Proprius21 Feasibility Study
Example cases (published 2007)
Case 6: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Updated June 15, 2007
Collaborative Research to generate Research Theme in Intellectual Cognition for Future Automobiles
Toward the middle of the 21st century, social problems caused by automobiles will become more and more serious in terms of traffic jams, the discharge of carbon dioxide, the increasing number of elderly drivers and so on. Bearing in mind these important issues, collaborative activities were started to determine appropriate themes regarding intellectual cognition centering on key technologies in robotics, with the aim of future innovations in automobile production. As a result, collaborative research between Nissan Motor Co.,Ltd. and the University of Tokyo was conducted.
Participants from the laboratories at the Mechano-Informatics in Graduate School of Information Science & Technology, Research Center for Advanced Science & Technology, Graduate School of Education and Graduate School of Arts & Science at The University of Tokyo collaborated with the Nissan’s Research Center.
Case 7: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Updated June 15, 2007
Detection of Bionics Information to realize Driving Pleasure
with the presumption of Subjective Quantity for Driver’s Positive Stimulus
Driving pleasure and car-interior comfort will become more important in a future society in which automobiles proliferate. To realize such comfortable and spacious interiors, interdisciplinary intelligence over a wide range of disciplines from engineering, medicine and psychology is essential. By means of a Proprius21 project, a feasibility study for detecting drivers’ bionic information and developing a feedback cycle to drivers for positive stimuli was started. From October 2006 to March 2007, a basic study on information to identify pleasurable experiences had by drivers as well as the presumption of subjective quantity was conducted by cross functional departments at the Graduate School of Art & Science, Humanity & Sociology, Engineering and Frontier Science to provide a research project plan.
Case 8: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Updated June 15, 2007
Development of University Corporate Relation Program for Middle Size Companies
Mid-sized companies have several suitable options for resolving their technology issues through cooperation with universities. However there has been in the past no appropriate system for realizing collaborative research.
After a one-year evaluation conducted by several financial services companies, SMBC decided to start this study with Proprius21. SMBC promoted the program to clients, developing the first project between ALMAD and Graduate of Agriculture & Life Science. This collaborative research project looked at the bio-effect of eggshell membranes via animal experimentation, with verification using cultivated cells. ALMAD provided funding of 30 million yen for two years for this project.
Case 9: Mitsubishi Research Institute,Inc. (MRI)
Updated June 15, 2007
Bird's-eye View Research about Theme Settlement for Future Society
In a future globalized society production will decrease in importance as an issue. Various other issues, both national and international and across a wide range of areas—such as technology development, the graying of society, depletion of resources and energy, destruction of the natural environment and the increasing disparity in wealth between nations—will come to the fore. Each of these is a very serious issue and they are all complexly interrelated each other, making it difficult to resolve them, or even figure out their essence. This Proprius21 project focuses on the period of 2040 to 2050. The University of Tokyo and MRI, combining their broad knowledge and experience, are working together to determine what the issues might be, with the aim of making public proposals for their resolution. The two main focuses of this project are the variation in international conditions and the progress of science and technology, both of which will affect society. The project is considering different scenarios for the benefit of human beings and society. This project will continue for three years from August 2005, with researchers from the Graduate Schools of Medicine, Humanities & Sociology, Interdisciplinary Information Studies and Agricultural & Life Science participating.
