Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering (RACE) was established in 1992, aiming at three research fields, Design Science, Manufacturing Science, and Intelligence Science. RACE was newly reorganized into four new research divisions, Life Cycle Engineering, Service Engineering, Digital Value Engineering, and Co-Creation Engineering in April 2002. RACE moved to Kashiwa Campus and started new activities in April 2005. A new division, Value Creation Initiative (Sumitomo Corporation) was added in December 2005.

Even since the establishment, RACE has challenged to solve the problems of "modern evils in manufacturing artifacts", and has achieved activities to pursue new methodologies to create unprecedented relationship among human, artifacts and their environment without shackling conventional methodologies.

Life Cycle Engineering Division focuses on whole life cycle issues of artifacts. Service Engineering Division does research into the design of service and servicenized devices. Digital Value Engineering deals with visualization of knowledge and digital value creation. Co-creation Engineering Division, aiming at establishing mutual collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders in future technology-based societies, plays the role of integrator of the other three divisions. Value Creation Initiative (Sumitomo Corporation) Division studies on value creation of artifacts in our societies.

Research Members of RACE, together with graduate schools, have explored a new horizon of artifactual engineering. We also plan future international collaboration with universities and institutes in various countries, as well as collaborations with industries.