2020 Showcase—Providing Japan and the Rest of the World with State-of-the-art Technology for 2020

2.1 Airports and stations

The first place people see when visiting Japan is the airport. They may also frequent train stations during their travels. As gateways to Japan, airports and train stations require technology that makes it easy for foreigners to access information despite the language barrier and the cultural differences associated with activities in unfamiliar places such as traveling and eating out.

To address these issues, we are developing technology that can provide information via an augmented reality interface by using technology that can recognize images and other objects and technology that can present information such as maps and routes clearly and concisely, both indoors and outdoors, with clear voice guidance and signs to guide the flow of crowds. We are also conducting demonstration tests at key locations in Japan, including Haneda Airport and Tokyo Station. For further details, including details of a test we are conducting in collaboration with NTT DATA at Namba Station, see the article “2020 Airport/Station—Hospitality for Foreign Visitors at Airports and Train Stations” [3] in this issue.

2.2 Towns

Eating Japanese cuisine, sightseeing, and shopping are some of the top activities that foreign visitors want to experience in Japan. Food and drink outlets in urban areas need to be able to display information in a way that is accessible not only to a growing number of foreign tourists but also to Japanese people with particular needs such as the elderly. There is consequently a need for technology that can transform existing content into a representation that can be easily understood by customers, not only according to the aims of these services but also to the age and other personal attributes of their customers.

To address these issues, we are developing technology that automatically transforms the designs of existing web content according to the attributes of customers, and technology that automatically creates supplemental information. Further details can be found in the article “2020 Town—Web Design Converter for Providing Guidance Assistance to Individuals in Cities” [4].

To develop stronger customer interaction in tourist areas and local shopping malls, there is a need for technologies and systems that can stimulate communication and provide support for suitable guidance and customer actions after an ad hoc appraisal of the customer’s situation and requirements. To address these issues, we are developing technologies that facilitate collaboration via the cloud between various devices such as sensors and communication robots. We are also promoting demonstration tests in cities and other places where people gather in large numbers. Further details, including a discussion of the tests we are conducting jointly with NTT Communications and NTT EAST, can be found in the article “2020 Town—Developing MACHINAKA Service, a Device Integration Service that Utilizes Artificial Intelligence Technology” [5].

2.3 Stadiums

At international sporting events, large numbers of visitors including foreign visitors and first-time spectators make their way to a stadium. There is therefore a need for technology that can help people move around efficiently and safely even at crowded, large-scale events. Also, for spectators in remote locations, it is important to convey the atmosphere inside the stadium and to bring a sense of excitement and unity to them that is similar to what the spectators at the stadium are experiencing. This calls for the development of ultra-realistic services that allow people in different locations to feel as if they were actually present in the stadium.

We have been developing techniques for predicting and guiding the flow of crowds of people, and immersive telepresence technology for the realization of real-time ultra-realistic broadcasting. We are also conducting experiments to demonstrate how the flow of crowds at event venues can be predicted and controlled [6] and immersive telepresence experiments that simulate live broadcasts. Details of our immersive telepresence technology can be found in the article “2020 Public Viewing—Kirari! Immersive Telepresence Technology” [7] in this issue.

2.4 Halls and convention centers

Since foreign visitors to Japan will want to make the most of their time in this country, it is assumed that they will also make their way to event halls and conference centers in order to participate in various cultural events and exhibitions. At the venues of events and exhibitions, there is a need for technologies and systems to support trouble-free viewings and visits, and technologies to enliven the events themselves with various types of stagecraft. There will also be a need for technologies and systems that support event operators such as displaying in real time the usage status of networks and applications.

With these issues in mind, we have worked at expanding the enjoyment of kabuki theater and providing completely new kinds of kabuki performances by fusing the latest ICT with traditional performing arts. We have also worked to enable people to experience the latest technology through official applications at NTT R&D Forum 2016 held in February 2016. Further details can be found in the article “2020 Entertainment—A New Form of Hospitality Achieved with Entertainment × ICT” [8], and “2020 MICE—New Hospitality through Exhibitions × ICT” [9].