Announcing the Winners of CEATEC AWARD 2023: Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Award, Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Award, The Minister of Digital Agency Award, and Category Awards

2023/10/16

The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA: Keiji Kojima, Director and Chairman; also Director, Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO of Hitachi, Ltd.) is pleased to announce the recipients of CEATEC AWARD 2023, including the three ministerial awards – Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Award, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, and The Minister of Digital Agency Award – as well as the Category Awards, all of which are selected from technologies, products, and services on display at CEATEC 2023. The CEATEC AWARD 2023 review board panel of judges has selected the CEATEC AWARD 2023 to be implemented with the goal of realizing Society 5.0, which will contribute to the creation and development of new value and markets while invigorating related industries.
For details, please refer to: https://www.ceatec.com/2023/en/award/.

Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Award

Secure Space Management Solution – Toshiba Corporation

Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Award

Sustainable PCB by Metal Inkjet Printing Technology – Elephantech Inc.

The Minister of Digital Agency Award

“Xacti LIVE”, the World’s Smallest-class Imaging Device and Video
Communication Service Innovates the Way We LIVE – Xacti Corporation

＜Winners of CEATEC AWARD 2023＞

Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Award

Secure Space Management Solution
Toshiba Corporation

Outline

With public spaces facing a growing threat from terrorism, there is demand for new screening technologies that can detect hidden hazards without compromising convenience. The Toshiba Group has developed a walk-through inspection system that visualizes and detects hazardous materials concealed in clothing in less than one second. It benefits from proprietary integration and scanning technologies for automotive millimeter-wave radar ICs and draws on military radar and semiconductor technologies cultivated over many years. It can be deployed in a variety of public spaces to enhance community safety, security and sustainability.

Assessment

Safety is taken as a given in Japan, but the growing danger posed by criminals and terrorists using firearms and explosives will demonstrate that such optimism is unfounded. Currently, surveillance cameras and metal detectors are used to detect whether somebody is attempting to carry dangerous materials into locations with high security requirements, such as international conference centers and airports frequented by dignitaries. However, this approach is time-consuming, inconvenient, and may miss materials or firearms designed to evade detection. In contrast, to provide walk-through security Toshiba’s spatial security management solution utilizes a millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar module designed for automotive applications and which can detect not only objects with familiar signatures but also unfamiliar objects that might pose a threat. The modular design means that this is suited for multiple applications, using common hardware paired with different software to provide additional features and functions. The system can be customized for different installations and can be used for various applications, such as nondestructive inspection which relies on mmWave characteristics. This solution was highly evaluated for being practical and marketable as well as for its effective use of electromagnetic waves.

Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Award

Sustainable PCB by Metal Inkjet Printing Technology
Elephantech Inc.

Outline

Elephantech Inc.Elephantech Inc.—a Japanese startup whose mission is to “create a sustainable world through the power of new manufacturing”—is the first manufacturer in the world to successfully mass produce electronic circuit boards using environmentally friendly metal inkjet printing. Compared to the conventional subtractive manufacturing method, this proprietary pure additive method is a sustainable solution since it cuts copper use by 70%, CO² emissions by 75%, and water use by 95%.

Assessment

Today, electronic devices such as smartphones and PCs are indispensable to daily life. And indispensable to their manufacture is the PCB or printed circuit board. Electronic components are soldered onto PCBs to create electronic circuits, and typically this is achieved using the subtractive method, in which metal is applied to the entire surface of the substrate. On those portions of the board where traces are not needed, the metal is melted and removed, but this process involves large amounts of waste liquids and wastewater, meaning it has a high environmental impact. Elephantech is the first company to succeed in mass-producing electronic circuit boards using a “pure additive method,” which utilizes metal inkjet printing technology to apply metal only where traces are needed. It is thus expected to make an important contribution to the realization of a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society. As well as significantly reducing CO² emissions and water consumption, it can also greatly reduce the amount of copper and other metals used, meaning lower resource needs and lower costs. And having achieved mass production ahead of its competitors, Elephantech was also highly evaluated as regards its business continuity and development potential.

The Minister of Digital Agency Award

“Xacti LIVE”, the World’s Smallest-class Imaging Device and Video Communication Service, Innovates the Way of LIVE.
Xacti Corporation

Outline

Xacti LIVE—a wearable device & service for supplying a live video feed—is a solution for realizing 5G/6G live business sharing with POV video anywhere, anytime. Realistic video and audio captured at the scene using this small, lightweight device (weighing less than 30 grams) realizes compelling and smooth remote support from multiple locations.

Assessment

Xacti Corporation develops and manufactures wearable cameras to meet the demand for remote presence and remote support in many situations, helping to solve social issues associated with the declining birthrate and aging population. The use of wearable cameras is expanding from construction sites to the manufacturing industry. One of the challenges is to create a wearable camera for situations where no helmet is available. Weighing less than 30g, Xacti LIVE is 1/3 the weight and 1/7 the volume of previous models. It can thus be attached to spectacles, hats, shirts, etc. Depending on the bandwidth available, it automatically adjusts to the optimum image quality to ensure a smooth feed with no clipping. Zooming and other camera operations can be performed by staff in the editing suite where the video is being viewed. A conventional digital zoom results in grainy images, but Xacti’s unique image engine realizes magnification without degrading resolution. The compact, lightweight design of the system has been highly evaluated for its potential in on-site maintenance, logistics, and security applications, as well as in retail and entertainment. The potential further expands if used in combination with smart glasses. Xacti LIVE is expected to stimulate DX in various fields, in addition to solving social issues associated with the declining birthrate and aging population through the provision of remote support.

Category Awards

Advanced Technologies Category

■ Grand Prix

New micro-LED/micro-Laser Fabrication Method and Original Substrate

KYOCERA Corporation

Outline

KYOCERA Corporation has developed a proprietary substrate (EGOS) exclusively for fabricating very small light sources (micro-LEDs) and a revolutionary new process for manufacturing high-quality devices at low cost by using this substrate. A total of 340 micro-LEDs, fabricated from an area of this substrate with ultra-low defects, are simultaneously mounted on a circuit board to create an array. This EGOS substrate can also be used in the manufacture of lasers that are very challenging to fabricate: demonstrating this is the world’s first 100 µm ultrashort cavity laser on a Si substrate*, capable of continuously oscillating at room temperature.
*A world-first for GaN-based edge-emitting lasers with a cavity of 100 µm or less
formed on a Si substrates (Sept. 2022 Kyocera survey).

Assessment

Although hailed as a next-generation light source, micro-LEDs are not expected to be widely used in the immediate future because of such issues as the difficulty of manufacturing them and the high costs involved. However, by developing its new proprietary substrate KYOCERA has made it possible to manufacture micro-LEDs with low defect rates and at low cost. The substrate can also be used to fabricate laser elements with a 100 µm resonance wavelength, and to produce micro light sources for automotive transparent displays and AR/VR smart glasses. Among the many applications demonstrated were car headlights in which the individual light elements can be precisely controlled so that only those that might dazzle the driver of an oncoming car can be powered down when necessary. OLED technology is still dominant in the field of display applications, but micro-LEDs are the focus of growing expectations as regards quality and longevity, so it is thought that they have very high potential in other fields. While LED panel manufacture, formerly a Japanese monopoly, faces stiff price competition, it is predicted that the manufacture of such devices with high added value could come to represent a new industrial base for Japan.

■ Semi Grand Prix

Energy-efficient AI Processor MN-Core™ Series

株式会社Preferred Networks

Outline

Preferred Networks developed the MN-Core™ series of AI processors, which accelerate AI learning and achieve the world's highest level of computing performance per unit of power consumption, in collaboration with Kobe University. The company is working to develop and accelerate innovative technologies that apply deep learning in materials exploration and robotics, with the first large-scale cluster MN-3 using MN-Core becoming operational in June 2020. A successor, MN-Core 2, which is even more compact and powerful, has since been developed and is currently being mass-produced.

Assessment

The accuracy and capability of artificial intelligence (AI) has grown dramatically in recent years, making it a growth industry on a global scale. Preferred Networks is one of Japan’s top AI (deep learning) developers and is recognized as one of the largest unicorns in Japan. More and more computational resources are needed as the accuracy of AI increases and demand for it grows. The MN-Core processors developed by the company offer high computing power with low power consumption. Their MN-Core 2 has been developed to offer further downsizing and power performance (computing performance per unit of power consumption). Compared to their previous model, the MN-Core 2 has three times the computing performance per rack and 33% higher computing performance per unit of power. The energy savings and higher performance were evaluated with the expectation that it would not only mean a simple increase in processing speed (shortening of arithmetic operations), but also enable more complex operations, such as increasing the number of trials, to be performed at a realistic cost.

■ Semi Grand Prix

Visualizing Taste: The Dining Table of the Future—Taste Judgement and Information Processing by AI Analysis from Images of Vegetables, Fruits, Tea Leaves, etc. Taken by Smartphones, etc.

MakutaAmenity Co., Ltd.

Outline

The "deliciousness" of vegetables, etc., is instantly analyzed from images taken with a smartphone, etc., and "visualized" in numerical and other formats. Since the analysis is performed by AI on the cloud, this DX technology can be used worldwide as long as there is connectivity. This is the world’s first analysis system using visible light without the use of specialized equipment. Anyone can easily use the system by downloading a dedicated app to a smartphone or other device. The results are displayed on an easy-to-understand, user-friendly screen, with ample consideration given to the UI.

Assessment

MakutaAmenity's technology uses AI to analyze the distribution of RGB in visible light to determine the quality (taste) of agricultural products. The image analysis AI resides on the cloud and can be accessed by anyone via smartphone app. In some cases, the cost of this technology can be as low as 1/100th of what it would cost with conventional technology. In addition to data on who took the pictures and when and where they were taken, the company is currently developing a system that can analyze 17 fresh agricultural products as well as tea leaves that have gone through the first processing stage. The company claims that the uniqueness of its know-how has enabled it to obtain rights to its own IP without infringing on the rights of other companies, and that it has a high IP rating. It can be used in a wide range of processes from production to consumption and is expected to bring about a revolution in production and distribution. The technology is also expected to be utilized overseas, and is expected to play a role in resolving issues raised in the SDGs, such as fair trade. A wide range of possibilities through industry-government-academia collaboration and open innovation is highly anticipated.

Devices Category

■ Grand Prix

Multiphysics Nano-Tactile Sensing to Visualize the Delicate Sensation of Fingertips

National University Corporation, Kagawa University, JST-CREST

Outline

This tactile sensing system represents a completely new field of technology in which the touch sensations derived from a human hand are quantified and visualized. The key is pairing a unique high-resolution tactile sensor with deep learning (AI). High-quality tactile data is acquired by the sensor and memorized by AI. Once tactile characteristics are thus stored, the system can identify objects with greater sensitivity and accuracy than is possible with fingertips—even objects that are difficult for humans to distinguish. This technology is expected to find applications in various fields, such as the very early detection of malignant tumors in patients or abnormal wear in sliding mechanical components.

Assessment

The delicate sensations made possible by our fingertips have proved difficult to visualize as data, but researchers at Kagawa University have developed a silicon MEM tactile sensor based on unique principles: it imitates the fine fingerprint structure and tactile receptor functions of the human fingertip to capture five major touch sensations: roughness, friction, hardness/softness, dryness/wetness, and cold/warmth. In this way they have succeeded in the data-based visualization of touch. Furthermore, by applying deep learning to tactile information, it has become possible to develop tactile abilities that surpass our own. For example, a test was conducted to identify seven brands of tissue paper purely by touch: humans achieved a success rate of approximately 30%, whereas a nano-haptic device coupled with AI scored more than 95%. Moreover, they found that, provided sample quality is high, high accuracy is possible even when learning from a few samples. By succeeding in the spatial visualization of changes in thermal conduction based on cold/warm sensations, it is now easier to reproduce the sort of moist and warm sensations that determine a pleasant tactile feeling. As a practical example, the researchers suggest that, when developing products designed to simulate natural buckskin, this technology can enhance reproducibility and speed up development. It was highly evaluated for its future potential and applicability in a wide range of fields where objective tactile data can be used to determine such things as skincare efficacy or hair texture, the progress of cancers, clothing comfort, and food freshness/ripeness.

■ Semi Grand Prix

Perovskite Solar Cells Integrated with Glass Building Materials

Panasonic Group

Outline

Panasonic’s perovskite solar cells are integrated with glass building materials and are capable of controlling the level of transparency. They are therefore anticipated to be widely used in places where silicon solar cells cannot be easily adopted, such as in windows and walls, by virtue of their design and appearance. In addition, Panasonic's perovskite solar cells offer the world’s highest power generation efficiency (17.9%) in a practical size (>800cm²).

Assessment

Perovskite solar cells are considered to be the mainstay of next-generation solar cells and are being commercialized not only by Panasonic but also by other companies. On the other hand, there are many issues related to the installation location and footprint amidst the growing need for energy creation. Installation on walls and windows is also being considered, but it is necessary to harmonize the design and transparency with the architecture. The company's technology applies OLED display production technology to manufacture solar cells on glass using transparent electrodes and ink-jet coating, enabling highly flexible processing and size control. With a high power generation efficiency of 17.9%, and the ability to be installed anywhere glass can be used, the market size is expected to be larger than that of conventional solar cells. The potential of this environmentally friendly "power generating glass" was highly evaluated.

Co-creations Category

■ Grand Prix

Realization of On-site DX by Utilizing the Digital Twin Platform CONNECTIA at the Construction Stage

Obayashi Corporation

Outline

CONNECTIA is a design collaboration tool for the civil engineering and construction industries and is intended for use by on-site foremen (prime/subcontractors). Based on 3D models, it enhances efficiency in planning, enables visual simulations, and facilitates the sharing of results. Unlike BIM/CIM software or dedicated 3D-modeling software, it is an intuitive tool that provides a game-like interface so that people who do not normally use 3D tools can formulate construction plans and share information.

Assessment

In the construction industry, the workforce is shrinking and aging faster than in other industries. There is thus an urgent need for enhanced productivity and work style reforms. A solution developed by Obayashi Corporation is CONNECTIA, a digital twin application for construction sites that can completely reproduce a site on a computer using topographical data, urban models, design data, and point cloud data. Construction machinery and equipment used on the site can be digitally deployed within the application to simulate actual operations. It can help ensure optimal construction work: by providing a clear picture of the site environment in advance—including existing structures and overhead lines, for example—it enables a foreman to plot out such things as where equipment should be placed and the limits within it should operate. Although still in the development stage, the system has already been trialed at 15 sites where it is proving effective in enhancing construction efficiency. The system uses the UNITY engine, offering outstanding descriptive capabilities and operating ease, and FIWARE urban OS has already been adopted. The system can be used not just in the construction phase of a project, but also for maintenance and management; in future, further extension is planned, involving links with other systems, including those of other companies. In the conventional execution of construction projects, it is said that 80% of the job is in the preparation, and that making the proper assumptions and arrangements beforehand will ensure the work is completed smoothly and safely. It follows then that the use of a digital twin for repeated simulations will result in more accurate planning and enhanced safety. The motivation for developing this system was to address the challenges presented by construction projects that traditionally rely on skilled workers but which are now impacted by a dwindling workforce—a situation that makes it increasingly difficult for expertise to be passed on and knowledge to be shared. This rationale and the future potential of this system were highly evaluated.

■ Semi Grand Prix

A-Spec—Let’s Think About Restrooms Together

LIXIL Corporation

Outline

A-SPEC is a cloud service that automatically designs public restroom spaces. Anyone can easily design a user-friendly restroom space anytime, anywhere. A-SPEC's unique AI, which takes into account difficult rules and considerations related to space planning, automatically designs space layouts according to the conditions. It also provides a system that allows users to compare automatically designed plans and check their usability, and to work together with architectural designers and related parties to come up with better spatial designs.

Assessment

The need for digital transformation (DX) is also increasing in design work such as the layout and design of restroom spaces. This is because of the increasing severity of manpower shortages as these tasks require a lot of manual work in response to increasingly diverse and complex needs, and this is having a detrimental effect of turning each task into a black box of expertise and know-how. LIXIL's A-SPEC is a free cloud service that automatically designs public restrooms. By entering the frontage and depth, the system automatically generates not only a layout plan, but also 2D drawings and 3D models. The system is expected to revolutionize business operations through better design and space selection by applying a scoring system as well as congestion forecasting based on human flow predictions using its unique AI logic. In the future, the company hopes to establish the service as a platform for Society 5.0 by promoting collaboration with competitors and other industries. Emphasizing that the service will be widely used, the company says that it will be available free of charge to anyone who registers for an account. The service was evaluated for its potential to help revitalize the industry and address the labor shortage issue that Japan will be facing in 2024, by expanding the service not only to design simulations but also to all aspects of work, including ordering.

Startup Category

■ Grand Prix

Compact and High-performance Portable Doppler Lidar to Support an Air-Mobility Society

MetroWeather Co., Ltd.

Outline

MetroWeather’s mission is to “take charge” of the world’s winds. By continuing to provide optimum solutions—monitoring and analyzing wind in any location and under any conditions—the company aims to become a world leader in wind infrastructure. It has developed a high-performance Doppler lidar that analyzes minute movements of particles in the atmosphere to measure wind direction and speed at locations more than ten kilometers away. They aim to realize a world in which air mobility is not vulnerable to the wind, and aircraft can operate safely and stably.

Assessment

MetroWeather is a Kyoto University startup that has developed a high-performance Doppler lidar that uses the movement of particles in the atmosphere to determine wind direction and speed. Accurate wind forecasting—that is, information on weather conditions in close proximity to the surface of the earth—is essential for operating drones and for realizing a future society with air mobility (flying cars, etc.). Wind cannot be seen, but an infrared-based Doppler lidar enables the real-time computation of wind direction and speed. The company’s core technology involves extracting signals from noise, and this is what makes it possible to measure wind movements up to 15 km distant and up to an altitude of 2 km. They are currently constructing a Doppler lidar network in the Osaka area; this will be used to measure and visualize wind conditions over and around the Osaka Expo site in real time. The reasons for this system’s high evaluation include not only its forward-looking solutions for drones and air mobility, but also its current “wind visualization” capabilities that are already contributing to the safety of the skies, providing essential information for the crucial 11-minute window during aircraft takeoffs and landings.

■ Semi Grand Prix

TL-SENSING™—High-speed Detection of Subtle "Heat". Visualize “Heat” and Identify Anomalies in 0.01 sec.

TopoLogic株式会社

Outline

TL-SENSING™ is a heat flux sensor made using a new topological material. It detects microscopic heat in 0.01 second, has several hundred times higher thermal conductivity than existing sensors, and boasts high freedom of shape due to its 1/100 thin film structure. It can be applied to a wide range of devices and services such as abnormality detection and failure prediction for batteries and power semiconductor components, chemical sensors and gas sensors combined with reaction catalysts and optical absorption films, thermal management in factories and production sites, and human body monitoring.

Assessment

TopoLogic's heat flux sensor using the properties of "topological materials" is a breakthrough sensor that costs several thousand times less than existing products and offers tens to hundreds of times faster time response; it detects thermal movement at high speed in less than 0.01 second and is expected to be used in anomaly detection and failure prediction, as well as in thermal comfort control devices, chemical sensors, gas sensors, heat management devices, control devices, surveillance equipment, and human body monitoring equipment, according to the company. A completely new band structure of the topological materials gives the ability to flow and control electrons. Compared to conventional materials, topological substances are extremely thin, can detect even slight temperature differences, and have a simple structure with excellent reliability and manufacturability. Although still in the validation phase, the sensor was highly evaluated for its wide range of applications and high expectations for future use, including use in the design of heat exhaust routes and cooling structures for smartphones and notebook PCs, and its potential to detect slight thermal changes in order to predict failures, for example, by detecting heat trends at a stage earlier than vibration. 

＜About CEATEC AWARD 2023＞

The CEATEC AWARD 2023 Review Panel of Judges will review the technologies, products, and services exhibited at CEATEC 2023, from among the entries of exhibits and projects submitted in advance by exhibitors, and award those that are deemed highly innovative and outstanding from academic and technical perspectives, as well as marketability and future potential.

＜Judging Criteria of Each Award＞

1. Ministerial Awards (in the order of establishment)

   • Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Award

     From among the entries for the CEATEC AWARD 2023 exhibited at CEATEC 2023, this award recognizes candidates judged to make the greatest contribution to the development of the CPS/IoT society and the realization of Society 5.0, including the innovative utilization of information and communications, networking, data, AI and IoT technologies in the digital age, the provision of services using these technologies, AI networking and digital utilization in local communities, will be selected for the award. In particular, the projects, technologies, products, services, or supporting software, applications, components, devices, etc. that are evaluated to make the greatest contribution to solving regional issues and revitalizing local communities, improving living standards of society as a whole, and promoting efficiency and high added value in economic activities that contribute to the realization of the Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation, will be awarded the CEATEC AWARD 2023 Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Award.

   • Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Award

     From among the entries for the CEATEC AWARD 2023 exhibited at CEATEC 2023, this award recognizes candidates that are most likely to contribute significantly to the advancement of the CPS/IoT community and the realization of Society 5.0 to generate new value using AI, robotics, Big Data, as well as to create transformational approaches to manufacturing via services utilizing digital transformation of industry and the development of technology to promote IoT across diverse fields, will be selected for the award. In particular, the projects, technologies, products, services, or supporting software, applications, components, devices, etc. that are recognized to make the greatest contribution to future lifestyles, society, business, and industrial advancement, with creativity and marketability to promote digital transformation (DX) and strengthen the digital industry, thereby facilitating the realization of the Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation, will be awarded the CEATEC AWARD 2023 Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Award.

   • The Minister of Digital Agency Award

     From among the entries for the CEATEC AWARD 2023 exhibited at CEATEC 2023, this award recognizes candidates deemed to offer the greatest contribution to creating a prosperous, resilient society — one in which people can select the most appropriate services for their stage of life — through solving a variety of issues by harnessing the potential of digital technologies and leveraging them to realize a digital society on a global level.
     In particular, the projects, technologies, products, services, software, applications, components or devices judged to best contribute to the development of innovative digital infrastructure and advanced services — or to the use of digital technology to stimulate the advancement of local industries — which will promote the realization of the Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation, digitally transforming regional lifestyles and communities, education, R&D, industry, and economy, will be awarded the CEATEC AWARD 2023 The Minister of Digital Agency Award.

2. Category Awards

   • Advanced Technologies Category

     This award is open to a wide range of new technologies, products, services, software, applications, solutions and business models that will contribute to the realization of Society 5.0, which will sustain and enrich industry, business, society, and lifestyles. The awards will be presented to those that are judged to be superior in terms of innovation, concrete feasibility, and contribution to society.

   • Devices Category

     This award is given to elemental technologies, the devices and technologies used in them, or their development concepts that support the realization of Society 5.0 through the sustainable maintenance and development of industry, business, society, and daily lifestyles, and that are evaluated as highly innovative, technologically advanced, and very useful when incorporated into products and services.

   • Co-creations Category

     This award is given to technologies, products, services, software and applications that are co-created to realize Society 5.0 by setting original themes and partnering with companies from diverse industries and business sectors, as well as solutions and business models that include such technologies, products, services, software and applications. The projects must also be evaluated as innovative in terms of their ability to make an outstanding contribution to future society.

   • Startup Category

     This award is given to start-ups that develop advanced technologies, products, services, software, applications, business models, etc., and bring them to market, and to universities and research institutions that aim to implement them in society. The award will be presented to the projects that are evaluated as superior in terms of feasibility, contribution to society, technological excellence, and marketability.

   • Global Category　Note: To be announced during CEATEC 2023

     This award is given to technologies, products, services, software, applications, business models, etc. by an exhibitor from abroad that the judging committee deems particularly outstanding and are evaluated as superb in terms of feasibility, contribution to society, technological excellence, and marketability in the world.

＜CEATEC AWARD 2023 Review Panel of Judges＞

Academic Societies (in no particular order)

• Information Processing Society of Japan
• The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers
• The Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers
• The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan

Research Institute and Media Related (in no particular order)

• MM Research Institute, Inc.
• The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd.
• Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.
• ITmedia Inc.
• Techno-core Corporation