Aiming at Establishing Intellectual Links between Universities and Society Ambient Social Infrastructure Study Group, the University of Tokyo
- － Committee Chair’s Greeting
- － Overview of Activities
- － Organization Structure
- － Activity Period
- － Members
- － Inquiries
Committee Chair’s Greeting
Hiroyuki Morikawa
Professor
The University of Tokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology
Problems that must be solved on a global scale have begun to surface, including exploding populations, food shortages, resource depletion, massive natural disasters, and climate change, and at the same time, in Japan we must look squarely at pressing issues such as the decrease in population as well as the drop in the birthrate and the aging of the population in order to build a new nation that is capable of sustainable growth. This Study Group believes that a wide range of technologies, including information and communications technology (ICT), will solve these problems and contribute to the creation of new industries. From this perspective, with research and development targets such as the environment, cities, agriculture, resources, logistics, and medical service in mind, the Group aims to clarify how the economy, society, industry, and science and technology should be.
Overview of Activities
Since the invention of integrated circuits, as information processing capacity and storage capacity have expanded according to Moore’s Law, the evolution of electronic devices has contributed significantly to the advancement of many types of equipment and systems. In order to solve social problems regarding changes in the environment, energy, the aging of society, medical services, and nursing care, new systems for processing huge volumes of raw real-world information are necessary. To this end, it is imperative to use “ambient devices,” which are created by incorporating a large number of diverse input/output device functions into ordinary pieces of equipment that are often found in daily life. Ambient devices can be used to realize an information society that contributes to industries involved in the environment, agriculture, cities, resources, logistics, and medical services.
The Study Group defines "ambient social infrastructure" as an "interdisciplinary system of technology to solve various problems facing the planet Earth and society by using information and communications technology (ICT) to develop a social infrastructure using ambient devices." The Group is characterized by its research framework aimed at realizing this new social infrastructure through the University of Tokyo’s cross-sectional research system, which is based on partnerships between researchers and enterprises, including those in the ICT field. With its Vision Working Group (WG), Urban Environments WG, Agricultural and Forest Environments WG, Real-world Log WG, and Wireless Power Supply WG, it aims to clarify through multifaceted perspectives a roadmap to solve many of the problems which face the planet Earth and society.
Organization Structure
(1) Vision WG
This working group aims to clearly define a vision of ambient social infrastructure, including component infrastructures and devices, and to consider a roadmap for problem-solving while looking hard at the gap between our vision and the present state of affairs.
(2) Urban Environments WG
This working group aims to develop concepts of urban environments in Japan and abroad to solve environmental and resource problems as well as to handle a declining birthrate and aging population. The group also considers issues to be addressed in realizing such concepts and solutions which focus on ICT.
(3) Agricultural and Forest Environments WG
The objectives of this working group are to clarify issues related to agricultural and forest environments and to consider a wide range of solutions using ICT, including partnerships in not only sensing but also in actuators and energy.
(4) Real-world Log WG
Environments are being established that enable storage and use of various kinds of information using ICT, but there are many financial, legal, and psychological concerns to be addressed. This working group aims to analyze such issues and systematically consider relevant solutions.
(5) Wireless Power Supply WG
An ambient society, freed from the restrictions of power cables, has the potential to bring diverse revolutionary services, but there are many issues to be addressed, including those concerning transmission efficiency and distance as well as environmental and other problems. This working group takes a technology-driven approach to consider and solve such issues.
Activity Period
The Study Group, which began operation in September 2010, plans to complete its activities in March 2012.
Members
The University of Tokyo
| Committee Chair | Hiroyuki Morikawa Professor, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology |
| Advisor | Hiroyuki Fujita Deputy Director and Professor, Institute of Industrial Science |
| Vice Committee Chair | Takao Someya Professor, Graduate School of Engineering |
| Vice Committee Chair | Hiroyuki Shinoda Associate Professor, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology |
The Study Group has 23 members in addition to those listed above.
Corporate members (as of November 19, 2010)
13 leading companies
Inquiries
All inquiries about the Study Group should be addressed to:
Secretariat for the Ambient Social Infrastructure Study Group, the University of Tokyo
e-mail：
