An exhibition was held in conjunction with the Service Contents Group meeting and after that, lectures were given by guest speakers, Mr. Ryuichi Sasaki on "the problems of copyright in distribution of contents", Mr. Hideaki Kimata on "the introduction of 3D imaging and audio expression rules in MPEG international standardization- contents to be examined by October 2003." The number of people attending the study session was 50 Consortium members and 90 people all together.

At the exhibition tests were carried out whereby "One Content, Multi Uses" is looked at on a different display in a different size, changing the same 3D content by a different method. An exhibition was also held which introduced the technologies of each company in the group.

Mr. Taniguchi, 3D Consortium

Promotion of activities and proposals to involve the know-how of the 149 members

The 3D Consortium is becoming more and more active thanks to all of the members. At the moment, of the 5 steering companies and 107 standard member companies, 112 companies are endeavouring to bring their know-how to the formation of the 3D business market. There are 37 associate members who are for the most part university lecturers. The Consortium would like to support the market that is expanding with 3D in various forms as a joint business between industry and academia, and we hope to collect information to match our own research to these new trends. As above, the parent organization of the Consortium's activities has expanded to 149 companies (groups).

At the press conference on the activities of the sub-committees on September 11th, we confirmed the concept that the activities of the Consortium are turning the second corner but a review is underway to check again. Firstly let us consider the 3D market that has been an issue from the beginning. At the recent sub-committee meeting, the talks were about the positive spiral relationship of hardware and content but due to the cooperation of everyone in the sub-committee or Mr. Horikoshi of the Services/Contents sub-committee, the first step of tests is progressing, namely that of wanting to achieve "one source, multi use" with a software solution for the environments for making 3D contents and looking at 3D contents.

The basic concept of the 3D Consortium is trying to make a new market and new life scenes by using the know-how of the 149 members in order to create and expand the 3D market. The promotion concept is exceeding the "one source, multi use" concept and rounding the second corner and turning more towards business. For example there is the "digital canal network" that Kyoto prefecture is promoting. Kyoto's branch offices including schools are all linked by an information highway. The administrative environment of the information highway was organized by the IT budget last year and this ear so it is an issue what to do on the information highway next year.

What proposals can we make for the IT strategy of each local government?

The aim is to activate the area based on tourism, letting people know about Kyoto's advantages when they come to Kyoto. They also want to use the information highway for school education. They also want to use it for developing ventures. Occasionally in Kyoto there is talk of using the "digital canal network" centred on internationalization, local activation, education and training of human resources. By combining the know how of the 149 members, what kind of proposals can be made by the 3D Consortium for the IT strategy of each local government that the "e-Japan core plan" is targeting. Kyoto's Buddhas could, for example, be replaced by Koyasan in the case of Wakayama.

On November 25th-28th a kick-off event for the xxx network will be held in Kyoto prefecture. Kyoto University and Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, the 3D Consortium will each have a corner and do an exhibition and will be involved in making serious proposals for next year.

We would be grateful if you could let the office or each sub-committee know of any positive proposals you have for the information highway mentioned before. If we can use your own know-how with regard to 3D business, for example museums, education or remote medicine in the proposals for applications of the Consortium,, please let us know.


3D Symposium, efforts for the annual general meeting.

The 3D Symposium is led by Professor Ito of Tokyo University (associate member). There will be a panel discussion on the theme of "life, industry, culture" which will change with 3D innovations". It will be on December 16th at Tokyo University and the media will be approached. We would like to put up information on the 3D Consortium in the exhibition corner that will be set up at the same time.

We are planning an annual general meeting in conjunction with the Consortium's statement of accounts and have decided on Feb. 5th for next year. We are also looking into jointly holding part of the programme of activities with the Stereoscopic Image Industry Association in which Professor Honda of Chiba University plays a leading role. We would like more open activities and to find partners with whom to pursue these activities. We will put the maximum effort into activities that link directly to everybody's business and that will highlight the activities of the Consortium to the maximum.

Other local governments as well as Kyoto Prefecture are looking at the important themes of how to use their IT budget and how to activate their region. If we take each key word of the "e-Japan core plan", I think a business opportunity is likely to arise. Above I have explained the efforts of the 3D Consortium for next year in place of my greeting for the study session.

To launch new business, we have to first get through the copyright problem. If we do not solve the copyright problem, the business we build will not be complete. An example of success in clearing the copyright problem and expanding the scale of the market is the "new message melody" of mobile phones. It started in 1997 and by 2003 the scale of the turnover was 80 billion yen.

The reason the Broadband market has not grown is that the licensing form is complicated and copyright problems have not yet been solved. The copyright problems (images, drama) are complicated. Because many copyrights arise, the licensing costs are huge. The issue of ratio to profits of the licensing costs has to be solved with a logical ratio. If huge sums have to be paid, the business model will not last long.

There still remain many problems in the business environment of digital contents distribution. To develop new contents business, as I have said many times before, the copyright problem has to be cleared up. The copyright problems of new contents have just started. I would appreciate your interest in making rules for smooth management.

The standardization groups of CG and images comprise MPEG, JPEG and others (W3C, Web3D etc.). MPEG's status is such that if you look at it, you understand the trends in imaging and music. The main MPEG meeting is held 4 times a year and involves 100-300 specialists in discussion divided into sub-groups. Between the main meetings the AHG meeting is held. One of the activities in Japan is the MPEG-4 committee.

There are currently 18 parts in MPEG-4. These include the part 12 file format MP4 and Part 13IPMP. 3D CG related standardization is Part 1 Systems, Part 2 Visual, Part 16 AFX. MPEG 3D natural image related standards are MPEG-2 Multiview Profile, MPEG-4 ACE Profile, and currently there are no standards that deal with multi viewpoint or all directions. This is currently being discussed with 3D AV AHG.

Of the technical fields currently being discussed, the most powerful if the optional viewpoint imaging. MPEG has the best performance which is supported by experts and it has the advantage of a patent pool and that there are many supporting companies.

Finally, I have a request. I would be grateful if lots of people could reply to the "call for comments" issued by 3D AV AHG. This should be a good opportunity to expand the 3D market.




The details of "Report of Service/Contents sub-committee meeting" are here.