CEATEC AWARD special website

MIC
Minister's
Award

ViXion01S — Next-generation eyewear that replaces and enhances the focusing function of the eye

ViXion Inc. (Next Generation Park | Booth No.: 5H251）

Outline:

Eyewear that automatically adjusts the focus to suit the way an individual sees and what they are looking at, to achieve smooth autofocus. The built-in sensor measures the distance to the object and instantly changes the shape of the small special lens based on a unique algorithm to achieve stress-free focusing. It is suitable for people with poor vision, such as farsightedness due to age, nearsightedness, and lazy eye, and is suitable for detailed close-up work that takes up both hands, or when repeatedly switching between near and far objects.

Assessment:

This device could be a blessing not only for people with low vision (aka lazy eye), but also for those who have problems with their eyesight, such as presbyopia (aka age-related farsightedness) or myopia (aka nearsightedness). Originally developed by Hoya Corporation for the visually impaired, this technology has been repurposed and commercialized. In the past, it has also been successful in crowdfunding, exceeding its target by a wide margin. While the current product is already highly refined, it is also being further developed based on user feedback, making it a promising project for the future. Given the increase in the number of people with myopia, it was highly evaluated as a technology that is “necessary for society in the future”.

METI
Minister's
Award

A0-size ePoster for Indoor/Outdoor Use

Sharp Corporation (General Exhibits | Booth No.: 7H502)

Outline:

Sharp has developed a large A0-size electronic paper display, which can maintain a static image with zero power consumption. This ePoster can be installed outdoors and, as it uses reflected ambient light to display images, it is ideal for bright outdoor locations. There is demand for adopting digital technologies to create such large poster-style displays to serve as outdoor signage, at bus stop, etc. Combining a solar power generation system, this smart electronic poster is environmentally friendly, suitable for outdoor installation, and offers large dimensions.

Assessment:

This electronic paper display uses E-ink technology and consumes no power when displaying a static image. As well as an environmental performance equivalent to IP65, it features an anti-glare screen which is highly visible outdoors. At night, it lights up to improve visibility, and it can potentially be used as a light source. With connection to an LPWA wireless network, ePoster display data can be updated. This product has been highly evaluated for its unique features, the fruit of combining several of the company’s own technologies. And thanks to its durable, energy-saving design— solar power is enough to provide 16 hours of illumination on a full charge—it is expected to find a wide range of uses, such as signage and lighting in the event of a disaster.

Digital
Minister's
Award

TRANCITY Digital Twin Software

CalTa Inc. (General Exhibits | Booth No.: 6H163)

Outline:

By simply uploading video clips to a web browser, anyone can easily generate 3D data with this digital twin software. As well as dimensional information, the resulting 3D data contains positional and chronological information. By overlaying this (at actual size) on various maps, such as Google 3D maps, it is possible to grasp at a glance the “what, when and where” of infrastructure facilities. It is already being used for a wide range of purposes focused on infrastructure maintenance and management as well as construction.

Assessment:

These days, an increasing number of issues are arising with the maintenance and management of infrastructure because of aging and natural disasters. Using TRANCITY digital twin technology, one can generate 3D data simply by taking a video. As well as helping with infrastructure maintenance and management, this is expected to be used in a wide range of fields, particularly the construction and manufacturing industries. Potential applications are numerous, including automatic 3D data generation, image data management, information sharing, and collaboration with Google 3D. The company is a subsidiary of the East Japan Railway Company, and since TRANCITY was developed as a solution to meet on-site needs, it was highly evaluated for its practicality.  

25th
Anniversary
Special
Award

NEC’s Video Recognition and Generative AI for Advancing Industrial DX and Enhancing Operational Efficiency

NEC Corporation (General Exhibits | Booth No.: 4H125)

Outline:

This is the world’s first technology that can distinguish and understand a broad range of objects and environments—such as people, vehicles, buildings, animals, trees, and weather conditions, as well as changes in these—in extended video material, and can automatically generate short videos and explanatory text, customized to suit the user’s purpose, using a large-scale language model (LLM) and generative AI developed by NEC. This technology makes it possible to utilize the vast quantities of video data generated in digital cities, and will contribute to advancing industrial DX and enhancing operational efficiency.

Assessment:

This is the first technology in the world to analyze extended video data by combining an LLM with video recognition AI, and to harvest information required by the user to generate short videos and explanatory text. Compared to conventional methods, it is said to halve the time required to prepare accident investigation reports for insurance purposes. Featuring NEC’s own generative AI, this technology is now regarded as market leading. As the technology evolves, it is hoped that it might, for example, reduce the number of car accidents, as well as find uses in various other fields. Taking into consideration the CEATEC 2024 theme of “Innovation for All,” it was judged as being the most suitable candidate for CEATEC’s 25th Anniversary Special Award.

InnovationGEMBA 3D — Automated rebar inspection system combining 3D sensing and 3D recognition using proprietary AI

HMS Co., Ltd. (General Exhibits | Booth No.: 5H141)

Outline:

Rebar inspection, which is essential for concrete structures, is carried out almost entirely by hand within a limited inspection time, and is a task that places a heavy burden on the construction site for which there is a remarkably high expectation of efficiency improvement. By combining an existing rebar inspection reporting system with a system that utilizes 3D sensors, and point cloud processing/edge clouding AI technologies, it is possible to create a 3D model of the rebar in almost real time, enabling automatic design data verification and automated report creation, as well as achieving unprecedented efficiency in the field of construction rebar inspection.

Assessment:

While labor and workforce savings are being called for at construction sites, rebar layout inspections, which check whether the rebar is correctly placed according to the design drawings, are of great importance, but are currently almost always carried out by hand. This system uses AI cameras to take photographs, synthesizes point cloud data and RGB data to create 3D data to achieve highly accurate rebar layout inspections, and contributes to labor savings. The company is also working on automating the report generation function, and its ambition to revolutionize the construction industry, together with its practicality, has been highly evaluated.

A fourth passive element using spintronics technology reduces the power consumption of AI devices by 1/100

TDK Corporation (General Exhibits | Booth No.: 4H100)

Outline:

The rapid spread of AI has led to a sharp increase in power consumption in the ICT field, which has become a social issue. One of the factors contributing to this is the power consumption of semiconductors. Memristors are analog elements that mimic the synapses of the human brain, and are referred to as the fourth passive element following resistors, capacitors and inductors. AI circuits that include spin memristors using spintronics technology no longer have to perform digital logic calculations, and ultra-low power consumption can be expected in AI products from data centers to the edge.

Assessment:

Spin-memristors, which are ultra-low power consumption neuromorphic devices that use spintronics technology, are AI circuits that mimic the human brain. Also known as the “fourth passive element” after resistors, capacitors and inductors, memristors are devices whose conductivity and resistance values change in response to the electric charge that passes through them. Compared to the multiply-and-accumulate operations performed by GPUs currently in use, memristors are expected to achieve energy savings of 1/100. The company aims to produce a prototype with a larger diameter using 12-inch wafers in three years, and to commercialize the product around 2030. The company was highly evaluated for its expectations in future technological progress and market development, such as greater energy efficiency through the realization of low power consumption, high-speed operation, and the spread of AI use in edge environments for tasks such as learning.

Integrated Passive Substrate (iPaS) with Embedded Capacitors & Inductors Offering Higher Performance and Lower Power Consumption for Cutting-Edge Semiconductors

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (General Exhibits | Booth No.: 6H104)

Outline:

With the steady progress of AI and IoT, the volume of data traffic is growing rapidly. And while there is a strong demand for high-performance semiconductor packages, their increased power consumption poses a problem. The challenge is to achieve both high performance and energy efficiency. Developed exclusively by Murata Manufacturing, iPaS is a substrate product that integrates components such as capacitors and inductors. By embedding into the substrate SMD components that require a large mounting area, iPaS contributes to reducing the space and power requirements of a customer’s products while enhancing their functionality.

Assessment:

This substrate product has embedded within its components such as capacitors and inductors. Incorporating surface-mount devices that require a large mounting area into the substrate is expected to contribute to space saving, power saving, and higher functionality. This is a particularly effective solution for products that can only offer limited mounting space. Designed to reduce power consumption, iPaS was also highly evaluated for its ability to eliminate noise. The future potential of iPaS was also reflected in the evaluation, as it enhances the performance and reduces the power requirements of semiconductor packages that are designed to handle the rapid growth in data traffic resulting from the increasing use of AI and IoT.

Next Generation Category

Synchronous, Multi-channel, Battery-free Wireless Sensing System

Backscatter Communication Research Consortium, Keio Research Institute at SFC (Next Generation Park | Booth No.: 5H221)

Outline:

By combining wireless power transmission with backscatter communications—using reflected signals to transmit data—this team has devised and developed a wireless chip, a reader, and a wireless communication protocol for enabling wireless communications while wirelessly powering commercially available sensors. It is now possible to create wireless sensors that are battery-free and ultra-lightweight (< 1g , which can be embedded in products to enable 24/7 sensing, even when the object is in use. The team is conducting a battery of verification tests at the same time as promoting the adoption of this made-in-Japan wireless communication protocol as a new ISO standard.

Assessment:

This technology can be thought of as a more evolved, extended version of RFID, which does not require batteries and permits sensing on multiple channels. By wirelessly powering and communicating with commercially available sensors, it makes it possible to attach IoT sensors to almost anything—and in places where sensing was previously difficult. It has promising potential for use in a wide range of applications, including aging infrastructure monitoring, robotics, failure prevention, and predictive maintenance. The team is aiming to have it adopted as an international standard in 2025. They have worked hard for many years, promoting protocol standardization and conducting verification tests, and their achievements are reflected in the evaluation.

CMOS/スピントロニクス融合AI半導体

国立大学法人東北大学（国立研究開発法人新エネルギー・産業技術総合開発機構ブース内｜ブース番号：5H102）

【案件概要】

データ処理量の増大という課題を解決すべく、CMOS技術とスピントロニクス技術を高度に融合させたCMOS/スピントロニクス融合技術をベースにした、エッジAIコンピューティング技術を開発。本研究開発では、それを効率的に設計する技術開発、エッジサーベイランスシステムと車載系への搭載を目的とした応用研究を行う。

【選評】

AIエッジコンピューティングの課題は発生する大量の消費電力であるが、現在主流のCMOS技術および、不揮発性で面積効率の高いスピントロニクス技術を融合し、高い電力効率のコンピューティング技術を実現している。商品化時期は2029年としているが、グローバル某社におけるラインの検証が完了しているなど着実な足跡が評価され、またITエレクトロニクスおよび自動車などわが国の重要産業の基盤となる、半導体産業の競争力強化に繋がるものとして今後への期待も評価された。

コ・クリエイション（共創）部門賞

Reposaku（レポサク） - 超高精度GPSロガーで「挿すだけ・カンタン・農業DX」を実現

エゾウィン株式会社（デジタル田園都市国家構想特設パビリオン内｜ブース番号： 3H091）

【案件概要】

北海道標津町のスタートアップである、エゾウィンが開発した「挿すだけ・カンタンDX」を実現するプロダクト。GPSロガーを車両の電源に挿すだけで、全車両の正確な作業位置をリアルタイムで描画する。進捗確認を容易にし、無駄な移動を削減した結果、作業効率18％向上を実証。加えて事務作業の負担も58％削減されるなど、ストレス軽減の効果も実証。高精度データを用いた日報出力や分析も可能である。

【選評】

準天頂衛星システム「みちびき」を利用することで、誤差12cmの作業軌跡を得ることが可能。北海道では2040年には人口が半減する場所がほとんどであり、農業DXのニーズが高まっている。トラクターなど農作業用車両にGPSロガーを取り付けるだけで、データ取得と描画が開始できる手軽さと、導入のシンプルさにより農業DXが実現でき、高齢化や離農などによる人手不足の課題解決に対し、期待が寄せられた。また、同じく「みちびき」を使用するSLAS（サブメータ級測位補強サービス）では、牧草地などは対応できても畝作りが必要な農業DXには精度が不十分であるとして、GPSロガーを自社開発するなどの熱意、技術力も評価された。

水中フュージョンセンサ

株式会社トリマティス（海洋DXパビリオン内｜ブース番号：2H098）

【案件概要】

海中・水中での3Dデータをリアルタイムで取得するセンサ。水中で伝搬損失の少ない可視光レーザを三色（赤、緑、青）搭載し、季節・海域ごとに使用する光源を切り替え、従来は不可能だった水中の詳細3Dデータを高速に計測可能。さらにRGBカメラも内蔵し、水中での色付き3D点群情報が取得可能。将来の海中・水中におけるAIを推進するうえで学習データの取得にも貢献する。

【選評】

3色LiDARとカメラを融合し、可視光領域の3色レーザを用いたことで、水中でもLiDARによる計測情報の取得が可能となった。カメラからの色情報を融合することでリアルタイム計測が可能となり、生け簀を泳ぐ養殖魚など、水中で動く物体の形状や個数を計測する用途に加え、船体検査や水中のインフラ点検の自動化などにも応用できる。地上では当たり前に使われている3色レーザ技術を海中でも使用できるようにし、海中・水中の見える化、ネットワークの実現など、世界初の技術である点をふくめ、今後の3Dデータの活用および海洋DXに大きく寄与することが評価された。

グローバル部門賞

Data doesn't flow on rainbows

Gaia-X European Association for Data and Cloud AISBL （グローバルパーク EUパビリオン内｜ブース番号：5H234）

【案件概要】

Gaia-Xはソフトウェアと仕様を提供し、企業や個人がデータを管理することなく交換・共有できるようにする。 ソフトウェア・コンポーネントには、コンプライアンス・エンジン、レジストリ、公証人が含まれ、これらはGaia-X Digital Clearing Houses（GXDCH）によって展開される。これらのツールは、Gaia-Xが設定した標準に準拠した方法でデータが交換されることを保証するために連携し、参加者がデータ共有活動に従事しながらも、データの管理を維持できるよう支援する。

【選評】

ヨーロッパ主導の自律分散型の企業間データ連携のコンソーシアムで、欧州だけで300社、日本企業もルール作成や運用に関わっている。1社のみでデータを独占する他のプラットフォームと比較して、製品の上流工程からエンドユーザーまでのデータを一元管理することも可能。データ連携の推進により、企業とユーザーの両方が恩恵を受けられることが期待されている。利用が広がることで、データ流通を促す重要な基盤となることが評価された。

Neuro ID® :
The Ultimate Secure Biometric Solution

YNEURO（グローバルパーク EUパビリオン内｜ブース番号：5H234）

【案件概要】

ニューロIDは、各個人のユニークな神経シグネチャーを利用することで、本人確認を一変させる先駆的なバイオメトリクス認証システムです。従来の方法とは異なり、Neuro IDは、複製が不可能な神経パターンを活用することで、安全でプライベートかつシームレスな代替手段を提供します。この技術により、パスワードや物理的な生体認証が不要になり、セキュリティ侵害のリスクが大幅に軽減される。適応学習機能により、認識精度が継続的に向上し、高度にパーソナライズされたユーザー体験を提供します。

【選評】

脳波を、複製が不可能な生体認証データとして活用することで、パスワードや物理的な生体認証を不要とするソリューション。小型のEEGセンサーの場合、ノイズ耐性に課題が感じられるが、実現すれば新しい認証基盤となる可能性を秘める。その新規性やイノベーションにチャレンジしている意気込みが評価された。また、実現した際に広がる応用の幅広さなどの将来性にも期待が寄せられた。