February 2021 Vol. 19 No. 2

View from the Top

• Naoki Shibutani, Senior Executive Vice President, NTT

  

  Overview
  To solve social problems, it is important to promote digital transformation using information and communication technology. The efforts of the NTT Group to solve such problems have been highly evaluated both in Japan and overseas, e.g., being selected as a “Derwent Top 100 Global Innovator” for nine consecutive years. We asked Naoki Shibutani, a senior executive vice president of NTT, about his current duties and the required attitude of the senior management regarding the ability of their employees to solving social problems in the world that has changed significantly due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Front-line Researchers

• Hiroaki Gomi, Senior Distinguished Researcher, NTT Communication Science Laboratories

  

  Overview
  Human body movements, including highly skilled movements by athletes as well as people’s everyday movements, are strongly supported by unconscious sensory-motor processes, embedded in the central nervous system. NTT Communication Science Laboratories revealed, for the first time, that body-state information based on vison is involved in the adjustment of one of those processes, namely, stretch reflex. We asked Hiroaki Gomi, a senior distinguished researcher at NTT Communication Science Laboratories, about his research results and his attitude as a researcher.

Feature Articles: Keynote Lectures at NTT R&D Forum 2020 Connect

• Jun Sawada, President and Chief Executive Officer, NTT

  

  Abstract
  The “Road to IOWN,” NTT’s initiatives aimed at implementing the concept known as the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), is introduced in this article, which is based on a lecture given by Jun Sawada, NTT President and Chief Executive Officer, at the NTT R&D Forum 2020 Connect held from November 17th to 20th, 2020.

• Katsuhiko Kawazoe, Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development Planning Department, NTT

  

  Abstract
  This article presents a lecture given by Dr. Katsuhiko Kawazoe, NTT Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development Planning Department, at NTT R&D Forum 2020 Connect held from November 17th to 20th, 2020. The lecture introduced NTT’s latest research and development activities, focusing on the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN).

Feature Articles: Future Information-processing Infrastructure for Enabling Data-centric Society

• Initiatives to Create Future Information-processing Infrastructure

  

  Abstract
  A data-centric society is coming in which real-world data will create various types of value. As the data-centric society advances, the demand for system infrastructure and software-development methods is expected to increase. This article introduces various technical issues and NTT R&D’s efforts toward creating a future information-processing infrastructure that will support the data-centric society and respond to the evolution of society and technology.

• An Efficient Event-driven Inference Approach to Support AI Applications in IOWN Era

  

  Abstract
  Artificial intelligence (AI) in the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) era is expected to not only acquire capabilities beyond humans but also be energy-efficient, therefore contribute to the sustainability of future societies. This article describes an event-driven inference approach as a promising approach to balance AI capabilities and efficiency. This approach efficiently inspects continuous input stream data and generates events that trigger subsequent deeper inference tasks over geographically distributed computing resources only when they are truly necessary. This approach will significantly decrease energy consumption and computational and networking costs in AI inference.

• Next-generation Data Hub Technology for a Data-centric Society through High-quality High-reliability Data Distribution

  

  Abstract
  NTT Software Innovation Center is researching and developing next-generation data hubs as part of the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) proposed by NTT. These data hubs will safely distribute diverse types of data including confidential data through advanced means of data protection in an environment of high-frequency/large-capacity data traffic. This article outlines the problems involved with data distribution and introduces the technologies for configuring data governance, the main function of a data hub.

• Software Innovation for Disaggregated Computing

  

  Abstract
  NTT Software Innovation Center researches and develops disaggregated computing technology that supports system infrastructure to respond to the evolution of society and technology. We believe that both hardware evolution and software innovation are important. In this article, we introduce technologies that use hardware specialized for specific devices, such as persistent memory and fast networks, and technologies for improving the performance of many-core central processing units by parallel processing.

• Test Automation Technology for Analyzing Test-activity Data and Detecting Bugs

  

  Abstract
  There is a growing demand for the early release of software while holding down costs. Software testing, which makes up a large portion of overall development costs and is essential to ensuring a certain level of quality in software, can be viewed as the cornerstone of quality, cost, and delivery in the development process. This article describes technology undertaken by NTT Software Innovation Center for achieving a dramatic leap in testing efficiency and discusses the future outlook for this technology.

Global Standardization Activities

• Standardization of Next-generation Wireless LANs in the IEEE 802.11 Working Group

  

  Abstract
  The market of wireless local area networks (LANs) has extended from the original personal computer peripherals to various segments such as information appliances, Internet-of-Things devices, and automobiles. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 working group, which develops the standard of wireless LANs, is working on new projects for next-generation wireless LANs. This article introduces current activities in the IEEE 802.11 working group focusing on the next mainstream wireless LANs such as the IEEE 802.11ax and 802.11be following the 802.11ax. Related activity in the Wi-Fi Alliance for providing interoperability test services of wireless LAN devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards is also covered in this article.

Practical Field Information about Telecommunication Technologies

• Approach to Solving the Problems with IP-based Telephone Systems in the Field

  

  Abstract
  This article introduces a protocol analysis-support tool for Internet protocol (IP) based key telephone systems called the α-Command Analysis Support Tool developed by the Technical Assistance and Support Center, NTT EAST, to solve problems with such systems in the field. This is the sixty-second article in a series on telecommunication technologies.

Information

• Report on NTT R&D Forum 2020 Connect

  

  Abstract
  NTT R&D Forum 2020 Connect was held online for four days from November 17–20, 2020. This article overviews the forum and gives examples of the technologies presented under the eight main set themes.

External Awards/Papers Published in Technical Journals and Conference Proceedings

• External Awards/Papers Published in Technical Journals and Conference Proceedings