Social Issues with Which Everyone Can
Sympathize × New Business Creation
What Is the η Project?
The η Project is a new business creation project.We are working to directly solve social issues in this project with the aim of building a world that is friendly both physically and mentally.
Taking social issues as our starting point, we are looking to build creative and groundbreaking new businesses in three main fields (energy, the environment, and well-being) that may become pillars of our business in 10 to 20 years from now, pursuing a sense of Murata.
Features of the η Project
- - 01 -Promoting social issue-solving businesses with resolution
- - 02 -Emphasizing creativity, groundbreaking ideas, feasibility, and a sense of Murata
- - 03 -Developing themes over three years that will become pillars of our business 10 to 20 years from now
- - 04 -Conducting activities with project members selected in-house with 100% man-hours
Initiative Themes
We are striving to solve social issues mainly in the energy, environment, and well-being fields.
Energy Field
-
Hydrogen
Beyond Energy
“Create a future with hydrogen that people will want to use”【Main Initiatives】
We aim to accelerate the pace at which a hydrogen energy-based society is being built with a bottle that enables hydrogen to be stored at room temperature and low pressure- Replace fuel sources for industrial mobility and robots with hydrogen
- Develop the η bottle - an energy bottle people will want to use on a daily basis
Environment Field
-
Microalgae
“Create a sustainable society with microalgae”
【Main Initiatives】
- Build a new microalgae cultivation process with high productivity
- Utilize knowledge gained from electronic components in the microalgae cultivation process
-
Blue Economy
“Realize a sustainable marine industry”
【Main Initiatives】
- Consider a system that visualizes established measurement information (water temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, etc.) in the marine environment + X information (underwater CO2 and constancy, etc.)
Well-being Field
-
Forestry
“Harmonize nature and electronics”
【Main Initiatives】
- Create a mechanism that adds information to forests and standing tress themselves to improve timber management and added value
- Build a network environment that considers the safety of workers and install the optimal devices
- Take measures against damage caused by deer, wild boar, and other wild animals
-
Africa
“Resolve the North-South problem* utilizing IoT”
【Main Initiatives】
- Visualize site-specific data (temperature and humidity, amount of viruses generated, road surface conditions, soil composition, heart rate, number of steps, etc.) by utilizing IoT technologies to lead to improvements in social life and living standards
*This is the problem of the economic disparity between developed countries and developing countries
-
Human Augmentation
“Realize a society in which we can live together without anxiety and with expectations”
【Main Initiatives】
- Provide a new means of communicating using brain waves and avatars for people with physical disabilities
- Create new lifestyles for a future society that transcends time and space
-
Local Community
“Eliminate a sense of isolation and create communities”
【Main Initiatives】
- Contribute to the creation of local and organizational communities in 2030 with electronics
Introduction to the Project Members
-
Forestry
Reiko Ogura
Work Areas
Forest boundary determination and timber traceability mechanism building
Thoughts on the Initiatives
Social issues in Japan are found in mountain forests! With that thought in mind, I am pursuing the essential issues and leaping into mountain forests in Japan.
Under my motto of "issues are found in the field," I have also started demonstration experiments while learning about forests from those who are active in mountain forests!Personal Focus Themes
Music (harp performances), well-being, high-grade sake, extremely spicy and tasty foods, handicrafts, wild game (both catching and eating)
-
Blue Economy
Masako Tenpaku
Work Areas
Sensor development that will contribute to the blue economy
Thoughts on the Initiatives
I have given my attention to the serious problems faced by the sea with the desire to contribute to the restoration of biodiversity!
I am promoting activities that focus on sustainable ocean development (the blue economy), especially blue carbon, as a means to solving those problems.Personal Focus Themes
Tennis, watching documentaries, going outside
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Microalgae
Yoshiyuki Nishihara
Work Areas
Microalgae culture device and medium development
Thoughts on the Initiatives
Microalgae is a very attractive resource that can produce proteins, amino acids, and other nutrients in addition to serving as a sustainable liquid fuel to replace fossil fuels.
I want to spread microalgae widely throughout the world through this project!Personal Focus Themes
Kitchen garden, games, tropical fish, weekend tennis
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Local Community
Yoshitaka Matsuki
Work Areas
Social innovation for local communities and organizational revitalization.
Thoughts on the Initiatives
We have obtained things from dramatic technological innovation. On the other hand, I feel that there are things we have lost and things that have lost their humanity.
With an engineer's point of view, I will contribute to the creation of social mechanisms that allow people to live their lives while feeling warmth with other people imagining life 10 to 20 years from now.Personal Focus Themes
Unique towns, using old things with care, communicating while drinking
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Hydrogen
Akira Toda
Work Areas
Hydrogen storage material evaluation technology construction and device design
Thoughts on the Initiatives
While touching on various social issues, I have turned my attention to global warming with a desire to contribute to the earth where humans, animals, and plants live.
We will launch a business from scratch to realize a hydrogen energy based-society that is taking some time to arrive!Personal Focus Themes
Table tennis, watching movies and animation
-
Human Augmentation
Michiyo Yamamoto
Work Areas
Communication device development and human augmentation project
Thoughts on the Initiatives
I think that a society integrated with diversity is the fundamental measure to connect a sustainable earth to the future. We will remove barriers with virtual ⇔ real technology.
We will then propose a future in which everyone can live their authentic selves with rich feelings originating from the approach of participation in society by people with disabilities.Personal Focus Themes
Comedy, Japanese history, art
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Hydrogen
Yuri Nakayama
Work Areas
Hydrogen storage materials development and new secondary battery development
Thoughts on the Initiatives
This planet is not something that we have inherited from our ancestors; it is something we have borrowed from the children of the future.
We will aim to realize a clean energy society by evolving Murata's technologies to deliver a sustainable global environment to the future! Let's open up the future of the human race together.Personal Focus Themes
Beer, piano, rugby
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Hydrogen
Narimichi Makino
Work Areas
Hydrogen storage materials research
Thoughts on the Initiatives
I had an instinct that hydrogen will grow in the context of contributing to decarbonization.
I think that how to store and distribute hydrogen is a major issue against a background of undeveloped infrastructure.
I am currently carrying out activities with a focus on hydrogen storage.Personal Focus Themes
Carbohydrates on carbohydrates, the skipping rope
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Environment Field/Other
Yohei Yamaguchi
Work Areas
Data business project for smart cities
Thoughts on the Initiatives
I think it is essential to utilize data for sustainable city design and operation of the future.
I want to help solve various social issues hidden in cities by providing valuable data that only Murata can obtain!Personal Focus Themes
Parenting, reading, baseball, camping
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Africa
Hiroaki Hasegawa
Work Areas
Elimination of poverty in developing countries utilizing intangible assets
Thoughts on the Initiatives
New areas of infrastructure such as electronic money have been firmly built even in poorer areas in Africa.
We will create new value by building solutions that can only be implemented without vested interests and loss concerns.
That will contribute to the prosperous lives of people in developing countries!Personal Focus Themes
Martial arts research, coffee exploration, visiting hot springs, traveling
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Chiharu Sakaki
General Manager of Strategic Technology & Innovation Department
Thoughts on the Initiatives
I think that creating new businesses to address social issues that may exist 10 or more years from now requires extraordinary efforts.
I will provide support with a big heart day by day so that the project members retain their enthusiastic passion even while tackling initiatives over a long period of time.
That will lead to the success of the project!Personal Focus Themes
Work out, running, dog lover, valuing family
Message from the Representative of the Project
Masamichi Ando
Executive Officer / Director of the Business Incubation Center
Personal Focus Themes
Beach rugby, golf, prime numbers, saving the earth
What's New
-
2023.03.31
We have added an introduction to the project members and a message from the representative of the project.
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2023.03.31
We have unveiled the η Project website.
Inquiries
Murata Manufacturing is looking for research institutions, companies, and other organizations who are in the relentless pursuit of innovation and interested in turning ideas into unique solutions that could quite possibly shape the future of electronics and our global society.