January 2012 Vol. 10 No. 1

View from the Top

• Noritaka Uji, NTT Representative Director and Senior Executive Vice President

  

  Abstract
  For our first interview of 2012, we had the pleasure of talking again with Noritaka Uji, NTT Representative Director and Senior Executive Vice President. We asked him about this year's strategy toward service creation in the NTT Group including measures for recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake and efforts to solve social problems through the use of information and communications technology (ICT).

Feature Articles: Technologies for Managing Smart Energy

• Research and Development of Smart Energy

  

  Abstract
  This article introduces the status of research and development being performed by NTT Energy and Environment Systems Laboratories based on the concept of information and communications technology (ICT) combined with energy called "gICT × energy". This should lead to systems capable of ensuring stable power supply, saving energy, and shifting load peaks as well as to technologies that use smart energy management.

• Energy Management of Telecommunication Buildings and Datacenters

  

  Abstract
  This article introduces work being done by NTT Energy and Environment Systems Laboratories on energy management technologies for datacenters and telecommunication facilities to achieve energy savings by integrating and collaboratively controlling various developed technologies such as low-power-consumption servers and routers, highly efficient air conditioning for communication equipment rooms, and higher-voltage direct current power feeding.

• Power Feeding Interfaces between Household Direct Current Power Feeding System and Household Telecommunication Equipment

  

  Abstract
  NTT Energy and Environment Systems Laboratories has been designing power feeding interfaces to establish direct current (DC) power feeding technology for homes in cooperation with the Green Grid Platform at Home Alliance (GGP@H). A lot of information and communications technology equipment as well as household electrical equipment operates by internally converting mains-supplied alternating current (AC) to DC, so feeding DC to houses from outside should bring various benefits.

• Efforts Toward International Standardization for Green Datacenters

  

  Abstract
  In this article, we describe international standardization activities for datacenter energy management systems, especially those of ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Standardization Sector). International standardization activities have a significant impact on research and development results for smart energy management at datacenters and telecommunication buildings being put into practical use and used widely in the future.

Regular Articles

• Toward Understanding Mechanisms of Sensorimotor Processing in Speech Production

  

  Abstract
  We report on the online mechanisms of sensory feedback-based speech motor control. The neural processing mechanisms governing human speech production skills need to be understood in order to design a user-friendly and easy-to-use remote speech communication system. We elucidated the contributions of somatosensory and auditory feedback through experimental observation of involuntary responses induced by perturbed sensory feedback information during speech production tasks. The experimental results provide evidence that both the somatosensory feedback and auditory feedback associated with self speech production strongly affect the temporal dynamics of articulatory movements.

• Development of Single-mode Indoor Optical Fiber Cable Using Bending-loss-insensitive Fiber

  

  Abstract
  In this article, we describe the development of indoor optical fiber cable using bending-loss-insensitive fiber for use in central offices, which will enable NTT to build a reliable optical network.

• SceneKnowledge: Knowledge Sharing System Using Video-scene-linked Bulletin Board

  

  Abstract
  We present an overview and describe trial demonstrations of SceneKnowledge, a powerful new system based on fully exploiting the potential of video for discovering and sharing knowledge.

Global Standardization Activities

• Overview and Standardization Trends of LTE-Advanced

  

  Abstract
  This article explains the features of and standardization schedule for LTE-Advanced, which has been approved by ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union, Radio Communication Sector) as one of the IMT-Advanced systems (IMT: International Mobile Telecommunication).

NTT around the World

• NTT COMWARE America Branch

  

  Abstract
  NTT COMWARE Corporation America Branch is focusing on providing new business value by monitoring emerging trends of venture-capital companies and the telecommunications industry in Silicon Valley and disseminating this information to its customers as well as to the NTT Group. This article introduces our business and activities.

External Awards/Papers Published in Technical Journals and Conference Proceedings

• External Awards/Papers Published in Technical Journals and Conference Proceedings