NEC Demonstrates IoT Combining Biometrics with Microsoft Azure - NEC Technologies Improve Customer Engagement and Business Results with Azure IoT Services -

*** For immediate use April 9, 2015



Tokyo, April 9, 2015 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the public demonstration of a new Internet of Things (IoT) solution built on Azure IoT services for the manufacturing industry. The demonstration combines NEC's award-winning FieldAnalyst facial detection software with communications, analytics, and data storage solutions powered by Azure IoT services. NEC is demonstrating this innovative solution in Hall 7, Stand C48 of the Hannover Messe 2015 trade fair, 13 -17 April 2015, Hannover Exhibition Grounds, Hannover, Germany.

The demonstration detects the faces of individuals entering a location and provides real-time analysis of their range of age and gender through the capabilities of NEC's FieldAnalyst for Gate. In creating this solution, NEC draws upon the strengths of its intelligent and cutting-edge technologies and experience, which include leading biometrics verification engines, next-generation image analysis, and devices.

Following the facial analysis, the range of age and gender data, which is privacy-protected, is transferred to Azure Stream Analytics via Azure Event Hubs. Data is then moved to an Azure SQL Database. This repository is queried by Microsoft Power BI to present useful and relevant information that can assist in understanding traffic patterns and behavior.

The demonstration of this new solution built on Azure IoT services is another example of the long history of collaboration between NEC and Microsoft, which dates back to 1979. While the two companies continue to engage in deep engineering collaboration focused on server, storage, and networking solutions, as well as SQL Servers, the relationship has expanded to solutions that include Azure, Office 365, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM for a number of industries.

"As NEC continues to expand its strong solution portfolio to customers globally, we are pleased to be working with Microsoft on innovative solution offerings. Our exhibit at Hannover Messe demonstrates the power of NEC's biometrics technologies combined with cloud-based services that can be delivered to customers across geographic boundaries. While we are demonstrating this solution at an event focused on manufacturing, the solution will be broadly applicable across a number of industries including retail, hospitality, and many others," said Naohiko Torii, senior manager, Solution Platform Business Division, NEC Corporation.

"Microsoft is delighted to be working with NEC to deliver solutions built on Azure IoT services that incorporate technologies and services from both companies. NEC's solution takes advantage of Microsoft's Azure IoT services, enabling our mutual customers to quickly realize business value and better engage with their customers to increase sales and improve customer satisfaction," said Caglayan Arkan, general manager, Worldwide Manufacturing and Resources Sector, Microsoft Corp.

NEC is looking forward to demonstrating similar solutions on Azure IoT services at Microsoft's Ignite conference, which will be held in Chicago, May 4-8, 2015. Look for NEC's solution in Booth 324.

In addition to this new IoT solution, NEC Display Solutions provides innovative display technology to create an impressive and engaging video wall using 16 NEC XUN Series large format displays. The digital display wall with dynamic high-resolution content creates an immersive experience for visitors to the Microsoft booth (Hall 7, Stand C48) at Hannover Messe.

For additional information on this and other NEC solutions, please contact: solutions@dsg.jp.nec.com or visit http://www.nec.com/digitalmedia/.

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society.  For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.

Based on its Mid-term Management Plan 2015, the NEC Group globally provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security, efficiency and equality 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, please visit http://www.nec.com/en/global/about/solutionsforsociety/message.html.

NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH
NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH has its European headquarters in Munich, Germany and is responsible for all business activities in EMEA. NEC Display Solutions benefits from the technological know-how and technologies of the NEC Corporation and, with its own Research and Development, is one of the world's leading manufacturers offering the widest product range of display solutions in the market. For more information, visit NEC Display Solutions Europe at: www.nec-display-solutions.com.