The Mind-Reading Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Electricity from Seaweed | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese researchers have developed a biomass fermentation system that uses seaweed dredged from the shore to produce fuel for generating electricity.

Deeper Than Ever | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Battery-Powered Plane | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Math the Japanese Way | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese math textbooks are being translated into English and other languages and are gaining popularity in countries like the United States and Singapore.

Come See the Future | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japan's science museums are attracting attention around Asia. The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, located in Tokyo's Koto City, has become a destination for school trips for students from China and other countries.

Now Where Was That Movie? | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Hot New Hair Dryer | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Music That Comes When You Call | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
There is now a robot that will come over to you and play music with just the push of a button on a remote control.

Rice-Planting Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Rice is the staple food in Japan, and the planting of rice seedlings has been a backbreaking, yet essential, job since ancient times. Now, a group of scientists is working on a project that would hand the delicate task of inserting rice seedlings into paddies over to robots.

Super Competition | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A project led by the Japanese government aimed at developing the world's fastest next-generation, high-performance supercomputer is about to get underway. The move is likely to intensify competition among supercomputer builders around the world.

Super Competition | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Even though the 2005 Word Exposition in Aichi, Japan, has shut its gates, many of its exhibits and structures will continue to live on, thanks to extensive recycling efforts in line with the event's goal of environmental sustainability.

Toyota Develops Eco-Friendly Shrub | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's largest car manufacturer, has developed a new type of cherry sage shrub that can absorb airborne pollutants much more effectively than existing varieties.

Painless Injections | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Though injections are vital for preventing and treating diseases, they are almost universally disliked. The fear of injections, however, may soon be a thing of the past. In July 2005, a painless needle went on sale to hospitals and other medical facilities.

Battery Breakthrough | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
NEC recently announced the development of an ultra-thin, flexible, rechargeable battery. A mere 0.3 mm thick, this wafer-thin battery holds great promise for wearable computers and other applications.

Hybrid Goes Mainstream | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The age of the hybrid car has finally arrived. The latest models boast vastly improved engines and other features that leave their predecessors in the dust.

The Running Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese firms continue to set the pace in the development of multifunctional, interactive robots. The work to improve ASIMO, the world's most advanced autonomous bipedal humanoid robot, continues at Honda Motor Co.

A New Kind of “Dry” Cleaning | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Sanyo Electric Co. has developed a household washing machine like no other: It can use air to wash clothes.

Easy As Pie | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Fruit consumption in Japan has been on the decline in recent years, but all this may be about to change, thanks to a number of new fruit varieties that not only taste good but are much easier to eat, too.

Super-Powered Cable | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.