December 2023 Vol. 21 No. 12

View from the Top

• Hidehiro Tsukano, President & CEO, NTT Innovative Devices

  

  Abstract
  NTT Innovative Devices has begun its journey as a manufacturer specialized in photonics-electronics convergence devices. By designing, developing, manufacturing, and selling strategic devices that make up the core infrastructure of the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), the company strives to enable high-speed, large-capacity communications through innovative technologies focused on photonics and contribute to reducing power consumption and building a sustainable society in accordance with the IOWN concept. We asked Hidehiro Tsukano, president & CEO, NTT Innovative Devices, about the company’s business and his mindset as a top executive.

Front-line Researchers

• Hiroshi Yamaguchi, NTT Fellow, NTT Basic Research Laboratories

  

  Abstract
  The Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) will transform the information carriers not only in the transmission lines but also in the internal circuits of computers from electrical signals to optical signals. The key to achieving this is an optical transistor, which can be fabricated using photonic crystals that can confine and control the light within devices. A completely different approach to device technology, i.e., using acoustic waves (elastic waves) in the gigahertz frequency range, has also been extensively studied. As a fundamental research topic, Nanomechanics is being researched to enable low-power information processing and ultra-sensitive signal detection by controlling the propagation of acoustic waves in the nanoscale domain. One of the techniques studied in nanomechanics is the use of a nanoscale artificial structure called phononic crystal, which confines and controls the acoustic waves in a device. We interviewed Hiroshi Yamaguchi, an NTT Fellow at NTT Basic Research Laboratories, who is engaged in research on nanomechanics, about the current status and future prospects of his research, changes in the circumstances surrounding the basic research, and his thoughts on how researchers should conduct their research with those changes in mind.

Rising Researchers

• Tomonori Fujita, Distinguished Researcher, NTT Software Innovation Center

  

  Abstract
  Today, with the spread of the Internet and the integration of information and communication technology into our daily lives, the demand for reliable software has increased dramatically. The C language, which is currently the dominant language for software development in fields requiring high performance, offers flexibility and freedom in manipulating hardware; however, it faces concerns that simple mistakes by the software developer can lead to bugs and security risks. Under those circumstances, programming technologies for developing software that satisfies the requirements of the modern era—namely, high performance and reliability—are demanded, and efforts to develop a new programming language to replace C are underway. In this issue, we interviewed Distinguished Researcher Tomonori Fujita, who is engaged in research on “highly reliable system-software technology.”

Feature Articles: Toward More Robust Networks

• Operation to Achieve Robust Networks

  

  Abstract
  Large-scale communication-infrastructure failures have a tremendous impact on daily life and economic activities, requiring more resilient networks. We at NTT laboratories aim to achieve robust networks that minimize service impact by improving network adaptability to system failures and shorten recovery time by improving network resilience. This article describes our research and development efforts in operation-related technologies to achieve robust networks.

• Technologies for Promptly Understanding Network Conditions When Large-scale System Failure Occurs

  

  Abstract
  NTT laboratories are developing enhanced operational technologies to make communication networks robust. In this article, we introduce NTT research and development initiatives to promptly understand the network conditions and the impact of failures on complex network services when a large-scale system failure occurs.

• Network Reliability Design and Control Technology for Robust Networks

  

  Abstract
  NTT Network Service Systems Laboratories is engaged in research on network design and control technologies for further strengthening networks against large-scale disasters and failures. As a countermeasure against large-scale disasters, we are conducting research and development to enhance the disaster and fault tolerance of transmission routes. As a countermeasure against large-scale failures, we are investigating robust control-plane architectures that can prevent prolonged and large-scale failures. We are also investigating technologies for improving user-level connectivity by linking information-access devices and the cloud. Three of these technologies are introduced in this article.

• NW-AI Self-evolving Framework for Fault-tolerant Robust Networks

  

  Abstract
  We at NTT laboratories are focusing on the research and development of zero-touch operations using artificial intelligence (AI) for early recovery from network failures, which requires learning a large amount of network failure data. We have established a framework that allows AI to learn autonomously by artificially generating a large amount of network failures in a simulated environment and learning how to respond to them. This article describes the concept of this framework and how AI learns in the framework.

Regular Articles

• Human-behavior-understanding Engine: Video-recognition AI Library for Understanding Human Behavior

  

  Abstract
  To enable all many types of work to be conducted remotely as needed and overcome geographical constraints, NTT Human Informatics Laboratories is developing telepresence technology for understanding the conditions at a remote location and remotely operate an artificial body, such as a robot, in real time. Remote operation of an artificial body requires that conditions at a remote location be analyzed and information on operating the artificial body and on people and the environment in the vicinity of the artificial body be fed back to the operator in real time. This article introduces the development of a human-behavior-understanding engine for automatically recognizing human behavior from camera video to recognize how people at a remote location might behave. Real-time recognition processing is vital to providing a remote operator with feedback in real time. For this engine, we developed technology for achieving lightweight recognition processing, enabling the behavior of multiple people to be recognized in real time on a central-processing-unit-based machine.

• Low-latency Function-dedicated Network Providing Sustained and Stable Services

  

  Abstract
  NTT is investigating a function-dedicated network (FDN), which consists of a combination of optical and wireless networks with edge computing, to provide services meeting various network requirements simultaneously on the same infrastructure. NTT Access Network Service Systems Laboratories has been researching and developing a low-latency FDN to achieve continuous and stable service provision by meeting the service-performance requirements of low latency and low jitter. This article provides an overview and features of our low-latency FDN.

Global Standardization Activities

• Report on the Second Plenary Meeting of ITU-T SG2 Standardization of Telecommunication Numbering

  

  Abstract
  The second plenary meeting of the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) Study Group (SG) 2 for the 2022−2024 study period was held virtually from March 13th to 22nd, 2023 with 137 participants from 42 countries. SG2 consists of Working Party (WP) 1, which standardizes numbers and identifiers, and WP2, which standardizes network management. In this article, we report on the status of WP1. As telecommunications services progress, SG2’s activities related to numbers and identifiers have become broader. We categorize them into nine issues and report on the status of activities for each issue.

Practical Field Information about Telecommunication Technologies

• Case Studies in 50-bit/s Leased Lines: Modem Communication Failure at Earth-return Circuit and the Cause of Failure to Replace Metallic Transmission Line with Optical Cable

  

  Abstract
  This article introduces two failure cases concerning 50-bit/s leased lines: communication failure at the earth-return circuit and the cause of failure to replace a metallic transmission line with an optical cable due to the wrong selection of 50-bit/s leased line systems. This is the seventy-ninth article in a series on telecommunication technologies.

External Awards

• External Awards