Value Creation with Safety & Security Sector
Providing Solutions Contributing Security and Safety in Response to Various Lifestyles
Corresponding SDGs
Disaster Prevention Initiatives
To ensure the safety of all people, promptly disseminating appropriate information in the event of a disaster or emergency is an important issue. JVCKENWOOD contributes to the development of infrastructure to protect people's lives, not only in emergencies, by developing a variety of wireless systems for business use and emergency and business broadcasting facilities that support multiple languages.
Professional Radio System
JVCKENWOOD makes use of its know-how and technological expertise in "communications" and "audio" technologies to develop professional wireless systems. When large-scale natural disasters such as landslides, earthquakes, and floods occur due to typhoons and heavy rains, the ability to properly respond to initial responses is an important factor in minimizing damage. Since the professional wireless system can build its own communication network without relying on the existing infrastructure, it is possible to secure communication means in the event of a disaster, and to quickly transmit accurate information. This enables us to support appropriate responses for identifying damage situations and preventing the occurrence of secondary disasters.
JVCKENWOOD's professional wireless systems are not limited to fixed use, but include a wide variety of portable and in-vehicle use, enabling the appropriate wireless utilization in all situations. In addition, the weight reduction of the equipment and the specifications that allow the voice can be heard clearly under noisy conditions or through masks, enabling prompt communication at all times, not only in the event of disasters, and contributing to the realization of social safety as an infrastructure for appropriate communication of necessary information.
Professional Radio System
Please see the links provided below for further details.
Emergency & Professional-Use Multilingual Broadcasting Equipment
JVCKENWOOD makes use of its know-how and technological expertise in acoustics systems to provide broadcasting equipment and evacuation guidance support systems for use in emergencies and for business as part of its lines of products and services designed to prevent and mitigate disasters. We offer a line of broadcasting systems for large-scale office buildings, shopping malls, and factories that play a vital role in regional disaster management. We are advancing the implementation of multilingual emergency and professional-use broadcasting equipment to help everyone in Japan, including non-Japanese nationals, live safely with peace of mind. In fiscal 2019, working under our plan to launch new disaster-prevention and disaster-mitigation products and services, we set a target of installing 50 units of such equipment in response to the growing number of inbound tourists to Japan, and installed 57 units by the end of the fiscal year.
Our latest emergency and professional-use broadcasting equipment—the EM-1500 series and the EM-K150 series—is able to broadcast voice warning messages in Japanese and English. Furthermore, by replacing the default card with a multilingual CF (compact flash) card, the equipment is able to make announcements in three to four different languages (Chinese and Korean in addition to Japanese and English)*, thus making it possible to reach even more people in times of emergency. Our evacuation guidance support system also messages in the form of video, sound and radio to be delivered to evacuees, on top of the conventional emergency and professional-use broadcasting.
Multilingual emergency and professional-use broadcasting equipment—rack type
EM-1500 Series
Multilingual emergency and professional-use broadcasting equipment—wall mount type
EM-K150 Series
Please see the links provided below for further details.
Safety Initiatives
In recent years, it has become increasingly important to take measures to prevent terrorism and vicious crimes, both inside and outside of Japan. Steps are under way to increase security guards and surveillance cameras mainly at facilities, airports, and other places where a large number of people gather, and there is a growing need to implement increasingly efficient and effective security systems. JVCKENWOOD contributes to the security and safety of the city with higher accuracy while reducing required manpower and labor by real-time analysis of massive surveillance camera images and speedily authentication of specific visitors.
Facial Recognition System
The "Facial recognition system" detects and sends notices in real time to announce the presence of specified individuals whose facial information has been registered in advance. This makes it possible to be vigilant against criminals and people who are known to have disturbed the public peace in the past, without having to be dependent on traditional methods of human visual observation, thereby helping to strengthen anti-crime measures. In addition to preventing crime, this system is expected to help provide proactive assistance for VIPs. Thus, in the future, we expect this system to further expand its presence in the market for its ability to enhance vigilance while also reducing the required manpower.
Configuration of integrated-control facial recognition system
Please see the link provided below for further details.
Image analysis solution: Integrated-control facial recognition system (Japanese)
Car Number Plate Recognition System
The Car Number Plate Recognition System recognizes the number plate on a vehicle captured on a camera image and automatically checks vehicles entering commercial facilities and business sites. The system enables entry and exit log control and contributes to reducing the workload of receptionists and guards. Furthermore, the system can be used to identify the number of entries into and exits from a facility on a real-time basis or automatically announce the entry and exit of a vehicle that requires attention if the car plate number is registered in advance, thereby assisting in managing the security and safety of facilities.
For details, please see the link provided below.
Image analysis solution: “Car Number Plate Recognition System” (Japanese)
Healthcare Initiatives
The JVCKENWOOD Group develops products for the healthcare industry by making use of the unique expertise that we possess in image and video processing technologies and in optical disk technologies. Seeking to ensure that as many people as possible receive appropriate medical services, we assist those working at the frontlines of medicine by developing a gaze tracking system for the early detection of autistic spectrum disorder as well as a particle (exosome) measuring instrument that is expected to enable extremely early diagnosis. The healthcare business is also a field that will have a strong impact on the super-aging society, and, as such, we are striving to develop and launch products that meet the needs of medical professionals.
ExoCounter that Supports Very Early Diagnosis of Diseases
As the world braces for the challenges of an aging society and the increased burden of medical costs, increasing importance is placed on pre-disease diagnosis stemming from the advancement in preventative medicine, and even more on very early diagnosis performed during the disease-free period through exams conducted at the cell and particle level.
We combined our properties in optical disk and nanobead*¹technologies to develop an exosome measurement system called ExoCounter that detects and measures each antigen-specific exosome in body fluids. In March 2020, a new exosome measurement system for exosome researchers, the ExoCounter "BX-EC3 System" was launched. Exosome is a vesicle particle measuring approximately 50–100 nm in diameter that is released from a variety of types of cells, and exists in body fluids such as blood, saliva, and urine. Exosomes are embedded with various substances including protein, mRNA*², and micro RNA*³, and as of recent years these substances are expected to serve as biomarkers for various diseases including cancer. The ExoCounter has the potential to contribute to the early detection of cancer by using blood, since blood tests place a low physical burden on examinees.
Since 2016, JVCKENWOOD has been working with SYSMEX CORPORATION for the joint development of ExoCounter system. We collaborate with various research organizations in conducting research and development with the aim of improving the quality of diagnoses and treatment of illnesses. Furthermore, our joint research conducted together with the Keio University School of Medicine and the Tokyo Medical University discovered for the first time that breast cancer and ovarian cancer patients have a statistically and significantly high number of cancer-specific exosomes in their serum. (See the news release dated July 19, 2018. (Japanese)) The results of this research are expected to help further development of new cancer diagnosis and treatment methods using exosomes, and help advance studies on cancer.
Since 2019 we have been conducting joint research with Oxford University (U.K.) and Sysmex R&D Center Europe GmbH, a local subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation, to establish a system for predicting the onset of preeclampsia (a disorder of pregnancy) using exosomes. Preeclampsia, which causes restricted fetal development, premature delivery, etc., is a life-threatening disease for both mother and child. While about 5% of pregnant women worldwide develop this disease, there is currently no effective treatment. In order to achieve better pregnancy care, the joint research aims to establish a technology for predicting the onset of preeclampsia using exosomes. It is based on study findings indicating that exosomes released by the placenta into the body are effective for the early detection of the onset of pre-eclampsia.
Based on the results of the above research activities, JVCKENWOOD will continue to work toward answering the needs of society by providing products that will realize very early diagnosis of illnesses and enable treatment that is suitable for each individual patient.
*1 Nanobead : Nanobeads are beads measured on the scale of nanometers (nm, one-millionth of a millimeter). The nanobeads used in this technology have a diameter of about 200 nm. The surface of the beads is solid-phased with an antibody that docks with substances on the exosomes, which enables the detection of specific exosomes that are being looked for.
*2 mRNA : mRNA (messenger RNA) is RNA that copies and conveys genetic information on protein synthesis from the DNA sequence.
*3 microRNA : microRNA (miRNA) is one chain of an RNA molecule about the length of 20 nucleotides, and is associated with performing the role of controlling the expression of numerous genes and proteins. In recent years, miRNA found in exosomes has been attracting attention as being effective in the diagnosis of diseases because it remains stable and will not be degraded by enzymes in the blood, and because it changes dramatically in terms of amount and type depending on the type of disease and its level of development.
ExoCounter BX-EC3 system components
Please see the link provided below for further details.
Gazefinder, an Apparatus for Gaze Tracking System
JVCKENWOOD is proceeding with the application of Gazefinder, a gaze tracking system developed by leveraging our visual and optical technologies that we have cultivated thus far, for medical equipment. Gazefinder enables accurate measurement of the examinee’s line of sight, i.e. the points on the monitor screen that the examinee is looking at. Gaze is closely related to brain activity and gaze measurement enables objective and quantitative assessment of the development of the brain and detection of brain diseases, disorders, etc.
Contributing to the Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
One expected use of Gazefinder is to support the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, which even among developmental disorders is known for involving particular difficulty in communication.
During childhood, lower grade students explicitly demonstrate their difficulty in studying and behavioral aspects, while for higher grade students various complications arise and become hard to find. Therefore, it is important to identify the symptoms and respond at an early stage. (Source: Materials from the Reporting Meeting of Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, February 2016)
Appropriate diagnoses help to ensure the provision of proper support in educational environments, and to promote the understanding of the people around children with disorders. In addition, early diagnosis makes it possible to provide the necessary support from the time of infancy, which has been proven to be significantly useful for improving a child’s ability to attend regular classes. We therefore recognize that the more children that receive early treatment via the diagnosis support of Gazefinder, the greater the likelihood of leading those children to engage with society in the future.
In January 2020, JVCKENWOOD began the clinical trial on the assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in collaboration with La Trobe University (Melbourne, Australia) and Telethon Kids Institute (Perth, Australia). The trial had more than 200 participants ages 2-4, including both those diagnosed with ASD and those with typical development. This trial is now concluded, and the application for approval as a medical device has been filed with Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Also Possibility of Application for Early Diagnosis of Dementia
Gazefinder is expected to be applied to early diagnosis of dementia patients, who will presumably further increase. As simplified and precise cognitive function evaluation devices are required, Gazefinder is a product which can meet this need. JVCKENWOOD worked with a group of researchers at the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine to jointly develop a novel cognitive assessment technology. A quick assessment that requires virtually no written or verbal instructions, not only it imposes very little burden on subjects but also can be marketed globally. When tested with 80 subjects at Osaka University Hospital, the assessment demonstrated a high correlation with the existing standard cognitive testing method in which the doctor spends about 20 minutes questioning the patient. The findings of this study have been published by Osaka University and made available to the public on Scientific Reports, an online British scientific journal (link to Scientific Reports). Gazefinder can minimize the mental and physical burden during examination and find out risks of dementia. It then helps encourage early and proper treatment as well as a supporting environment, contributing to reducing the burden of both the patients and their families. As the utilization of Gazefinder advances, we anticipate that we can help solve significant issues related to medical care for seniors, such as dementia and medical expenses.
Gazefinder NP-200
Image of measurement of a young child
Please see the links provided below for further details.
Gazefinder "NP-200" Gaze Tracking System Product Information(Japanese)
* Approval from the fire department of the local jurisdiction is needed for implementing this equipment.