Visualizing environmental impact to encourage behavioral change

To tackle environmental issues, it is important to first understand and analyze the current state of the global environment. Only if we can identify causes and issues can we then take effective response measures. NEC is using satellite and IoT sensing technologies to measure global-scale climate change and CO₂ distributions. By visualizing and sharing information on the global environment, corporate production activities and consumer behavior, we are making people realize the need for behavioral change, which in turn helps reduce the burden on the global environment across society as a whole.

Impact: Increasing behavioral choices to reduce environmental impact

Establishing the structure for a circular economy

To use limited resources more efficiently and effectively, it is imperative to maximize the use of existing products, components and materials, and have systems in place to reuse and recycle resources. NEC aims to link product and component traceability with multiple AI technologies to enhance supply-demand coordination and optimize resource circulation. Working together with companies and governments, we are striving to create the infrastructure for realizing the transformation to a circular economy across the entire supply chain.

Impact: Reducing food loss, Improving resource recycling rates, Boosting product reuse rates

Energy management contributing to a decarbonized society

The realization of a decarbonized society requires the effective utilization of multiple resources, including the combination of renewable energies with existing power generation systems. NEC is contributing to the transition to renewable energies by building virtual power plants that optimize supply-demand balance through a combination of multiple distributed power sources. We will also work to improve lives in unelectrified areas by building solar power generation systems.

Impact: Spread of renewable energies, Decrease in unelectrified areas

Trusted "City as a Service"

For people to be able to freely choose and utilize the best services for them, cities must safely and seamlessly link and integrate various public services. NEC is working with stakeholders in industry, government, academia and civil society to build a digital trust infrastructure to manage personal authentication and data distribution. By doing so, we are helping to not only optimize cities as a whole, but also to provide safe, secure and trusted services for individual people and enrich their daily lives.

Impact: Democratization of data utilization, Enhanced convenience and safety

Control of mobility services

If mobility services could be controlled on a city-wide basis, this would not only boost the convenience of those services, but also help to reduce the burden on the environment by enhancing the efficiency of logistics and transportation. NEC provides various types of mobility management platforms, working with national and local governments and transport operators to comprehensively control transport on land, sea and air. In so doing, we will contribute to reducing traffic accidents and traffic congestion and realizing safer and more comfortable mobility.

Impact: Fewer traffic accidents, Less traffic congestion, Reduced environmental burden

Data-driven city operation

Digital twins that can visualize and analyze real-world data in the cyber world and perform simulations is a technology that holds great promise. Through city operating systems (OS), NEC is collecting various kinds of data and providing data-driven city operation infrastructure that will be capable of supporting the utilization of digital twins. In this way, we will contribute to speedy, evidence-based policy formulation and implementation, as well as the smart management and operation of cities.

Impact: Efficient city operation, Enhanced QoL

Achieving Beyond 5G infrastructure

In a Beyond 5G world, besides ultra-high speed/capacity, ultra-low latency, and massive connectivity, ultra-safety/reliability and ultra-low power consumption will also be of vital importance. In order to make these a reality, NEC is working to enhance safety and security through quantum cryptography and to achieve ultra-low power consumption through optoelectronic fusion technology, including collaborative efforts with telecommunications carriers. We aim to achieve a society where anyone in the world can access the internet securely and for free.

Impact: Democratization of communications, Reduction in CO₂ emissions

Communication infrastructure integrated with AI, avatars and VR

Acting on people's behalf and being deeply involved in various aspects of their lives, avatars must be capable of accurately ascertaining people's feelings and intentions. Based on our track record of developing many of the world's most advanced AI technologies and ICT, NEC provides integrated communication infrastructure that will be able to use cutting-edge AI to support deep communication between people and avatars. By providing such high-quality support for people, we will contribute to enhancing their quality of life and work.

Impact: Creating free time, Enhanced creativity

Next-generation means of communication

New and unprecedented means of communication are needed to help all people communicate freely, regardless of language or ability/disability, and enable them to bond deeply with each other. NEC is working on developing communication tools that convey people's five senses and feelings, and technologies that enable non-verbal communication. By overcoming communication barriers and eliminating communication gaps, we are contributing to fostering mutual understanding and shared hopes among the people of the world.

Impact: More inclusive societies, Providing collaborations that transcend language barriers

Support for work in remote or virtual spaces

Societies where workplaces have shifted to primarily remote and virtual spaces will need to create digital environments that enhance productivity, enable the remote/virtual monitoring of worksites in the same way as in the real world, and ensure that remote operations can be done safely. NEC is facilitating diverse working styles by providing comfortable, safe and resilient remote tools and virtual offices. In this way, we are supporting work opportunities and environments that ensure everyone can work at their full potential from any location.

Impact: Improved productivity, Eliminating disparities in working opportunities

Digital Government / Digital Finance

If people are to achieve their goals in work and in life, it is essential to eliminate complicated procedures and ensure quick and timely government services and safe and secure financial services. NEC is promoting safe, secure and convenient administrative procedures and digital settlement through the utilization of digital IDs, biometric authentication and anonymization, among other technologies. We aim to not only boost operational efficiency, but also realize a society that continually generates people-oriented services and innovation.

Impact: Citizen-centric transformation of government services, Social stability through democratization of data

Creating co-operative work environments with AI and robots

As remote work becomes increasingly common, it will also become important to find new workstyles for the essential workers who support society, such as those in the medical, welfare, manufacturing, logistics and retail sectors. Utilizing AI and robot technologies, NEC is supporting the safe control, automation and autonomy of complex and diverse tasks. Combining remote, automated and autonomous operations, for example in store operations or at warehouses and construction sites, we aim to achieve sustainable and highly productive working environments.

Impact: Eliminating labor shortages, Minimizing risk of emergencies

Inclusion in education

With the spread of the internet, people are seeking wisdom and knowledge that are best suited to a diverse society and individual values. NEC is providing cloud-based education services with the aim of helping everyone to obtain learning opportunities for life according to each individual's proficiencies and life stages, as well as technology-related educational content. We are working to provide free, open and fair learning opportunities to people around the world.

Impact: Eliminating education disparities across different communities, Enhancing digital literacy

Contributing to individualized medical care

No matter where people live, they will desire access to the medical care and treatment they need. Besides treatment, care will also be increasingly focused on prevention. NEC is striving to implement highly reliable, safe and secure remote medical care and realize AI-assisted drug discovery and development, thereby contributing to establishing next-generation healthcare involving the integration of medicine, prevention and life sciences.

Impact: Providing care optimized for individuals, Improving hospital bed usage rates

Support for maintaining physical and mental health in the digital era

For people who hop between real and virtual worlds every day, maintaining not only their physical but also their mental health is highly important. NEC is working to visualize feelings and stress, utilizing AI and IoT. By enabling people to easily check their everyday physical and mental well-being, we are contributing to personalized health management.

Impact: Extending healthy life expectancy, Maintaining well-being, Improving daily habits