Tech-pert Panel Recognizes The Most Innovative Technologies At CEATEC Japan 2008

From a Handy Separating Phone to the Latest in Green Technology, This Panel of Thought Leaders Identified U.S.-Relevant Products Debuting in Japan [The following is a release from CEATEC JAPAN]

October 3, 2008

American technology thought leaders forming the Tech-pert Panel recognized the most innovative products at CEATEC JAPAN 2008. This independent advisory panel, assembled by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) San Francisco, viewed hundreds of technologies, services and products debuting at CEATEC JAPAN 2008. They identified exhibitor technologies based on innovation and potential influence in the U.S. market in categories ranging from home entertainment, mobile phones, transportation technologies and technology components. "In two words, I would summarize CEATEC JAPAN 2008 as globally relevant. The products and designs were relevant to lifestyle needs as well as global and environmental concerns," said Josh Fruhlinger, Engadget.com, "While the products remain aspirational, there was a certain feeling that manufacturers were thinking more about 'what should we do' and less about 'what could we do.' This resulted in products like the Panasonic EZ Touch Remote which combines a completely breakthrough device, graphic user interface along with an aesthetically pleasing and energy-efficient design." The panel, led by Greentech Media senior analyst and former CNET editor at large, Michael Kanellos, also includes Tom Samiljan, executive producer of AOL's Switched.com; Josh Fruhlinger, editorial director of Engadget.com; Mark Seavy, senior editor of Consumer Electronics Daily; and Kevin Sintumuang, associate editor of GQ Magazine. Joining the panel were contributing analysts Richard Doherty, director of Envisioneering Group; Auri Rahimzadeh, CEO and senior analyst of T.A.G.; and Sabrina Doherty, digital lifestyle editor of Envisioneering Group. The judges and analysts used the following selection criteria when considering the wide range of items viewed at CEATEC JAPAN: -- The technology, product or service must be on exhibit at CEATEC JAPAN 2008 -- The technology should show some sort of influence, relevance or potential impact for the United States market -- Based on the opinion and experience of the panel, the technology should show great innovation, and this could include a unique function -- A technology may also be recognized for offering consumers ease-of-use -- The technology should offer a unique solution for an emerging need -- The panel also considered unique design or aesthetic Each panelist scoured the show floor for two days then met and discussed technologies, products, prototypes and concepts for consideration. They narrowed the selection to three or four nominees in 12 categories including seven technology categories and five trend categories. Then, the group voted and debated the final grouping. All technology categories were considered equally and the panelists were encouraged to make their selection based on the criteria above. "One of the most prevalent ideas at the show this year was collaboration. Joint efforts are becoming more common and powerful. Sharp and Pioneer produced award winning technology [Sharp XS-1 with Pioneer speaker bar]; at the same time, Nissan, NTT Docomo, and Sharp also produced an award winning product [Built-in Intelligent Key]," said Michael Kanellos of Greentech Media, "These companies worked together on tying the car, PC and mobile phone. We would like to coin CEATEC JAPAN 2008 the year of collaboration." CEATEC JAPAN 2008 Tech-pert Panel Category Award Winners included the following technologies: Technology Category: Imaging Winner: JVC Everio JVC's current lineup of handheld HD camcorders is already strong, but their upcoming Everio HD product looks to satisfy a more high-end audience with both video and still images. This prototype looks to give the discerning prosumer [professional consumer] what he or she is looking for: a quality design backed by cutting-edge technology. Josh Fruhlinger, Engadget.com Technology Category: Software Winner: KDDI Real Space X-ray Vision KDDI's Real Space X-ray includes mobile phone software that combines a six-axis sensor, GPS, and microphone in order to display data from the user's immediate environment. Point the phone in the direction of the street you are walking by, for example, and the phone will show you various businesses that lie ahead in a 3D fashion. The software also has a sense of your surroundings so it's smart enough to know you're on a train based on the station sounds and it can sense the speed you're traveling and automatically adjust to an appropriate mode. Kevin Sintumuang, GQ Magazine Technology Category: Components Winner: Toshiba SCiB Rechargeable Battery Batteries are the Achilles' heel of the electric car industry. They cost quite a bit, often require several hours to recharge, and occasionally burst into flames. Toshiba's SCiB batteries greatly enhance safety and could dramatically reduce charging time. Although the batteries may not appear in vehicle for several years, the market will be able to see how well they perform in electric bikes and scooters in the relatively near future. Michael Kanellos, Greentech Media Technology Category: Transportation Technologies Winner: Nissan/NTT Docomo/Sharp Built-in Intelligent Key In an enviable example of collaboration among three different companies, Nissan, NTT Docomo, and Sharp have developed the Built-in Intelligent Key, a phone that builds on theexisting NissanIntelligent Key to wirelessly unlock and open your car door, but also synchs up via Bluetooth with the in-vehicle navigation and entertainment systems. Imagine that you could plan your route at home, at your leisure, then instantly get directions on your in-car GPS system (along with your favorite tunes) the minute you turn on the engine, saving time, energy and fuel. Youll never worry about losing your car keys again, but youd better not lose your phone! Tom Samiljan, Switched.com Technology Category: Networking Winner: Omron SX-4 Optical Subassembly for HDMI Transmission Lossless transmission of high definition audiovisual streams in the home is now possible thanks to Omron's HDMI + Fiber transmission solution. Traditionally, transmitting audiovisual streams over long distances has required range-limited wireless or re-encoding to low-bitrate video for network transmission. Omron's solution uses cost-effective fiber and transmits the stream with no loss using HDMI and fiber connectors. This enables compatibility with practically any CE or AV device in the home. Auri Rahimzadeh, T.A.G. Technology Category: Display Winner: Sharp Aquos XS-1 The Sharp Aquos XS-1 is a 65-inch LCD TV featuring 1080p resolution and an LED backlight that delivers 450 lumens and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The one-inch thick set requires a separate set-top box housing three HDMI and three component connectors. The set-top box connects wirelessly to the television or via an HDMI cable. It also is among the first co-branded products introduced by Sharp and Pioneer and contains a Pioneer speaker bar with 30 watts total output, including a 15-watt subwoofer and 7.5 watts in the left and right speakers. Plus, unlike many things you see at CEATEC JAPAN, this collaboration is shipping this fall and while it has a higher price tag, it also is said to be more energy efficient. Mark Seavy, Consumer Electronics Daily Technology Category: Mobile Phone Winner: Sharp Tegaki Chat This fun mobile phone application mixes the immediacy of live video-conferencing with the whimsicality of doodling into a futuristic two-way chat experience. Users connect to each other via mobile video phone and transmit drawings and animations that are superimposed over the video feeds in real-time. It's like the PictoChat on Nintendo DS, but faster, realer, and with you in mind at all times. Tom Samiljan, Switched.com When you consider the prevalent themes at CEATEC JAPAN 2008, Kanellos went on to say, "2008 was also the year for green technology. Nearly every major TV maker emphasized how they have cut power consumption in their sets. The Green IT Pavilion also showcased several ways to cut energy in datacenters. Japan has had a large renewable energy industry for years, and I expect it to become more prevalent as environmental and energy concerns grow." CEATEC JAPAN 2008 Tech-pert Panel Trend Award Winners included the following technologies: Trend Category: Interface Design The first trend category, best interface design, was created in consideration of products that had a unique user experience and thoughtful approach to the interface. Winner: Panasonic EZ Touch Remote Panasonic's new concept for the entertainment system control arena took us by surprise with some ground-breaking usability advances. With support for both left and right-handed users, multi-touch interfaces, and putting the visual feedback where the consumer wants it - on the display - we look forward to seeing this device actually come to market. Josh Fruhlinger, Engadget.com Trend Category: Product Design This category included products that clearly incorporated a groundbreaking design aesthetic. Product Design Winner: KDDI Ply Phone Using a piece of plywood as his inspiration, Hideo Kambara of Japanese advertising agency Dentsu came up with PLY, a mobile phone concept where the device's various technologies -- a printer, a projector, a touchscreen, and even an analog clock -- are represented by different physical layers. Part of KDDI's annual AU Design Project, the PLY continues to push the idea of what a phone can look like and more important, what it can do. Kevin Sintumuang, GQ Magazine Trend Category: Best Concept This category includes technologies that seem to look outside of conventional wisdom for unique solutions but still remain conceptual in nature. Best Concept Winner: NTT Docomo Handy Separating Mobile Phone This concept from NTT Docomo takes the traditional clamshell flip phone and literally splits it into two pieces, transforming one half into an earpiece and the other half into a video screen. This means you can talk to somebody using one half of the phone and use the other half to check the weather or watch TV. But this is simply one iteration of the "split" phone concept . The two halves could also be used as instant push-to-talk walkie-talkies or portable gaming consoles, among many other possibilities! Tom Samiljan, Switched.com Trend Category: Green Technology One of the most important trend categories at the show was green technology. The panel was overwhelmed by the green solutions for the home, car and business. Green Technology Winner: Panasonic Smart Home Concept Zone 1 By combining modular construction, efficient appliances and modern electronics for dynamically reducing power to air conditioners and lights, Panasonic is putting all of the necessary pieces together to build energy efficient green homes. Green housing is a rapidly growing market and the concepts demonstrated at the show potentially give the company the opportunity to play a notable role in its development. Michael Kanellos, Greentech Media Trend Category: Technological Achievement The panel decided to recognize certain companies that truly achieved what no company has done before, the nominees included first ever achievements. Technological Achievement Winner: JVC 8K Projector JVC has boosted the video display quality bar to 17 times the pixels of full HD. Using 35-megapixel display chips, JVC can show 8,192 pixels by 4320 pixels. International ITU and SMPTE Video and Motion picture industry standards already embrace an experimental 33-megapixel camera format demonstrated by NHK. This is quality above nearly all film systems. Ultimately, JVC's D-ILA based Super Hi-Vision display quality could not only deliver front-row views to entertainment and sports, but also deliver true to life detail in medicine; teaching critical surgery techniques in "you are there" quality. Richard Doherty, Envisioneering Group The panel and contributing analysts selected one technology in particular to recognize as the "Best of CEATEC JAPAN 2008." This technology was selected from all of the nominees and winners and was chosen for many different reasons but most notably because it represents the ideal combination of potential impact or interest in the United States, ground-breaking innovative thinking, ease of use and game-changing function. Award for Best of Show: Panasonic EZ Touch Remote The panel noted that the EZ Touch Remote is more than a breakthrough in interface design; it is a completely different experience in TV viewing for consumers and it was designed to be extremely energy-efficient, using less battery power than remotes of similar functionality. The panel also felt strongly that the following nominees deserve attention and credit for their outstanding contributions. Some of the highlights of outstanding nominees include: -- ST Microelectronics' Smart Plug was nominated in several categories including software and networking solutions. -- In the category for transportation technologies, Fujitsu's Train Operation Simulation System was also recognized. -- The Omnivision High Dynamic Range Sensor for High Contrast Environments is a nominee for best imaging technology. -- ASA Color LED Caps were also a strong contender for the technology components category. -- Mitsubishi's Real (LF2000) was also nominated in several categories for networking and design. -- Hitachi showed Geomation Farm software that was a thoughtful approach to green agriculture. -- Gesture and 3D technology were overwhelmingly popular at CEATEC 2008 including nominations for Fujisoft, Pioneer and Hitachi -- Finally, one of the most notable nominees, Kumamoto University developed a Vision Based Car Navigation System or VINCAS. Following CEATEC JAPAN 2008, the Tech-pert Panel plans to participate in a round table discussion at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2009 in Las Vegas hosted by CEATEC to share their insights into the future of the industry. For more information on these and other technologies on display at CEATEC JAPAN 2008, please go to the Tech-pert Panel Channel. Stay tuned over the next week for more video from the floor. Also, for more information on CEATEC JAPAN 2008, please visit http://www.ceatec.com.

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