On December 9, 2025, Okayama University, under the leadership of President Yasuto Nas, in partnership with Tottori University, executed a pivotal event dubbed the "New Technology Presentation for a Sustainable Future: How Technology Supports Solutions to Societal Challenges." This initiative took place under the auspices of the San-san Consortium, a collaborative consortium encompassing academia, industry, and government within the Chugoku region.
The purpose of the New Technology Presentation was to bridge the gap between cutting-edge university research and real-world application by allowing researchers to showcase their innovations directly to industry professionals. This meeting was organized by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), emphasizing the importance of practical implementations of academic research.
Kicking off the event, Akira Imai, the head of the Research and Innovation Collaboration Center at Okayama University, emphasized the university's commitment to addressing societal challenges through industry-academia-government collaboration. He introduced the San-san Consortium, detailing its ongoing efforts involving 28 universities and technical colleges within the region, all united in their mission to energize local industries and spur innovation.
The presentation featured five researchers from consortium member schools, including Hiroshima City University, Kawasaki Medical University, Hiroshima International University, Yamaguchi University, and Tottori University, all of whom unveiled their latest research findings. This provided an invaluable platform for researchers to communicate the societal significance of their technologies and to explore potential collaborations with businesses for further development and application.
The presentations included a range of innovative topics:
1.
"Information" - Yoko Kamidoi, Associate Professor at Hiroshima City University, discussed secure and high-speed secret calculations via an innovative operation conversion method.
2.
"Healthcare and Welfare" - Yuichiro Iwamoto, Clinical Assistant Professor at Kawasaki Medical University, presented his work on individualized blood glucose trend forecasting for emergency high blood sugar treatment.
3.
"Healthcare and Welfare" - Kiko Shimizu, Head of Clinical Engineering at Hiroshima International University, shared insights on automating needle extraction detection to mitigate patient-related risks and manpower shortages.
4.
"Healthcare and Welfare" - Yoshiyuki Asai, Professor at Yamaguchi University, introduced risk prediction technology for pregnancy-induced hypertension using state space models.
5.
"Healthcare and Welfare" - Yukari Mae, Assistant Professor at Tottori University, proposed a new diagnostic and prognostic metric for sarcopenia incorporating muscle quality, termed the Effective Muscle Index (EMI).
For a comprehensive review of the presented technologies, attendees and interested parties were directed to consult the JST's official webpage detailing the event.
This gathering marked a significant step forward in fostering a collaborative atmosphere between academic and industry partners, underlining the collective ambition to resolve pressing societal issues through shared knowledge and technological advancement.
Additional Resources
- - For further details on the New Technology Presentation, refer to JST's event page.
- - Information about the San-san Consortium can be found on their official site.
The initiative also aligns with Okayama University's dedication to supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating the institution's global commitment to sustainability, and reflecting their recognition with the government's Japan SDGs Award Special Prize.
As Okayama University continues to evolve as a research institution committed to fostering community and global sustainability, future developments in industry-academia collaborations are eagerly anticipated.