JTW Digest, April 10, 2024

Author

Eldar Syzdykov
April 10, 2024

Technology Sector Weighs on Nikkei 225 Index on April 10, 2024

The technology sector was the main drag on the Nikkei 225 index on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The index closed at 39,581.81, down 0.48% or 191.32 points from the previous day.

The technology sector, which makes up 50.35% of the Nikkei 225, contributed -64.00 yen to the day's change. This was the largest negative contribution among all the sectors.

The top technology companies in the index, such as TOKYO ELECTRON LTD. (9.74% weight), SOFTBANK GROUP CORP. (4.23% weight), and ADVANTEST CORP. (3.94% weight), were among the main contributors to the technology sector's decline.

The performance of the technology sector was a key factor in the overall movement of the Nikkei 225 index on the day. Investors will be closely monitoring the developments in this sector, as it plays a crucial role in the Japanese stock market.

Sumitomo Rubber and Murata Manufacturing Develop Innovative Tire Wear Detection System

Sumitomo Rubber Industries and Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. have jointly developed a tire wear detection system that accurately measures tire wear in three dimensions using a smartphone application and sensor technology. 

The new system addresses the limitations of traditional tire wear measurement methods, which rely on manually measuring the groove depth or visual inspections that can be prone to errors. The joint development project started in September 2021.

The tire wear detection system uses a smartphone app and a specialized wear detection device to scan the tire surface. The collected data is then analyzed using an algorithm to provide numerical feedback on the tire wear status, including uneven wear patterns. 

This technology is expected to benefit truck and bus operators, who face challenges related to the 2024 problem and decarbonization efforts. The accurate tire wear data can help predict the optimal timing for tire replacement and rotation, improving vehicle operating rates through planned maintenance. It also has the potential to increase the reuse of retread tires by providing better tire management insights.

The companies plan to begin testing the tire wear detection system at Dunlop's directly managed stores (Tire Land) starting in 2025.

Nihon University Develops "AI Eyes" to Revolutionize Steel Bridge Inspection

Researchers at Nihon University's College of Engineering have developed an innovative AI-powered camera system that can instantly detect corrosion on steel bridges. This technology is expected to significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of mandatory bridge inspections in Japan, which are required every five years.

The AI camera is equipped with software that has been trained to recognize the visual characteristics of corrosion, such as red rust. When the camera is used, it can instantly highlight areas of corrosion in red and areas at risk of corrosion in yellow, providing a clear visual aid for inspectors.

The camera also has a learning function that can further improve its accuracy by incorporating the results of past inspections. Additionally, the researchers envision the potential to adapt the technology for use on concrete bridges and even mount it on drones for more comprehensive and efficient inspections.

This AI-based bridge inspection system, referred to as "AI eyes" by the research team, was developed with support from a prefecture-level industry-academia collaboration project focused on robot research and development. The team aims to continue refining and expanding the capabilities of this innovative technology to streamline the critical task of infrastructure maintenance and safety.

Yamato Industry Pioneers Japan's First Commercial Conversion of Diesel Trucks to EVs

Yamato Industry, an automotive engineering company, has announced the successful test drive of Japan's first small diesel truck converted into an electric vehicle (EV). This milestone achievement was reached through a collaboration with SBS Holdings and IAT.

The test run was conducted on March 18th and 19th at the Koda Circuit YRP Kiriyama in Aichi Prefecture, demonstrating the feasibility of converting a 2-ton diesel truck into an EV. This marks the first effort in Japan to convert a small diesel truck into an EV with the goal of mass production.

Going forward, Yamato Industry plans to strengthen its partnership with logistics company SBS to enable mass sales of the converted EV trucks. The company will start by converting Mitsubishi Fuso's popular 1.5-ton Canter model, which has been widely used for over 10 years.

Additionally, Yamato Industry intends to collaborate with various partner companies to roll out the EV modification kit designed and developed by IAT across the logistics and distribution market, starting in the Kanto region and expanding nationwide. This initiative aims to provide a sustainable solution for repurposing old diesel trucks by converting them into environmentally-friendly EVs.

PFU Enters Recycling Business, Launches AI-Powered Waste Separation System

PFU, a leading scanner company, has entered the recycling business by developing a specialized "waste separation AI engine" that uses advanced optical and image processing technology to automate the sorting of recyclable waste.

As the first step, PFU has launched an AI-powered automatic sorter for recyclable waste, called "Raptor VISION BOTTLE". This system uses a camera to photograph bottles flowing on a conveyor belt, and then utilizes AI to distinguish between different bottle types, such as brown, transparent, and PET bottles, with an accuracy of 99.8% - equal to or higher than human sorting capabilities.

The sorting process is carried out by robotic equipment from partner machine tool manufacturer Takamatsu Machine Industry, addressing the chronic labor shortages faced by the approximately 3,000 intermediate waste processing facilities across Japan. This automation helps streamline the complex sorting process required for effective recycling, where different materials need to be separated by type and color.

Going forward, PFU plans to expand its recycling business by launching a series of products that support the detection and recycling of lithium-ion batteries and other industrial waste, aiming to achieve sales of 6 billion yen by fiscal year 2035.

Kobe University Breakthrough: World's First Mass Production of Durable and Degradable Bioplastic

Researchers at Kobe University have successfully developed and mass-produced a revolutionary new bioplastic that addresses key limitations of existing polylactic acid (PLA) materials. This breakthrough achievement marks the first time in the world that such a durable, flexible, and quickly degradable plant-based plastic has been manufactured on a large scale.

The new bioplastic, called LAHB, is made from lactic acid derived from starch-rich sources like sugarcane and corn. Unlike conventional PLA, LAHB exhibits improved processability and degradability, even in seawater. The research team utilized genetically modified hydrogen bacteria with plastic-producing properties to achieve efficient mass production of this advanced bioplastic material.

This innovation is particularly timely, as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates there will be approximately 30 million tons of plastic waste in the world's oceans by 2022. The ability to mass-produce a bioplastic that can quickly decompose in water presents a promising solution to the global plastic pollution crisis.

The Japanese government has set a goal of increasing the domestic use of bioplastics to around 2 million tons by 2030. Kobe University's Professor Seiichi Taguchi believes this breakthrough has helped bring the government's "bio-manufacturing" vision closer to industrial-scale reality, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.

Tokyo Tech Researchers Develop Groundbreaking IGZO Transistor with Reduced Contact Resistance

Researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology have made a significant breakthrough in the development of IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) thin-film transistors (TFTs). They have successfully created an IGZO-TFT that reduces the contact resistance at the metal-semiconductor interface by about 1,000 times compared to conventional methods.

IGZO-TFTs are widely used in flat-panel displays due to their high mobility and fast read/write capabilities. However, as these transistors are made smaller, the contact resistance at the interface between the metal and semiconductor materials can increase, negatively impacting their performance and power consumption.

The research team addressed this issue by using a special technique. They used palladium, a metal that can easily absorb and transport hydrogen, as the electrode material. They also employed a protective film made of amorphous ZnSiOx. This allowed them to efficiently transport highly reactive hydrogen atoms to the internal interface, creating a metal intermediate layer that significantly reduced the contact resistance.

As a result, the team was able to fabricate an IGZO-TFT with a contact resistance of just 6.1 ohm-cm, compared to 3,000 ohm-cm for the untreated device. This improvement also helped to minimize the deviation between the actual and patterned channel lengths, ultimately enhancing the field effect mobility of the TFT to 20 cm^2/Vs.

This breakthrough in IGZO-TFT technology, with its drastically reduced contact resistance, opens up new possibilities for the development of next-generation electronic devices, including high-speed, low-power memory and display applications.

Kansai Electric Power Unveils Prototype "Flying Car" Charger for 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo

Kansai Electric Power Co., Ltd. has unveiled a prototype "flying car" charger that will be installed at the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo venue. This is the first time the company has showcased the charger to the press, located in Osaka.

The charger is designed to safely transmit large amounts of electricity at a higher voltage than what is typically used for electric vehicles (EVs). It has a plug-and-cable system similar to EV chargers, allowing the flying car to be connected and recharged.

The charger itself is box-shaped, standing about 2 meters tall and 1 meter wide. It was developed in collaboration with Daihen, a company that manufactures chargers and transformers.

The flying car being targeted for use with this charger is the Skydrive aircraft, which has a range of approximately 15 kilometers and a maximum cruising speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The charger is designed to fully recharge the flying car in about 30 minutes to an hour.

In the future, Kansai Electric Power plans to collaborate with Skydrive (based in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture) to conduct demonstrations using the actual aircraft and the newly unveiled charger prototype.