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Project authors: (Future University Hakodate) and (The University of Tokyo). Both will visit Aalto University as visiting researchers during the project.

This project focuses on often overlooked tree types and sheds light on how they can inform furniture design using AI-powered optimization. Traditionally, furniture designs tend toward uniformity, with identical products often masking the unique qualities of various wood species. However, the recent global wood shortage has compelled manufacturers to switch from imported timber to various locally sourced woods—each with distinct mechanical properties that challenge fixed industrial production lines. Taking this as a design opportunity, this project aims to develop an AI-assisted design workflow that updates and optimizes joint parts in furniture according to material uniqueness. The role of AI in this project is twofold: image-based material analysis, and numerical evaluation of aesthetic quality.