JVC 2007 Annual Report Download - page 18

R&D
16
Research and Development Activities
Accelerating Development of Consumer Electronics
Technologies
JVC manages R&D themes according to three specific time frames—
1 year or less to support the JVC of today, 3 to 5 years from now to
create the technology of tomorrow, and 5 to 10 years in the future—in
order to deliver a steady stream of trailblazing, “Only One” products.
The technology department of each business group is in charge
of developing technologies for the immediate future. Engineers from
the business group in charge of consumer electronics equipment
had been dispersed between the JVC Head Office and two plants,
but in 2005 most moved to the new technology center Techno
WING located adjacent to the Head Office. We did this for more
active communication among engineers. It fosters new channels of
communication by allowing engineers to go beyond customary
departmental boundaries and work closely with managers in such
upstream departments as marketing and design and such down-
stream departments as sales. This arrangement encourages engi-
neers and staff in other departments to share information, skills, and
implicit knowledge, thereby facilitating the rapid creation of products
that meet market needs and wants.
In fiscal 2007, we completed a new 10-meter electromagnetic
darkroom inside the recently built quality assurance facility, which is
adjacent to the Techno WING. This reinforces our design capabilities
in the field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and creates a
cutting-edge development environment.
Constantly Strengthening Our Capacity for the New Digital Era
To achieve sustainable growth in the future, JVC must press forward
with R&D that creates new value through producing sound and
images of unprecedented quality, and then convert this result into
new products in a timely manner.
Our track record in developing new technologies is strong, as
exemplified by the high-value-added products introduced in fiscal
2007. Among these products are:
• The world’s first high-definition hard disk drive camcorder targeted
at consumers, with full HD 1920x1080i video quality.
• The new full HD LCD TV models, which have a 120Hz (100Hz in
PAL countries) frame rate combined with exclusive JVC high-quali-
ty image processing technology to limit the blurring of moving
images.
• A full HD D-ILA front projector equipped with JVC’s unique D-ILA
high-resolution micro-display device.
Furthermore, the JVC Technology Expert Group (JTEG) was started
three years ago to bring together in-house experts in high-quality audio
and visual, high-density recording and playback, optical, and other
technologies that are key to the Company’s operations. This has
become a powerful force for product development unlike anything seen
before. Group members work actively to enhance their skills so as to
develop next-generation products, disseminate their sophisticated
technological expertise, and contribute to developing their successors.
JVC uses its superior technologies to inspire people, expand possibilities for creative
expression, and create new ways of communicating. Our technologies bring forth energy,
rhythm, and emotion in audiovisual content, bridge time and space to join hearts and
minds, recreate incredibly lifelike images, and put amazing experiences that last a life-
time within reach. The ultimate goal of all of our R&D activities is to deliver truly moving
experiences.
Mariko Fukushima
Engineering Dept., Camcorder Category
Junichi Hasegawa Manager, Engineering Dept., Display Category