Let's Talk about .. JAXA Tsukuba Space Center

Last week I had a chance to visit Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center. It is located at 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan. It's established since 1972 [4].
There are both English and Japanese tour service for free, but you have to book in advance.

First of all, we need to have the visitor card, after that I entered the building to see the introduction video.

Visitor Card

Inside Information Building

Robot Kun, mascot of JAXA

Rocket H-II, H-II A, and H-II B

First place, I went to the Exhibition Hall. After entering, there is a big Earth half sphere called Dream Port. I can see the position of the satellites above the atmosphere and other JAXA activities.

Dream Port

After that, they show achievement of each space projects. There are many models of the satellites.

Since 1970, ..

Medium-scale Broadcasting Satellite for Experimental Purpose

Engineering Test Satellite-VII

Spacesuit is used by astronauts for extravehicular activities. It consists of 14 layers of materials to protect. Astronauts from harmful radiation and space debris [4].

They provide the full scale mockup of KIBO, the Japanese Experimental Module (JEM). It is a Japan's first human facility in the International Space Station. Kibo is a module to study about space medicine, biology, Earth observations, material production, biotechnology and communications research [3]. I can see the introduction of utilization of the space environment. They said that Kibo is as big as motor coach [4].

Kibo

Inside Kibo

International Space Station (ISS) model

Next to Kibo, there are many rockets standing there. There are 1/12 scale models of the successive rockets.

1/12 Model of Successive Rockets

KAGUYA, an engineering model for a space science and lunar and planetary science research is also shown in the hall. The major objectives of KAGUYA mission are to obtain scientific data of the lunar origin and evolution and to develop the technology for the future lunar exploration. KAGUYA consists of a main orbiting satellite at about 100 km altitude and 2 small satellites (Relay Satellite and VRAD Satellite) in polar orbit [4].

SeLenological Engineering Explorer KAGUYA

Not only the model, but they also display the real rocket engines "LE-7" and "LE-8", which were used for combustion tests [4].

Then, the bus took me to the Weightless Environment Test Building. There is a large 16-meter-diameter pool with 10.5 meters in depth for the astronaut training with spacesuits. They showed a video of the weightless environment test.

Weightless Environment Test Building

Symptom according to pressure

I found that there were some Japanese children learning something about communication technique if the room next to video display place.

Until 2010, there are 8 Japanese astronauts [2]:-

Japanese Astronauts

- Mamoru Mohri, Ph.D.(Chemistry) from Flinders University, the first Japanese astronaut, crew member on the Spacelab-J mission in 1992
- Chiaki Mukai, M.D., Ph.D.(Physiology) from Keio University, the first Japanese female astronaut, Payload Specialist
- Takao Doi, Ph.D.(Aerospace Engineering) from the University of Tokyo, Ph.D.(Astronomy) from Rice University
- Koichi Wakata, Dr.Eng.(Aerospace Engineering) from Kyushu University
- Soichi Noguchi, M.Eng.(Aeronautical Engineering) from the University of Tokyo
- Satoshi Furukawa, M.D., Ph.D.(Medical Science) from the University of Tokyo
- Akihiko Hoshide, M.Sc.(Aerospace Engineering) from University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering
- Naoko Yamazaki, M.Eng.(Aerospace Engineering) from the University of Tokyo

After that, the bus took me back to the Information Building to visit a Space Toy Shop, a souvenir shop.

Thank you JAXA for this nice experience.

Ref.

[1] JAXA, "KAGUYA SELENE", available at http://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/index_e.htm (accessed September 2010).

[2] JAXA, "Profile of JAXA's Astronauts", available at http://iss.jaxa.jp/astro/profile_e.html(accessed September 2010).

[3] Kauderer, A., "Kibo Japanese Experiment Module", International Space Station, NASA, available at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/jem.html(accessed September 2010).

[4] Tsukuba Space Center, Tsukuba Space Center Tour Guide, 2010.

Let's Talk about .. Santory Beer Factory Tour

On 26 July, 2010, I have a chance to join Senoo Lab's fieldwork. We went to Santory Beer Factory in Tokyo (サントリー武蔵野ビール工場). It's located at 3-1 Fuchu, Tokyo.

The nearest train station to the factory is Bubaigawara Station (分倍河原駅). There is a shuttle bus provided to go from the station to the factory. For 

Taxi, it's around 710 Yen.
It is considered the old company of food and beverage in Japan.

After gathering, the staff showed us the video about the process of beer production and then we walked around the factory following her.

The step of beer production (from the Brewery tour)

1. Ingredient

Suntory uses the following main ingredients:
-First natural water from underground.

-Second malt. It's a cereal grain.

 Suntory has a gold large field of malt because it's the main ingredient of Beer. They let us test t

he taste of malt. It's delicious.

-Third hop. A type of flowers.

 Its smell is like aroma. The staff let us try to smell both scene of them to compare, but for me, I think it's quite similar.
They become premium beer of suntory, with many medals show their nice of taste.

At the entrance there is air blower to blow small dust.

2. Wort production

The temperature is quite hot, around 35.6 c degree.
Unfortunely, we saw only the machine during it's not processing.

3. Fermentation

This process transforms wort into young beer.

It breakdown sugar in wort into alcohol and co2, and young beer is produced.

4. Maturation

They keep young beer at regular temperature 0 c degree.
We walk pass model show inside of the beer tank.

5. Distrillation

6. Canning

They have the red line limit to show the criteria of the length of border of the beer can. They evaluates by computer one by one. They also concern about environment issue , for example, separating of each type of garbage.

Finally I tried the premium malt's beer.

Other than beer, sanitary also provides natchan, an orange juice, and appetizer to eat with beer such as nuts, or rice crackers.

Nat Chan

More info. http://www.suntory.co.jp/factory/musashino/index.html

Let's Talk about .. Hello World! Hello Life! Mobile Apple Contest seminar

Last Thursday (June 24, 2010) I had a chance to join Hello World! Hello Life! Mobile Apple Contest seminar at Tokyo Institute of Technology. Thanks Ariga san, Kishimo san, and Ikai san for the information.
The speaker of this seminar was Prof.Dr.Masayuki Akamatsu, a professor of sound/media art at the International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences, Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences, Gifu, Japan. He is an iPhone app developer who is interested in media art.

Incubator
He started his presentation with his profile about the Incubator (1999), projecting audio-visual events with 50 MAC computers. They were connected as network and made display and sound. It's a performance that combines human dance with the computer graphics with the rhythm of music and graphic.
Snowflakes
Snowflakes event in Hong Kong
Second, the Snowflakes 2008-2009, in Hong Kong, using 20-40 iPhone with wifi. All of them were opened snowflake application. It's kind like a small music performance that seems amazing.
Largest impact of IT
Next, he talked about the largest impact of IT nowadays. There are many impacts. For example,Bodily information environment and reduction of size like Apple iPhone, palmtop, wearable, and implant; the Sensor information environment which are Sensors /actuators such as a multi-touch screen; the Universal information systems which means everybody, every time, everywhere, every purpose, and every way; the Worldwide information system which are the Internet, and online exchange; and the Inforg the forth revolution.
i.e.,about the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Revolution
First: by Nicolaus Copernicus, we are not immobile, at the centre of the universe.
Second: by Charles Darwin, we are not unnaturally separate and diverse from the rest of the animal kingdom.
Third: by Sigmund Freud, we are very far from bing purely rational minds entirely transparent to ourselves.
Forth: by Inforgs (ourselves), it is modifying our everyday perspective on ourselved and on the ultimate nature of reality, that is, our metaphysics, from a materialist to an informational one.
NOTE: I found an article about Inforg, "Peering into the Future of the Infoshpere" by Luciano Floridi.
Workshop
After that, it's a workshop time. He asked everyone to try 4 applications on iPhone/iPod touch/iPad: iRelax, FingerLite, Soundrop, and Beatwave. First, we tried to open iRelax, an iPhone/iPad application. We were asked to open one sound we like, then he asked us to move and walk around the hall, we felt different when staying in each place..

Real VS Recognition
He also talked about 'Real'. Sometimes, it's hard to identify which is real which is recognition. For example, between 2 Sony Pictures' movies, 2012 and District9, do you think which one is real? (both of them are computer generated images).

Miku Hatsune
After that, he showed the video clip of Miku HATSUNE (初音ミク), a virtual idol singer. She is the Vocaloid 2 Character Vocal Series that released in 2007. She performed a live concert during Animelo Summer Live 2009 in Japan, and at the Anime Festival Asia (AFA09) in Singapore in the year 2009.
Watch Hatsune Miku's Project Diva 2 Trailer Here
About iPhone built-in camera
An iPhone built-in camera is considered as straight direction because we focuses on the object, not subject.
Social Augmented Reality system
By using Augmented Reality (AR) information system and social network system, we can have a lot of information and social. For example, using Sekai Camera: Tagging the World.

Let's Talk about .. Docomo Solution Room

Yesterday, my lab had a field trip to Docomo Solution Room.

NTT Docomo(株式会社エヌ・ティ・ティ・ドコモ) is located at Sanno Park Tower(山王パークタワー).

Name: NTT Docomo, Inc.

Location: Sanno Park Tower 11-1, Nagata-cho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6150 Japan

See Map

I took Ginza line to Tameike-Sanno Station (溜池山王駅) G06. Then, I met Prof.Iijima at the platform. So, we walked together to Sanno Park Tower.

Today 10 of us went there to visit the Docomo Solution Room. It's the room that shows the new technology of Docomo.

First, we had to go to 27F to meet Mr.Hiroyasu Yuhashi from Mobile Society Research Institute.

We got the Guest Card to go up to the Solution Room.

I'm really glad that they also prepared the staff who can describe in English for me. They showed us 5 new Products.

1.Adbo Digital Signage System [more info]

It's the big LCD screen for advertisement purpose. It uses Image processing technology check the gender and age of the person who look at the ads to recommend the suitable ads by checking bone eye hair It can collect the data of the time period of the person (But cannot collect the frequency). While it pays attention to only the person who looks at the camera of the ads, it doesn't collect the data of the people who walk pass it.

It collects only the data of age, gender, and the period, but not the photo, so there's no issue about the privacy.

We can get more information when using mobile handset touch at the ads' mobile reader. For example, sales promotion, coupons, etc.

It's not only Docomo mobile phone, but others, such as AU or SoftBank, are also OK. Anyway, it depends on condition of the ads company.

Another good point of using this terminal is the telephone account issue. It means customers can compose email and send to the sign ads realtime. Thus, there is an interaction between customs and shops.

It can encourage customer buying motivation bcoz they stand in front of the sign ads.

The quality of the system to recognize the person is still not good enough to identify each person, but it can be continued further to make something like that.

2.Keitai home system

This system can control everything in home by using the mobile handset as the remote control.

For instance, switching on/off air conditioner, light, and so on.

When we connect to electronic key door, which is connected to the internet, we can lock the door.

(But we cannot unlock it.)

You can see who coming back to home by mobile handset.

There's a sensor, after founding people, it send SMS to mobile handset. So the family doesn't have to worry that something happen at home or not.

When you're at home and someone come to your house, you can also use an intercom by mobile handset.

On the other hand, when you're outside, you also can check it.

The user interface is very easy to understand. They made it like big cartoon icon.

Inside the System Architecture, Home server is connected to all electric devices by adapter and via WiFi.

For the purpose like the women come back home at night, they can turn on light before entering home.

There are 32 devices can be connected to the system.

Every electric devices which have LAN HA Port can connect to this system.

However, Docomo provides the system to only House maker/developer. They do not sell directly to customers.

Therefore, customers can get the system via buying or renovating the house or apartment with the company that buy this system from Docomo.

Because it needs the setting of all system connection.

Nowaday, Docomo have already introduced to the big house-maker companies.

8 is the maximum number of mobile handset that is able to connect to the server.

As of the IP camera, when you're outside, u can check your house by the mobile handset.

By touching mobile handset, an electronic door can be opened, because the system is embedded inside the door.

There are the pattern modes that we can set in the Main mobile handset. For example, Ohaiyou (Morning) mode, or Oyasumi (Night) mode, and also other 2 custom modes.

Other mobile phone operator's handset also can use this system by accessing the website and do it in text mode.

3.Docomo Platform Service Wellness Support

By setting the variety health devices to send the data to Docomo server, then using mobile handset to receive that data from the server.

For example, checking blood pressure, the result will automatically go to the server and then, the mobile handset.

It's better and easier, because there is no need to write or memo everyday to show to the doctor.

This system is introduced to some companies already

Nowadays Japanese care about health a lot, so this system applies to the health-device companies.

4.CyberCoaster

To show the better understanding of the user manual

For example, how to add paper in a copy machine.

It can process by taking video with this device and set the direction to that motion, then we can move that motion as a real movement.

Current example is the manual of how to do aerobic exercise in school.

5.Mobile pen service [more info]

By using a special (coded) Fine dot printed paper when write on the paper, the pen can read the code on each dot of the paper.

Pen reads on the starting point and the ending point of the line we wrote.

In fact, this technology was from Europe. Anoto company sold it to Docomo, then docomo sold to Japanese companies.

All the data is saved in the pen until we check at the "send phone" checkbox, then the data will be sent to computer.

The pen can save 2 kB data.

All the paper have their own ID, so we cannot use the same paper to write something again.

Anyway, if we write on 2 papers, the server will collect on only the paper that they can record the data according to the paper ID.

My first field trip of this lab ^_^

Thank you very much, Prof.Iijima for my first time of field trip. It's very interesting. Docomo is not only Mobile Phone Operator company, but it is also R&D institute.

Let's Talk about .. Google Japanese Language input

Today there's a lecture about "Google Japanese Language input(Google 日本語入力)". Actually, I don't (quite) understand what the speaker described because the whole lecture was in Japanese. So I just followed his slides and searched the internet myself.

He talked about the Google Japanese Language input. He described the algorithms inside this input.

Google Japanese Language input beta installer is here...

http://www.google.com/intl/ja

There's a program for inserting Japanese language transformation like IME that everyone is using.

Google is developing the Google Japanese Input by using automatically generate from texts on the web, which Google itself has ability to collect the data, as the method to make typing Japanese easy, especially Japanese name.

It's available for both PC(32-bit) and MAC.

They use TRIE algorithm and prefix algorithm to calculate the suggested result.

Moreover, user can send more vocabulary to Google Social dictionary to help them improve the Japanese dictionary.

Ref. Asiajin: Google Releases Google Japanese Input (Beta)

Then, I tried to download and install it..

Click the button to download. Google find the suitable version for your OS.

Agree and Install

Let's Talk about .. Abstact Algebra

There was one time my Prof., Dr.Iijima, said in our lab party. He said that Algebra is like Love because it is a binary operation. Wowwww.. it's very cool idea.

i.e., Love is like, you know, a binary operation between two persons. for example, A loves B.

Let's Talk about .. Market Reaction to ASP Adoption

I was a commentator of Maeda's presentation in my lab's seminar. He chose the Information & Management Journal's paper "Market Reaction to Application Service Provider(ASP) Adoption: An Empirical Investigation" by Bong-Keun Jeong and Antonis C. Stylianou from University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

I like this paper. It talks about the market reaction from the announcement of ASP adoption in the company samples. The way he planed his research paper was described very well. He explained the methodology in detail.

This paper makes me know that there is a quite positive effect of ASP adoption announcement.