Keio Research Institute at SFC

■Objectives

We are seeing a rapid expansion in opportunities to connect different things to the Internet, made possible by the development of embedded technologies and Internet connection technologies. In particular, the use of wireless technologies is freeing things from the physical restrictions of place and distance, and is expected to bring even more freedom to how we use information and data.

In this situation, wireless communication technology can be seen not as a means of communication for the purpose of connecting to the Internet as we have previously been regarding, but as a means for achieving an open system that expands the scope of utilization for both the equipment being connected and the information and data being transmitted. At the same time, by combining the use of the appropriate wireless communication technology, it will become possible to connect not only the kinds of equipment that have already been connected to the network, but also the non-network connective equipment. The new system values that will be born from this connectivity will give rise to a new, disruptive innovation that could not have been imagined under the traditional social system.

Meanwhile, when we look at the fields of information processing technology and telecommunications engineering in Japan, it cannot be said that high regard is being given to the academic value of conducting research on system architecture that seeks to generate new values by advancing and combining these developments. In the future, the complexities in these fields will increase, while the use of AI and big data will also advance further, which will increase the importance of conducting research on system architecture that brings together the elemental technologies.

In order to conduct research on the above, the Unwired Innovation Lab seeks to develop a broadly targeted research structure that encompasses integrative network connection technologies including both wired and wireless connections, as well as information processing technology that comprehensively covers not only terminals but also services, with the aim of conducting activities to perform research, realize social implementation, and achieve global standardization for a system architecture that mixes elemental technologies including both wired and wireless communications.

In particular, bringing Internet technology to the primary industry that has traditionally been using a closed network may help solve the various problems faced by this industry and bring new improvements to its level of productivity. This would be achieved by moving forward from Internet connection of ICT devices to expanding those into a system that achieves a broader range of collaborative operations through the use of wireless communication technologies. Also, in order to achieve social implementation of the results of the research conducted from this system-based perspective, what would become important is to make it into a global standard. And to develop a global standard, the key driving force would be in forming a strategic partnership between the industry and the academia. This lab will strive toward these missions and proceed with discovering and resolving problems from a global perspective.

■Outline of Research Activity Plan

<Phase 1>

• Study and organize the current issues in the primary industry on Internet usage, as well as on information/data distribution through mutual connectivity, and proceed with research with a focus on architecture development. In particular, develop a research policy for the integrated management of major fishery systems, in consideration of data distribution in the marine fishery industry where Japan has global competitive potential. Furthermore, perform research on the current situation with regards to global standardization in this same field. A proposal for social implementation and a plan for deploying the results of the studies will be developed based on these research findings.

<Phase 2>

• Conduct social implementation of the fishery system, and aim for verification in the actual field.
• Develop specific strategies on giving proposals toward the global standardization organization on the contributive factors, with a focus on the interface between each hierarchy that comprises the system. Also, seek to acquire public research funds.
• Consider the ripple effect of the core technology, and catalogue what the differences are and what technologies can be commonly used with other businesses in the primary industry.

<Phase 3>

• Conduct social implementation of the fishery system. Also, summarize the various problems for social implementation.
• Based on the strategies for proposing the contributing factors toward global standardization, establish a structure for promoting global standardization through collaborative work between the industry, academia and the government, and proceed with activities toward standardization.
• Summarize the policies for activities toward other areas in the primary industry in which these activities can be deployed, and indicate the policy for future development.

Researchers, managers and professors