Technova Inc. is a think tank committed to the investigation and promotion of innovative technologies. We at Technova think that autonomous mobility will support human kind in regions like living space & walking space and represent one of the key technologies that will give shape to future cities and lifestyles. Gartner’s Hype Cycle and other documents predict that it will take 10 or more years for autonomous mobility technology to be adopted as mainstream, but we believe that the “seeds” research currently conducted for the technology will undoubtedly help forge the future of autonomous mobility. Technova think now is the time to create a stir in departure of autonomous mobility technology. Technova takes a medium- to long-term approach to symbiotic developments between human kind and autonomous mobility technology and provides a research grant under the name of the Technova Award with a view to supporting researchers engaged in pioneering R&D activities and those having innovative ideas in the field of autonomous mobilities.

“Technova Award”

We invite you to apply for the Award for an R&D theme in any of the following four fields. It will take several years to conduct an investigation which have an impact on future society. Please propose a research plan on the theme of your choice, including what you aim to achieve in three to five years and the measures you will take to this end as well as what you will accomplish in one year from the start of the activity as a milestone. The grant period is set at one year, but the period may be extended depending upon the evaluation of the achieved results.

(1) Object recognition

• Outdoor object recognition technology (for bicycles, people, dogs, green plants, bollards, traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, etc.
• Indoor object recognition technology (for automatic doors, elevators, escalators, slopes, etc.)

(2) Risk characterization

• Risk characterization technology for static obstacles (for steps, slopes, fixed obstacles, etc.)
• Risk characterization technology for moving obstacles (to predict the behaviors of pedestrians, bicycles, etc.)

(3) Path generation

• Autonomous path generation for safe and reliable outdoor and indoor traveling
• Path generation taking into account the shape, behaviors and functions of ILY
• Seamless outdoor and indoor path generation
• Path generation to deal with moving obstacles

(4) Autonomous tracking

• Outdoor and indoor autonomous tracking of people
• Authentication and position & behavior estimation of a person to be tracked
• Seamless and autonomous tracking of people adjusted to the surrounding environment (e.g. outdoor/indoor environment)

• Up to one million yen per theme (The specific amount of the grant will be decided in consideration of the submitted budget plan.)
• Selection of the grantees: early in March 2018
• Provision of the grant: early in April 2018 (Planned)
• Grant period: April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019

We plan to choose around two themes from among the entries in the aforementioned four fields.

Researchers attached to a university or research institution or independent researchers

January 1 to February 10, 2018

• Please fill in the specified application forms and send them by post or by email.
• Please do not provide any confidential information belonging to the applicant or a third party in the application forms.
• Please note that application forms submitted to us will not be returned.

１．Application Procedures for the Third Technova Award       ２．Application form for the Third Technova Award       ３．Application form for the Third Technova Award　attachiment１       ４．Application form for the Third Technova Award　attachiment２       ５．Statement of Expenses the Third Technova Award