In the R&D labs of NTT, research engineers are working on the next generation of ‘optoelectronic’ devices that promise to catalyse a step-change in information and communication technology (ICT).
They dream of a world with small, light, low-cost devices that use a hundred times less energy and are a hundred times more powerful than what we use now, passing a hundred times more data at near-instantaneous speeds. That’s the promise of photonics: using light-based circuitry to replace or augment electronics.
Toward an augmented society
There are many dimensions to the IOWN concept. With fast, low-power connected devices embedded throughout society, advanced network and computing services are needed to connect and coordinate them. The IOWN initiative aims to use artificial intelligence to take high-resolution, multi-sensory observations of the world to autonomously simulate, predict and respond as required.
“When we talk about traffic control, for example, we need car-borne sensors that can see, hear, feel and sense faster and more accurately than humans, and centralized communication and control systems that can respond ten times faster than a human,” says Kawazoe. “At the same time, we need to optimize the efficiency of devices and computational resources by moving to scalable, on-demand computing and devices.”
NTT has developed a connected cars platform with Toyota. Using IOWN technologies that extract the necessary data from Internet of Things (IoT) devices, mobility services will forecast traffic optimization at the city level. IOWN technologies can provide city-scale predictions such as traffic collision prevention, individual interaction and coordinated guidance during disasters.
IOWN applications for diverse industries
Kawazoe predicts that in the coming era of the IoT, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin computing, full automation and machine-to-machine communications and interactions will become ubiquitous, providing functions that are beyond the capability of humans.
“The IOWN will enable remote monitoring and control of agricultural machinery with high precision,” Kawazoe says. “The AI system could analyse diverse sensor information to predict the quality of multiple network systems, autonomously select the best network system and perform stable automatic driving, operating 24 hours a day. This could address the global issue of agriculture labour shortages and improve food security.”
Since these cases need a lot of computing resources, they also consume a significant amount of power. In this sense, IOWN’s ultra-low power consumption technology will play a key role in achieving sustainable growth.
“By 2030, we expect to have developed a range of IOWN services and be running various technology trials. Over the next two years we will be releasing the architectural framework for the IOWN technologies and technical specifications to support industry collaboration. As society changes and becomes more complex, technologies will adapt to diverse needs. As the first president and chairperson of the IOWN Global Forum, I invite all potential collaborators who share our vision to join the IOWN and develop the future.”
