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| | Web Japan >>| Trends in Japan >> | Evolving Trends :: TECHNOLOGY | |
A SHOPPING REVOLUTION(March 27, 2007) Some convenience stores, supermarkets, and other retailers are attaching integrated circuit tags to their merchandise. The use of this technology not only enhances convenience for the consumer but also boosts efficiency for retailers. |
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 PC CONTROLLED BY USER'S EYES(March 19, 2007) Professor Arai Kohei of Saga University's Faculty of Science and Engineering has developed a system whereby PC users can input text simply by looking at an on-screen keyboard. |
HOT NEW HAIR DRYER(December 8, 2006) Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.'s latest model in the Nanocare series of hair dryers has been making waves since its release in July 2006. Thanks to its "nanoe ion" generator, which reduces frizz and makes hair strong and lustrous, it has become a hot seller. |
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 NOW WHERE WAS THAT MOVIE?(November 16, 2006) Makers of HDD/DVD recorders and PCs continue to compete over how many hours of recorded video can be stored on their products. In response to feedback from users, NEC has developed what it claims is an unprecedented system that makes searching for specific content much easier and faster. |
BATTERY-POWERED PLANE(September 29, 2006) A propeller aircraft took to the air while powered by nothing more than commercial dry-cell batteries this past July. The flight was the fruit of a joint project by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and undergraduates at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. |
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 DEEPER THAN EVER(September 14, 2006) The deep-drilling vessel Chikyu began test drilling off the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture in August 2006. Through this record-breaking deep drilling, researchers are hoping to achieve such results as clarifying the ecology of microorganisms that live deep underground. |
 NEXT-GENERATION BATHROOMS(August 28, 2006) Toilet manufacturers are battling to provide consumers with toilets that are more comfortable and easy to use. Recent developments in this market include environmentally friendly units that use less water and electricity than other models. |
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 THE MIND-READING ROBOT(July 11, 2006) Honda Motor and the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) have jointly developed new technology that enables a robot to mimic the movements of a person by reading the patterns of activity in the person's brain. |
HELP FOR THE HEART(July 4, 2006) A string of recent technological developments in Japan are holding out hope for patients awaiting heart transplants, particularly children. The goal of the researchers involved in these developments is to improve ventricular assist devices (VADs). |
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 SEEING INSIDE CELLS(June 29, 2006) Scientists observing the world of microscopic organisms will soon be able to obtain real-time images with exceptional levels of clarity and magnification, thanks to a Japanese invention. The breakthrough is a new type of laser microscope. |
EARLY WARNING(June 9, 2006) Recent technological advances mean that it may now be possible to warn people of an earthquake before the most destructive tremors strike. |
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 SEE-THROUGH STADIUM(May 22, 2006) When the opening match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup gets underway in Germany, Japanese technology will help fans enjoy the action on the pitch. The Allianz Arena is constructed from panels containing a fluoropolymer film called ETFE foil, which was developed and manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. |
TALKING PAPER(May 8, 2006) Electronic paper and other paper with innovative functions is now coming into use. Paper is finally entering the IT age through a fusion with digital technologies. |
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SUPER-POWERED CABLE
(May 8, 2006) Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has developed a type of superconductive cable that can carry up to 200 times as much power as copper cable - and with electrical resistance of zero. |
GOING GREEN AT HOME(February 24, 2005) Several Japanese companies have begun marketing home-use fuel cells that generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen and help to cut carbon dioxide emissions. |
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FLOATING HOTEL(April 7, 2004) The Diamond Princess, one of the largest passenger liners in the world with a gross weight of 116,000 tons, set out on its maiden voyage from Los Angeles to Mexico and back on March 13 after being completed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., at the Nagasaki Shipyard and handed over to its owner, P&O Princess Cruises. |
BUILDING A BETTER BICYCLE(March 22, 2004) The Japanese bicycle industry has been riding a wave of technological advances recently. A small factory in Osaka has developed the world's first device that uses the pedaling of the rider to automatically replenish the air in a bicycle's tires, while another small enterprise in Tokyo has produced a new type of front lamp that runs on the bicycle's kinetic energy but does not make pedaling harder. |
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IN THE LIMELIGHT(March 19, 2004) A technology discovered and developed independently by a Japanese researcher roughly 35 years ago is recently attracting attention in industrial circles around the world. This type of photocatalyst works using a reaction that takes place when titanium oxide is exposed to light, which makes it possible for it to break down and render harmless airborne pollutants and organic material, such as mold and bacteria. |
KEEPING TRACK(February 6, 2004) Growing numbers of car owners are choosing vehicles equipped with GPS-based navigation systems, and security companies and others are now marketing tracking systems that use GPS to pinpoint the locations of people or objects. |
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JAPANESE RESEARCHER WINS GERMAN FUTURE PRIZE(February 3, 2004) The German Future Prize, which rewards outstanding scientific research carried out in Germany, was won in 2003 by a team of researchers led by the Japanese scientist Tarumi Kazuaki. |
FAREWELL TO BARCODES?(December 24, 2003) Tags that store information using tiny integrated circuits no larger than the size of a sesame seed appear set to revolutionize the way people shop, replacing the familiar bar code. |
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A LEGACY OF ENTERTAINMENT(August 13, 2003) At a special exhibition titled "Expo Edo: Science and Technology of the Edo Era," among the most intriguing items on display are those that were made using wind-up springs, including mechanical dolls, the performances of which are winning particular acclaim. |
BRIGHT FUTURE(August 6, 2003) Except for plasma displays, the most promising candidate to succeed LCDs as the next generation of display-panel technology is organic electroluminescence, which holds the promise of bendable screens and crystal-clear images, perhaps even enabling the creation of wearable display panels. |
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FUEL CELLS FOR THE HOME(July 23, 2003) Competition to develop fuel-cell systems for the home is heating up, and some could be on the market as early as next year. The spread of such systems to generate electricity will help conserve fuel and could slow down environmental destruction. |
REACHING FOR THE STARS(July 11, 2003) The managers of some of the small businesses in Higashi-Osaka have banded together to undertake a massive project that will inspire people not just in their town but all over Japan. |
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DAMAGE LIMITATION(July 3, 2003) On May 20 Honda Motor Co. unveiled an automatic braking system that monitors objects in front of the car using radar, warns the driver when it detects the risk of a crash, and automatically applies the brakes if it judges that the car may have trouble avoiding an object. |
JAPAN'S HOMEGROWN OPERATING SYSTEM(May 22, 2003) TRON is a computer operating system from Japan in which tiny semiconductor chips are embedded in every product, enabling computers to monitor situations and to support people in their daily lives without specific prompting. |
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DRIVING THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY(May 2, 2003) Car navigation systems are advancing in leaps and bounds. Many recently unveiled models not only provide information on roads but also offer such added features as playing music and movies, locating nearby restaurants, and sending and receiving e-mail. |
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PICTURE-PERFECT PLASMA (March 19, 2003) The rising popularity of plasma TVs is the latest manifestation of the digital age in Japan. A hi-tech revolution is transforming the quality of viewers' audiovisual experiences. |
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A NEW DIMENSION(November 27, 2002) A 3-D TV on which images appear to leap out of the screen has been developed by Sanyo Electric. Through the use of a special gobo fitted to the surface of the screen, it enables viewers to see solid-looking images without wearing special glasses. |
MAJORING IN MANGA(August 14, 2002) Kyoto Seika University offers courses on creating manga (comics), and it has recently been garnering attention for some of its unique undertakings in the area of manga education. |
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THE HOUSE OF THE FUTURE(April 11, 2002) The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) showed off the level of development of networked appliances in Japan when it set up a model IT house in Tama City. |
TOWARD A TICKETLESS STATION(January 8, 2002) A new kind of train pass that includes an IC chip functions as a kind of electronic money. It is believed that this new technology may lead to ticketless, cashless stations in the future. |
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MOBILE PHONES TO THE RESCUE(December 18, 2001) Mobile telephones are used a lot by the young and by businesspeople as a means of communication. Research is now being carried out on using them to provide support for the elderly and the disabled in their daily lives. |
SUSHI GOES HI-TECH(November 26, 2001) Sushi is known throughout the world as the quintessential Japanese food. Some pioneering restaurants in Japan have turned to technological innovation as a means of pleasing customers and producing profits. |
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STEERING CLEAR OF BUMPS(February 7, 2001) Two Tokyo-based companies are spearheading an effort to jointly develop a navigation system for wheelchairs. |
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