Conceiving Breakthroughs Ahead of Their Time

Invisible to the naked-eye, quantum mechanics, which is a physical law different from classical mechanics, is known to be established, and in recent years, research on devices applying its unique properties has attracted much attention. Likewise, we aim to enable convenient measurements and diagnoses of electrical circuits and living organisms by employing quantum sensors that can simultaneously measure infinitesimally weak magnetic fields, electric fields, temperatures, and other types of physical information. We are also undertaking the challenge of achieving ultra-high efficiency for visualization devices that utilize photon quantum entanglement and for mechanical components that apply the Casimir effect.

Quality of life declines dramatically when the five senses or bodily functions are partially lost due to age, accident, or illness. Although braces and monitoring devices that compensate for reduced functioning, for example, have been commercialized, issues remain from the perspective of improving wearability and reproducibility. With the goal of dramatically improving compatibility with living organisms and the reproducibility of human senses, we aim to create sensors that employ the high-speed information processing and transmission systems possessed by nerves, as well as biological function amplification and restoration devices that connect nerve cells with semiconductor devices.

Although simulation technologies have already been used to enhance the efficiency of materials development, efforts to reproduce complex reactions have faced difficulties because of the enormous computational complexity required to calculate the electron states that determine the properties of materials. We therefore work to establish chemistry calculation methods using quantum computers, which hold the potential to directly simulate quantum states. Similarly, we aim to create innovative materials that will help CO₂ reduction by applying this approach to elucidating complex reaction mechanisms and the search for materials.

Human-centered AI cannot be achieved without understanding human emotions and being close to humans. We are currently developing human-centered AI with a focus on human–AI collaboration in visual industrial design. Our goal is to design effective interactions that create synergy between humans and AI to enhance the creativity of the whole system, including humans and AI. We will address this challenge through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates knowledge from various research fields such as computer science, information engineering, cognitive science, and psychology, thereby contributing to the future of automotive manufacturing.