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By selling IoT subsidiary, Cerevo wants to help Panasonic boost digital transformation

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See the original story in Japanese. Japanese smart consumer electronics startup Cerevo announced on Monday that it has set up a subsidiary specialized in agile hardware manufacturing called Shiftall. In addition, the company has also sold the subsidiary’s entire stake to Panasonic. Takuma Iwasa will step down as CEO of Cerevo to be appointed as that for the new company. Prior to launching Cerevo back in 2007, Iwasa was being involved in developing connected consumer electronics products like Lumix (digital camera) and Diga (video recorder) at Panasonic. We’ve seen Cerevo has been collaborating with the consumer electronics giant in supporting hardware startups. Meanwhile, Panosonic is celebrating the 100th anniversary this year while launching several initiatives so that they can rejuvenate their organization  to keep producing innovations. In addition to establishing a startup collaboration space called 100BANCH in partnership with Loftwork and Cofe Company, Panasonic started working with Tokyo-based Creww, a key driver helping enterprises conduct open innovation initiatives, to run the Panasonic Accelerator program in Japan. Furthermore, our readers may recall that the company’s in-house new business initiative Game Changer Catapult showcased several innovative products at SXSW in Austin last month. For Panasonic, the Shiftwall acquisition with Iwasa can been…

Takuma Iwasa (Former CEO of Cerevo, new CEO of Shiftall)
Image credit: Rick Martin / The Bridge

See the original story in Japanese.

Japanese smart consumer electronics startup Cerevo announced on Monday that it has set up a subsidiary specialized in agile hardware manufacturing called Shiftall. In addition, the company has also sold the subsidiary’s entire stake to Panasonic. Takuma Iwasa will step down as CEO of Cerevo to be appointed as that for the new company.

Prior to launching Cerevo back in 2007, Iwasa was being involved in developing connected consumer electronics products like Lumix (digital camera) and Diga (video recorder) at Panasonic. We’ve seen Cerevo has been collaborating with the consumer electronics giant in supporting hardware startups.

Meanwhile, Panosonic is celebrating the 100th anniversary this year while launching several initiatives so that they can rejuvenate their organization  to keep producing innovations. In addition to establishing a startup collaboration space called 100BANCH in partnership with Loftwork and Cofe Company, Panasonic started working with Tokyo-based Creww, a key driver helping enterprises conduct open innovation initiatives, to run the Panasonic Accelerator program in Japan. Furthermore, our readers may recall that the company’s in-house new business initiative Game Changer Catapult showcased several innovative products at SXSW in Austin last month.

For Panasonic, the Shiftwall acquisition with Iwasa can been seen as a trump card to boost these open innovation activities from within the company.

See this link for more Cerevo-related articles.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda

Japan’s Cerevo makes Ghost in the Shell’s Tachikoma AI combat vehicle a reality

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See the original story in Japanese. It’s not the first time a product inspired by anime has been brought to life in the real world. However, this product is sure to attract more international Japanese anime fans than ever. Japan startup Cerevo, which has invented a number of smart home electronics and IoT products, announced an eighth-factor model of the multi-legged tank Tachikoma, a popular character from the animated series Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. They have begun accepting pre-orders on their website. The price is $1,799 and shipment is scheduled for June of this year. The eighth-scale model was born from Cerevo’s project “S2R (From the screen to the real world)”, which seeks to reproduce objects in the real world as closely as possible to how they appear in movies using smart home electronics technology. This product follows their production of Dominator from the animation Psycho-pass. Tachikoma is equipped with speech recognition, so when a user poses a question it answers in the voice of Sakiko Tamagawa, the original voice. Tachikoma’s object and speech recognition functions are very interesting. For example, when a user shows an apple to Tachikoma (a camera is installed in the image sensor), and says,…

See the original story in Japanese.

It’s not the first time a product inspired by anime has been brought to life in the real world. However, this product is sure to attract more international Japanese anime fans than ever.

Japan startup Cerevo, which has invented a number of smart home electronics and IoT products, announced an eighth-factor model of the multi-legged tank Tachikoma, a popular character from the animated series Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. They have begun accepting pre-orders on their website. The price is $1,799 and shipment is scheduled for June of this year.

The eighth-scale model was born from Cerevo’s project “S2R (From the screen to the real world)”, which seeks to reproduce objects in the real world as closely as possible to how they appear in movies using smart home electronics technology. This product follows their production of Dominator from the animation Psycho-pass. Tachikoma is equipped with speech recognition, so when a user poses a question it answers in the voice of Sakiko Tamagawa, the original voice.

The mobile app display that controls Tachikoma (under development)
Image credit: Cerevo

Tachikoma’s object and speech recognition functions are very interesting. For example, when a user shows an apple to Tachikoma (a camera is installed in the image sensor), and says, “apples are sweet,” the information that “apples are sweet” is uploaded to the cloud and shared among all of Tachikomas owned by other users. As users increase and time goes by, Tachikomas gradually becomes smarter, which is somewhat reminiscent of the world presented in the Ghost in the Shell movie.

Cerevo exhibited the eighth-scale model at their booth at Sensors Ignition 2017, a digital media showcase event held at the Toranomon Hills building complex in Tokyo this week. Due to the noisiness of the exhibition hall and the tendency of the Wi-Fi to be overcrowded, it was too much to ask of Tachikoma to demonstrate the user speech recognition and response via the cloud. Restrictions on space at the exhibition also meant a fixed display area confined to their booth, but Tachikoma’s joints and legs are equipped with 21 motors, and by issuing command movements from a smartphone it is possible to enter the world of anime by playing the role of Tachikoma.

Cerevo will also prepare and release a limited supply of a “Special Edition” Tachikoma’s ⅛ model, with a metallic body created with aluminum scrapings on the bumper and the cover of the gun barrel. The price is set at $1,999 and pre-orders began along with the original version this week.

Translated by Amanda Imasaka
Edited by Masaru Ikeda

Image credit: Cerevo

Japan’s Cerevo unveils Hackey smart connected key switch on Indiegogo

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Tokyo-based Cerevo, the Japanese startup behind a variety of smart consumer electronics devices, unveiled a smart key switch called Hackey on Wednesday. The product is available for 9,980 yen (about $82) on their website. In conjunction with the announcement, the company just started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo where backers can pre-order it for $59 plus shipping charge. Hackey is a Wi-Fi-connected, palm-sized “key” switch. It is compatible with IFTTT and allows users to control various internet services via API by turning the key. Some examples of possible use cases include: Allowing children to tell their parents working at office via Twitter message when these children return home by letting them turn the key Controlling home security system by turning the key Allowing users to hail a cab by turning the key Allowing office employees to record the time on their company’s time clock card system when they start work or leave the office In addition to allowing trigger signal transmissions to IFTTT Maker Channel, Hackey can also receive requests from other web services so Hackey’s side LED indicators will flash in accordance with a user’s settings. The product will be also compatible with myThings, Yahoo Japan’s mobile app enabling users to integrate various web services with IoT (Internet of Things)…

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Tokyo-based Cerevo, the Japanese startup behind a variety of smart consumer electronics devices, unveiled a smart key switch called Hackey on Wednesday. The product is available for 9,980 yen (about $82) on their website. In conjunction with the announcement, the company just started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo where backers can pre-order it for $59 plus shipping charge.

Hackey is a Wi-Fi-connected, palm-sized “key” switch. It is compatible with IFTTT and allows users to control various internet services via API by turning the key. Some examples of possible use cases include:

  • Allowing children to tell their parents working at office via Twitter message when these children return home by letting them turn the key
  • Controlling home security system by turning the key
  • Allowing users to hail a cab by turning the key
  • Allowing office employees to record the time on their company’s time clock card system when they start work or leave the office

In addition to allowing trigger signal transmissions to IFTTT Maker Channel, Hackey can also receive requests from other web services so Hackey’s side LED indicators will flash in accordance with a user’s settings. The product will be also compatible with myThings, Yahoo Japan’s mobile app enabling users to integrate various web services with IoT (Internet of Things) products.

Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

Cerevo and Interphenom invent connected listening device, launch Kickstarter campaign

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See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based hardware startup Cerevo announced today that it has co-developed a new product called Listnr as a first effort from a joint project with new startup Interphenom. This follows their recent introduction of Snow-1 snowboard bindings from their smart sports gear series XON. See also: Japan’s hardware startup Cerevo unveils smart sports gear for snowboarding Cerevo has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Listnr, and is exhibiting it at 2015 International CES underway in Las Vegas. Listnr is a cloud-based listening device equipped with a microphone and Internet connectivity, which sends notifications to smartphones or other connected devices according to certain sound patterns such as an infant’s cry, as well as giving users control over Philips Hue connected light bulbs by the snap of a finger. Listnr uses a sound and voice-based emotion recognition engine invented by Panasonic. Cerevo and Interphenom will offer an API so that third-party developers can develop new services or products integrating with the listening device. The Interphenom project The Interphenom project was started by a concept by Rie Ehara illustrating a communication device using sounds following her discussions with Cerevo and hardware startup incubation initiative ABBALab, both of which reside…

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See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based hardware startup Cerevo announced today that it has co-developed a new product called Listnr as a first effort from a joint project with new startup Interphenom. This follows their recent introduction of Snow-1 snowboard bindings from their smart sports gear series XON.

See also:

Cerevo has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Listnr, and is exhibiting it at 2015 International CES underway in Las Vegas.

Listnr is a cloud-based listening device equipped with a microphone and Internet connectivity, which sends notifications to smartphones or other connected devices according to certain sound patterns such as an infant’s cry, as well as giving users control over Philips Hue connected light bulbs by the snap of a finger.

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Listnr uses a sound and voice-based emotion recognition engine invented by Panasonic. Cerevo and Interphenom will offer an API so that third-party developers can develop new services or products integrating with the listening device.

The Interphenom project

The Interphenom project was started by a concept by Rie Ehara illustrating a communication device using sounds following her discussions with Cerevo and hardware startup incubation initiative ABBALab, both of which reside in Tokyo’s notable hardware incubation lab DMM.make Akiba.

Panasonic’s R&D department had been exploring ways to commercialize the technology of the voice-based emotion recognition engine, and started developing a prototype with Cerevo in the summer of 2014. Because of the high affinity between the concept and the Listnr concept, Cerevo proposed to Ehara that she collaborate on a new product.

The team subsequently kicked off full-scale development after winning the ABBALab Scholarship program. This enclosure was designed by UK-based Japanese product designer Satoshi Yanagisawa, who is famous for having designed the portable power generator Cyclus as well as the futuristic smart power strip Otto.

See also:

After being incorporated in the end of January, Interphenom is expected to fundraise from ABBALab.

Japan’s hardware startup Cerevo unveils smart sports gear for snowboarding

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See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based Cerevo, the Japanese startup known for its Cerevo Cam and IoT crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash, unveiled a new smart sports device series called XON today, announcing functional snowboard bindings called Snow-1 as the first product from the series. In our previous interview with Cerevo CEO Takuma Iwasa, he said that the company was planning to expand the range of products, especially in the IoT and “high amateur” spaces where this new product is categorized. Snow-1 is sensor-enabled snowboard bindings and transmits data to smartphones via BLE (BlueTooth Low Energy) in real-time so that users can analyze their snowboarding technique. Eight load balance sensors under the footpads of the device detect the center of gravity and how users distribute their weight on each of their legs. Two sensors measure the bending of the snowboard. Snowboarding recorded via smartphone allows for data to be displayed in synchronization with the video clip so you can analyze your stance from an objective viewpoint. Leveraging the GPS data, the device allows you to track your snowboarding trail. High-luminance LEDs in the toes and heels help you improve your form while snowboarding. Snow-1 will be exhibited at 2015 CES…

xon_img_004_640

See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Cerevo, the Japanese startup known for its Cerevo Cam and IoT crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash, unveiled a new smart sports device series called XON today, announcing functional snowboard bindings called Snow-1 as the first product from the series.

In our previous interview with Cerevo CEO Takuma Iwasa, he said that the company was planning to expand the range of products, especially in the IoT and “high amateur” spaces where this new product is categorized.

xon_img_002_640

Snow-1 is sensor-enabled snowboard bindings and transmits data to smartphones via BLE (BlueTooth Low Energy) in real-time so that users can analyze their snowboarding technique. Eight load balance sensors under the footpads of the device detect the center of gravity and how users distribute their weight on each of their legs. Two sensors measure the bending of the snowboard.

xon_img_006_640

Snowboarding recorded via smartphone allows for data to be displayed in synchronization with the video clip so you can analyze your stance from an objective viewpoint. Leveraging the GPS data, the device allows you to track your snowboarding trail. High-luminance LEDs in the toes and heels help you improve your form while snowboarding.

Snow-1 will be exhibited at 2015 CES Unveiled to be held on 24 January, and 2015 International CES to be held on 6 January in Las Vegas, followed by a planned release this year.

xon_img_008_640

Japanese internet giant DMM launches spectacular hardware lab for startups in Akihabara

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See the original story in Japanese. Here is good news for entrepreneurs aiming to develop hardware. Japanese internet company DMM.com launched a hardware incubation space called DMM.make Akiba in Akihabara on Friday [1]. The facility will open on 11 November, and has started receiving membership applications. DMM.make Akiba offers members a facility valued at $4.5 million comprising 150 machines for hardware production, such as 3D printers, testing devices for acquiring public certification for electric appliances, and platforms for mass production. In addition to providing office and event space, members can use the address of the facility to register their company. Tokyo-based hardware startup Cerevo and hardware-focused startup incubator ABBALab will move to the lab and help DMM operate it. The facility has three floors (see pictures above, click to enlarge); the Studio floor provides environmental testing and mass-production prototyping for hardware development, the Base floor has a shared office and event space, and the Hub floor provides consulting services on hardware development and sells electronic parts. (See this PDF file for a list of the facility’s equipment.) The process for hardware developments needs to cover a lot of ground, from prototyping, acquiring certification, tests to improve the quality, and operational knowledge…

dmm-make-akiba_featuredimage

See the original story in Japanese.

Here is good news for entrepreneurs aiming to develop hardware.

Japanese internet company DMM.com launched a hardware incubation space called DMM.make Akiba in Akihabara on Friday [1]. The facility will open on 11 November, and has started receiving membership applications.

DMM.make Akiba offers members a facility valued at $4.5 million comprising 150 machines for hardware production, such as 3D printers, testing devices for acquiring public certification for electric appliances, and platforms for mass production. In addition to providing office and event space, members can use the address of the facility to register their company. Tokyo-based hardware startup Cerevo and hardware-focused startup incubator ABBALab will move to the lab and help DMM operate it.

The facility has three floors (see pictures above, click to enlarge); the Studio floor provides environmental testing and mass-production prototyping for hardware development, the Base floor has a shared office and event space, and the Hub floor provides consulting services on hardware development and sells electronic parts. (See this PDF file for a list of the facility’s equipment.)

abbalab-machine

The process for hardware developments needs to cover a lot of ground, from prototyping, acquiring certification, tests to improve the quality, and operational knowledge for mass production. But equipments or experts for hardware developments are fragmented, which had been preventing startups from launching their hardware products unless they are a large manufacturer. In our recent interview with ABBALab CEO Osamu Ogasahara who has produced this facility, he explained that this is the place where entrepreneurs can create something like Softbank’s humanoid robot Pepper.

Cerevo supervises the project

iwasa-ogasahara
From the left: Cerevo CEO Takuma Iwasa, DMM.make Akiba producer / ABBALab CEO Osamu Ogasahara

Cerevo, the Japanese startup best known for its Cerevo Cam and IoT crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash, is also behind this project.

The company invited ABBALab’s Ogasahara to their board and started preparing a $20 million investment fund. Since its launch in 2007, Cerevo has been behind up-and-coming popular “connected” hardware products, though not all of them have been introduced under their name. Regarding these OEM products developed by Cerevo, few details are available due to their non-disclosure agreements with clients. However, users can learn a lot from what Cerevo has said about the new facility.

See also:

ABBALab’s incubation initiatives

10F-Measurement
Measurement equipments at DMM.make Akiba

ABBALab is a hardware-focused startup incubation program launched by Movida Japan CEO Taizo Son and Ogasahara. Coinciding with the launch of DMM.make Akiba, ABBALab started receiving applications for the next batch of the incubation program. The program consists of two key initiatives; “Scholarship” to support entrepreneurs sell the products and “Fellow” that helps entrepreneurs conduct hardware R&D.

See also:

The Fellow initiative is unique in that it will ask the Scholarship participating startups to provide their engineering skills and resources to Fellow participating startups, and the former can receive funds from ABBALab in return for rendering their services. Participating supporters include Yoshihiro Kawahara (technical advisor for inkjet-printed circuit board startup AgIC), engineering company Progress Technologies, and Incubate Fund partner Masahiko Honma, and several VC firms.

To take part in the program, a team must pass a screening process. The Bridge will provide more details on the program soon.


  1. Disclosure: The Bridge has a business partnership with Nomad, the company that Ogasahara has managed. We are providing selected articles to DMM.make, a news curation site by Japanese internet company DMM. 

Cerevo to set up $20M fund to accelerate Japan’s hardware startup ecosystem

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See the original story in Japanese, part of our coverage of the Infinity Ventures Summit Sapporo 2014. Tokyo-based Cerevo, the Japanese startup best known for its Cerevo Cam and IoT crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash, announced today that it will invite Osamu Ogasahara to the company’s board pending approval at their board meeting on June 2nd. We had a chance to speak with the company’s co-founder and CEO Takuma Iwasa, as well as Ogasahara, at the Infinity Ventures Summit 2014 happening right now in Sapporo, Japan. Ogasahara is the co-founder of Japanese internet service provider Sakura Internet as well as owner for the popular entrepreneur hub Awabar and co-working space Nomad New’s Base [1]. The Bridge: Since it’s a complicated topic, would you like to clarify what’s happening with your company right now? Iwasa: Sure. As we published on our blog, Ogasahara will join our board pending approval at our board meeting on June 2nd. Shares of our company held by Inspire Technology Innovation Fund, Neostella Capital, Voyage Ventures, and Inova [2] will be handed over to Ogasahara. We’re also planning a big funding round as well. The Bridge: Your company has developed consumer electronics like Cerevo Cam and enterprise hardware…

iwasa-ogasahara
From the left: Takuma Iwasa, Osamu Ogasahara

See the original story in Japanese, part of our coverage of the Infinity Ventures Summit Sapporo 2014.

Tokyo-based Cerevo, the Japanese startup best known for its Cerevo Cam and IoT crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash, announced today that it will invite Osamu Ogasahara to the company’s board pending approval at their board meeting on June 2nd.

We had a chance to speak with the company’s co-founder and CEO Takuma Iwasa, as well as Ogasahara, at the Infinity Ventures Summit 2014 happening right now in Sapporo, Japan. Ogasahara is the co-founder of Japanese internet service provider Sakura Internet as well as owner for the popular entrepreneur hub Awabar and co-working space Nomad New’s Base [1].

The Bridge: Since it’s a complicated topic, would you like to clarify what’s happening with your company right now?

Iwasa: Sure. As we published on our blog, Ogasahara will join our board pending approval at our board meeting on June 2nd. Shares of our company held by Inspire Technology Innovation Fund, Neostella Capital, Voyage Ventures, and Inova [2] will be handed over to Ogasahara. We’re also planning a big funding round as well.

The Bridge: Your company has developed consumer electronics like Cerevo Cam and enterprise hardware like LiveShell. How does the funding and the change of the board member influence your plans?

Iwasa: First, we’ll step up marketing of our brand and accelerate global expansion. Second, we’ll have an incubation project focused on hardware startups.

The Bridge: Your business heavily depends on international sales, right?

Iwasa: Yes, some of our products receive over 40% of all orders from overseas. We will try to raise this to 80%. We also plan to expand our range of products, especially in the IoT and ‘high amateur’ spaces.

The Bridge: What do you mean when you say ‘high amateur’ space?

Iwasa: It’s difficult to explain since it’s a relatively new concept. It means a series of products ranging in a space where professional and hobbyist use overlap. Our video and still camera products are categorized there.

I know the market can grow explosively where low-end products for professional use and high-end products for hobbyist use intersect. That’s what I mean by ‘high amateur’ space. It’s not a huge market because it targets a niche. Successful examples in this area include DJI’s Phantom 2 and GoPro.

The Bridge: Your company is a 10-person team but we heard you’re planning to enlarge it to about four times that.

Iwasa: We’re planning to increase our head count up to 50. Our strategy is to target niche markets and produce a variety of products. […] We think our business is scalable as long as we have a sufficient number of talented people. We are hiring engineers in many fields like electrical engineering, design, mechatronics, app development, and infrastructure.

The Bridge: Let’s talk about the incubation project. Regarding the IoT fund you are planning, who will be in charge of forming this? We heard that Cerevo got money from an investment fund. Is that correct?

Ogasahara: I am the general partner of the fund. We’ll be forming a fund worth $20 million this coming summer, and will invest in Cerevo from that. It’s sort of like a growth fund that I was eager to raise money from when I founded my internet service provider company many years ago.

The Bridge: So you will invest not only in Cerevo but also in other hardware startups. You also have another investment initiative at ABBALab, where you have specifically invested in startups which have succeeded in raising money on crowdfunding sites. How are the funds different?

Ogasahara: For that initiative, we’ll keep seeking young entrepreneurs and help them create prototypes and launch their businesses in a hands-on manner. People are unlikely to create hardware products as easily as they would create smartphone apps. ABBALabs aims to remove the financial or environmental obstacles for ambitious entrepreneurs.

The Bridige: So what does Cerevo expect by launching this incubation business?

Iwasa: Our main focus is to help crowdfunding efforts in Japan and the rest of the world, and to help crowdfunding project owners manufacture their products. We’ll set up a garage and shared office in Akihabara, and we are also planning to organize hardware-focused workshops and hackathon events too.

Ogasahara: By giving knowledge of mass production to entrepreneurs who already succeeded in creating their products, we really want to eliminate barriers for them. I believe it can really help a lot of people.

Iwasa: Looking at posts on bulletin boards, you can see that many entrepreneurs succeed in raising money on Kickstarter, but many of them run into difficulties in mass production. But the biggest obstacle for them will come after production. We help them sell, we support them, and we encourage them to develop the next model of their product. This is where our experience can help.

Ogasahara: We’re running a site called DMM.make in partnership with The Bridge, as you know. This is also part of our effort to encourage businesses to create hardware products. We want to provide opportunities where people can learn, make, share, sell, and buy what they create.

Iwasa: So if you’re interested in this space but don’t know what to do, don’t hesitate to come and join us.

The Bridge: Thanks for your time.


  1. Disclosure: The Bridge has a business partnership with Nomad, the company that Ogasahara has managed. We are providing selected articles to DMM.make, a news curation site by Japanese internet company DMM. 
  2. Inova is a fund focused on investing in electronics manufacturing startups and was formed by three Japanese companies: Thine Electronics (TSE:6169), Chip One Stop (TSE:3343), and Ant Capital Partners.

Inspired by small batch whisky, Japanese connected hardware maker to release video switcher

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The last time I met up with Tokyo-based hardware company Cerevo, it was back in 2012 when they were gearing up to release their LiveShell Pro, an affordable hardware solution that enables just about anyone to broadcast live video to the web. That very niche product has been the company’s bread and butter up until now, and I was curious to find out what Cerevo’s CEO Takuma Iwasa has been busy these days. Turns out, Cerevo has been up to quite a lot actually. In addition to the company’s futuristic internet-enabled power strip that is soon going on sale, the company plans to release a completely new connected video switcher next month called LiveWedge. It’s another connected hardware device for Cerevo, with great potential to really make an impact for video producers, priced at just $1000. Their HD video switcher supports four cameras (HDMI connection), integrating with a handy (free) iPad app that lets users easily control what video is displayed. Users can even add transitions (such as dissolves, wipes, or fade to black) or even display picture-in-picture using a simple drag and drop motion. Iwasa-san gave me a brief demo, and I was really surprised by how easy it…

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The last time I met up with Tokyo-based hardware company Cerevo, it was back in 2012 when they were gearing up to release their LiveShell Pro, an affordable hardware solution that enables just about anyone to broadcast live video to the web. That very niche product has been the company’s bread and butter up until now, and I was curious to find out what Cerevo’s CEO Takuma Iwasa has been busy these days.

Turns out, Cerevo has been up to quite a lot actually. In addition to the company’s futuristic internet-enabled power strip that is soon going on sale, the company plans to release a completely new connected video switcher next month called LiveWedge. It’s another connected hardware device for Cerevo, with great potential to really make an impact for video producers, priced at just $1000.

Their HD video switcher supports four cameras (HDMI connection), integrating with a handy (free) iPad app that lets users easily control what video is displayed. Users can even add transitions (such as dissolves, wipes, or fade to black) or even display picture-in-picture using a simple drag and drop motion. Iwasa-san gave me a brief demo, and I was really surprised by how easy it was to control.

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Iwasa showing LiveWedge’s iPad app

And as you might guess from their previous LiveShell product, it lets you livestream video to the internet as well [1].

LiveWedge also features a SD card, which you can use to record you output video (1080/30p), or even store video and pictures that can be used as input.

Iwasa explains that currently video switching solutions typically are big and heavy, often carried around in a suitcase. In contrast, their LiveWedge could easily fit in a laptop case or a purse. He points out that while they were selling their LiveShell Pro, there were a lot of customers were asking them to build a video switcher. So they already have a willing base of customers in place that will be certain to buy.

Cerevo currently has a headcount of just 13 people, and its office is a tiny third floor space packed to the ceiling with electronics components, instructional books, and I think there’s a box of oranges in there somewhere too. But they’re a global hardware manufacturer that appears to be doing well by identifying a narrow but important demand for hardware. In a somewhat unlikely metaphor, Iwasa likened their hardware strategy to that of a small batch whisky maker:

Small batch whisky and bourbon have really enthusiastic fans. Similarly, we are making a niche product, but we have a tight relationship with our fans all over the world. Our product [strategy] is very different than Panasonic or Sony, which is to find a market for a billion dollar product. But our strategy is to make a popular niche product, and that’s very possible.

He pointed out that software makers – in contrast – really have a big challenge these days, and if (for example) he wanted to make a recruiting app for India, there would be lots of competition already in that space. In contrast, their LiveShell Pro video streaming device only has one real competitor globally [2].

If you’re in Austin, they’ll have it on display at the SXSW next week, so be sure to pay them a visit. We really look forward to seeing how LiveWedge is received once it’s released.

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LiveWedge rear view

  1. Supports Ustream, YouTube Live, or your own servers.  ↩

  2. This would be Teledek in Canada, says Iwasa. Their target market is more high end serving TV stations, and their hardware is priced around $1500 or $2000 dollars. LiveShell Pro costs only about $500.  ↩

Cerevo’s futuristic smart power strip, with mobile integration, now available for pre-order

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See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based Cerevo, a startup focused on manufacturing internet-enabled gadgets, recently introduced Otto, a smart power strip that lets you control your home appliances even while you’re out. Our readers may recall we mentioned the prototype shown at CES 2013. But we’re happy to tell you that the company has finally begun accepting pre-orders, with shipments coming in January or February for a retail price of 23,800 yen (approximately $232). Cerevo is known for having introduced interesting hardware like the livestream encoder LiveShell, as well as SmartTrigger a remote shutter for your DSLR camera that can be used from your iPhone or Mac. Otto, the new product, has been developed using the company’s own crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash. It has eight power supply sockets and can enclose AC adapters, keeping them hidden from sight. A power supply for every single socket can be controlled over the internet using the mobile app which is provided for free. Two of them can even be controlled by a dimmer, letting you dim or brighten lights with your smartphone. This enclosure was designed by UK-based Japanese product designer Satoshi Yanagisawa, who is famous for having designed portable power generator…

otto

See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Cerevo, a startup focused on manufacturing internet-enabled gadgets, recently introduced Otto, a smart power strip that lets you control your home appliances even while you’re out. Our readers may recall we mentioned the prototype shown at CES 2013. But we’re happy to tell you that the company has finally begun accepting pre-orders, with shipments coming in January or February for a retail price of 23,800 yen (approximately $232).

Cerevo is known for having introduced interesting hardware like the livestream encoder LiveShell, as well as SmartTrigger a remote shutter for your DSLR camera that can be used from your iPhone or Mac.

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Otto, the new product, has been developed using the company’s own crowdfunding site Cerevo Dash. It has eight power supply sockets and can enclose AC adapters, keeping them hidden from sight. A power supply for every single socket can be controlled over the internet using the mobile app which is provided for free. Two of them can even be controlled by a dimmer, letting you dim or brighten lights with your smartphone.

This enclosure was designed by UK-based Japanese product designer Satoshi Yanagisawa, who is famous for having designed portable power generator Cyclus.

The below demonstration video shows you how the device can control lighting with its pre-programmed ‘bonfire’ dimmer mode.

Cerevo invents a smart, Apple-like power strip that keeps your wires under control

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Tokyo-based hardware startup Cerevo, best known for its LiveShell livestreaming device, recently introduced another new, intriguing product. It’s called Otto. Otto is a wifi and web app enabled power strip which designed to hide the AC adapters from all your laptops and smartphones. And what’s more, the power supply from all eight of its sockets can be controlled over the internet. Two of them can even be controlled by a dimmer, which in addition to letting you turn lights on or off, lets you dim or brighten lights with your smartphone. This sleek, smart enclosure was designed by Japanese product designer Satoshi Yanagisawa, who is based in the UK. The intent of his design was to harmonize with your living room while at the same time pursuing advanced functions. Cerevo is now exhibiting Otto at Salone Internazionale del Mobile, currently underway at Milan, Italy. If you have a chance to attend the event, drop by their booth at Pavilion 24-22 and give Otto a try. And if you can’t make the trip to Italy, head over to TV Tokyo’s website where there’s a video demonstration of the device. Cerevo was founded by ex-Panasonic product producer Takuma Iwasa (aka Waren-osyo) in…

otto

Tokyo-based hardware startup Cerevo, best known for its LiveShell livestreaming device, recently introduced another new, intriguing product. It’s called Otto.

ottoapp_screenshotOtto is a wifi and web app enabled power strip which designed to hide the AC adapters from all your laptops and smartphones. And what’s more, the power supply from all eight of its sockets can be controlled over the internet. Two of them can even be controlled by a dimmer, which in addition to letting you turn lights on or off, lets you dim or brighten lights with your smartphone.

This sleek, smart enclosure was designed by Japanese product designer Satoshi Yanagisawa, who is based in the UK. The intent of his design was to harmonize with your living room while at the same time pursuing advanced functions.

Cerevo is now exhibiting Otto at Salone Internazionale del Mobile, currently underway at Milan, Italy. If you have a chance to attend the event, drop by their booth at Pavilion 24-22 and give Otto a try. And if you can’t make the trip to Italy, head over to TV Tokyo’s website where there’s a video demonstration of the device.

Cerevo was founded by ex-Panasonic product producer Takuma Iwasa (aka Waren-osyo) in 2007. It fundraised 120 million yen from EC Navi, Kronos Fund, and P&A in 2009; and 250 million yen from Enova, Inspire, and Neostella Capital in 2011.

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