SCI-TECH

Toyota Motor Corp announced Feb 2, 2012, that it will release the "86" FR (front-engine rear-wheel-drive) sports car April 6, 2012.

Sony Corp had a press conference on its new management structure Feb 2, 2012.

Sharp President Mikio Katayama took the podium at the company's results meeting Feb 1, 2012, and answered questions about the results for the first to third quarters of fiscal 2011 and future strategies to improve the company's performance.

Toyota Industries Corp developed a system that controls charging time, etc for multiple plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).

Sony Corp announced a compact digital camera that works together with devices such as smartphones.

Toyota Motor Corp announced Jan 26, 2012, that it has fully remodeled the "Lexus GS" sedan.

Cree Japan, a Japanese unit of Cree Inc, introduced the "XLamp XB-D," a white LED lamp that is smaller and brighter than the company's former product.

NEC Corp announced its structural reform plans including a reduction of 10,000 employees Jan 26, 2012.

Fujifilm Corp announced Jan 26, 2012, that it will release the "Fujifilm X-Pro1" mirrorless camera and three interchangeable lenses for the camera Feb 18, 2012.

Mitsubishi Plastics Inc developed a front sheet with an excellent water vapor barrier property for flexible photovoltaic (PV) batteries.

Seiko Clock Inc developed a small geared motor that can be used for precision instruments and a small pump equipped with the motor.

Elpida Memory Inc developed ReRAM (resistive random-access memory), which is expected to be one of the next-generation nonvolatile memories.

Eight Japan- and the US-based firms established an industry group for wireless communications used for smart meters.

Panasonic Electronic Devices Co Ltd developed a backup power supply using an electric double-layer capacitor for automobiles.

Quadrant Plastic Composites Japan Ltd exhibited an automotive bottom cover that has an enhanced noise-reduction capability at the 2nd Automotive Weight Reduction Expo, which took place from Jan 18 to 20, 2012, in Tokyo.

Sony Corp announced a laminated structure having a signal processing circuit as a new technology for back-illuminated CMOS image sensors.

The Yamada Lab of the Nagaoka University of Technology and Mitsubishi Rayon Co Ltd prototyped the "see-through prism-type concentrating PV," a photovoltaic (PV) cell module that collects sunlight with prisms.

Nidec Corp exhibited a prototype of its switched reluctance (SR) motor for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) at a trade show.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corp developed a compact wireless transceiver module supporting all of the four communication channels that can be used in the 60GHz waveband.

Power Assist Technology Ltd and Shimane University developed what they claim is the world's smallest charger for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).

Rohm Co Ltd developed an E17-base small krypton gas (MiniKrypton) LED light bulb.

Tazmo Co Ltd, a major LCD panel equipment manufacturer in Japan, developed an inorganic light-emitting diode panel with a luminous efficiency of 30lm/W by using coating process.

Renesas Electronics Corp will apply TSV (through silicon via) technology to its mobile SoCs so that they will support Wide I/O DRAM, which was standardized by JEDEC.

Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. developed a conductive silver (Ag) ink that can be hardened only by applying ultraviolet light to it.

Tobii Technology, a Sweden-based firm that develops technologies to input data in computers only with eye movements (eye-gaze input technologies), exhibited its product for the first time at CES.