Microsoft Innovation Center Report 2010-2011 vol.2
Asahikawa Innovation Center Took Part in ROBOMEC 2010 in Asahikawa
Published: July 30, 2010
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June 13th – 16th, 2010, Asahikawa Science Center, Asahikawa Jibasangyo Shinko (Local Industry Promotion) Center, Asahikawa Daisetsu Crystal Hall and Asahikawa Daisetsu Arena
Asahikawa Innovation Center, a local alliance organization of Microsoft Innovation Center, took part in hosting ROBOMEC 2010 in Asahikawa, the largest lecture presentation for robotics and mechatronics in Japan. Microsoft attended this event, with 1,500 registered and a number of general public attendees, by sending lecturers and a booth exhibition, and introduced its corporate citizenship programs as well as demonstrating Windows Embedded technologies in mechatronics.
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Largest Robotics & Mechatronics Event in Japan
 | I hardly felt time pass because the presentations by the engineers generating Japanese innovations in the field of robotics and mechatronics were so interesting. |  | | Akihiro Oba
(General Manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan)
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ROBOMEC (Robotics/Mechatronics Lecture Presentation) is the largest lecture event for robotics and mechatronics in Japan, and is held by The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. The event is held annually at various locations in Japan to present the latest study of the basics, theories, elements and application technologies of robotics and mechatronics.
ROBOMEC 2010
was held in June in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. City of Asahikawa and Asahikawa ICT, which agreeed to work together with Microsoft to promot local industry, were listed in the event sponsor list, participating in the event's planning committee to take active roles in holding ROBOMEC. Microsoft, working together with Asahikawa Innovation Center, introduced its embedded technology and corporate citizenship programs.
"Like today's exceptionally hot weather, I feel the heat of enthusiasm at this event," Akihiro Oba (General Manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan) greeted the audience, "In addition to the active interest and curiosity of many participants, I hardly felt time pass because the presentations by the engineers generating Japanese innovations in the field of robotics and mechatronics were so interesting.
Microsoft staff attended the event from the open program Robot Science Experience! on the first day. With over 5,000 participants, Microsoft staff enjoyed the cutting-edge robotics technologies.
Workshops & Poster Exhibition Session to Learn About and Touch State of the Art Technologies
| | I am pleased to see all the seats in my session occupied, which is the best evidence that Microsoft technologies present a lot of possibility in the field of mechatronics. | | | Hiroshi Ota
(Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan)
| | |
The workshops and poster exhibition session attracted the most interest at ROBOMEC. At the workshop and tutorial session, held at Asahikawa Jibasangyo Shinko Center, lecturers from various research institutions presented four seminars.
From Microsoft, Hiroshi Ota (Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan) attended as a lecturer of the embedded development division, presenting a seminar about Windows Embedded technologies in mechatronics.
"Microsoft technologies are used in a lot of products other than PCs, including POS, navigation systems, automation and many others familiar to you all," explained Ota, "I am pleased to see all the seats in my session occupied, which is the best evidence that Microsoft technologies present a lot of possibility in the field of mechatronics."
At Asahikawa Daisetsu Arena, right next to Asahikawa Jibasangyo Shinko Center, a poster exhibition session was held. Fifteen hundred registered attendees posted their research and study results using the exhibition boards lined up in the 6,400 square meter (7,650 square yard) area. The posters were replaced in every 90 minutes to introduce the latest robotics and mechatronics research to the audience.
In the same space, Asahikawa Innovation Center and Microsoft had an exhibition booth to introduce the latest embedded technologies, touch interface and Microsoft's corporate citizenship programs. Asahikawa Innovation Center exhibited multi-touch device Microsoft Surface, attracting much audience attention.
Asahikawa Innovation Center: From Now On
| | We appreciate Microsoft's active participation to various training programs and ROBOMEC 2010. I am confident that Microsoft's efforts bring great merit to our citizens and local industry. | | | Masahito Nishikawa
(Mayor, City of Asahikawa)
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During the event period, City of Asahikawa, Asahikawa ICT and Microsoft had a meeting to discuss the future operation of Asahikawa Innovation Center. On June 13th, Microsoft representatives visited Asahikawa City Hall to pay a visit to Mayor Masahito Nishikawa, reporting Microsoft’s collaborative activities and demonstrating the latest Microsoft technologies.
"I am very intrigued with Xbox 360® Project Natal and the sensor technologies in Windows 7," commented Mayor Nishikawa, "I expect a new IT world to unfold by utilizing such technologies in embedded development and connecting to the world of cloud computing. We came to an agreement to work together one and half years ago, and we appreciate Microsoft's active participation in various training programs and ROBOMEC 2010. I am confident that Microsoft's efforts bring great merit to our citizens and local industry."
Asahikawa Innovation Center, with cooperation from government, industry and academia, is planning some cloud computing training programs. As a part of this plan, a seminar about development environments utilizing Windows Azure and private clouds (virtualization technology) is planned, and the center will foster human resources for cloud computing.
Asahikawa Innovation Center, through its training programs, generated jobs for 24 employees. The center not only plans to provide its facilities and training resources but also to help the trainees find jobs in local companies. In addition, the center would support local students who enter Imagine Cup. Microsoft and Asahikawa Innovation Center confirmed their collaborative activities in three areas: human resource development, new business creation and student support.
| Open Program Robot Science Experience! June 13 (Sun), Asahikawa Science Center | • | Robot exhibition | | • | Scavenger Robot Production Workshop | | • | Robot competition experience | June 14 (Mon), Asahikawa Jibasangyo Shinko Center | • | Windows Embedded Technology 101 by Hiroshi Ota (Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan) | Workshop/Tutorial Sessions June 14 (Mon), Asahikawa Jibasangyo Shinko Center | • | Windows Embedded Technologies for Mechatronics by Hiroshi Ota (Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan) | | • | Regional Exchange Workshop vol.6 | | • | Lecture: RT Middleware | | • | Lecture: RSNP as Robot Service Foundation | Poster Session June 15 (Tue) and 16 (Wed), Asahikawa Daisetsu Arena   |