer, and lounging.  Katie, Matt, and I were so excited we immediately took to swimming out to the outer buoy barrier.  This proved to be more of an event as our strokes of pure joy quickly devolved into thrusts of survival.  The buoys were much farther away than they looked.  We all took a small break from the swim, played on the buoys, and soaked in the moment.

Once we got back to the shore, I decided to throw Katie into a wave.  It was then that we noticed that there were literally hundreds of small dead fish swaying back and forth with the waves under water about 2 feet down.  UGH!  We couldn't keep from stepping on them or bumping into them as we tried desperately to get away.  In fact, the spikes on one of the fish's fins stabbed into my ankle.  Not cool.  Every time I stepped on a fish I fought back the urge to dry heave.

It wasn't long before I started questioning what lead to so many dead fish....hmmm....I suddenly felt the urge to stay out of the water, so I joined in the soccer game in the sand and Katie went to hang out with the Haines'.  She took this photo during that time. 


After a mind-clearing game of soccer, I gazed back at the water and saw the the local birds diving in on the dead fish situation.  Since I was sweaty from the game I made myself get back into the water for another swim.  Once you got past the dead fish barrier, the water was great.

I ended up having good conversations in the water with a guy from Uzbekistan whose name to me sounded an awful lot like chocolate.  He wanted people to call him "shoe" because it means "honey" in his language.  I guess he wanted all of the girls to call him honey.  The trouble is, all of the guys end up calling him honey too..?  As we stood in the waves he asked me about undertow because that day was the first time he had ever been in an ocean!  I congratulated him and asked what he thought of it.  He replied nonchalantly "It's salty."


After I broke though the dead fish barrier for the last time, Katie, Chelsae, Matt, and I enjoyed a beer on the beach.  We walked back toward the bus and found a fountain-ish station where we washed off (below).

July 4th weekend is special for everyone who lives in the States! It is a great times with friends, enjoying our freedom and watching fireworks. For Seth and I, it is also our anniversary, so we decided to do a weekend trip.  Seth has a Japanese language class till 8:00pm on Friday nights, so we headed out "early" 9:00am Saturday morning.

Seth and I have become the masters of public transportation, but it was a bit of a challenge to arrive where we wanted to go on Saturday.  To take the trains from Tsukuba to Awa-Kamogawa ( the station for Seaworld) should have taken 2 1/2 hours, but we did not arrive until 2pm....which was 2 1/2 hours more than what it should have taken!  What happened one might ask?  Well it was a struggle with getting on four different train lines and not knowing about rapid trains (everything is in Japanese with no English subtitles) and we also had a train break down on us!

Luckily  all we really wanted to do was hang out and spend time together.  The whole traveling time we would just laugh about what was the next obstacle (ninjas, tsunamis) would come in our way. Once at Seaworld we enjoyed three shows: killer whales, sea-lions, beluga whales, and of course all of the exhibits.


In leaving Seaworld, we picked up our public transportation pride and did much better getting to our hotel. We still had a little obstacle by getting dropped off at the wrong hotel by our taxi driver, but we figured it out and we were ready to rest our feet and eat some dinner!  Here is some more pictures of the Japanese hotel that we stayed in and our day on the beach.





At the beach we realized that we were the only people not surfing and not wearing a wet suit. It was funny but also awkward because everyone was staring at Seth and his awesome body boarding skills!!!

We hope that everyone reading this had a great 4th of July celebrating our countries freedom and the ones that give/risk their lives to keep us free!

   ~Kate

Quite frankly, I've been putting off this blog post for some time now.  My reluctantance to tackle this topic was because I wasn't sure how to describe it without sounding like a pompous jerk or a kindergarten teacher.  I suppose I should just bite the bullet and start with a little background.

Here is the funny thing, I first applied at AIST to do research on dye-sensitized photo cells.  I submitted the application knowing that I was unqualified to handle the hazardous chemicals associated with it.  Seeing that both Matt and I were passionate and motivated, they allowed us to come work in the Turbomachinery Division to do research in Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators (DBDPA) and the Properties of Hydrogen Combustion.  Whew, what a mouth full.  After getting settled in, we had a meeting with our bosses and decided that I would be working on Plasma Actuators while Matt handled Hydrogen Combustion.  One thing that is really nice is that Matt and I are still given the freedom to help each other out on either project.

Okie dokie, its about to get a lot nerdier in here as I  explain plasma actuators.  If you don't much care about how it works simply skip over the first two bold sections and we can meet again later down the page at Finally...what I actually do!  For everyone else, put on your favorite galoshes and take my hand as we try to wade through this sticky, smelly, swamp of science.  

What is a Single Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuator (DBDPA)?
The DBDPA I work with is composed to two electrodes (just think of wires) separated by a thin layer of dielectric material.  The top electrode is exposed to the air whereas the bottom electrode is often submerged in dielectric material.  When low current/high AC voltage is supplied, air close to the exposed electrode becomes weakly ionized.  This ionized air is called plasma.  The plasma creates what is called a body force vector field.  It's this body force which is used to control flow.  Below is a diagram that should help.



What's the point?
Most people know what happens when an airplane tries to climb altitude too fast, it stalls and loses lift.  This is due to a little thing we call flow separation which can cause major problems for airplanes and (wait for it...) wind turbines!  Modern wind turbines rely on principals of lift and drag.  So, when flow separation occurs, efficiency goes down.  If flow separation can be prevented, airplanes can fly at a higher angle of attack and wind turbines can capture more energy.  Below are some images of plasma actuators preventing flow separation on airfoils.


 Finally....what I actually do!
The first major task I've been assigned involves redesigning almost all aspects of the DBDPA experiment.  I designed the Plexiglas wind tunnel test section, the electrode arrangement, and the airfoil itself.  Once everything is put together we will do tests in an attempt to optimize about a dozen things including input voltage, electrode configuration, and overall performance.  Depending on when I'm able to get all of this nailed down, I might be able to write up a technical paper and present it at the "International Symposium on Low Carbon & Renewable Energy Technology" in South Korea in November.  Visiting South Korea would be awesome so I'm really going to push to get a paper submitted

If all goes well, I will start working on a 2nd phase of the project which involves making a 'smart wing.'  Basically we want to try to design a wing that can turn on/off the plasma actuators when it senses that it has flow separation.  Making a 'smart wing' is a daunting task, but I'm excited to try. 

BONUS: Plasma Actuator Air Jets?!
That's right, people have arranged the electrodes to produce little air jets.  Who knows, maybe someday they will make a hover craft with using this technology.  Below is a pic of one of these. 

Ahhhhhhhhh, see? We made it through.  Hopefully I didn't come across as a 'know-it-all' and I hope you find this stuff as interesting as I do.  Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this.  I'd be more than willing to answer anything.  Whelp, I'm going to go rest my brain for a while.


-Seth

It's been brought to my attention that I only ever talk about my endeavors outside of work.  I promise, I do actually work.  I think it is worth mentioning the office dynamics as well as the type of work I do.  Before I whip out a bunch of technical garble, lets focus on the daily grind at AIST.

Every morning Matt and I meet in the parking garage to bike to our office at the AIST West campus.  On our way to work we pass by the two complexes of the National Institute of Material Science (NIMS), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and a whole lot of other researchers on bikes.  This is the Science City, remember?  Also, everyday we ride by a small section of road that has been under construction the entire 3 months I have been here.  I'm not kidding, it's just plain bananas.


Everyday they tear up the same section of pavement, do some work, and repave it.  This is all between the hours of 9am-5pm.  I honestly think they spend at least half of the day cleaning up from the previous day and for the next day.  But I digress....

Once we cross the entrance threshold we get saluted by the guard.  For me this never gets old.  In Japan they have immense respect for their researchers.  Therefore, working at an institution in Tsukuba has a certain amount of prestige.  After we park our bikes under the parking cover, we scan our badges and walk inside.

The first thing I noticed when I entered our building for the first time was the darkness.  The hallways, stairwells, and bathrooms are almost never lit with artificial light.  In fact, even in our office, the only lights that are turned on are the lights that pertain to one's workspace.  I must admit it was a little hard to get used to at first.

When we get into our office we greet everyone with "Ohayo Gozaimasu!" which means good morning.  Shortly after settling into my desk, one of the secretaries brings me coffee just how I like it.  Immense hospitality is displayed everyday here.  Our bosses and coworkers never hesitate to bend over backwards for us.  Their perpetual kindness makes me very grateful for the people I have been placed with here in Japan.  Below are a couple of pictures Matt and I took with some coworkers during the cherry blossom bloom in April.


Once 12 o' clock rolls around, someone will flip on the tele as everyone gathers around the central table.  Lunch is usually very social as everyone talks about the news, weather, ect.  If its a clear day, I will eat my lunch fast and get changed for soccer.  From 12:30 to 1:30 I play soccer with about 15 other researchers from AIST West.  It is sometimes very fast paced even though some of the guys that play are over 60 years old!  What's really great though is that I've been able to join a local soccer league with some of the people I play with at lunch.  My fist official game was a couple weeks ago.  Below is a picture Katie took of me while I waited to go in.


The next break in the work day is the 3:00 tea time.  The secretaries usually gather everybody's mugs, make tea, and lay out snacks for everyone to enjoy at the central table.  This is another social time where people talk about work and non-work related matters. During tea is usually when Matt and I tell everyone about our trips, show pictures, or ask questions about Japanese language and culture. 

At 5:00 a bell chimes and an announcement comes on over the speakers.  The message goes something like "AIST is implementing measures to prevent global warming.  Please conserve energy by turning off any lights or equipment when you are not using them."  In fact, this same message is played in the morning and at lunch time.  Sustainability is ingrained in the culture of AIST.  In fact, the central campus boasts the title of "Mega-Solar Town" because of its over 1 MW of solar power generation capabilities via photovoltaics.   

Another interesting message is announced on Wednesdays which encourages people to finish their work and go home.  Wednesdays are days that AIST officials try in vain to prevent people from working overtime.  It never works though because everyone just ignores the message.  I can't imagine any company having to make that announcement in the U.S.  I think this is a major cultural difference between America and Japan.  In Japan, the general mindset is that people 'live to work' whereas Americans 'work to live.'  Although I really enjoy my work, while in Japan I will definitely be more on the 'work to live' side.

Usually around 5:30, Matt and I gather our things and leave the office with a "sayonara!"  If it is a Tuesday or Friday we make our way to language classes at the AIST Central from 5:45 to 7:45.  Every other day we just mozy on back to the Ninomiya House. 

-Seth

After spending the morning in the Peace Park, we took a train to the port for Miyojima.  The only way to get there by public transit is to take a ferry.  This is nice because you get a good view of the island before you arrive.



Reagan started getting really antsy so Matt and Chelsae let her play in the water for a little bit.  They seized the moment and got a family photo out of it.

After having a great time in Kyoto we caught our Shinkansen to Hiroshima. Upon our arrival, we were welcomed with pouring rain...bummer. The group decided to venture out, rain or shine, since we knew there was a ton of things we wanted to see. After consulting a soggy map, we sloshed our way to the Hiroshima Castle.

The first thing we noticed about the castle, was that there was no castle. Said castle was destroyed by the atomic bomb. Later, I found out that part of the castle had been rebuilt, but we didn't see it. We did however spot a guard outpost and made it in 30 minutes before closing. As we tried to take in 5 stories of history in half of an hour, we spotted an area where you can take photos with samurai and kimono clothes. We were able to snap this picture right before they called for people to leave.


That night we walked around and found a fantastic place to have dinner which overlooked the streets.  The table had two grills and they brought out raw meat and different sauces for us.


It had been a long day of walking so we headed back to the hotel to relax and rest our feet. In fact, Katie drew some burning hot water in the bath for us to soak our feet in.


The following day, I was especially excited because we were to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum as well as the island of Miyojima. The first point of interest is the A-Bomb dome.


What makes this so interesting is that it was located very close to the center of the explosion. Since there wasn't much of a sideways force from the blast, the building remained standing. The people of Hiroshima have vowed to preserve the building exactly how it looked right after the explosion.You can see it on the left side of the photo taken right after the blast.


The next stop was the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.  As a self-proclaimed WWII buff, I could hardly contain my excitement when we entered!  When you walk into the museum you are immediately hit with an air of respect.  Respect for the 150,000 who perished in the blast, respect for the citizens of Hiroshima who immediately rebuilt their great city, and respect for the bomb itself.  I think I speak for everyone when I say that I was overwhelmed by the amount of information/photos/displays.  With something so historically significant though, you wouldn't want to leave anything out.  Here were some photos I took.