Sony Computer Science Laboratories to Hold Its First Symposium in the United States

NEW YORK, June 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc. (Sony CSL), founded by Sony Corporation, today announced that, for the first time, it will be holding a research symposium in the U.S. The half-day event will take place at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City on Monday, September 22, 2014.  

Sony CSL has previously held symposiums in Tokyo and Paris.

Founded in 1988, Sony CSL's original focus was computer science. As the organization evolved, though, its researchers began to embark on groundbreaking studies in such diverse domains as linguistics, cell signaling, computational geometry, epidemiology, conscious experience, cartoons, artificial intelligence, medical insurance, factory efficiency, art, systems dependability, communities of objects and econophysics.

"At Sony CSL, we invent the future," said Dr. Kitano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sony CSL. "The only thing we demand of our team of elite researchers is that the products, technologies and systems we pioneer provide tangible benefits to the human race and society."

In short, individual presentations on September 22, Sony CSL researchers will address three key themes: Global Agenda, Exploring Creativity and Human Augmentation.

The Sony CSL Global Agenda encompasses new proposals for securing energy and food. Open Energy Systems, for example, is Sony CSL's umbrella term for diverse initiatives whose shared aim is to make the best possible use of renewable energy sources. CSL's own proposals include a distributed DC-based system that enables communities to optimally share a reservoir of stored solar energy. Practical tests have been successfully conducted in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, and are ongoing in Okinawa.

Synecoculture, meanwhile, is a novel system of agriculture that considers plant fitness based on symbiotic interactions with soil, the environment and other vegetation. The aim is to develop and explore the use of a huge variety of edible species without soil cultivation, fertilizer or harmful chemicals. CSL researchers are conducting related experiments in various locations in Japan.

While Exploring Creativity is an important goal for all Sony CSL researchers, making a personal creative style available in a digital form is the specific objective of FlowMachines, a project devoted to the development of interactive tools for authoring music and text.

The Sony CSL initiatives in the realm of Human Augmentation include the creation of diverse prosthetic devices for use in different contexts. The event in New York will also showcase proposals for human-computer interaction and integration.

About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world.  Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $75 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.  Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/ 

SOURCE Sony Corporation