Introduction to Corporate Research & Development Center

As the OKI Group's R&D division, the Corporate Research & Development Center, aims to bring digital revolution to customers. From the standpoint of connected society, connected life, connected manufacturing, and taking advantage of the company's strength at the real-digital contact region new integrated technologies based on IoTxAI for the medium to long term are being researched and developed.

Vision of OKI's Technologies (2025)

"Smart Sensing" Technologies for a "Connected Society"

OKI has strengths in sensing, network and data analysis, which are three elements required for IoT. Through the enhancement of each technology and coordinated interworking, in-depth information from the fields that could not be captured before can be analyzed in real-time, and a connected society can be realized.

Sensing

OKI has newly developed an optical fiber sensing technology that detects strain and temperature conditions of an optical fiber and the location from the subtle changes in the optical signal passing through the fiber. The installation of the optical fiber will enable structure monitoring and fire detection over a wide area. Together with image and radio sensing technologies that have been cultivated over the years, this technology will contribute to the next-generation social infrastructure.

network

As a network that is largely scalable and power efficient, OKI has developed the world's first multi-hop network technology using 920MHz wireless communication. This makes it possible to connect a wide variety of sensors and devices to a network independent of the environment, and by integrating with data analysis technology, utilization in area of structure monitoring can be expected.

Data mining

OKI performs its own sensing and storage of data from transportation, disaster prevention and manufacturing areas. The large amounts of collected data are analyzed in an effort to develop technology that will extract in-depth information from the fields.

"Human Mechatronics" Technologies for a "Connected Lifestyle"

OKI is developing new human- mechatronics technologies by combining HMI technology and interactive AI with mechatronics technology cultivated from working with various terminals such as ATMs, printers, ticket vending machines, and KIOSKs.
Many of OKI's terminals are connected to the network and operated directly by end users. Until now, these terminals provided simple functions such as cash deposits/withdrawals, printing and ticketing. Now, OKI is researching to develop advanced terminals which will interact with the user and provide services tailored to the user and the surrounding situation.
Instead of a terminal located in the corner area and approached by a user with a purpose, the aim is to develop a communication terminal that recognizes the user's request, talks to the user, and approaches the user as it performs services.

"Multiproduct Variable Quantity Production" Technologies for a "Connected Manufacturing"

OKI owns its own production division, and in addition to its own products, it produces highly reliable and high quality products for other companies. Not only are the production lines capable of handling mass-scale productions in the order of millions, but the ability to flexibly configure the lines for small-scale productions according to the customer's need is OKI's strength.
By combining AR/VR and data analysis technologies with flexible and high-quality production technology, OKI aims to realize a multiproduct variable quantity monozukuri technology that can respond to more diverse needs in real-time.
For example, AR technology can be used to display assembly work instructions superimposed on assembly parts to improve work efficiency for products that change in small lots. With VR technology, a skilled engineer can remotely instruct maintenance work allowing even beginners to perform maintenance work similar to that of a veteran.