From: rick@cs.arizona.edu (Rick Schlichting)
Newsgroups: comp.research.japan
Subject: Kahaner Report: Micromachines project, status 9/92
Date: 27 Sep 92 03:37:39 GMT


  [Dr. David Kahaner is a numerical analyst on sabbatical to the 
   Office of Naval Research-Asia (ONR Asia) in Tokyo from NIST.  The 
   following is the professional opinion of David Kahaner and in no 
   way has the blessing of the US Government or any agency of it.  All 
   information is dated and of limited life time.  This disclaimer should 
   be noted on ANY attribution.]

  [Copies of previous reports written by Kahaner can be obtained using
   anonymous FTP from host cs.arizona.edu, directory japan/kahaner.reports.]

To: Distribution
From: 
 David K. Kahaner
 US Office of Naval Research Asia
 (From outside US):  23-17, 7-chome, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Japan
 (From within  US):  Unit 45002, APO AP 96337-0007
  Tel: +81 3 3401-8924, Fax: +81 3 3403-9670
  Email: kahaner@cs.titech.ac.jp
Re: Micromachines project, status 9/92
22 Sept 1992
This file is named "micromac.92"

ABSTRACT. Current status of Japan's Micromachine Technology project and
the organizations that will participate are given.

Just about one year ago I reviewed a new ten year Japanese project in
the area of micromachines (officially called Micromachine Technology),
[see "micro.mac", 11 Sept 1991]. Without repeating that report I can
summarize by saying that the goal is to realize basic technologies for
1) medical devices of a few hundred micrometers diameter capable of
diagnosis and treatment in human organs without injuring the human body,
2) motion-capable micro-robots of a few mm for inspection and repair in
complicated mechanical systems such as pipes in power plants or aircraft
engines without disassembly or system destruction.  

The project is being run by MITI's AIST (Agency of Industrial Science
and Technology). Now a schedule and research plan are taking shape.
Laboratories involved are AIST's Mechanical Engineering Laboratory
(MEL), the Electrotechnical Laboratory (ETL), universities, about 20
Japanese companies and three foreign research organizations. R&D for the
latter are as follows.

* SRI International: Basic research on artificial muscles
* Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology: Micromechatronics
* IS Robotics: Development of basic control technology

Japanese participants are as follows.

BASIC TECHNOLOGY
  Microscience and engineering:
        Mechanical Engineering Lab
        Electrotechnical Lab
        University of Tokyo
        Nagoya University
  Processing technology
        Nippondenso
        Sumitomo Electric
        Hitachi
  Assembly technology
        Olympus Optical
        Fujikura
  Materials technology
        independent researchers

COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY
  Microfunction component technology
        Yasukawa Electric
        Toshiba
        Fuji Electric Research Institute
        Fanuc
        Omron
        Aisin Seiki
        Seiko Denshi Kogyo
        Mitsubishi Cable Industries
        Yokogawa Electric
  Energy supply technology
        Mitsubishi Materials
        Mitsubishi Electric
        Sanyo Electric
  Electronic circuit technology
        independent researchers

SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY
  Control/human interface technology
        Kawasaki Heavy Industries
        Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
        Meitec
        Murata


For details, contact
        National Research and Development Program 
        Office Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
        MITI
        1-3-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100 
         Tel: +81-03-3501-9229, Fax: +81-03-3501-9222


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