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What’s ATIP?What’s ATIP?

• ATIP = Asian Technology Information Program• A US not-for-profit company (12th year)

– Both government and corporate contracts– HQ in the US, but most staff abroad

• Mission: – To improve Western understanding of Asian

technology developments– To improve collaborations for mutual benefit– To build communities of common interests– Think Tank for corporate and govt orgs

Advanced Technologies in Advanced Technologies in JapanJapan

Dr. David K. Kahanerkahaner@atip.or.jp

AF Asian Science & Technology ForumMay 25, 2006

National Strategies to Foster Innovation in Japan

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Advanced Japanese Advanced Japanese TechnologiesTechnologies

• R&D in many sectors at world class levels• Driven by commercial & social needs primarily (e.g., not

defense)• Rapid diffusion into products & services• Other countries (especially in Asia) are copying/using this

model• Examples in this talk are:

– Instrumented transportation– Microelectronics, Sensors– Wireless applications & devices– Human interfaces– Robotics– Fuel cells– Advanced computers– RFID applications– Safety structures for homes– Medical technology for people

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Instrumented transportationInstrumented transportation

• Hi tech infrastructure (trains, roads,…)

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Transportation & ITTransportation & IT

• An integrated system including Vehicle Information & Communications (2 way), Electronic Toll Collection, Advanced Highway System, Universal Transportation Management System

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Subway map (Tokyo)Subway map (Tokyo)

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Buses tooBuses too

• Internet delivery of real-time schedule info (PCs & cell phones) including time required to destinations & position info of buses

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Leads to the followingLeads to the following

From my secretary….

David, you should leave our office at 10:45 and walk to the Oeda subway station (five escalators down from the street).

Please take the 10:53 Oeda line to Shinjuku, which arrives at 11:03. At Shinjuku go up four escalators

You have nine minutes to transfer to the JR Orange Line which leaves there at 11:12 from track 10.

This arrives at Higasi Koganai station at 11:38. Please leave that station by the North exit.

You will have 7 minutes to walk to the CoCo (local) bus stop which is just outside the station. That bus leaves at 11:45.

Get off at bus stop #11, where Prof Pasco will be waiting for you at 11:55.

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MicroelectronicsMicroelectronics

• No secret about this• All aspects of semiconductor

manufacturing, minus the processors• Advanced system-on-chip (SoC),

combining different devices in one package

• Microelectronics manufacturing– Moving toward smaller, more agile fabs– NEC, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Renesas, etc.

• Moving toward advanced materials (SiGe, GaN, SiC, etc)

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Sensors (related to Sensors (related to microelectronics)microelectronics)

• Ubiquitous sensing– Networking of sensors

• RFID solutions• GPS-enabled devices including phones• Medical technologies (blood pressure, calorie

meter, body composition, etc.

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Mobile technologyMobile technology

• Advanced CDMA (3G+)• NTT DoCoMo and AU are the main

competitors now• NTT exporting DoCoMo i-Mode now• Features not to be seen in US

market for at least 2-3 years• Fujitsu leading in base stations

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Human InterfacesHuman Interfaces

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Human InterfacesHuman Interfaces

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Human InterfacesHuman Interfaces

• Japanese banking system creaks but their ATMs are the world’s most sophisticated.

• Multilingual• Color, animation• Audio• Bankbook• Some biometrics

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Human InterfacesHuman Interfaces

• Japan: Land of the talking elevator

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Interacting with HumansInteracting with Humans

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RoboticsRobotics

• Not only manufacturing robotics• Robots aimed at everyday apps:

– Security– Assisting the elderly

• Exoskeletons, muscle suits

– Humanoids (e.g. Asimo)– Robot intelligence

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Base technologiesBase technologies

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Fuel Cells + Micropower Fuel Cells + Micropower GeneratorsGenerators

• Large (for cars)• Large fuel cell programs at Toyota, Honda, Nissan• Hydrogen infrastructure development underway• Small (to power portable electronics)

– Sharp, Casio, Fujitsu, NEC, NTT, etc.

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Other Energy SourcesOther Energy Sources

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Advanced ComputersAdvanced Computers

• Earth Simulator (world’s fastest in 2002)

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

0 640 1280 1920 2560 3200 3840 4480 5120Number of CPUs

Tfl

ops

Sustained Peak

30.00

35.00

40.00

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Advanced ComputersAdvanced Computers

• New project: Kei-Soku– Preparing to build ~US$1.1B next

generation computer (10PF), operational by 2011

– For life science and nanotech simulations

– Just behind US efforts

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OthersOthers

• Nanotechnology– Carbon Nanotubes and Nanosheets

invented in Japan– Possible “megacity” of CNT trusses

• RFID for non-logistics applications– Tracking children via tags in

backbacks and readers in vending machines

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ConclusionsConclusions

• Japan is at or near world levels in many advanced technologies.

• Drivers are commercial and social needs rather than defense.

• Japan rapidly diffuses technology out of the labs into prototype products and services.

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Thanks for the opportunity to Thanks for the opportunity to speakspeak

ATIP Japan (below)

Contact anytime by email [kahaner@atip.or.jp] or telephone [(505) 842-9020, +81 3 5411 6670]