Our university and Sony Group Corporation have established the ``Social Innovation Department for Planetary Boundary'' within Hokkaido University. Utilizing Hokkaido University's academic knowledge and the Sony Group's cutting-edge technology, we will work to develop technologies and solutions that contribute to solving social and global environmental issues in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and oceans.

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【overview】

Department name: Social Innovation Department for Planetary Boundaries

Location: Hokkaido University Food & Medical Innovation (FMI) International Center, Graduate Research Faculty of Agriculture, etc.

Period: April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020

Research content: Both parties will work together on the following three research themes.

  • Innovative smart agriculture (person in charge: Professor Shin Noguchi Research Faculty of Agriculture)
    By applying sensing and AI technologies to research on smart agriculture using unmanned tractors, etc., we will realize advanced agricultural DX and solve food problems caused by global warming and world population growth, as well as the declining employment population faced by agriculture. We aim to solve issues such as aging.
  • Regenerative Agriculture (In charge: Yoshitaka Uchida, Associate Professor,Research Faculty of Agriculture)
    Modern agriculture faces the challenge of significantly altering the nitrogen and carbon cycles, thereby impacting the global environment. To address this issue, we are developing a sustainable environmental regeneration system (regenerative) that efficiently captures the complex circulation of nutrients in soil, air, and water bodies using sensing technology, and minimizes environmental impact and makes maximum use of ecosystem functions. We will work together with farms in Hokkaido to work towards the realization of agriculture.
  • Blue carbon sensing (in charge: Professor Masahiro Nakaoka Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere)
    The ocean is said to absorb about a quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted by anthropogenic sources. In particular, we will promote research to elucidate changes in eelgrass and seaweed beds (blue carbon ecosystems), which have a high absorption function, through an underwater monitoring system that utilizes sensing and communication technology, contributing to the sustainable conservation and management of the marine environment. Masu.

 

*Furthermore, we will continue to explore research themes in a wide range of fields, including research on forest resources (green carbon) and fisheries science.

 

Please see the website below for details. *Move to each site

Hokkaido Graduate School Research Faculty of Agriculture Vehicle Robotics Laboratory

Hokkaido Graduate School Research Faculty of Agriculture Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory

Hokkaido University Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere

Hokkaido University Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere Akkeshi Marine Laboratory

Sony Group Corporation R&D Center “Earth Watch Platform”

 


Presentation materials at press conference (excerpt)

Innovative smart agriculture (person in charge: Professor Shin Noguchi Research Faculty of Agriculture)

Regenerative Agriculture (In charge: Yoshitaka Uchida, Associate Professor Research Faculty of Agriculture)

Blue carbon sensing (in charge: Professor Masahiro Nakaoka Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere)