Japan is Driving the Future of the Internet of Things
By enabling people anywhere to connect with one another via computer, the internet has been among the biggest game-changers of the modern era. Now, the Internet of Things (IoT), by allowing devices to synergize by independently sharing data, stands poised to change the playing field of society and business even more drastically. Analysts estimate the IoT market will be over $1.4 trillion annually by 2027, with advances in nearly every aspect of life, from manufacturing, to medicine, to entertainment. Japan is already taking the initiative in this field, with small and medium enterprises driven by cutting-edge innovations of both hardware and software that have the potential to change the world.
The Power of Producing Data from the Dark
As computers, IoT devices need electricity to function. However, the very ubiquity and versatility that make them so useful also make powering them a challenge. Powering all these devices can be a huge challenge in terms of logistics, cost, time, and even safety. “All these devices require a power supply, and traditional methods are too expensive and wasteful,” says Ito Tomoko, CEO of inQs. “The device we’ve developed solves this bottleneck slowing down the development of IoT.” inQs has recently produced a new type of photovoltaic cell, the SQ-DSSC, made from silicon dioxide (SiO2). Unlike current cells that require bright sunlight, the SQ-DSSC can produce power from both the visible and invisible light spectrums, at intensities as low as 5 lux, the brightness of a single candle. “We always get a surprised reaction when we demonstrate it generating electricity in a darkened room,” says Ito. This makes it ideal for powering edge devices such as sensors in the factories and anywhere that may not have constant bright illumination.
One important advantage of inQs’ one-of-a-kind innovation is that it doesn’t depend on scarce resources; SiO2, their primary component, is low-cost and abundant, only gaining its photovoltaic qualities after inQs’ patented processing. “One of my biggest inspirations came when I was working in superconductor research, when I saw that up to half the power produced was lost during transmission,” Ito continues. “The SQ-DSSC allows power to be produced at the immediate site with no waste.” inQs is also working on scaling their photovoltaic material up to window size, potentially enabling the creation of a wide range of building materials capable of generating power and even performing smart functions.
Laying Out a Path for Autonomous Driving and Beyond
One of the most anticipated applications of IoT is the successful deployment of autonomous vehicles; nearly every automaker in the world has been investing billions into developing autonomous technologies, and precise location data is essential for this. Dynamic Map Platform (DMP) Executive Officer Amagai Hiromichi explains that most of us have access to GPS data in our smartphones, but atmospheric interference limits accuracy to about 10 meters. DMP has developed a proprietary algorithm that can undo this interference to achieve centimeter-level accuracy, enough for navigating curves and making lane selections. Currently, even non-autonomous vehicles are equipped with sensors that can detect their surroundings, but these are only capable of seeing about 100 meters, which, at highway speeds, is like walking in the dark. DMP’s data on the other hand makes it possible to see up to a kilometer or more ahead, enabling autonomous vehicles to make safer navigation choices. “The big differences between our work and that of other companies using satellite data is that they typically use the data the way a human would, producing a map and then making measurements. We use it to construct a three-dimensional environment in which each data point carries additional information that computer sensors can use to optimize navigation.” As a result, vehicular systems can make much better use of it as high-precision 3D positional map data.
Already DMP is part of a partnership of nine automotive companies to create a standardized data resource for vehicles. “We’re ahead of the rest of the world right now, and we want to expand our coverage area beyond Japan to include North America and lead the charge for global standardization that all makers can use,” Amagai declares. Beyond autonomous driving applications, DMP is also looking at applications using their data as a digital infrastructure, ranging from city infrastructure management and disaster readiness to interactive entertainment similar to today’s Pokemon Go.
Shrinking Chips and Growing Chip-makers
“IoT is not only driven by software, but also by the accumulation of more semiconductors. Despite the demands for high performance and faster speeds, requiring ever-smaller chip sizes, the basic fabrication methods have not changed for years. The future of 5G has been announced, but it’s not truly here yet,” explains Hirata Katsunori, founder and CEO of Connectec Japan. The smaller a component can be made, the more that can fit into a device, and the more powerful those devices can be. Recently, however, a roadblock has been reached, as the smaller components required for true 5G are much more susceptible to damage from high temperatures when bonding chips to their substrates. The breakthrough made by Connectec Japan is their unique MonsterPAC fabrication method, which lowers bonding temperatures from 260˚C (500˚F) down to between 170˚C (338˚F) and 80˚C (176˚F). “The heat from traditional fabrication limits chip sizes to a pitch, or distance between circuits, of 40 microns,” says Hirata. “At this size, a smartphone capable of true 5G performance would be the size of a laptop and too hot to hold. By lowering bonding temperatures, our method allows pitches of just 10 microns, making full-spec 5G possible. Compared to current devices described as 5G, this is more like 6G.”
Connectec Japan sees this innovation as having much greater potential than just a step forward in smaller chips. While the MonsterPAC bonding method can be easily adapted to existing chip-maker production lines, the process doesn’t require any of the high-heat environments, or chemical treatments of traditional chip fabrication. “Using our method, four times as many chips can be produced from the same wafers, at the same cost, and with a higher yield. Because all these additional steps can be eliminated, fabrication plants, which are currently the size of stadiums, can achieve the same output from a facility the size of a convenience store.” Hirata says the basic technology is fully ready, and he has been demonstrating it to potential partners throughout Japan.
Looking toward the Global Stage
High-tech is continually producing surprises as it evolves, and Japan’s small and medium enterprises are very likely to make some big changes in the world of IoT. “The applications for our technology will continue to grow,” says Ito, “so we are strongly considering our overseas expansion plans from the end of this year.” Amagai has set his sights on more long-term goals: “What we are aiming for with our high-precision 3D positional maps is to ‘re-model the earth’ to serve better solutions for the various geographical issues that we are yet to face around the world.”
Note: All Japanese names in this advertorial are given in the traditional format, with the family name preceding the given name.
To learn more about inQs Co., Ltd., click here.
To learn more about Dynamic Map Platform Co., Ltd., click here.
To learn more about CONNECTEC JAPAN Corporation, click here.
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