On May 22, AiTrax Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture; CEO: Tsutomu Tamura) announced that it had succeeded in the real-time transmission of video via a Wi-Fi access point mounted on a moving large parts transport vehicle. This was achieved within the active factory premises of the Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Imari Works in Saga Prefecture.
Even in a harsh environment where the connected access points continuously switched as the vehicle moved, the communication was maintained without any perceivable interruption in the video feed. It was confirmed that the system reached a standard capable of withstanding actual operational use.
This demonstration was conducted on the grounds of an operating factory. Because the transported objects were large shipbuilding components weighing tens of tons, the installation location for the equipment was restricted to the inner exterior at the front of the vehicle to avoid contact with the load. Furthermore, the conditions made maintaining stable communication extremely difficult, as signal shielding and reflection caused by the load's metal materials changed constantly while the vehicle was in motion.
Being able to achieve uninterrupted video transmission despite these constraints is a testament to the company's accumulated expertise in antenna selection and firmware optimization successfully functioning in a real-world environment.
This achievement is the culmination of three years of national projects under the NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) SBIR Promotion Program and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Transport Technology Development Promotion System.
Unlike conventional products that determine routes based solely on signal strength, the "Path Cost-Based On-Demand Algorithm" independently developed by AiTrax calculates throughput, latency, and packet loss rates in real-time in a unified manner to autonomously select the optimal route. This achieved millisecond-level route switching and stable video transmission within the factory premises, proving the practicality of a new architecture where an access point mounted on a moving object maintains communication while doubling as a network node.
The mechanism of a "moving object maintaining stable communication while doubling as a network node" can be widely applied to the entire industrial sector, not just to shipyard transport vehicles. It holds great potential as a communication infrastructure for the practical application of AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and autonomous mobile robots, danger detection on-site through edge computing, and coordinated tasks by multiple drones dynamically changing their formations.
Moving forward, the company plans to promote the horizontal deployment of this technology into the port, construction, civil engineering, and social infrastructure sectors, starting with stable communication between shipyard cranes and the ground. They will also push for the development of coordinated systems with drone fleets and its spread to the Global South.
■ ICT Startup League
This is a support program that started in FY2023, triggered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Startup Creation-Type Sprouting Research and Development Support Project."
The ICT Startup League supports startups through four main pillars:
① R&D Funding / Accompaniment Support
Up to 20 million yen in R&D funding is provided in the form of subsidies. Additionally, through accompaniment support, the selection evaluation committee members who were involved in choosing the league members will remain closely involved after the selection to promote their growth. A truly "oshi-katsu" (enthusiastic support) system is built in, where for companies the committee members evaluated as "absolutely wanting to select," the members themselves continuously support them by providing advice on business plans and opportunities for growth.
② Discovery and Nurturing
The league will provide places for learning and encounters that encourage the business growth of its members.
It also expands efforts to discover individuals aiming to start businesses in the future, with the goal of broadening the base.
③ Competition & Co-creation
It serves as a space for positive competition, much like a sports league, where startups learn together and engage in friendly rivalry to secure the funding they genuinely need (up to 20 million yen). Furthermore, it provides a space for co-creation where league members can collaborate to expand their businesses through various opportunities, such as sessions led by the selection evaluation committee members.
④ Dissemination
We will disseminate the initiatives of the league members in collaboration with the media! By making the businesses known to a wider audience, we aim to expand new matching opportunities and chances.
■ Related Websites
ICT Startup League
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AiTrax Co., Ltd. (Official Website)
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AiTrax Co., Ltd. (LEAGUE MEMBER)
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Original Press Release
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