Epson 2011 Annual Report Download - page 29

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28
4. Research and development activities
Epson is pursuing innovation in compact, energy-saving, high-precision technologies with the aim of becoming a
“community of robust businesses,” as set forth in the company's “SE15” Long-Range Corporate Vision. The
company's research and development programs are designed to achieve this and are thus principally focused on
boosting competitiveness by concentrating management resources on areas of strength, reinforcing business
foundations, and using the technologies and other assets in the company's portfolio to create new businesses.
Operations division R&D develops core technologies and shared technology platforms in order to strengthen
the company's market position, both short and long term. Corporate R&D’s mission is to develop both new and
existing core technologies and shared technology platforms, with the aim of creating new and revolutionizing
existing businesses.
Total R&D spending in the year under review was ¥54,377 million. This included ¥25,622 million in the
information-related equipment segment, ¥7,326 million in the electronic devices segment, ¥3,332 million in the
precision products segment, and ¥18,096 million in the other segment and corporate segment.
The main R&D accomplishments in each segment are described below.
Information-related equipment
In the printer business, the company developed a low environmental impact color inkjet printer. Equipped with
an energy-saving “deep-sleep” feature that puts the printer in a sleep mode where it uses just 0.8W of power, this
inkjet product boasts a TEC value (a value defined by the International ENERGY STAR program that indicates
the typical electricity consumption of a product when in operation and standby states) of 1.27 kWh, the lowest*1
TEC value of any high-speed A3 color printer in Japan that prints at least 21 sheets per minute. The company
also developed “Epson UltraChrome® GS ink”, a new eco-solvent GS ink for commercial large-format printers
that produces little of the odor associated with ordinary solvent-based inks and that does not contain
carcinogenic nickel compounds, thus minimizing the harmful impact on the environment and employees.
In the visual instruments business, the company developed a mobile 3LCD projector that weighs just 1.7 kg and
is an ultra-slim 44 mm, making it the world's thinnest*2 3LCD model. With 3,000 lumens of brightness, the
projector is capable of displaying sharp, vivid images even in well-lit rooms. A short-throw lens and both vertical
and horizontal keystone correction enable the projector to throw a bright, high-quality picture on large screens
even in limited space.
*1 As of November 24, 2010, according to Epson research
*2 As of September 16, 2010, according to Epson research
Electronic devices
In the quartz device business, the company developed an ultra-compact yet highly accurate, high-resolution
absolute pressure*3 sensor that measures 7.0 x 5.0 mm along the edges and is only 2.0 mm thick. The sensor
employs a newly developed, original QMEMS*4 pressure-sensing structure that provides total pressure accuracy
of ±30 Pa*5 and a resolution*6 of 0.3 Pa.
The company also developed gyroscopic sensors for vehicle attitude sensing applications, such as electronic
stability control (ESC) and rollover protection systems. Using QMEMS technology to fabricate crystal sensing
elements in an original hammerhead structure, the company was able to realize very small sensors that exhibit
stable characteristics over a wide temperature range (-40 to +125°C). Sensor reliability was increased by
providing a diagnostic circuit that detects failures at any given time and at startup. Excellent vibration resistance
and shock survivability were achieved by optimizing the sensing elements and their support structure.
In the semiconductor business, the company developed a display control platform for e-paper displays that
provide laser printer-like image quality and fast refresh rates. The platform is built around core semiconductor
chips and firmware used to control the driving of e-paper displays. These components are optimized to run
together as a fine-tuned system. The platform's new driving scheme employs high-speed image processing
technology originally developed for photo printers to enable e-paper displays with resolutions of 300 dpi and
higher to be refreshed at high speed.
*3 Absolute pressure is the pressure zero-referenced against a perfect vacuum.
*4 QMEMS is a combination of “quartz,” a crystalline material that has excellent stability and precision, and