NICT
Latest
Japan breaks internet speed record with a 319Tbps data transfer
Japanese researchers have broken an internet speed record by transferring data at 319Tbps — nearly twice as fast as last year's achievement.
'First' prototype hardware built for broadband over IEEE's white space standard
If you hadn't realized already, spectrum is quite the hot commodity, and any unused slice is a potential data highway just begging to be cruised. One mostly vacant stretch is the eerie white space -- megahertz left empty when TV broadcasts move from analog to digital frequencies. The IEEE published its 802.22 standard for white space broadband 18 months ago, and now a group comprising the NICT, ISB Corp and Hitachi Kokusai Electric (not to be confused with the other Hitachi) have built the "first" prototype hardware to make use of it. White space spectrum in the 470 to 710MHz range is expected to provide wireless internet to "underserved areas" and act as an emergency backup for downed systems, when infrastructure is finally up and running. Given we're only at the prototype stage following the inception of the 802.22 standard in 2011, out-of-towners will probably be waiting a while longer before having the option to stream entertainment over those dead TV airwaves. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.
Fujitsu, NICT create indoor navigation for the blind using ultrawideband, Android phones, kind hearts
There's no shortage of navigation outdoors, and even a little bit of help indoors, but there's been precious little aid for the blind indoors -- leaving them little choice but to move cautiously or get outside help. Fujitsu and Japan's NICT have crafted a system that gives the sightless a greater level of autonomy inside through ultrawideband-based impulse radio. A grid of UWB radios positioned around a room gauge the distances between each other and transmit the data to a PC, which then talks to the traveler's Android phone. The device then gives spoken directions based on a 12-o'clock system and far subtler distances than GPS can manage: the positioning is accurate to within a foot. While the indoors navigation is only just getting a demo this week, it's already being refined to detect objects in the room as well as to help even the fully sighted. If Fujitsu and NICT have their way, buildings ranging from hospitals to malls will have their own turn-by-turn navigation. For some, the freedom of movement could be a life-changer.
NICT's Daedalus creates beautiful 3D visuals to map out nasty cyber attacks (video)
There's nothing pretty about a cyber attack taking over an organization -- or, there wasn't, until NICT crafted this thing. Daedalus, christened as a "cyber attack alert system," is a 3D visualization system that currently monitors some 190,000 IP addresses across Japan. Rather than forcing a human to comb through a punishing amount of data, the visualizer turns into an organized stream of lines that can be viewed and zoomed in on from any angle. You can see networks and subnets, as well as patches of used and unused IP addresses; taking it a step further, the system lights up when an attack is sensed (for example, an IP pinging an unused IP as a virus spreads with reckless abandon). DigInfo reports that the system could find a home in educational and enterprise applications, but there's no word on how much it'll cost to deploy en masse. Per usual, the video demonstration awaits you after the break.
Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video)
Nothing screams World of Tomorrow quite like quantum dots. Alongside the possibility of paint-on solar cells, the technology could also multiply optic fiber bandwidth by up to ten times. The Photonic Network Research Institute at NICT has been able to crank up the capacity of the data transmission system by combining a light source and photonic crystal fiber. The quantum dots act as the light source, and via the NICT's new "sandwiched sub-nano separator structure" [above], they can be tweaked to work at 70THz -- far in excess of the 10THz frequencies typically used. Aside from optical communications, the potency of these high frequencies allow it to pass beyond skin, opening up the use of quantum dots to medical scanning and high resolution cell imaging. Is there anything these dots can't do? Catch a slightly more technical explanation in the video right after the break.
NICT, JVC Kenwood team up for wall-sized 3D HD display, lets in your face advertising get literal (video)
Been holding out hope for a real-life holodeck? Well, looks like Japan's got wall number one out of four already covered. We kid, we kid. That Trekkie tech future's still a ways off, but recent prototypes like this 200-inch auto-stereoscopic 3D screen are bringing that illusive reality one step closer to our living rooms. Exhibited during CEATEC 2011, this 1920 x 1080 full HD display plays images at 60fps using an array of 57 projectors, and offers up viewing angles of 13 degrees. What does all of that mean for you? Well, the setup gives viewers a limited ability to peer around projected objects, so long as they stay within a 1.3m (about 4ft) area. It's yet another fruit of the collaboration between the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and JVC Kenwood, except this one's headed for the realm of outdoor digital advertising. Home theater aficionados looking for a virtual entertainment solution can always opt for Sony's HMD, but that kind of defeats the glasses-free allure.
Flexible wireless charging sheet could eventually turn your skinny jeans into power pants (video)
If you haven't already heard, wireless charging is all the rage -- cars, cameras, and, of course, cellphones have all benefited from the burgeoning technology. Now a team of researchers at Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) are showing off a 2D power transmission system that could turn your pockets into wireless charging stations. According to its creators, "When a 2.4GHz high frequency signal is transmitted through the sheet, it becomes a wireless conductive object." Electromagnetic waves are captured in the sheet and can be concentrated in particular areas, allowing for individual activation of multiple devices, and thus increasing efficiency -- systems like Qi currently require a dedicated transmitter per device. The NICT says the power it provides is still relatively weak -- about 1W -- but it has plans to eventually bring the technology to soft fabrics. So maybe that Snuggie charging station you've been dreaming of isn't so impractical after all.
Researchers create two 100 terabit per second optical connections, dare us to torrent something
Even a woman with a 40 Gbps internet connection might feel a twinge of jealousy at this news -- Japan has successfully tested two separate 100 terabit per second data links that use a single optical fiber to carry their loads. New Scientist reports that NEC scholars stuffed the light from 370 lasers into 165 kilometers of fiber to achieve a speed of 101.7 Tbps, while NICT researchers set a new record of 109 Tbps using a special fiber with seven cores to manage the trick. We imagine that Alcatel-Lucent and NTT aren't sitting still. Not that we really care who has the fastest fiber... just so long as one end leads to our house.
NICT's fVisiOn makes you see immaterial bunnies (video)
Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has been chasing holographic damsels in distress for as long as we can remember, and honestly, the technology's still not quite there, but the team that brought us the gCubik has managed to create a low-res 3D hologram table that impresses anyhow. Using an twist on the famous optical illusion toys that use convex mirrors to make objects appear to float in the air, NICT hits a specially-designed optical filter cone with the light from 96 pico projectors. The result is a series of familiar-looking rabbits, teapots and the occasional rubber duck standing five centimeters high and visible through 120 degrees, a good sight better than the two-degree radius afforded them by the original technology. The best part is there's no case enclosing these creations, unlike competing ideas, so we'll eventually see 360-degree tables where your fingers can frolic alongside the ethereal leporidae. Watch the lead researcher demo a prototype after the break.
Japan still looking into holographic broadcasts for World Cup 2022
Sure, we'd prefer if Japan spent its time working on giant mecha suits to combat any potential alien threats, but right now the National Institute of Information and Communications Studies seems focused on trying to create holographic broadcast technology in an effort to secure Japan as the location for the World Cup in 2022. According to Variety, the team has already developed real time color holography in 3D for small toys and other objects, and plans to show off the technology using 8K Super Hi-Vision Cameras at CEATEC in October. Research leader Taiichiro Kurita compares the work done so far to the decades it took to perfect high definition TV and supposes live holographic broadcasts could be as little as 15-20 years away. Of course, to get there, they'll need more funding to continue research and so far the commercial giants are unsure if there's real product coming anytime soon -- we've got $5 on it, anyone else?
gCubik shows off its good side, and every other while it's at it (video)
Remember gCubik? It's been a few months, but to recap, it's a cube developed by researchers from NICT that features textured surfaces that present you a different view on the "internal" image based on viewing angle, giving the illusion something is physically in the box. Theoretically, at least -- it's pretty low-resolution and in the early stages of development. We stumbled upon the device at the CEATEC showfloor this week and decided to snap some video while there. There were moments when the effect was lost, and getting too close completely blurred what we saw to the point of incomprehension, but again, this shows a whole heap of potential that's fascinating to us. See it for yourself after the break.
Wearable ECG uses patient's posture for encryption, transmits data over Body Area Network
Though its fun to think of the Body Area Network as another way for cheap employers to get out of paying for properly wiring your workspace, the most obvious uses for this technology would seem to be in the realm of health care. To this end, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan has developed an ECG that can be worn 24 hours a day, wirelessly transmitting electrocardiographic data as well as measuring changes in body surface temperature and posture. The data can even be transmitted securely using cryptographic keys dynamically generated by the patient's posture and biological data (which are unique to each user). We'll let you guys ponder the cypherpunk ramifications of this technology in the comments -- and be sure to check out the additional pic we have for you after the break.
NICT's gCubik six-screened touchscreen cube in action
In theory, NICT's gCubik sounds like a pretty wild idea -- wrap a box in six screens, simulate a 3D object inside, make it touchscreen interactive. In reality, the screens are perhaps just a bit too low-resolution to really pull off any sort of illusion, but it's certainly a start. The 3.5-inch VGA screens that surround the cube are themselves 3D, with 18 x 18 different viewable angles, drastically reducing the quantity of pixels available to each view. NICT is looking at full HD or higher resolution displays to refine the idea, and while users can currently touch the screens to move the object "within," they're hoping to add further interaction like cube-shakage further down the line. Video is after the break.
NICT researchers develop new method to make holography more practical
It's still not quite point-and-shoot, but it looks like some researchers at Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (or NICT) have gone some ways towards making holography a tiny bit more practical. As Tech-On reports, their method is based around a fly-eye lens that consists of a number of micro lenses, which allows for moving images to be captured in normal lighting conditions, and is also used to display the image after a computer works its magic on the raw images. There are still a few fairly significant drawbacks to the setup, however, as the image displayed is currently limited to one centimeter in size with a two degree viewing angle, although the researchers say they should be able to increase that to a four centimeters within the next three years. Check out an equally tiny image of an actual hologram captured with the system after the break.
NICT, JVC Victor team up on no-glasses-needed 3D HDTV
Betcha didn't see this one coming, did you Philips? No sooner than the aforementioned company unveiled a rather striking 56-inch Quad Full 3D HDTV over on the left coast of the US did Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and JVC Victor one-up that with a 72-inch prototype of their own. Revealed at CEATEC 2008, the Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) set doesn't even require viewers to sport those face-consuming glasses to experience the effect. In essence, the display utilizes multiple projectors to really emphasize that elusive third-dimension, but the viewing angle is understandably limited. Oh, and we hope you're not too geeked up about this -- NICT stated that we probably wouldn't see these in the commercial realm before 2011. Ah well, at least there's IMAX to hold us.[Via Gearlog]
gCubik displays 3D images on 4-inch cube, we want
We've pondered the potential for 3D display cubes for years now, but the gCubik looks to bring us a bit closer to a final concept. Measuring just 10 centimeters (about four inches), this diminutive display device visualizes objects in all three dimensions on the facets of a physical cube. Created by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), the device could see uses in science, business, and, most importantly, videogames. The little guy will be shown next month in Tokyo and then in August at Siggraph 2008 in the US, with hopes of adding tighter resolution and real-world applications shortly thereafter.
Researchers develop robot with non-verbal communications skills
While we swear our Roomba reacts to our moods, researchers at Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology have developed a humanoid bot that can use communicate using gestures. The 187-pound robot stands about five feet tall and uses a 3D vision system to recognize gestures like pointing and bowing and determine their meaning -- and then use the same gestures when appropriate. The researchers say they envision the tech being used in caregiver robots for the elderly, but we're not trusting them until we see proof this thing recognizes the gesture for "Do Not Enslave."[Via The Inquirer]
NICT and Kobe University team up to form "floating visual" 3D display
While making concrete slabs double as displays may prove useful when dressing up those otherwise drab skyscrapers, creating 3D-like images from real objects throws in a much-needed dash of geekiness. The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and Kobe University have partnered to craft "a thin-panel type device which forms 3D images in the air." Although 3D devices have a less-than-stellar track record when it comes to overcoming the "gimmick" stereotype, this rendition looks to have a bit more potential than usual. This offering is made by forming a "100 μm-thick Ni layer" on a glass plate, and punching a bevy of 100 μm square holes in it; when objects (such as the toy ball pictured above) are placed below the table, a "floating visual" appears. Moreover, this rendition doesn't require viewers to look from certain angles or with certain lighting scenarios like many forms of holography oftentimes do, and the team hopes to eventually conjure a 3D image of a human "if they can substantially enlarge the device size" while keeping its current attributes in tact.[Via The Raw Feed]
