Message from the President September.2019

Human beings have organs such as eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. We can sense various changes by using our five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch). However, the degree of change depends on personal senses. We therefore feel the scale or intensity of changes only roughly, according to rules of thumb.

Sensing technologies use sensors, which have the same functions as those of the human nervous system, to measure physical changes and detect them quantitatively. Sensing technologies will evolve into a system that analyzes measured data with artificial intelligence (AI) or functions similar to those of the human brain, thinks about what it can do, and automatically does what it can do.

For example, there will be an increasing number of scenarios in which the technologies are used for social infrastructure to prevent disasters, accidents and crime. The number of inbound visitors to Japan is expected to increase explosively in 2020, when the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held. It is therefore imperative to build an environment that is safe and secure for all people.

In the new Advanced Rapid Transit system, sensing technologies combining many sensors and AI will be used for systems such as automated driving systems and traffic control systems. This will enable the stable operation of vehicles that run at high frequency, prevent crashes with optimal acceleration and deceleration, and permit transfers with no waiting time. For anti-crime measures, we will see the introduction of an AI-based image recognition technology in addition to the development of the monitoring technology with sensors and cameras. This will make it possible to recognize multiple persons at one time and for instance identify a lost child or a suspicious person, making it easy to locate or apprehend them. The sensing technologies will thus evolve into those with a perceptual function, realizing a smart society that goes far beyond anything we have imagined before.

The evolution of technologies has enriched our lives by opening infinite possibilities and making social innovations happen. I am excited to think that the design and development work, in which our engineers are now involved, will create things and events that have never existed before.

I joined MEITEC as an engineer in the era when it was still the evolution of things that would lead to a rich life. So I feel that the creation of new things itself was the goal in those days. Now, however, with a flood of things, what engineers need to do most is to think about what issues in the world can be solved with things and events. Thinking, imagining things and events for solving issues, and giving shape to ideas with technologies—this is how engineers are expected to prove their value.

The level of MEITEC engineers expected by our customers will grow even higher. Don’t hold back. Stay positive and enjoy your work as engineers.