■E-mail
office@t-engine.org

■URL
http://www.t-engine.org/

What is the T-Engine Forum?

The T-Engine Forum was established in June, 2002 with Ken Sakamura, a professor at the University of Tokyo, as the Chairman, and has been promoting T-Engine architecture and ubiquitous computing.
T-Engine is a standard operating system development environment and advances the building of ubiquitous computing environments, where computers are incorporated and networked in every single physical object.
The T-Engine Forum aims to realize ubiquitous computing environments utilizing T-Engine and uID technology, and has been engaged in research and development, standardization and other activities.
The T-Engine Forum is an international forum with approximately 450 organization members from around the world and is the largest institution for ubiquitous computing activities in the world.
The main activities of the T-Engine Forum are conducted through regular general meetings where the Forum members gather together, working groups organized according to specific themes and sub-working groups for creating specifications, etc. The main details of the Forum's activities are as follows:

1. Conducting research and development of the T-Engine architecture, research studies on standardization, and research and development of open specifications.
2. Conducting activities to spread and promote the T-Engine architecture.
3. Collecting, exchanging and providing information regarding the building of ubiquitous computing environments.
4. Communicating with concerned parties, such as government agencies that are involved in the promotion of ubiquitous computing environments and making adjustments accordingly.
5. Managing the uID Center.
6. Transmitting information regarding the T-Engine architecture from web sites, etc.
7. Realizing a T-Engine middleware distribution infrastructure using e-commerce.
8. Other business required for achieving the goals of this organization.

There are a wide variety of members, including semiconductor manufacturers, computer hardware manufacturers, software vendors, system integrators, embedded systems and ubiquitous computing systems users. The T-Engine Forum encourages cooperation among its members to mutually stimulate their businesses.

Membership types

The T-Engine Forum consists of corporate members (*1) who have agreed to the purpose of the forum and submitted an application form. There are five membership types; Board members, A-level members, B-level members, e-level members and Academic members. Please note that the latest information is provided on the "members-only web site" for each membership type.

(*1) Individuals are not allowed to apply to join the forum. You must apply as a corporate.

1. Board members: Members who are deeply involved in the operation of this forum, including participation in the decision-making processes for policies and strategies. They can participate in committees and working groups. They have all the privileges that A, B and e-level members have and can browse all the "membersonly web saites".
2. A-level members: Members who design and develop specifications of T-Engine and T-Kernel, or design and develop specifications of Ubiquitous ID technology. They can be deeply involved in these specifications. They can participate in committees and working groups. They have the privileges that B and e-level members have and can browse all the "members-only web sites".
3. B-level members: User members who develop products using T-Engine and T-Kernel. They can browse the "B-level members-only web site".
4. e-level members: User members who conduct activities regarding use of ubiquitous IDs and eTRON. e-level members can preferentially obtain information on the Ubiquitous ID Center. They can use the EAP (Experimental Activity Procedure) system through which the Ubiquitous ID center supports verification experiments regarding Ubiquitous ID technology (mainly, electronic tags, etc.). They can browse the "e-level members-only web site".
5. Academic members: Members who conduct academic research and educational activity related to T-Engine, T-Kernel, Ubiquitous ID and eTRON only "organizations that are involved in education" are allowed to join the forum. They can browse the "Academic members-only web site".
   You can join the forum as a university, a department and a laboratory, etc.

Membership Fees

Board members: A-level members more than three shares
A-level members: one share 1, 000, 000 yen/year(please pay more than one share)
B-level members: one share 100, 000 yen/year(please pay more than one share)
e-level members: one share 100, 000 yen/year(please pay more than one share)
Academic members: Free/year

General Meetings

General meetings are briefings for members held once each quarter in principle. For A-level members and B-level members, T-Engine related activities are explained, and for A-level members and e-level members, ubiquitous ID technology related activities are explained.

Committees and working groups (both operated by A-level members)

1. Committees

The committees are equivalent to the working groups' parent groups. Regular meetings hold it in principle on the moon where a general meeting is not held. Basis to discuss policies for standardization, etc, authorize standards and guidelines, explain the trends of related technologies, and report discussions and work progress in the working groups.

2. Working groups

Working groups are set up as departments that do the specific work according to the policies decided at executive committee's meetings, and meetings are basically held on a monthly basis as needed. They share and do the actual work including preparation of draft plans for standards and guidelines and so on.

3. Organizations.

4. Activities of committees and working groups

4.1 Committees
(1) T-Engine Platform Committee [TE-CO]

• Conducts activities related to all aspects of T-Engine, such as hardware, OS, middleware and others.

(2) Ubiquitous Committee [UB-CO]

• Conducts activities related to all aspects of Ubiquitous Communicators, such as hardware, OS, middleware and others.
• Conducts activities related to the core technology with the Ubiquitous ID Center playing a central role.
• Conducts activities related to network technology, infrastructure technology and server technology that support a ubiquitous society.

4.2 Working groups

(1) Hardware WG [HW-WG]

• Conducts activities concerning the hardware specifications of the T-Engine family, namely T-Engine (Standard T-Engine), μT-Engine (micro T-Engine), nT-Engine (nano T-Engine) and pT-Engine (pico T-Engine).
• Hardware-related companies that develop and sell T-Engine specified products play a central role in conducting the activities.

(2) Kernel/Development environment WG [KD-WG]

• Conducts activities concerning software specifications of "T-Monitor", the basic monitor that operates on the T-Engine family products and the basic kernel called "T-Kernel", as well as development environment of application software and middleware that run on T-Kernel.
• Software-related companies play a central role in conducting the activities.

(3) Middleware distribution WG [MW-WG]

• Conducts activities concerning the middleware distribution that runs on T-Kernel.
• Software-related companies play a central role in conducting the activities.

(4) Java WG [JV-WG]

• Conducts activities concerning the Java language environment.
• Software-related companies play a central role in conducting the activities.

(5) Multiprocessor WG [MP-WG]

• Activities with the theme of compatibility of T-Engine and T-Kernel to multiprocessors are carried out.
• Companies related to the development of middleware and development environments for multiprocessor compatible T-Engine, T-Kernel and companies interested in the use of multiprocessors as users will lead the activities as the main figures.

(6) UC software platform WG [UC-SPWG]

• Conducts activities concerning software and machines that have a human interface, such as a PDA on T-Engine/T-Kernel and a communication function that enables communications with a ubiquitous environment.
• Hardware and software-related companies play a central role in conducting the activities.

(7) UC Contents Distribution WG ［UCCD-WG］

• Activities with the theme of specifications for ubiquitous communicators as target machines concerning the electronic circulation of various contents are carried out.
• Companies interested in the electronic distribution of contents and related middleware will lead the activities as the main figures.

(8) ucode tag technology WG [UT-WG]

• Conducts activities concerning ucode tags and Ubiquitous ID.
• ucode tag manufacturers play a central role in conducting the activities.

(9) U-TAD WG [TD-WG]

• Conducts activities concerning U-TAD. -Software-related companies play a central role in conducting the activities

(10)Ubiquitous Food Information Infrastructure WG ［FO-WG］

• Conducts activities in order to develop guidelines for a ubiquitous food information infrastructure by combining food traceability guidelines and ubiquitous ID technology.

T-Engine Forum BBS

The T-Engine Forum has opened a members-only BBS as part of services for its members. In the BBS, the latest information on T-Engine and T-Kernel is provided in a Q&A format and in a forum where members can mutually exchange information.

Ubiquitous ID Center

The Ubiquitous ID Center was set up within the T-Engine Forum to establish and popularize the core technology to automatically identify "physical objects" and "locations", and to work toward the ultimate objective of realizing a ubiquitous computing environment.
Its specific activities include research & development, experiments and operation of the Ubiquitous ID technology, allocation of ubiquitous ID spaces, operation of the ucode solution database and the eTRON certificate authority.
The activities are mainly conducted by A-level members and e-level members.

Activities

The activities of the Ubiquitous ID center include:

1. Constructing an ID system of ucodes, which are assigned to "physical objects" and locations".
2. Establishing the core technology for using ucodes.
   - Data carrier devices to store ucodes (RFID, Smart cards, Active chips, etc.)
   - Devices that communicate with data carrier devices (Ubiquitous Communicators)
   - Core technology for information and communications that enables searching for information associated with ucodes.
3. Establishing the core technology for secure wide-area distribution systems for ucodes and information linked to ucodes.

Organization and System

Ubiquitous ID Center is established within the T-Engine Forum. (http://www.t-engine.org/)
A-level and e-level members of the T-Engine Forum promote activities related to the Ubiquitous ID Center.

● A-level member's activities

Member:	Composed of the T-Engine Forum A-level members
Assumed member:	Data career device vendors, such as RFID and an IC card Peripheral device vendors, such as R/W Vendors that construct infrastructure, such as terminals, servers, and PKI
Outline of Activity:	Ubiquitous Network Infrastructure committee, ucode tag technology WG, U-TAD WG, etc.

● e-level member's activities