- Open, yet secure, high-tech lab built to generate maximum
innovation -
Research activities kick off today at NEC’s new C&C
(Computers and Communications) Innovation Research Laboratories in
Nara, Japan*. The new laboratories will focus on research and
development of future information communication systems, post
full-scale convergence of computers and communications. Under a
policy of open and secure innovation, the laboratories will
collaborate with the world’s top researchers at up to 20 research
institutes, universities, and enterprises a round the world to
develop world first, cutting edge technologies. Research will be
focused on (1) cognitive computing and applied systems to generate
completely new kinds of innovation, and (2) communication and
applied systems, surpassing the boundaries of time, space,
language, distance, and culture.
Features of the new laboratories include:
(1) Open and Secure Research Environment: The open laboratory
accommodates NEC and guest researchers on site, while also
realizing open communication with non-present research partners via
a High Definition Remote Research Window - a real-time, two-way,
visual connection with remote research facilities, realized by high
definition cameras/TV. In addition, the laboratories ensure
top-class security through NEC’s thin clients, which prevent
information leaks by server-concentrated data management, and RFID
tags, which are attached to the facilities, including library books
and PCs.
(2) Intellectual Activity History Recording System: This system
has been designed to analyze the innovation generation process via
a data base of activity history that is accumulated by recording
all image, voice, movement, human contact, book, document and
whiteboard use, and PC operation inside the laboratory. Utilizing
this data, NEC will strive to reveal the relationship between
human-to-human/human-to-object contact and innovation generation,
and to identify the process of intellectual activity.
(3) Inspiration Path: Researchers can relay and build ideas freely
and instantaneously via an Inspiration Path, which consists of an
asynchronous dialogue system that is located in the corridors of
the laboratory. Overcoming the barrier of time, researchers can
share their ideas with the system, which will communicate them to
other researchers.
(4) Wiki-type Open Source Development Platform: Development of a
platform created by multiple parties through the accumulation of
knowledge scattered around the world. For example, NEC could
utilize this system to generate new user scenarios for NEC’s
research robot PaPeRo (Partner-Personal-Robot) by enabling
collaboration of people with various skill sets, such as software
professionals, robot scientists, artists, and children, to design
various robot behaviors.
(5) Engine to Enable Automatic Extraction of Causal Relationship of
Web Information: NEC is developing an engine that enables
extraction of human relationships from web information, and
displays them in the form of human networks. NEC hopes to expand
this system to enable identification of the causal relationship of
all kinds of information in the future.
“NEC has a history of developing leading technologies in the
fields of computers and communications. The convergence of these
fields is already spurring on the development of new and exciting
technologies,” said Keiji Yamada, General Manager, C&C
Innovation Research Laboratories. “Our new open and secure
laboratories have been built with a host of highly advanced
technologies to ensure NEC maintains its position as a leading
innovator of future technology.”
*The establishment of the new laboratory marks the 30th
anniversary of Koji Kobayashi’s, former chairman of NEC
Corporation, C&C vision, which foresaw the convergence of
digital communications with the computer. Over the past 30 years,
convergence has progressed to enable a networked society that
empowers people to access information anywhere, and anytime,
through a variety of information communication
devices.***