Activities in the World

T-Engine/uID Technology Spreading Around the World

The next generation of embedded real-time technology with T-Engine/T-Kernel at the core and ubiquitous ID technology with ucodes at the core is being accepted worldwide due to the advanced level and openness. As a result, many activity sites have already been established throughout the world. For example, TEADEC (T-Engine Application DEvelopment Centre) established by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Renesas, and the EDB (Economic Development Board), a governmental organization in Singapore, is a development center for embedded real-time systems using T-Engine/T-Kernel. In South Korea, KTEC (T-Engine Korea Center) was established as a similar organization and is busy proactively carrying out activities. Also in Korea, a collaborative project concerning the interoperability of ubiquitous ID technology and other RFID technologies is being implemented by the NIDA of South Korea (National Internet Development Agency of Korea). Sites have also been established in Peking University (China), Chinese Academy of Sciences (China), Dalian Software Park (China), NECTEC (Thailand), Vietnam National University -Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Hanoi University of Technology, NEOTECK Business Solutions, Ltd. (Tasmania, Australia), etc.

	Chinese Academy of Sciences
	Singapore TEADEC
	Vietnam National University -Ho Chi Minh City

Asia Ubiquitous International Study

In the Asian region, each country is closely connected economically and many products are traded among countries. Meanwhile, various problems have occurred in international trade among these Asian countries due to product quality. Therefore, ucodes are being attached to various products and commercial goods shipped through the international distribution network, and an approach to make product traceability possible not only to improve the distribution efficiency but also to ensure product quality is under test. In 2006, Aoyama Trading, an apparel manufacturer in Japan, implemented product traceability systems by storing all information generated in the supply chain process of manufacturing in factories in Shanghai, importing to Japan and finally shipment to retail stores. The stored information was associated with ucode in the tag attached to men's suit. In 2008, a pilot food traceability system between Thailand and Japan as well as a traceability system of products traded by mail orders between Japan and South Korea was tested. Furthermore, a pilot system using ucodes to manage celebrity character goods was implemented between Japan and Taiwan.

"Onigiri (Rice ball)-Tei" study in Bangkok, Thailand	Counterfeit check of mail-order products between Korea and Japan

Shanghai/Fudan University uID/RFID Open Laboratory

In July 2006, the YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory in cooperation with Sakamura Laboratory at the University of Tokyo jointly established the "Shanghai/Fudan University uID/RFID Open Laboratory" with Fudan University in Shanghai, China as a site for research/development/promotion of ubiquitous ID technology in China.
Within the Open Laboratory, a permanent, technology exhibition space was set up for introducing ubiquitous ID technology and T-Engine related technology. In China, Fudan University is considered to be the most prestigious university in the south, ranking with Beijing University in the north, and has a history of more than 100 years. The Software School housing the uID/RFID Open Laboratory was set up in Zhangjiang in the east of Shanghai. Research on OSs, language processing, and e-Commerce are being carried out, and their research on RFID for e-Commerce is considered to be the most advanced in all of China.

Ubiquitous ID Center, Taipei

On January 31, 2008, Ubiquitous ID Center, Taipei was established. Ubiquitous ID Center, Taipei was established as an NPO and is scheduled to provide not only food traceability in Asia but various business system infrastructures. Expectations in Taiwan are extremely high, and its opening ceremony was held with more than 200 people from various quarters of Taiwanese politics, business, and academia in attendance.

Memorandum with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

On June 24, 2008, a memorandum concerning research cooperation in the field of ubiquitous computing was signed between the Sakamura Laboratory of The University of Tokyo and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus). VTT was established in 1942 and is currently the oldest technical research organization in Northern Europe. The organization predominately carries out research in application fields, in which fundamental research results are connected to commercialization, and many contracted and joint research studies are conducted according to requests from private companies. This memorandum concerns the research being promoted in overlapping fields by the T-Engine project and ubiquitous ID architecture as well as VTT, in particular, the NoTA architecture, which is currently being researched in collaboration with Nokia. Joint research, human exchange, and workshops are also scheduled in each field from both the technical and application aspects.

Participation in CASAGRAS European Project

CASAGRAS (Coordination and Support Action for Global RFID-related Activities and Standardization) is a large project supported by the EU for investigation and fundamental research on the development and standardization of RFID related technology. In Europe, the approach to integrate the real world and virtual world using networks and RFIDs is often called, "The Internet of Things". CASAGRAS is an important project for the entire EU to promote the required standards for identifying and implementing the technology necessary in making" The Internet of Things" a reality.
YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory participates in CASAGRAS as a partner from outside the EU region and contributes to the creation of a future vision by presenting ubiquitous ID technology.

CASAGRAS website:
http://www.rfidglobal.eu/

Activities in International Conferences

In 2008, achievements concerning T-Engine, T-Kernel, and ubiquitous ID technology were announced in various international conferences held all over the world. For example, in April 2008, Professor Ken Sakamura of the University of Tokyo held a speech titled, "RFID as a platform of innovation", in the Thailand RFID Forum 2008. In addition, he held another lecture titled, "The Ubiquitous Computing Revolution", in the Finland Ubiquitous Forum, "JokaPaikan Tietotenkniikan (=Ubiquitous Computing) Summit" (JPT Summit 2008). Other major activities include the participation of half-day seminars of ubiquitous ID technology in the 1st EU – Japan Symposium on NGN and Future of Internet held in Brussels, Belgium in June and ITU-Workshop "Ubiquitous Technologies: Concepts and Applications" held in Pusan, South Korea in July. Furthermore, in September, we participated in "GRIFS (The Global RFID Interoperability Forum for Standards) Workshop Tokyo" in Tokyo and "The Internet of Things - Internet of the Future" in Nice, France in October. These international conferences are extremely important events for the international collaboration of information communication technology, and we will continue to value and participate in these conferences in the future.

Hangzhou

The Chinese government is currently promoting energy conservation, and the monitoring and control of energy are important issues. Homewell, in Zhejiang, is beginning to apply a wireless sensor network to energy monitoring systems for air conditioners and electricity in hotels, office buildings, and public facilities. Since large, multi-story buildings have already existed in China for many years, it is difficult to install wiring later for monitoring and control. Therefore, this wireless sensor network is attracting much attention. YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory has been involved in technical cooperation with Homewell in the area of application of ucodes to the ID management of sensors, and sensor networks. As a part of this technical cooperation, YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory held a joint booth with Homewell in the Electronics & Information Fair, Hangzhou, China 2008 on September 3 through 6, 2008. Moreover, YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory was involved in technical cooperation on a ticket system using ucodeQR in the fair. As a result, the effect of the fair on market cultivation through the real-time understanding of visitors and guidance to booths, etc. was improved further.