HP and Johnson & Johnson challenge creative talents at Spikes Asia to transform consumer experience with digital print

October 3, 2018, 9:00 pm

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The Jury with the Winning Team: Ganesh Bangalore, Taro Taniwaki & Takayuki Ichida, Puneet Chadha, Lilian Shieh and Richa Goswami.

Japan team win the Young Spikes Design Competition

SINGAPORE, Oct 4, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Taro Taniwaki and Takayuki Ichida from HAKUHODO, Japan, beat nine other finalist teams in a 24-hour live brief challenge at Spikes Asia 2018. The 10 finalist teams were from Singapore, Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia. They were selected out of 123 submissions for the first-round competition, which was open to advertising and communications executives aged 30 and under from across Asia Pacific.

HP and Johnson & Johnson challenged the Young Spikes Design Competition teams to create a limited-edition baby-care gift set for Southeast Asia-based influencers, key opinion leaders and the Johnson's Baby online store. The brief was in support of Johnson's brand transformation to adapt to changing demographics and attitudes. The new product line containing fewer and simpler ingredients is designed to cater to the needs of their new target audience: millennial mums.

"Creativity is the foundation of innovation," said Foo Siew Ting, Chief Marketing Officer, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP Inc. "To inspire innovation, we brought together an ecosystem to support creative talent to shine on the biggest stage at the Young Spikes Competition. Through it, we have given the teams new possibilities for communicating their ideas through different platforms and channels. They have all shown how creativity can achieve business objectives to increase Johnson's brand engagement with their new audience."

The winning team combined both a design that reflects Johnson's new gentle messaging and a feasible yet impactful online-to-offline brand experience that taps on a strong parenting insight and habits of millennial mums. They were selected by a four-member jury including three from Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific: Ganesh Bangalore, Senior Director, Marketing, Baby Care Franchise, Lilian Shieh, Head of Desin, and Richa Goswami, Head of Digital and Innovation; and Puneet Chadha, Director, Marketing, Graphics Solutions Business, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP Inc.

"I was blown away by the ideas, quality of thinking and attention to detail, all done in 24 hours," said Ganesh Bangalore, Senior Director, Marketing, Baby Care Franchise, Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific. "We are thrilled and thankful that HP approached us to work together at Spikes Asia. It has not only given us some absolutely fresh and fabulous ideas to announce the new Johnson's to mums in Asia Pacific but also opened up tremendous opportunities to transform her experience with the brand through personalization, digitalized interaction and online-to-offline engagement."

"Spikes Asia is proud to partner HP and Johnson & Johnson to challenge the brightest minds in the region and showcase their talent at APAC's largest creative communication award and festival," said Joe Pullos, Spikes Asia Festival Director. "The winning teams proved their tenacity and have produced outstanding ideas over 2 rounds of competition in 3 months, this is a great achievement."

"This is the best time of our lives," said Taniwaki and Ichida. "We made sure our idea was not just designing a gift set, but a campaign that creates impact and drives engagement. During the competition, the HP Zbook empowered us with a new way to create and now we want one for ourselves. The print is also beyond our expectations, we're so impressed with the quick turnaround and vivid colors."

The teams worked on the HP Zbook Studio x360 and their works were printed at the HP Graphics Solutions Center of Excellence, followed by HP Graphics on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. To find out more about how brands have successfully used print in their campaigns and how you can do so, visit HP for Brands.

About HP
HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at www.hp.com.

About JOHNSON'S
For nearly 125 years, JOHNSON'S(R) mission has been to create the gentlest baby products in the world. That's why we've continuously advanced our science and listened to parents around the world to reformulate and improve our products inside and out. Our standard of gentle guides every choice we make, for parents, their babies and the world. Because gentle is something the world can never have enough of. For more, visit www.JohnsonsBaby.com and www.JohnsonsBaby.in.

Liveina Kumar
HP Inc.
Liveina.Kumar@hp.com

Scott Lai
Edelman for HP Inc.
T: +65 9819 2323
Scott.lai@edelman.com

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Fujitsu Develops Non-Contact Biometric Integration Technology as an Optimal Solution for a Cashless Society

October 4, 2018, 3:23 am

≫ Next: Hitachi Launches AI-Assisted Predictive Maintenance Service for Petrochemical Plants

≪ Previous: HP and Johnson & Johnson challenge creative talents at Spikes Asia to transform consumer experience with digital print

Figure 1: Usage scenarios by scale of user numbers

Figure 2: Subject individual's identity authentication flow

Cashless payment technology applied to ID-less authentication on a one million user scale

KAWASAKI, Japan, Oct 4, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announces development of a non-contact, integrated biometric authentication technology that can identify a person using only their palm vein and facial data. Developed jointly with Fujitsu R&D Center Co., Ltd., the technology represents a step closer to the creation of a cashless society. To enable biometric authentication that would confirm a person's identity at brick-and-mortar stores or for admissions at event venues, streamlining searches of a huge volume of registered biometric data - on a scale of one million users -- had required narrowing down the subject person by using cards or other forms of data. Fujitsu has now developed technology that enables a smooth payment procedure in which users only need to hold their hands over a terminal, while the identity of the subject individual is narrowed down by facial image effortlessly captured using the payment terminal and camera set in close proximity. This technology enables wallet-free payments without the need to show IDs, paving the way to a more convenient cashless society. Details on this technology will be announced at the International Conference on Image Processing 2018 (ICIP 2018), held in Athens, Greece, from October 7. It will also be exhibited at CEATEC JAPAN 2018, which will be held at Makuhari Messe from October 16.

Development Background

The importance of authentication and authorization has continued to grow in recent years, and attention is being given to authentication technologies using biometric data in order to avoid the complexity of managing ever-increasing IDs and passwords. In pursuit of greater safety and convenience, there are high expectations for authentication technology that can identify an individual just with biometric data, without the need to show an ID or enter a password, and eliminating the need to carry a wallet.

http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_FujitsuBiometricIntegrationTechnology.jpg
Figure 1: Usage scenarios by scale of user numbers

Issues

Palm vein authentication is now commonly used around the world to manage room entry, and to access ATMs as well as individual's PC and other devices. In cases in which several tens of thousands of users' palm veins are registered, such as for ATMs, a card or other information is entered to narrow down the data set for efficient comparison matching. To expand the use of cashless payments at stores, handling a one million-user scale volume requires authentication to take place in a clean, non-contact environment which is also user-friendly.

The Newly Developed Technology

Now, using facial data that can be captured with an off-the-shelf camera, Fujitsu Laboratories has enabled highly convenient authentication without the need to carry a wallet (figure 2).

The new technology has the following features.

1. Extraction technology for high-speed processing of facial features

To precisely identify an individual from an image, it is necessary to build a complex mechanism that can with great accuracy extract facial angles and varying facial expressions, but this requires enormous processing time. Fujitsu has now successfully cut processing size to one-tenth of that offered by conventional technology by developing an algorithm that simply simulates the complex mechanism without compromising its precision. This enables instant processing of sophisticated facial recognition.

2. Biometric authentication technology integrating palm vein and facial data recognition

Facial data captured by a camera while individuals operate a payment terminal is used to narrow down similar groups from databases that have a scale of one million registered users. When actual authentication is needed at time of payment, users in the selected group can be quickly identified simply by holding their palms over payment terminals. In addition, because two forms of biometric data are being used, even if a portion of the vein data is not captured, the data required for authentication can be supplemented with the facial data, increasing the stability of the authentication. Moreover, by separating the processing of the palm vein and facial data, the burden on the authentication server can be alleviated, enabling high-speed processing of the facial comparisons while controlling the increase of required computing resources.

http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_FujitsuBiometricIntegrationTechnologyFig2.jpg
Figure 2: Subject individual's identity authentication flow

Results

By using this new technology, real-time authentication can be performed on a scale of one million people without inputting additional personal information, such as with cards or other types of information, while controlling the increase of computing resources needed for the authentication server.

Future Plans

Fujitsu Laboratories aims to make this technology practical within fiscal 2020.

About Fujitsu Laboratories

Founded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Next-generation Services, Computer Servers, Networks, Electronic Devices and Advanced Materials. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/labs/en/.

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 140,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.1 trillion yen (US $39 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release: http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

Contact:
Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Security Research Laboratory
E-mail: biometric-fusion-2018@ml.labs.fujitsu.com

Fujitsu Limited
Public and Investor Relations
Tel: +81-3-3215-5259
URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

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Hitachi Launches AI-Assisted Predictive Maintenance Service for Petrochemical Plants

October 4, 2018, 4:29 am

≫ Next: Mitsubishi Motors' Eclipse Cross Wins Good Design Award 2018

≪ Previous: Fujitsu Develops Non-Contact Biometric Integration Technology as an Optimal Solution for a Cashless Society

Left: Exterior view of the decomposition furnace in the ethylene plant of Showa Denko Right: Screen of the monitoring system

Detection of abnormalities by the predictive maintenance service for petrochemical plants

Commercialized after Joint Demonstration Experiment at Showa Denko's Ethylene Plant
to Help Improve Efficiency in the Operation and Maintenance of the Whole Plant

TOKYO, Oct 4, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) has now started offering the predictive maintenance service for petrochemical plants. It makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically classify and analyze the petrochemical plant's operation status in preparation for the real-time detection of changes in conditions and abnormalities that may be signs of failure. The service collects plant operation data and analyzes them by means of the adaptive resonance theory (ART), one of AI-based data clustering technologies, to swiftly detect abnormalities in devices and equipment that constitute the plant arising from multiple causes that are difficult to be discovered by predictive maintenance systems based on ordinary prediction models or by human judgment. It will help reduce not only the workload of operators monitoring the plant's operation but also the failure occurrence ratio to increase efficiency in operation and maintenance.

This predictive maintenance service has been developed and commercialized through a demonstrative trial conducted by Hitachi in collaboration with Showa Denko K.K. at the ethylene plant in Showa Denko's Oita Complex. It came into service for the practical operation of the plant in October 2018.

Oil refineries, petrochemical plants and other plants require the constant maintenance of safe and stable operation. It is common for skilled operators to check the data from the monitoring and control system and carry out on-site patrols to perform visual inspections in order to grasp the operation status of individual devices and equipment for the purpose of monitoring plant operation. However, even when individual devices and equipment in the plant are in normal operation, multiple factors such as the flow rate, pressure and temperature may bring the plant to a halt. The plant operation monitoring is therefore dependent on the judgments of skilled operators based on their experience and expertise. Meanwhile, the shrinkage of the working population means that it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure skilled operators. It is therefore necessary to increase operation and maintenance efficiency with the aim of reducing the staff workload, and to resolve this issue with the use of digital technologies.

Under these circumstances, Hitachi has developed a predictive maintenance technology for plants. With the active use of the AI technology of Lumada, solutions for digital innovation, as well as its abundance of expertise in operational technology (OT) that plant design and process control for energy and chemical field, this technology evaluates signs of changes in conditions and abnormalities in the entire petrochemical plant on a real-time basis. It was confirmed that this technology analyzed conditions for the occurrence of coking(1) as a possible cause of plant failure, which used to be difficult to determine, and successfully detected signs of coking independently from skilled operators when it was applied to the ethylene plant in Showa Denko's Oita Complex.

Accordingly, Hitachi has begun offering this technology that reflected the result of demonstration as predictive maintenance service for petrochemical plants. At Showa Denko, this service will commence full operation for the practical operation of the ethylene plant where the joint demonstrative trial was conducted. To prevent plant failure, Showa Denko will work toward developing operation methods that align with the state of coking and methods of inhibiting coking. In addition, Showa Denko will introduce it to other manufacturing processes and plants.

The introduction of this service allows petrochemical plant manufacturers to transform conventional operation monitoring based on the experience and expertise of skilled operators into more efficient and advanced monitoring based on detection data. Since it detects signs of abnormalities that are overlooked by humans, it helps lower the plant failure ratio as well as maintenance costs.

In the future, Hitachi will offer this service broadly to Japanese and overseas markets as a solution based on Lumada, and support the safe, stable operation of petrochemical plants.

Detection of abnormalities by the predictive maintenance service for petrochemical plants
http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_HitachiAIAssistedPMS2.jpg

This service incorporates one of Lumada's AI technologies, an analysis engine by ART. After advance learning of data on the past normal operation of plant devices and equipment, such as temperature, pressure, water level and flow rate, it classifies correlations of data that serve as yardsticks for evaluating possible signs and automatically creates a category of normal data. It then automatically classifies new data obtained from actual plant operation and compares them with the category of normal data to determine whether the operation is normal. In the event of the generation of a new data category, it issues an alert to the operators to urge them to make a decision. The operators judge whether the plant is in a normal state by the plant operation status and the factors involving the difference from the category of normal data (such as temperature and pressure). They can improve the accuracy of this service's future evaluation by having this service learn their decisions. In addition, it visualizes not only abnormalities of individual devices and equipment constituting the plant, but also their spread to other devices and equipment in the plant. It therefore enables them to be understood to help swiftly restore the normal state of operation. The analysis engine by ART has been developed on the basis of technologies and knowledge that have been cultivated for years by Hitachi's Research & Development Group with a view to its application to thermal power generation, water treatment and other large-sized plants and through demonstration trials at plants.

(1) Coking is adhesion in piping and elsewhere of coke, which is a solid substance generated from the decomposition of naphtha, a type of poor quality gasoline.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges, combining its operational technology, information technology, and products/systems. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017 (ended March 31, 2018) totaled 9,368.6 billion yen ($88.4 billion). The Hitachi Group is an innovation partner for the IoT era, and it has approximately 307,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation with customers, Hitachi is deploying Social Innovation Business using digital technologies in a broad range of sectors, including Power/Energy, Industry/Distribution/Water, Urban Development, and Finance/Social Infrastructure/Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

Contact:
Hitachi Ltd
Corporate Communications
Tel: +81-3-3258-1111

↧

Mitsubishi Motors' Eclipse Cross Wins Good Design Award 2018

October 4, 2018, 4:46 am

≫ Next: Mitsubishi Motors Increases the Production Capacity in Indonesia

≪ Previous: Hitachi Launches AI-Assisted Predictive Maintenance Service for Petrochemical Plants

TOKYO, Oct 4, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors' Eclipse Cross compact SUV has been selected as a recipient of the Good Design Award 2018 run by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.

In selecting Eclipse Cross, the Good Design Award Committee rated its design highly, commenting: "The bold wedge profile is very striking. The character line that cuts sharply into the sides is distinctive, and one see the attention to detail in the styling that, on the one hand, locates the door handles on this line to create a unified look, while, on the other, horizontally divides the rear window to retain good visibility. We were also impressed with the way in which the design uses different cross-sections for the front and rear roof edges to create a coupe-like silhouette, while also providing the cabin space and comfort required in a SUV."

The Eclipse Cross is a fusion of sharp coupe looks and dynamic SUV mobility with signature Mitsubishi styling and performance. Other distinguishing features are: a design that motivates the driver to explore and enjoy new adventures; all-wheel control technology which delivers an enjoyable, reassuring feel that elevates the driving experience; and connectivity that inspires new fun adventures.

In its exterior design, Eclipse Cross creates a new coupe-form SUV look. Crafted around the high eye-point, ample ground clearance, and spacious cabin characteristic of the SUV genre, are lines that give it a wedge-shaped profile accented by the belt line and strong character line, a forward-rake rear window, a rear end with short overhang and vertical tailgate, and deeply flared, muscular fenders.

(1) Good Design Award has been the sole comprehensive design evaluation and commendation system in Japan since its founding in 1957 as the Good Design Product Selection System (or G Mark System). In the 60 years since, the movement has aimed at improving industry and enhancing the quality of life in Japan through design and over 45,000 G Mark awards have been made. Today, it has grown into a global design award with many companies and organizations from around the world participating in the movement's activities and the G Mark, the symbol of the award, is recognized widely as a mark of design excellence.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has a competitive edge in SUVs and pickup trucks, electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Since the Mitsubishi group produced its first car more than a century ago, we have demonstrated an ambitious and often disruptive approach, developing new vehicle genres and pioneering cutting-edge technologies. Deeply rooted in Mitsubishi Motors' DNA, our brand strategy will appeal to ambitious drivers, willing to challenge conventional wisdom and ready to embrace change. Consistent with this mindset, Mitsubishi Motors introduced its new brand strategy in 2017, expressed in its "Drive your Ambition" tagline - a combination of personal drive and forward attitude, and a reflection of the constant dialogue between the brand and its customers. Today Mitsubishi Motors is committed to continuous investment in innovative new technologies, attractive design and product development, bringing exciting and authentic new vehicles to customers around the world.

Contact:
Mitsubishi Motors
Public Relations Department
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com
+81-3-6852-4275

↧

Mitsubishi Motors Increases the Production Capacity in Indonesia

October 4, 2018, 5:02 am

≫ Next: Toyota and SoftBank Agreed on Strategic Partnership To Establish Joint Venture for New Mobility Services

≪ Previous: Mitsubishi Motors' Eclipse Cross Wins Good Design Award 2018

- The engine of XPANDER shifts to localization -

TOKYO, Oct 4, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors has today announced it is to increase the production capacity at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bekasi, Indonesia in response to strong demand for the XPANDER crossover MPV in Indonesia and export markets.

The expansion will increase capacity to 220,000(1) units from the current 160,000(1) units by fiscal year 2020.

The expansion represents an investment of around 4 billion Yen and will see an extra 800 people employed at the Bekasi plant, taking the total number of staff to 4,100.

The production volume of XPANDER will rise from 115,000 units to 160,000 units by fiscal year 2020. Exports will rise from 30,000 units to 50,000 units to feed demand from overseas markets including ASEAN countries.

In addition, the XPANDER's engine will be produced in Nissan Motor Indonesia (NMI), a local production subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. This will increase the localized parts ratio of XPANDER to about 80% from the current 70% and have beneficial economic effects on the local supply chain. The expansion of NMI facility will mean 160,000 units of the engine will be produced annually.

Since its launch last August, the XPANDER has accumulated 100,000 orders in Indonesia by the end of September 2018. In March and July this year, it was ranked number one in Indonesia's sales volume ranking, and has received the Car of the Year 2018 from the OTOMOTIF newspaper in March and FORWOT Car of the Year 2018 from Automotive Journalist Forum in September.

By expanding our Indonesian business, MMC is committing to continuously contribute to the economic growth in Indonesia.

(1) Production capacity in full operation

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has a competitive edge in SUVs and pickup trucks, electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Since the Mitsubishi group produced its first car more than a century ago, we have demonstrated an ambitious and often disruptive approach, developing new vehicle genres and pioneering cutting-edge technologies. Deeply rooted in Mitsubishi Motors' DNA, our brand strategy will appeal to ambitious drivers, willing to challenge conventional wisdom and ready to embrace change. Consistent with this mindset, Mitsubishi Motors introduced its new brand strategy in 2017, expressed in its "Drive your Ambition" tagline - a combination of personal drive and forward attitude, and a reflection of the constant dialogue between the brand and its customers. Today Mitsubishi Motors is committed to continuous investment in innovative new technologies, attractive design and product development, bringing exciting and authentic new vehicles to customers around the world.

Contact:
Mitsubishi Motors
Public Relations Department
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com
+81-3-6852-4275

↧

Toyota and SoftBank Agreed on Strategic Partnership To Establish Joint Venture for New Mobility Services

October 4, 2018, 5:35 am

≫ Next: Toyota Opens Biotope Tsutsumi at Its Tsutsumi Plant

≪ Previous: Mitsubishi Motors Increases the Production Capacity in Indonesia

Illustration of MONET's business model

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 4, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation and SoftBank Corp. have agreed to form a strategic partnership to facilitate the creation of new mobility services, and plan to establish a joint venture company, MONET Technologies Corporation, before the end of the 2018 fiscal year (April 2019). The objective of MONET is to help realize a safer and more comfortable mobility society by combining SoftBank's corporate philosophy, "Information Revolution - Happiness for everyone," with Toyota's vision of "Mobility for All."

The name "MONET" combines the first letters of the words "mobility network," and was chosen to embody the desire of both companies to build a mobility network that provides safer and more comfortable mobility to everyone.

MONET will provide coordination between Toyota's Mobility Services Platform (MSPF), Toyota's information infrastructure for connected vehicles, and SoftBank's Internet of Things (IoT) Platform, which was built to create new value from the collection and analysis of data acquired from smartphones and sensor devices. By utilizing a wide range of different forms of data related to automotive and human mobility on both platforms, MONET is aiming to optimize supply and demand in transportation and, ultimately, to launch Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) businesses capable of resolving social mobility issues and creating new value.

For the first phase, MONET plans to roll out just-in-time vehicle dispatch services for local public agencies and private companies throughout Japan. These services, which will include on-demand transportation through regional partnerships and corporate shuttles, will be provided in tune with user demand.

By the second half of the 2020s, MONET plans to roll out Autono-MaaS(1) (autonomous mobility as a service) businesses using e-Palette, Toyota's dedicated battery electric vehicle for mobility services that can be used for various purposes, including mobility, logistics, and sales. Possibilities include demand-focused just-in-time mobility services, such as meal deliveries vehicle where food is prepared while on the move, hospital shuttles where onboard medical examinations can be performed, mobile offices, and many more. MONET also intends to roll out these businesses in Japan with an eye to future expansion on the global market.

(1) "Autono-MaaS" is a new word created by combining "autonomous vehicle" and "mobility as a service (MaaS)." It describes mobility services that use autonomous vehicles provided by Toyota.

About Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

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Toyota Opens Biotope Tsutsumi at Its Tsutsumi Plant

October 3, 2018, 6:25 pm

≫ Next: Singapore International Robo Expo 2018 returns against Exponential Change in Industry

≪ Previous: Toyota and SoftBank Agreed on Strategic Partnership To Establish Joint Venture for New Mobility Services

Promoting environment conservation rooted in the local ecosystem even more actively

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 4, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) opened the new Biotope(1) Tsutsumi in its Tsutsumi Plant (Toyota City, Aichi). At approximately 2,800 m2, the new facility is over ten times larger than anything built previously and the largest among TMC plants in Japan. It will benefit from the assistance of the city of Toyota and various experts and serve to intensify local environment conservation activities. Furthermore, as part of our ongoing efforts to create plants that coexist with nature and the local community, the new Biotope Tsutsumi will also act as an environmental education facility that will help both employees of the plant and a greater number of local residents to feel closer to the natural environment.

Since 2007, TMC has engaged in sustainable plant activities(2) at its plants worldwide as part of its efforts to build plants in harmony with nature. Moreover, both to assess the fruits of its longstanding environment conservation activities and to enable society to benefit from the resulting knowledge and experience, TMC launched the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050(3) in 2015. Since then, it has been carrying out activities related to the six challenges defined in that program throughout the world.

Selected as model plant for these activities upon their launch in 2007, the Tsutsumi plant has introduced solar power generation and other forms of renewable energy, established an on-site biotope, and held tree-planting and other plant afforestation events. Since 2015, expanded efforts to focus on achieving the Challenge 6, the Challenge of Establishing a Future Society in Harmony with Nature(4), have led to the opening of Biotope Tsutsumi.

Designed to help preserve the original local ecosystem and based on the concept of a traditional Japanese satoyama forest(5) consisting primarily of the konara oak found throughout the region, the Biotope Tsutsumi environment integrates waterside, grassland, forest, and other natural areas. Populated with local fauna and flora, the biotope also preserves endangered plants and fish living in Toyota(6), and will strive to increase their population. Representative animal and plant species have been selected as indicator species(7) to provide quantitative measurements that will allow objective evaluations and regular revisions of this project, which will be pursued as a collaborative and unified effort between local residents and employees under the guidance of the city of Toyota and various experts.

This initiative presents one model that will be used by TMC to assess suitable environment conservation projects to carry out at its other production plants worldwide as part of its efforts to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

(1) Derived from bios, (life) and topos, (place), this term designates an environment providing a long-term living place for plants and animals. Originating in Germany in the 1970s, this concept involves people taking actions to allow nature to regenerate itself through its own means.
(2) The sustainable plant activities are currently being pursued in expanded form in the context of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 program.
Toyota corporate website, "Tree-planting Event Kicks Off Sustainable Plant Activities"
https://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/300096
(3) Toyota corporate website, "Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050"
https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/environment/challenge2050/
(4) Environmental Report 2018
https://www.toyota.co.jp/jpn/sustainability/report/er/ (in Japanese)
(5) Generic term for a forest located near a community that consists primarily of konara, abemaki or other varieties of oak and is closely entwined in local day-to-day life as a source of necessities such as wood for fuel or fallen leaves that can be used as fertilizer.
(6) Aquatic plant: pondweed, fish: minami killifish, ushimotsugo (a species of cyprinid fish).
(7) A plant or animal species that provides an indicator for the quantitative evaluation of an ecosystem.

About Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

↧

Singapore International Robo Expo 2018 returns against Exponential Change in Industry

October 3, 2018, 10:00 pm

≫ Next: Eximchain Launches First-of-its-Kind Platform Bringing the Global Supply Chain Industry on the Blockchain

≪ Previous: Toyota Opens Biotope Tsutsumi at Its Tsutsumi Plant

hTetro - A Tetris-inspired Floor Cleaning Robot. See video animation of how the hTetro transform its shape to fit the environment at https://bit.ly/2E5mYmS

Mantis - An Agile Glass Facade Cleaning Robot. See video animation of how the Mantis crosses over the barrier between glass panels at https://bit.ly/2PaBKd1

Tarantula - A Reconfigurable Quadruped Drain Inspection Robot. The bio-inspired foldable leg design of the Tarantula allows the robot to clear level changes in drains of a meter.

Tradeshow will focus on next generation robotics technologies

SINGAPORE, Oct 4, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE) 2018 will return on 1-2 November to the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The 3rd edition of SIRE will focus on next generation robotics in both its conference as well as exhibition showcase, addressing the entire value chain - from technology research and development to test bedding, to final commercialisation and go to market.

"The strong growth in the Asia Pacific region has reinforced SIRE as a key platform for the robotics and automation sector to respond to rising demand," said Mr Leck Chet Lam, Managing Director, Experia Events. "Set against the dynamic backdrop of fast-paced innovation and technology changes, our theme this year spotlights 'Riding Opportunities in Exponential Change'. SIRE provides a strategic gateway for industry leaders, government officials, research and academia to exchange insights, participate in solutions-based discourse, forge partnerships and explore business opportunities."

SIRE 2018 offers a holistic and integrated programme for all the stakeholders in the robotics community -from thought leadership insights for decision makers to investment opportunities for venture capitalists and companies, from the latest innovative solutions for industry buyers to expert huddle sessions open to all trade visitors.

A key showcase will be the series of seven transformative robotic solutions developed by Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) with support from the National Robotics Research & Development Programme Office (NR2PO). These solutions, together with the commercial launches to be announced at SIRE 2018, underpin the full value chain approach of the National Robotics Programme, which not only nurtures the development of advanced robotics technology but also sees it through to test-bedding and finally to licensing and commercialization.

These robots work on the principle of intelligent and automated reconfiguration by replicating the human elements of adaptability and reactivity. They are able reconfigure or reshape themselves to adapt to the environment or overcome obstacles in order to effectively carry out their tasks, overcoming limitations that hinder earlier generations of robots. Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with the engineering teams who developed these robots to fully understand the purpose of these new technologies and how they can be applied in practical solutions.

"Robotics can be a Singapore success story and we are well on our way to reaching that goal," said Mr Terence Teo, President, Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA). "We have the talent base to create it, the capital and investor interest to fund it, the infrastructure to support its development, the economic diversity to apply its solutions and the network to grow it regionally.

"SIRE brings all these together as we work closely with NR2PO, the driving force behind the nationwide industry transformation maps (ITM) for robotics in Singapore. SIRE is the ideal platform for companies keen on commercialising the robotics solutions developed by local R&D institutes, as there is a huge market potential for these robots to be deployed locally and across the region."

Kicking off the conference programme will be the opening keynote from the Executive Advisor for Robotics at Toyota Motors, Mr Masanori Sugiyama, who will present the company's vision on partner robots, robots that are expected to be utilized as partners to coexist with people for various social needs.

A special session will feature for the first time ever the sharing by multiple government agencies of their pain points and challenges faced in the deployment of robotics in various public sectors. This session will give industry players a first-hand view of the important public sector-led demand for robotics solutions.

The conference will also look at the business model of resource sharing and collaboration and how it would apply to the robotics industry with its own unique characteristics and challenges. For healthcare, one of the most key sectors for robotics, SIRE will explore its integration with artificial intelligence and internet-of-things to bring robotics in healthcare to a whole new level of sophistication.

The conference will also cover other key areas of robotics such as the exciting arena of start-ups and venture capital, the highly relevant supply chain and logistics sector that drives Singapore's status as a transhipment hub, and the power of women in robotics.

SIRE 2018 is inspired by Industry 4.0 evolution, deep-diving into "Autonomous Robotics" technologies. SIRE is the only dedicated robotics-centric platform in Singapore and in ASEAN. This year, SIRE will once again host government and private sector leaders as well as research and academia representatives. The objective is to share, address economic & social challenges, co-create solutions and forge partnerships. SIRE's mission is to promote industry growth, spearhead adoption as well as elevate Singapore's status as a leading robotics hub.

ROBOTICS AUTOMATION AND RESEARCH LABORATORY, SG:
hTetro: A Tetris-inspired Floor Cleaning Robot
Animation of the hTetro transforming its shape to fit the environment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkEUYQzD4-k

Mantis: An Agile Glass Facade Cleaning Robot
Animation of the Mantis crossing the barrier between glass panels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af9ZP_OaZ5Q

About Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE)
The Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE) is the industry's leading regional event for industrial and service robots. As the Asia Pacific region continues to be a key growth driver for the global robotics and automation industry, SIRE is the regional platform where attendees can gain key insights, ignite business opportunities and discover fresh solutions amidst this staggering industry growth. SIRE is organised by Experia Events and co-organised by Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA). Please visit www.sire.com.sg.

About Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA)
Incorporated since 1982, SIAA is a professional association for companies and professionals in the Automation, Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Robotics sectors. SIAA plays a crucial role in galvanizing the Automation, IoT and Robotics (AIR) community with its extensive line-up of programs and events. As SIAA spearheads the automation related initiatives, it also aims to foster industry collaboration and advancement through staging of flagship industry platforms.

SIAA's member charter is to serve as the voice of members and provide members with opportunities to increase their market presence as well as to internationalize their businesses. Forming alliances with various organizations locally, regionally and on the international front is also top priority for SIAA to reach out to like-minded groups who through the strategic alliances are able to come together for greater synergy in collaborations to continue to serve our respective communities more meaningfully. Please visit www.siaa.org.

About Experia Events Pte Ltd
Experia Events specialises in exhibitions and conferences of strategic interest, fostering industry development and thought leadership. It has the highly successful Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest aerospace and defence event; IMDEX Asia, Asia Pacific's flagship maritime defence show; Rotorcraft Asia, the premier dedicated event for the global civil helicopter industry; Unmanned Systems Asia, which presents the future of unmanned systems across a vast spectrum of commercial and defence applications; and Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE), the only dedicated trade event in Singapore for Asia's robotics sector.

Experia Events' expertise also extends to the government and lifestyle sectors, through key events such as the World Cities Summit, Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore. With a proven track record underscoring its aspirations to stage events that influence, Experia Events aims to diversify its range of strategic events globally. Please visit www.experiaevents.com.

Please contact:
Marilyn Ho
Experia Events Pte Ltd
Director, Communications
T: +65 6595 6130
E: marilynho@experiaevents.com

Daniel Boey
Experia Events Pte Ltd
Snr Manager, Communications
T: +65 6595 6142
E: danielboey@experiaevents.com

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Eximchain Launches First-of-its-Kind Platform Bringing the Global Supply Chain Industry on the Blockchain

October 3, 2018, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Eastman Schedules Third-Quarter 2018 Financial Results News Release and SEC Form 8-K Filing, Teleconference and Webcast

≪ Previous: Singapore International Robo Expo 2018 returns against Exponential Change in Industry

Eximchain launching mainnet on 5th October, 09:00 (EST)

Boston, MA, and Singapore, Oct 4, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Eximchain, a platform focused on empowering global supply chains through blockchain, will launch its mainnet on 5th October 2018 (EST). Eximchain is partnering with some of the leading technology and supply chain brands which are looking to drive business efficiencies via the blockchain. These are with a Fortune 500 technology company, China-based sourcing platform YOOSourcing and Enigma, a technology platform that enables privacy and scalability on the blockchain.

Founded in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2015, Eximchain's technology streamlines processes for global supply chain players in areas such as sourcing, supply chain finance, and inventory management. Earlier this year, Eximchain raised US$20 million from industry-leading funds, to help achieve its vision of solving supply chain issues via an efficient, transparent and secure global blockchain network; a market potentially worth US$3.31 billion by 2023 according to research firm MarketsandMarkets.

Ms. Hope Liu, Founder and CEO of Eximchain, said, "The lack of transparency, connectivity and agility is a huge problem in the global supply chain industry. With global trade increasing at a tremendous rate, and boosted by e-commerce in Asia Pacific, supply chain players around the world are looking at technology to help them reduce costs and be more efficient in their processes. By connecting these businesses with our unique blockchain platform, Eximchain is well positioned to help drive the global supply chain industry forward with technology."

"The launch of Eximchain's mainnet marks a significant business milestone. It also validates our team's combined ambition to help bring the global supply chain industry on the blockchain. Together with our partners, some of the world's leading technology brands, we're confident of delivering on our vision and ambition and moving the multi-billion-dollar supply chain industry," added Hope.

Eximchain builds use-case specific applications on its mainnet. Both big and small supply chain players around the world can look forward to getting information about upstream supply and downstream demand in real time. This will allow them to get their credibility verified through a public blockchain to help in financing and new contracts, manage applications and take part in governance of their own data.

Moreover, Eximchain's network incorporates a Quadratic Voting consensus mechanism; this ensures no single group can take over the blockchain easily - which is essential in a network where the many parties in a global supply chain depend on the trust, decentralisation and openness of the blockchain.

The mainnet launches with 233 machines across 14 regions globally, with the following projects in development:

- A Fortune 500 technology company with global supply chain and far-reaching customer engagement, plans to conduct a proof of concept using the public blockchain infrastructure supplied by Eximchain and common ledger technology to increase data sharing, build trust, and facilitate transactions, in order to benefit all stakeholders in its business.

- YOOSourcing: a China-headquartered sourcing platform with over 35,000 business users, which will utilise blockchain to provide trust and accountability to data such as authenticity, reliability and ratings, and agreements between buyers and supplier on the platform. Development has been completed and is currently being tested by YOOSourcing.

- Enigma: a partnership utilising Enigma's secret smart contract technology, which aims to help companies in the global supply chain leverage on their on-chain behaviour as proof of business-history to underwriters for supply chain financing, helping to address a US$1.5 trillion global trade finance gap according to the Asian Development Bank.

On 5th October 2018 (EST), developers will be able to connect to the Eximchain network, allowing outside participants to connect to the network freely. Token holders can also start the Token Holder Verification process. This will lead them to Token Swap and Quadratic Voting Governance participation happening early next year.

As part of their development process, Eximchain will continue to enhance their network infrastructure and finalise changes and security considerations in Q4 2018. Eximchain will also be looking at identifying Innovation Partners and Ambassadors globally, to help them grow a developer community, and develop use-cases for specific supply chain issues. They will also launch the Eximchain SDK next year, which will enable companies to build customised, end-to-end, supply chain applications utilising the Eximchain Mainnet.

Live Stream of Eximchain Mainnet Launch Event
Eximchain's mainnet launch will be broadcasted to a global audience live from Singapore and US. The event can be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww1g5gr91bo starting at 9.00 am EST, Friday, 5th October.

About Eximchain (https://www.eximchain.com/)

Eximchain was founded in 2015 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its mission is to provide Blockchain-enabled tools to transform the global supply chain. Using Eximchain technology, enterprises can eliminate traditional supply chain barriers and integrate actors big and small into an efficient, transparent and secure global network.

Eximchain employs a first-of-a-kind combination of Quadratic Voting and Ethereum-based smart contracts to govern its ecosystem. This enables SME buyers and suppliers to create supply chain optimisation tools and gain access to affordable credit. Eximchain's applications streamline processes in areas such as:

- Sourcing: Eximchain securely records historical data and transactions allowing suppliers to prove their reliability to buyers and rating institutions.
- Supply Chain Finance: Eximchain Smart Contracts allow financiers to verify the validity of orders placed with all upstream partners and suppliers and provide the necessary financing.
- Inventory Management: Eximchain enables partners to share demand and inventory information seamlessly across a common ledger.

For Global / Asia: PRecious Communications for Eximchain
Tel: +65 6303 0567
Email: Eximchain@preciouscomms.com

For US and UK: Smart Connections PR for Eximchain
Email: Joanne@smartconnectionspr.com

Press release (PDF): http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/Eximchain_18104.pdf

↧

Eastman Schedules Third-Quarter 2018 Financial Results News Release and SEC Form 8-K Filing, Teleconference and Webcast

October 4, 2018, 3:30 am

≫ Next: Trillium Unveils PassGO Hacking Challenge at UCLA

≪ Previous: Eximchain Launches First-of-its-Kind Platform Bringing the Global Supply Chain Industry on the Blockchain

KINGSPORT, Tenn., Oct 4, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Financial Results Release: Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, Approximately 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Via wire distribution and www.eastman.com, News Center and SEC Form 8-K filing.

Teleconference: Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Via listen-only live webcast and teleconference.

Live webcast: www.investors.eastman.com for link to the live webcast and to view the accompanying slides.

Teleconference: Dial-in number 719-457-1036, Passcode: 3914147

Replay: A webcast replay, as well as a replay in downloadable MP3 format, will be available at www.investors.eastman.com.

Telephone replay available continuously beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Oct. 26, 2018 through 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Nov. 5, 2018 at 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820, passcode 3914147.

Investor Contact: Greg Riddle, 212-835-1620, griddle@eastman.com
Media Contact: Tracy Kilgore Addington, 423-224-0498, tracy@eastman.com

###

This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Eastman Chemical Company via Globenewswire

↧

Trillium Unveils PassGO Hacking Challenge at UCLA

October 5, 2018, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Fujitsu Laboratories and MIT's Center for Brains, Minds and Machines Broaden Partnership

≪ Previous: Eastman Schedules Third-Quarter 2018 Financial Results News Release and SEC Form 8-K Filing, Teleconference and Webcast

UCLA's Engineering Society Gets First Look at Trillium's Online Car Hacking Simulation During Hack Across America Campaign

LOS ANGELES, CA., Oct 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Trillium Secure, Inc. (Trillium), the leader in vehicle cybersecurity and secure data services, unveiled its new PassGO Hacking Challenge on UCLA's campus as part of the company's Hack Across America campaign. The launch event was hosted by the university's Engineering Society where students trained for participation in the PassGO Hacking Challenge, and gained insights about what it is like working at a tech startup, and why vehicular cybersecurity and personal data privacy is important.

"It was a pleasure to host Trillium on campus and to give our members the first-look at PassGO," said Yu Hong Hwang, President of the Engineering Society. "I'm confident that many engineering students will participate in the challenge, and we enjoyed the chance to interact with a cybersecurity startup's management team about real-world technology development."

"UCLA's Engineering Society was the perfect audience for introducing Trillium's PassGO Hacking Challenge," said Ross Hirschi, Director of Global Engineering. "We hope that many talented students use our online car hacking simulation to learn more about security vulnerabilities and become passionate about the field of cybersecurity."

The PassGO Hacking Challenge invites cybersecurity enthusiasts and engineers to break through five levels of vehicular network message protection, which include increasingly advanced modules of Trillium's SecureGO technology. Users are prompted to decrypt coded messages and reply with a correct answer in plain text to advance to the next level.

The launch event at UCLA was another stop along Trillium's Hack Across America campaign, a series of educational and recruitment programs taking place across the U.S. which the company's CEO David Uze personally embarked upon earlier this year.

About Trillium Secure, Inc.
Trillium Secure keeps your connected and autonomous vehicles safe, and your personal information private, through a cybersecurity platform as a subscription service. Trillium's software products are used by automotive OEMs, aerospace and defense organizations, insurance companies and ride-share services to form a multi-layered defense against cyber-attacks. Trillium's in-vehicle network protection, machine learning algorithms, secure over-the-air updates, and security operations center serve a critical function in the widespread adoption of connected and autonomous vehicles. Trillium R&D and operations centers are in Sunnyvale, Ann Arbor, San Diego, Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo. For more information visit https://trilliumsecure.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Engineering Society at UCLA
The Engineering Society at UCLA helps facilitate communication and events between the engineering student body and the UCLA School of Engineering. In particular, ESUC is responsible for hosting several major engineering school events, including Engineering Welcome Day and Engineers Week.

Press Contact: Kevin Em
Email: Kevin.Em@TrilliumSecure.com

Press Contact: Emily Li
Email: esuc.ucla.corporate@gmail.com

↧

Fujitsu Laboratories and MIT's Center for Brains, Minds and Machines Broaden Partnership

October 5, 2018, 3:38 am

≫ Next: Eximchain Mainnet Goes Live bringing the Global Supply Chain Industry on Blockchain

≪ Previous: Trillium Unveils PassGO Hacking Challenge at UCLA

New investment supports intelligence research, student fellowships

KAWASAKI, Japan, Oct 5, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. and MIT's Center for Brains, Minds and Machines (CBMM) today announced a multi-year partnership focused on advancing the science and engineering of intelligence while supporting the next generation of researchers in this emerging field. The new commitment follows on several years of collaborative research among scientists at the two organizations.

Founded in 1968, Fujitsu Laboratories has conducted a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of next-generation services, computer servers, networks, electronic devices, and advanced materials. CBMM, a multi-institutional, National Science Foundation funded science and technology center focusing on the interdisciplinary study of intelligence, was established in 2013 and is headquartered at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT. CBMM is also the foundation of "The Core" of the MIT Quest for Intelligence launched earlier this year. The partnership between the two organizations has started on March 2017 when Fujitsu Laboratories sent a visiting scientist to CBMM.

"A fundamental understanding of how humans think, feel and make decisions is critical to developing revolutionary technologies that will have a real impact on societal problems," said Shigeru Sasaki, CEO of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. "The partnership between MIT's Center for Brains, Minds and Machines and Fujitsu Laboratories will help advance critical R&D efforts in both human intelligence and the creation of next-generation technologies that will shape our lives," he added.

The new Fujitsu Laboratories Co-Creation Research Fund, established with a philanthropic gift from Fujitsu Laboratories, will fuel new, innovative and challenging projects in areas of interest to both Fujitsu and CBMM, including the basic study of computations underlying visual recognition and language processing, creation of new machine learning methods, and development of the theory of deep learning. Alongside funding for research projects, Fujitsu Laboratories will also fund fellowships for graduate students attending CBMM's summer course from 2019 to contribute to the future of research and society on a long term basis. The intensive three-week course gives advanced students from universities worldwide a "deep end" introduction to the problem of intelligence. These students will later have the opportunity to travel to Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. in Japan or its overseas locations in the US, Canada, UK, Spain and China to meet with Fujitsu researchers.

"CBMM faculty, students, and fellows are excited for the opportunity to work alongside scientists from Fujitsu to make advances in complex problems of intelligence, both real and artificial," said CBMM's director Tomaso Poggio, who is also an investigator at the McGovern Institute and Eugene McDermott Professor in MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. "Both Fujitsu Laboratories and CBMM are committed to creating revolutionary tools and systems that will transform many industries, and to do that we are first looking to the extraordinary computations made by the human mind in everyday life."

As part of the partnership, Tomaso Poggio will be a featured keynote speaker at Fujitsu Laboratories Advanced Technology Symposium held on October 9, 2018. In addition, Tomotake Sasaki, a former visiting scientist and current research affiliate at Poggio Lab will continue to collaborate with CBMM scientists and engineers on reinforcement learning and deep learning research projects. Moyuru Yamada, a visiting scientist at Tenenbaum Lab, is also studying the computational model of human cognition and exploring its industrial applications. Moreover, Fujitsu Laboratories is planning to invite CBMM researchers to Japan or overseas offices, and accept student internships.

About Fujitsu Laboratories

Founded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Next-generation Services, Computer Servers, Networks, Electronic Devices and Advanced Materials. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/labs/en/.

About the Center for Brains, Minds and Machines

The Center for Brains, Minds and Machines (CBMM) is a National Science Foundation funded Science and Technology Center focused on the interdisciplinary study of intelligence. This effort is a multi-institutional collaboration headquartered at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, with managing partners at Harvard University. CBMM brings together computer scientists, cognitive scientists, and neuroscientists to create a new field--the Science and Engineering of Intelligence. CBMM strives to ensure that this new field is broadly inclusive and commits to disseminating its work so that it can be brought to bear on the great challenges of the 21st century. For more information, visit cbmm.mit.edu.

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 140,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.1 trillion yen (US $39 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release: http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

Contact:
Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
E-mail: flab-cbmm@ml.labs.fujitsu.com

McGovern Institute for Brain Research
Julie Pryor
Phone: +1 617-715-5397
E-mail: jpryor@mit.edu

Fujitsu Limited
Public and Investor Relations
Tel: +81-3-3215-5259
URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

↧

Eximchain Mainnet Goes Live bringing the Global Supply Chain Industry on Blockchain

October 5, 2018, 4:00 am

≫ Next: NEC Joins Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) for Sharing Cyber Threat Information

≪ Previous: Fujitsu Laboratories and MIT's Center for Brains, Minds and Machines Broaden Partnership

Mainnet Launch Event held from 9:00 (EST) on 5th October.

BOSTON & SINGAPORE, Oct 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Eximchain, a platform for empowering supply chains with blockchain technology, went live today with its Mainnet. Eximchain has partnered with leading technology and supply chain brands looking to drive business efficiencies via blockchain technology, including a Fortune 500 tech company, China-based platform YOOSourcing, and Enigma, a technology platform that enables privacy and scalability using blockchain.

Eximchain's technology streamlines processes in areas such as Sourcing, Supply Chain Finance, and Inventory Management. Earlier this year, Eximchain raised US$20 million from industry leading investors, towards a vision of solving supply chain issues via an efficient, transparent and secure global blockchain network, a new market potentially worth US$3.31 billion by 2023, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets.

Ms. Hope Liu, Founder and CEO of Eximchain, said, "The lack of transparency, connectivity and agility is a huge problem in the global supply chain industry. With global trade increasing at a tremendous pace, boosted by e-commerce in Asia Pacific, supply chain players around the world are looking at technology to help them reduce costs and be more efficient in their processes. Connecting these businesses with its unique blockchain platform, Eximchain is positioned to help drive the global supply chain industry forward with technology."

"The Mainnet Release marks a significant business milestone, and validates our team's combined ambition to open the global supply chain industry to blockchain technology. Together with our partners, some of the world's leading technology brands, we are confident of delivering on our vision and ambition, and moving the multi-billion-dollar supply chain industry forward," added Hope.

Eximchain builds use-case specific applications on its Mainnet. Both large and small supply chain players can now look forward to real-time information on upstream supply and downstream demand and having creditability for financing and new contracts verified by public blockchain. Moreover, Eximchain's network incorporates the Quadratic Voting consensus mechanism, ensuring that no single group influence a blockchain easily.

Eximchain EXC Tokens
EXC Tokens are ERC-20 compatible, and their purpose is to generate a valid ledger to seed the genesis file of the Eximchain Mainnet. EXC Tokens were distributed over the Ethereum blockchain, pursuant to a related smart contract, and today become redeemable for Native Tokens at the Eximchain Mainnet.

Eximchain's Native Tokens will be used to pay network fees, validate state changes and execute governance. They will also be used to access applications built on the Eximchain network, such as Smart Contracts and solutions developed with the Eximchain SDK. The Mainnet launches with 233 machines in 14 regions, and following projects in development:

- A Fortune 500 technology company, with a global supply chain and far-reaching customer engagements, will conduct a proof of concept using the Eximchain public blockchain infrastructure and common ledger technology to increase data sharing, build trust and facilitate transactions, benefiting all stakeholders in its business.

- YOOSourcing, a China-headquartered sourcing platform with over 35,000 business users, will use Eximchain blockchain technology to bring trust and accountability to big data, with authenticity, reliability and ratings, and agreements between buyers and suppliers to the platform. Development is complete, platform verification tests by YOOSourcing.

- Enigma, using proprietary smart contract technology, has partnered with Eximchain to help global supply chain companies leverage on good public behaviour, showing credit worthiness to underwriters of supply chain financing, and helping the US$1.5 trillion global trade finance gap, according to the Asian Development Bank.

Eximchain will continue to enhance network infrastructure, finalizing changes and security by Q4/2018. Eximchain will also identify Innovation Partners and global Ambassadors, helping them to grow a developer community, and develop use-cases for specific supply chain issues. It will also launch the Eximchain SDK next year, which will enable companies to build customised, end-to-end, supply chain applications using the Eximchain Mainnet.

Eximchain's Mainnet Event, Live Streaming
Eximchain's Mainnet launch is being broadcast from Singapore and the US. The event can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww1g5gr91bo, from 9.00 am EST, 5 October.

About Eximchain (https://www.eximchain.com/)
Eximchain was founded in 2015 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its mission is to provide Blockchain-enabled tools to transform global supply chains. Using Eximchain technology, we hope to eliminate traditional supply chain barriers, and integrate actors big and small into an efficient, transparent and secure global network.

Eximchain employs the first combination of Quadratic Voting and Ethereum-based smart contracts to govern its ecosystem. This enables SME buyers and suppliers to create supply chain optimisation tools, and gain access to affordable credit.

For more information, please visit:
Website: https://www.eximchain.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EximchainEXC
GitHub: https://github.com/eximchain
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eximchain/
Medium: https://medium.com/eximchain
Telegram: https://t.me/eximchain
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eximchain/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsgraCBiNsVkxUL85AghbSQ

For Global / Asia: PRecious Communications for Eximchain
Tel: +65 6303 0567
Email: Eximchain@preciouscomms.com

For US / UK: Smart Connections PR for Eximchain
Email: Joanne@smartconnectionspr.com

This release (PDF): http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/Eximchain_18104.pdf

↧

NEC Joins Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) for Sharing Cyber Threat Information

October 5, 2018, 4:11 am

≫ Next: Coordinating Minister Nasution: SOEs getting more consolidated and contributive towards national development

≪ Previous: Eximchain Mainnet Goes Live bringing the Global Supply Chain Industry on Blockchain

TOKYO, Oct 5, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) today announced its membership in the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA), a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that facilitates the sharing of cyber threat information among member companies in order to improve products and services and elevate security for customers.

Companies and organizations around the world are continually being faced with increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. As a result, it has become critical to enhance cross-sectional security measures through inter-enterprise and inter-organizational collaboration.

Recognizing this, in January 2017, six leading security companies (Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco, Fortinet, McAfee, Palo Alto Networks and Symantec) founded the CTA as a nonprofit organization, with the aim of generating and sharing cross-industrial, exhaustive and valuable threat information. Moreover, in February 2017, Michael Daniel, the former White House Special Assistant to the President, was appointed as the first CEO and President of the CTA. Currently, the CTA has a membership of 20 companies, including NEC.

CTA member companies can receive approximately 65,000 Structured Threat Information eXpression (STIX) packages every day via the threat information-sharing platform operated by the CTA. STIX packages contain traces of threats, such as file hashes of malware and malicious domain names, and contextualized threat information, such as targeted attack campaigns and cyber adversaries. Members can use the information for their own analysis or to enhance their products and services.

For CTA member companies to receive threat information, they are required to provide their own threat information with a certain value based on algorithms specified by the CTA. Thus, they need to maintain the technologies to collect, analyze and evaluate their own threat information. With this approach, the CTA is enabling the sharing of cyber threat information that is mutually beneficial to member companies.

NEC will share information with the CTA and make use of the information it receives in order to develop cutting-edge security monitoring services and security-related products, aiming to contribute to building a safe, secure and rich society.

"As the number of available targets in cyberspace increases, we need a better understanding of where malicious actors are focusing their attacks, so we can focus our collective defense. Therefore, it's encouraging to see more companies understand the urgency of this mission and commit to sharing their data to collaboratively combat malicious cyber activity. We're excited to welcome our newest affiliate member NEC who will contribute to and benefit from the rich data sharing within the CTA," said Michael Daniel, CEO and President, CTA.

"Cybersecurity is a global issue. At NEC, our focus is on using information and communication technology to enrich people's lives, and the CTA's mission of securing the global digital ecosystem is inline with our vision of orchestrating a brighter world," said Kazuhiro Sakai, Executive Vice President, CIO and CISO of NEC. "We look forward to elevating security throughout the world through our partnership with the CTA."

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. The NEC Group globally provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security efficiency and fairness of society. Under the company's corporate message of "Orchestrating a brighter world," NEC aims to help solve a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value for the changing world of tomorrow. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.

Contact:
NEC
Seiichiro Toda        
s-toda@cj.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511

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Coordinating Minister Nasution: SOEs getting more consolidated and contributive towards national development

October 5, 2018, 5:00 am

≫ Next: Toyota Brings "Mobility for All" Concept to the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018

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Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of Republic of Indonesia Darmin Nasution

Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Oct 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of Republic of Indonesia Darmin Nasution conveyed that the consolidation and the contribution of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are getting better towards national development overtime. This was said when he officially opened the Indonesia Business and Development (IBD) Expo 2018 in Grand City Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Wednesday.

"Not to mention that the sectoral holding initiative of a number of SOEs which will eventually will strengthen the competitiveness of SOEs on the international scene," stated Nasution in his opening remarks.

The SOE's consolidation endeavor tracks back to when Indonesia had just been through the reform era in 1998. Around 100 SOEs operating under the Minister for Empowerment of SOEs (previous name of Ministry of SOEs) led by Tanri Abeng.

Nasution continued, fast-forwarding to 2017, in the midst of US-China trade war, SOEs are considered the foremost parties to repress the devastating risk to Indonesia's economy. Keeping foreign investment coming to Indonesia and increasing the export volume are deemed to be the most effective way to counter the possible, negative impact of the trade war to Indonesia.

"Since the ministry was established in 1998, it was really meant to materialize the export-oriented economy," he said.

Nasution added, IBDExpo is the comprehensive platform not to only display the enourmous progress made by the SOEs in shoring up the country's economy and promoting the national growth, but also for SOEs to directly interact with the society.

"The event plays pivotal role in delivering messages and introduce the role of SOEs as the agent of development," said Darmin.

Beneath the theme of "SOEs Never Stops Building The Country", this year's event is again organized by the National Publishing and News Corporation (NPNC), a consortium of four media-focused SOEs consisting of Antara News Agency, Balai Pustaka, and National Publishing of Indonesia (PNRI).

Chairman of IBDExpo 2018 Achmad Fachrodji added, after being held two years in a row in Jakarta, this year's IBDExpo has now come to Surabaya as its next destination. The city is considered representative and the right choice to manifest President Joko Widodo's nawacita - to develop the nation from the rural area.

"Surabaya not only represents the east and the center territory of Indonesia and but also not too far away from the SOEs' manufacture facilities which are mostly located in Java island," said Fachrodji.

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Toyota Brings "Mobility for All" Concept to the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018

October 5, 2018, 5:59 am

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≪ Previous: Coordinating Minister Nasution: SOEs getting more consolidated and contributive towards national development

Toyota Juegos Olimpicos Buenos Aires Key Delivery

- Company to provide official vehicles to contribute to sustainable and smooth operation of games as Worldwide Partner of International Olympic Committee
- Mobility exhibits at two of the Olympic parks based on each park's theme during games
- Company to start a new car-rental service platform "Toyota Mobility Services" using official vehicles, as a legacy towards Argentine mobility society after the Games conclude

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 5, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - As mobility partner of the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, Toyota today announces its plans to contribute to the sustainability of the Games by providing a fleet of 338 vehicles including Prius for official and other use during the Games, and, upon its conclusion, these vehicles will be used as part of a new mobility service called "Toyota Mobility Services" in the city of Buenos Aires.

http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_ToyotaMobilityforAll2.jpg
Toyota Juegos Olimpicos Buenos Aires Key Delivery

Toyota is participating in the Youth Olympic torch relay that began on August 5 by providing vehicles such as Toyota Hilux pick-up truck that is carrying the Youth Olympic flame. Built at the Zarate vehicle manufacturing plant in Argentina, the Hilux is transporting the Olympic Torch to 17 different cities throughout the country. The 14,000-km, 60-day journey will culminate on October 6 at the famous Obelisk monument in Buenos Aires to be part of the Opening Ceremony.

Toyota Senior Managing Officer Steve St. Angelo said, "Today we are challenging our own impossible by helping to make a society where everyone can participate and push their limits. It is the fighting spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes that serve as our inspiration. Every day, these athletes are inspired by their hopes and dreams. Can you imagine what that must feel like? How impossible that must feel? But these athletes do it each and every day. Just like these athletes, we are pushing our limits to challenge the impossible and create a future of mobility for everyone."

During the Youth Olympic Games, Toyota will present mobility at two of the four Olympic Park venues in the city based on each park's concept: Green Park and Technopolis Park.

Green Park presented by Toyota (venues for tennis, beach volleyball, etc.)

Located within "Woods of Palermo" in the northern part of the city, the Green Park is offering activities related to caring for the environment. Toyota will have a space dedicated to hybrid technology with a Prius on display, the same model being used as official vehicles. Toyota will also present the advances of its 2050 Environmental Challenge with fun, educational activities for children related to environmental sustainability.

Technopolis Park (venues for futsal, table tennis etc.)

At this tech-themed park in the western part of the city, Toyota will exhibit its Concept-i Series: TOYOTA Concept-i, TOYOTA Concept-i RIDE and TOYOTA Concept-i WALK. TOYOTA Concept-i is a taste of what the company will be showcasing in on-the-road test demonstrations in Tokyo 2020. Additionally, there will be different interactive installations that demonstrate Toyota's "Mobility for All" concept and artificial intelligence technology that the company is developing.

Toyota Mobility Services

In advance of the October 6 Opening Ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games, Toyota presented "Toyota Mobility Services", a new car renting service platform that is a pioneer in Argentina's automotive industry. "Toyota Mobility Services" will be officially introduced to the public in November and will utilize the official vehicles which Toyota will be providing for Buenos Aires 2018. This is aimed to create a legacy of the Youth Olympic Games for Argentina's mobility society. In Argentina, Toyota Mobility Services is the first step for Toyota in its transition from a car company to a mobility company.

Mobility Challenges

Cities around the world currently face challenges surrounding mobility, having to solve issues ranging from traffic congestion to air pollution, traffic accidents, and access for people with impairments. Starting from Buenos Aires 2018 and elaborating in Tokyo 2020 through Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024, Toyota is hoping to help tackle these challenges in collaboration with stakeholders around the world, and contribute to creating legacy to realize a sustainable mobility society.

About Toyota's Top Olympic Partnership and Worldwide Paralympic Partnership

Toyota became the official worldwide mobility partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees in 2015 for the 2017-2024 period, covering the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 (Korea) and Beijing 2022 (China) and the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020 (Japan) and Paris 2024 (France). As a partner, Toyota aims to encourage creating a peaceful society without discrimination through sports and a commitment to creating a sustainable society through mobility. Toyota's values of continuous improvement and respect for people are shared by The Olympic and Paralympic Games, which brings together the entire world in friendship and solidarity to celebrate the highest realization of human potential. Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars; it is about overcoming challenges and making dreams come true, which is encapsulated in the company's "Start Your Impossible" corporate initiative and is the basis for its transformation from a car company to a mobility company. When you are free to move, anything is possible.

About Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

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NutraFuels Inc., Cannabidiol (CBD) Nutraceutical Manufacturers, Prepare for Launching CBD Twists and CBD Drink Shots, Two New Single-Dose Options for Consumers

October 4, 2018, 8:30 pm

≫ Next: Home Race Beckons for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

≪ Previous: Toyota Brings "Mobility for All" Concept to the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018

Coconut Creek, FL, Oct 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - NutraFuels Inc. (NTFU's) nutraceutical line of Cannabidiol (CBD) products under the NutraHempCBD brand name, prepares for the launch of travel-size additions to its line of hemp-infused products, following an appearance at the first annual Southern Hemp Expo (SHE), The Fairgrounds Nashville, on Sept. 28th and the 29th, 2018.

New to its CBD line, NutraFuels is adding single-dose options to its offerings in the form of easy-open CBD Twists and CBD Drink Shots. The grab-and-go options round out a robust product portfolio made up of face cream, pain and joint balm, oral sprays, pet supplements, and tinctures.

"These are true impulse buys to make single-serving of CBD affordable," said Edgar Ward, CEO and President of NutraFuels Inc. "This is an evolution of our CBD line that is consistent with our dedication to utilizing high bioavailable liquid delivery systems to deliver the CBD nutrient to the body efficiently and effectively."

The CBD Twists will come in five formulations; Energy, Stress, Weight, Pain, and Sleep. The easy-open twist-offs will be sold individually. This container offers a daily 5 milligram single-serving of CBD for health and wellness for everyday use. The 2-ounce CBD drink shot will come in various flavors and consumers will have the option to take an energy shot with CBD, a sleep shot with CBD, or a pure 25mg CBD shot for wellness.

These CBD products are being produced for retail distribution across the country as experts forecast a successful financial future for those in the hemp industry. As FOX17 News reported from the Hemp Expo, hemp came back to Tennessee four years ago and experts believe it could turn into one of the state's biggest cash crops.

"We attended the Southern Hemp Expo and had a great response to our products," said Chloe Sommers, spokesperson for NutraFuels. "The most experienced in the hemp industry were excited about our product."

From farm to finished goods, NutraFuels' products adhere to high manufacturing standards throughout every step of the process. The US-based manufacturing facility is held to GMP standards. The alternative delivery systems used for NutraFuels' products are recognized convenience, dosage precision, and timely assimilation into the body.

"It was extraordinary to have CBD industry leaders from across the country, like Florida's NutraHempCBD, in Nashville for the Southern Hemp Expo," said Rick Trojan, Vice President of the Hemp Industry Association and emcee of the hemp expo. "It's a testament to the increasing awareness of the health benefits and industrial use of the plant."

CBD Twists and CBD Drink Shots are being manufactured by NutraHempCBD for the retail marketplace. It offers a single serving of CBD plus other clinically tested ingredients for daily health and wellness applications. NutraFuels' goal is to have these new products in the marketplace by the end of the year.

"Through our nationwide distribution to retail outlets these two new products offer consumers an alternative to buying a bottle of CBD, which can go for more than $100," added Ward. "It's compact and convenient for consumers and retailers - a retail checkout point of sale when there isn't much in the way of single serving for CBD."

NutraFuels is a fully reporting company with a class of securities registered with the SEC. The Company's filings can be viewed at www.sec.gov. NTFU's CBD products and information about the company's direct sales program can be found online at http://www.nutrafuels.com/ and www.nutrahempcbd.com

Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "except," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "future" or other similar expressions. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect Company's financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. There is no assurance that Company's current expectations and projections are accurate. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. More detailed information about these risk factors are set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled "Risk Factors," in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2018. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company's management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law.

investors@nutrafuels.com

↧

Home Race Beckons for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

October 4, 2018, 9:37 pm

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Toyota City, Japan, Oct 5, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing heads to Japan next weekend determined to deliver a result to celebrate for its home fans in the 6 Hours of Fuji, the fourth round of the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

The team has won its home event five times from six attempts since its return to endurance racing in 2012 and, following disappointment at Silverstone in August, it is highly motivated to earn its third one-two victory at Fuji Speedway and extend its World Championship advantage.

A large crowd is expected for Le Mans winners TOYOTA at Fuji Speedway, which sits on the foothills of Mount Fuji and just a few kilometres away from Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre where the 1,000PS hybrid electric powertrain is developed and built.

In front of its home fans and many TOYOTA colleagues, the team aims to extend its lead in the teams' World Championship, which was reduced to just three points over Rebellion Racing by a post-race stewards' decision to disqualify both TS050 HYBRIDs following the one-two win at Silverstone.

Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso in the #8 TS050 HYBRID continue to lead the drivers' World Championship, by a reduced margin of just two points from the #3 Rebellion crew, and they are looking for their third win of the season to extend that gap.

The #7 TS050 HYBRID line-up of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez competed very strongly at Silverstone and will challenge for their first victory of the season at Fuji, the scene of Mike and Kamui's most recent win, in October 2016.

Just like at Silverstone, both crews will use the high-downforce-specification TS050 HYBRID next weekend, with action beginning on Friday 12 October with two 90-minute practice sessions. Saturday 13 October will see another 60-minute practice session and a short qualifying of 20 minutes. The six-hour race begins at 11am local time on Sunday 14 October.

Hisatake Murata, Team President

"What happened after the Silverstone race is now in the past and we have spent the last few weeks fully focused on Fuji, where we very much want to deliver a strong result for our fans and colleagues who will be there to support us. It is our first time for the team to visit Japan since our Le Mans victory so it will be a special weekend for us and we are pushing hard for this race. After Le Mans, Fuji is our most important race and there can be no doubt about the target; another one-two victory."

Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #7)

"I like Fuji a lot and I know all the drivers do as well. Japan is a great country and, of course, next weekend's event is the home race for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing so it is something special for all of us. You can feel that there is a special spirit in the team when we come to Fuji; I always look forward to it. Our #7 car won here in 2016; I hope we can be strong again and bring home the winner's trophy."

Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #7)

"I can't wait to get to our home race. It will be great to show our exciting TS050 HYBRID to the Japanese fans. Fuji was always a good venue for us. We know the track very well and have been extremely successful here over the years. Our team has won five out of six WEC races here and for me the 2016 home victory was a really memorable moment. For 2018, our most important target is a one-two on TOYOTA's home race."

Jose Maria Lopez (TS050 HYBRID #7)

"For our team, Fuji is the most important race after Le Mans and we know that the TOYOTA family is coming to the track to support us. Happily, we have always done well at our home race. Last year, we have achieved a 1-2 and we hope that we can do the same again; but of course I would prefer that this time car #7 is on top. We have had so many pole positions over the last two years so now we really want to turn this into a win."

Sebastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #8)

"It's been a long time since Silverstone so I am ready for next weekend's race. Fuji has been a great circuit for TOYOTA over the years; our car always seems to go well there which is great considering it's the home race for our team. I also really enjoy meeting our Japanese fans because they are so enthusiastic and welcoming; this makes the Fuji weekend particularly special for us. We will be pushing hard to give them a result to celebrate."

Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #8)

"I really enjoy racing in Japan and particularly at Fuji Speedway which is one of my favourite circuits. It's a challenging lay-out, particularly for endurance racing when we have to fight our way through the traffic; you can win or lose a lot of time there. It is my home race but more importantly the home race for TOYOTA so we always have a lot of support from the fans. We have had so much success in the past at Fuji so I hope we can again take the top step of the podium."

Fernando Alonso (TS050 HYBRID #8)

"I am looking forward to my first race for TOYOTA at Fuji; it's the home race for the team so it is an important weekend and we are all fully motivated. I know Fuji from Formula 1 and I have happy memories from the track as I won the Japanese Grand Prix there in 2008. So I know what it's like to stand in the middle of the podium there and I hope we can do so again next weekend as it will be important for both World Championships."

About Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

↧

JCB and Nowcast to Release Updated Big Data Consumption Index JCB Consumption NOW: Now visualizes more detailed consumption trends in Japan

October 8, 2018, 1:30 am

≫ Next: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Increases its Lead with Another Double Podium

≪ Previous: Home Race Beckons for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

TOKYO, Oct 8, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - JCB, the only international payment brand based in Japan, and Nowcast, a Japanese financial research and technology startup, are pleased to announce the release of the updated and expanded consumption index service JCB Consumption NOW on 5 November. JCB Consumption NOW was launched in May 2017 to enable users to track Japan retail consumption trends on a real-time basis. A wide range of national and local government agencies, institutional investors, financial institutions as well as consumer-goods companies have been taking advantage of the consumption indexes based on JCB group cardmember spending data[1].

The updated JCB Consumption NOW will provide a breakdown by age, gender, and residence area of statistics for consumer spending - goods, consumer spending - services, and five industries including ecommerce. In addition, statistics will be released sooner than before for even timelier information.

Click here for more information about JCB Consumption NOW.
https://www.jcbconsumptionnow.com/en

JCB Consumption NOW Update

Image: https://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_jcb181002.jpg

JCB Consumption NOW Features

1. Multifaceted analyses
Based on actual consumption data so you can follow consumption trends by industry and channel of sales, analysis that is unavailable with other indexes. Now JCB Consumption NOW will provide even finer-grained analysis by age, gender, and residence area.

2. More timely updates
Consumption indexes for actual spending from the 1st to the 15th of the month is available on the 1st of the next month, and for spending from the 16th to the end of the month on the 15th of the next month - faster than other consumption index services.

3. More detailed analyses
The index uses a data sample from JCB group cardmember payment information, providing statistics that are close to the population of Japan as a whole with a high degree of accuracy.

4. Protection of privacy and personal information
Customer payment and demographic information is anonymized as required by Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information to protect the privacy and personal information of JCB cardmembers.

About the data used for calculating JCB Consumption NOW statistics

The updated JCB Consumption NOW uses anonymized JCB cardmember payment information to calculate consumption statistics. Anonymized information is processed as required by Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information so that individuals cannot be identified from the information and the information cannot be restored to an unanonymized state. JCB encrypts the anonymized information and transmits it to Nowcast via secure channels.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading payment card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and card member base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to provide responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

Contact
JCB Co., Ltd.
Kumiko Kida
Corporate Communications
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
Email: kumiko.kida@jcb.co.jp

Nowcast lnc.
Masashi Tsujinaka
TEL: +81-3-6272-5550
Email: tsujinaka@nowcast.co.jp

[1] Note that individual JCB cardmembers cannot be identified with the information provided by JCB Consumption NOW.

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TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Increases its Lead with Another Double Podium

October 8, 2018, 6:29 pm

≫ Next: Indonesian Minister of SOEs officially closes 2018 IBD Expo

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Wales Rally GB: Day 4

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 9, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team has increased its advantage at the top of the manufacturers' championship standings after a double podium finish on Wales Rally GB: the fourth event in a row where two of the Toyota Yaris WRCs have finished inside the top three. Jari-Matti Latvala engaged in a thrilling final-day fight for the rally win, ultimately finishing in second place with Esapekka Lappi in third.

The last day of the rally consisted of five stages: three in the forests of North Wales and two passes over an all-asphalt stage finishing in Llandudno. Beginning the day 4.4 seconds away from the lead, Latvala made an excellent start to the morning, with a stage win on SS20 moving him into first position. He continued to fight until the end and finished up just 10.6s shy of victory, as he took his third podium finish from the last four events.

Lappi began the day with a margin of just 1.7s over the driver in fourth place, but immediately increased his advantage by winning SS19. He ended the rally more than half a minute clear as he made his third podium visit in the space of five rounds. With the results for Latvala and Lappi, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team extends its manufacturers' championship lead to 20 points.

After being forced to retire on Saturday afternoon, Ott Tanak restarted on Sunday and claimed four points with second place to Latvala in the Power Stage on SS20. It means the Estonian driver is within 21 points of the drivers' championship lead with two rounds still to go.

Quotes

Tommi Makinen (Team Principal)
"We saw a brilliant fight today from Jari-Matti. He tried all that he could, but it seems Ogier was just a bit too strong this time. It is nice to see two of our crews on the podium again, and this result means it is looking good for us in the manufacturers' championship. Obviously we are still disappointed by what happened to Ott on Saturday. It makes his drivers' title bid more difficult, but there are still a lot of points available and he is clearly the strongest driver right now, so it could all still turn around. I believe nothing will be decided until Australia."

Jari-Matti Latvala (Driver car 7)
"It was a great battle today, I really enjoyed the fight. The first two stages were great for me, but it went away in the final loop. It was maybe down to the tyre choice: I had one used soft tyre and on the gravel it wasn't biting that well. This is a very important result for the team for the manufacturers' championship, and also for myself: to get these consecutive podiums is very nice."

Ott Tanak (Driver car 8)
"Today we just did our job, which was to get some points from the Power Stage and then to get to the finish. That is all we could really do today. We are still in the championship fight but the situation is tougher for us now. It will not be easy but we will keep trying until the end."

Esapekka Lappi (Driver car 9)
"I am pretty pleased with this result. These are important points, especially for the team. In the morning loop the performance was really strong: We defended our third place and we managed to do a fastest time, which is always nice. We got a big gap and after that it was just about bringing the car safely to the finish, which we did."

FINAL CLASSIFICATION, WALES RALLY GB
1. Sebastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) - 3h06m12.5s
2. Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) - +10.6s
3. Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm (Toyota Yaris WRC) - +35.1s
4. Craig Breen / Scott Martin (Citroen C3 WRC) - +1m10.4s
5. Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) - +1m14.4s
6. Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jaeger (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) - +1m15.9s
7. Hayden Paddon / Seb Marshall (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) - +1m18.4s
8. Mads Ostberg / Torstein Eriksen (Citroen C3 WRC) - +1m21.6s
9. Kalle Rovanpera / Jonne Halttunen (Skoda Fabia R5) - +9m14.7s
10. Pontus Tidemand / Jonas Andersson (Skoda Fabia R5) - +10m48.9s
19. Ott Tanak / Martin Jarveoja (Toyota Yaris WRC) - +20m38.9s

What's next?
Rally de Espana (October 25-28) is the only WRC round run on both gravel and asphalt. After one day on gravel, teams are required to transfer the cars from gravel to asphalt specification within a 75-minute service. The asphalt stages that follow are smooth, fast and flowing, similar to racing circuits in their characteristics.

About Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

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