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Message for students 2024:Keiko Yokoyama
September 25, 2024
Using High-Speed Cameras and Image Recognition for Production Innovation at Factories
Keiko Yokoyama
Researcher
Visual Intelligence Research Laboratories
Keiko Yokoyama majored in Information Physics & Computing at university, focusing on research using high-speed cameras. After completing her master's degree, she joined Production Division (now Supply Chain Management Division at NEC in April 2013. In October 2017, she assumed a concurrent role at Data Science Research Laboratories, and transferred to a full-time position at Data Science Research Laboratories in 2023. She is currently researching into efficiency improvements and automation at production sites by using high-speed cameras and image recognition for tasks such as the inspection of foreign matters in chemical solutions.
Transferring to the Laboratories
I joined NEC as an engineer in Production Division. Actually, I was stuck in my research at the time and did not want to do research anymore [laughs].
However, four years after I joined the company, NEC happened to start a joint research project with the laboratory that I had belonged to as a student. The General Manager of Data Science Research Laboratories at the time reached out to me, and I was involved in that research for a year or two concurrently.
That experience made me interested in research again. In corporate research, the issues to be resolved are somewhat clearer than those of academic research. Additionally, instead of working by yourself on a theme, you collaborate with other talented people. I also felt that I could leverage the strengths of my career. Most of all, I was comfortable there, so I decided to transfer to the laboratory and take on the challenges of research again.
My main research theme is image processing and recognition using high-speed cameras. I am researching and developing solutions aimed at improving the efficiency of non-automated visual inspections in factories.
High-speed camera image recognition has not yet become an established field. Since this technology is still in the research and exploration phase to find applications, we are continuing our research every day with the hope of advancing the technology to a level at which it can properly contribute to society.
Pursuing research while raising a child
I had a child in 2021 and took maternity leave for a year. Now I am trying to have a second child and my husband, who is also working at NEC, plans to take childcare leave next time.
I could have chosen to work reduced hours, but I decided to use the discretionary work system that allows me to work in the same way as before giving birth. When you are raising children, you often want to work during irregular hours, such as from 7-10pm, instead of in the evenings. In principle, overtime work is not possible when working reduced hours. I think the discretionary work system suits me because I can decide my working hours freely. Furthermore, thanks to the advancement of remote working over the past few years, it has become much easier to work.
In addition, NEC has recently introduced a job-based employment system to clarify its results-oriented approach. I think this is a very positive trend for those who work while raising children. You can be properly evaluated for the things you have done, as well as for the things you did not do. This allows you to strike a balance so that, for example, if you want to temporarily prioritize something other than your job, you can reduce your workload to a certain extent for a while. In return, you can give top priority to your job for the next three months. The results of such approaches are reflected properly in the evaluation. Because the evaluation is very rational and clear, you can work with a sense of satisfaction, without any confusion.
In terms of company culture, I think the people at NEC are very understanding about childcare. My supervisors and colleagues seem even more considerate about me and my son than I am [laughs]. I am also glad that, regardless of age or gender, there are many people who treat me as an equal without any concern for the fact that I am a woman or that I am raising a child.
Becoming a researcher that links research and business
In research works, we have to be careful not to get too preoccupied with the information that we currently have. Instead of simply giving up when something appears to be impossible at the moment, I always try to avoid limiting the possibilities and thinking as broadly as possible about future and social issues. To do so, it is essential to continuously refine my hypothesis by keeping up with the latest news and research topics, as well as by using the services that the labs have contracted to interview experts.
As my mission is to apply technology to launch new businesses, rather than being a professional who specializes in a particular field, this attitude is even more important. In order to come up with ideas like ‘I think we could apply high-speed camera technology to this problem in this industry’, it is essential to have advanced information-gathering skills and flexible thinking. Fortunately, NEC has many customers in a wide range of business fields. I would like to make the most of this environment, which is unique to a large company, and aim to become a researcher who can effectively link research and business.
- ※The information posted on this website is the information at the time of publication.
A day at work
Private column
These days, I spend most of my time playing with my 3-year-old son. We went to so many Japanese festivals this summer that my son has become completely hooked on Bon dancing and Taiko (Japanese drums). He sings traditional Bon dance songs while banging on empty cans everyday[laughs].
On weekdays, I pick him up from daycare after 6pm, take him to the playground, then come home after playing with him and his friends for a while. I often end up falling asleep before he does while reading him a story. I often leave the laundry and other chores to my husband because he works from home almost every day. As we are both in the same position and work full-time at NEC, we try to balance our work and family life by taking turns with the housework, so that we can spend as much time as possible with our son.
