Achilles Corporation Develops New Efficient Materials Development Technology Using Materials Informatics

Efficient Materials Development Technology by Achilles

Achilles Corporation, headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, has made significant strides in the materials development sector through a partnership with Yamagata University. Together, they have harnessed the power of Materials Informatics (MI) to establish a new methodology that enhances efficiency and accelerates product development. This innovative use of data-driven research and AI technologies marks a pivotal moment in the field.

In recent years, the integration of AI into research and development has garnered significant attention. At Achilles, the focus has been on effectively utilizing accumulated experimental data to promote efficient and effective research. Collaborating with Professors Ikumi Suzuki and Kazuhiro Hara from the Faculty of Science at Yamagata University, Achilles has developed new data analysis techniques in the polymer materials domain using MI. This approach employs machine learning and data science to expedite both the exploration of new materials and the prediction of material properties.

The newly established technology significantly reduces the time and costs associated with the development of new materials and the improvement of existing materials. This advancement translates to a dramatic increase in research efficiency and should accelerate product development processes. At the core of this technology are two predictive models:

1. Physical Property Prediction Model: This model utilizes a method known as Gaussian Process Regression to accurately predict material properties from experimental results. This capability allows for rapid exploration of materials with desired characteristics.

2. Success/Failure Prediction Model: Employing the Random Forest technique, this model categorizes experimental results to estimate the probability of success beforehand. By prioritizing experiments with a higher likelihood of success, it effectively minimizes wasted efforts. The accuracy of predictions improves with the inclusion of both successful and unsuccessful experimental data, maximizing the benefits of decades of research.

In their joint research, Achilles utilized experimental data from polyurethane foam to validate the effectiveness of this technology. Results showed that the technology allowed for precise predictions of material properties, enabling efficient experiments that previously would have taken over a year to yield results—now achievable in just three months.

While there are precedents for MI applications in metals and inorganic materials, their introduction into the realm of polymeric organic materials remains relatively rare. The technology by Achilles stands out as a pioneering effort, integrating success/failure prediction models into the process. Additionally, this design can leverage past experimental data and insights, making it accessible regardless of the researcher's experience or proficiency. Therefore, even researchers lacking extensive expertise can achieve substantial outcomes.

Given these advancements, Achilles plans to further utilize this technology to effectively allocate research resources and enhance operational efficiency. Applications will also extend to optimizing processing conditions in factories, allowing for quicker responses to customer and societal demands.

Overview of Technology

- Technology Name: Physical Property Prediction Method with Classification Function
- Features:

- Efficiency in materials development through the use of Materials Informatics, significantly cutting down time and costs for the development of new materials and the enhancement of existing ones, thus advancing research efficiency and speeding up product development.
- Achieves high-precision predictions of material properties compared to traditional methods.
- Designed to yield high results, irrespective of the research skills or experience of the user, as it learns from past experimental data and insights.

Applications

This technology is currently deployed as an in-house tool for developing polymeric organic materials, with ongoing efforts to apply it to optimize processing conditions in factories.

For more information, please contact the Public Relations Department at Achilles Corporation.

Achilles Corporation
2-21-1, Kitashinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8885
Achilles Website