Osaka University

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Osaka University promoting photonics startup activities

The Bridge 2015.02.04

Tokyo-based “Tex” Pomeroy and Kyoto-based Taijiro Takeda contributed to this story. See the original story in Japanese. Osaka University Photonics Center, which conducts advanced R&D on advanced photonics including laser and nano-optics, held it’s seventh “Photonics Day” on 2nd February at the university’s Suita Campus. This project commenced as a startup/product development project in 2011. Beginning with 4 projects selected in the initial year, followed in 2012 by 3 projects and in 2013 by 2 projects, a total of 9 projects out of 44 applications are being carried out under approval; to date all projects have had some input from the university, whether at faculty or student level. Of the many project results for this year’s Photonics Day, one of the most noteworthy was “the eco-light bulb adopting a thermal radiation spectrum”. This new type of incandescent light bulb, by opening 100nm-order holes on the filament surface, enables control of hear emission. By cutting down the infrared emission level, the temperature is kept down while realizing a light-emission ratio of nearly 90% which is better than that offered by the light-emitting diode (LED converts 50% of the electric power it uses to light, while the conventional incandescent light bulb offers…

Tokyo-based “Tex” Pomeroy and Kyoto-based Taijiro Takeda contributed to this story.

photonics-center-kawata — Osaka University Photonics Center Executive Director Satoshi Kawata speaks at a press briefing.
(Photo by Taijiro Takeda)

See the original story in Japanese.

Osaka University Photonics Center, which conducts advanced R&D on advanced photonics including laser and nano-optics, held it’s seventh “Photonics Day” on 2nd February at the university’s Suita Campus. This project commenced as a startup/product development project in 2011. Beginning with 4 projects selected in the initial year, followed in 2012 by 3 projects and in 2013 by 2 projects, a total of 9 projects out of 44 applications are being carried out under approval; to date all projects have had some input from the university, whether at faculty or student level.

Of the many project results for this year’s Photonics Day, one of the most noteworthy was “the eco-light bulb adopting a thermal radiation spectrum”. This new type of incandescent light bulb, by opening 100nm-order holes on the filament surface, enables control of hear emission. By cutting down the infrared emission level, the temperature is kept down while realizing a light-emission ratio of nearly 90% which is better than that offered by the light-emitting diode (LED converts 50% of the electric power it uses to light, while the conventional incandescent light bulb offers a conversion ratio of only 10%).

White LED lighting has limitations as to wavelengths and thus seem “cold” to the human eye, while incandescent bulbs can realize full wavelengths – some restaurants still retain the old lighting system in the foods section due to this. However, large manufacturers like Panasonic and Hitachi are now dropping production of the old light bulbs so the product can gain this niche market when it becomes available widely.

Other topics such as multilateral collaboration and fund procurement were also discussed at the event. Photonics Center Executive Director Satoshi Kawata noted that he hopes to realize as is Schumpeter’s idea that “innovation is not technological revolution but the building of a new paradigm” and urged participants to actually produce results with their own hands.

Regarding other items unveiled by the Photonics Center, the website links are as below:

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TeamLabBody 3D iPad app is a medical student’s dream

Rick Martin 2013.03.27

I recently had a chance to visit Team Lab, the folks behind a number of incredible digital projects, such as the fun TeamLab hangers which we recently featured. And this month recently the company has released an amazing app for iPad called TeamLab Body. The app presents a 3D representation of the entire human body, including the skeletal, muscle, nervous, circulatory systems and even ligaments. You can toggle the visibility of each system on the side panel, depending on which area you would like to explore. So for example, if you select only the skeletal system, you have a complete 3D human skeleton at your fingertips. Using the search function, you can also find parts of the body according to their medical name, as well as view a detailed text description if their function. If you’d like to make your own notes you can do that too. Amazingly the app accurately reproduces motion as well, and does so in three dimensions. In the video below you can get a general idea for how it works. This, they claim, is the world’s first analysis and 3D reproduction of living human joints. Using the iPad, they can be viewed from any angle….

The app presents a 3D representation of the entire human body, including the skeletal, muscle, nervous, circulatory systems and even ligaments. You can toggle the visibility of each system on the side panel, depending on which area you would like to explore. So for example, if you select only the skeletal system, you have a complete 3D human skeleton at your fingertips. Using the search function, you can also find parts of the body according to their medical name, as well as view a detailed text description if their function. If you’d like to make your own notes you can do that too.

Amazingly the app accurately reproduces motion as well, and does so in three dimensions. In the video below you can get a general idea for how it works. This, they claim, is the world’s first analysis and 3D reproduction of living human joints. Using the iPad, they can be viewed from any angle.

TeamLab body was created using data from professor and orthopedic surgeon Kazuomi Sugamoto and his laboratory at Osaka University, who had collected all this interesting anatomical data from living humans over 10 years through magnetic resonance imaging an CT scans, resulting in the potential for such amazing 3D motion graphics.

For anyone in the field of medicine, this would surely be an invaluable tool. It’s a little bit pricey as far as apps go, at a cost of $29.99, but I’m sure that’s a small price to pay for such a robust and handy reference. There is a lite version of the app available for $0.99, restricted to the head only of you’d like to test it out.

You can learn more about the project over at TeamLabBody.com.