From: rick@cs.arizona.edu (Rick Schlichting) Subject: Kahaner Report: Brief Summaries of Second TRONSHOW (Multimedia) Date: 5 Jan 92 17:35:25 GMT Crossposted from comp.research.japan. [Dr. David Kahaner is a numerical analyst on sabbatical to the Office of Naval Research-Asia (ONR Asia) in Tokyo from NIST. The following is the professional opinion of David Kahaner and in no way has the blessing of the US Government or any agency of it. All information is dated and of limited life time. This disclaimer should be noted on ANY attribution.] [Copies of previous reports written by Kahaner can be obtained from host cs.arizona.edu using anonymous FTP.] To: Distribution From: David K. Kahaner, ONR Asia [kahaner@xroads.cc.u-tokyo.ac.jp] Re: Second TRONSHOW and FRIEND21, Nov 91 Tokyo. 31 Dec 1991 This file is named "tron.his". ABSTRACT. Brief summaries of the second annual TRON SHOW and of FRIEND21 Human Interface Symposium, held during November 1991, are given. (By U. Wattenberg) I was out of the country during this period. I gratefully accept the summaries below, that were provided to me by Dr. Ulrich Wattenberg, Director German National Research Center for Computer Science (GMD) Deutsches Kulturzentrum 7-5-56 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo 107 Japan Tel: +81-3-3586-7104, Fax: +81-3-3586-7187 Email: WATTENBERG@KMX.GMD.DBP.DE ================== TRONSHOW '91 November 21-22, 1991 LaForet Museum, Akasaka Twin Tower, Tokyo Sakamura (Tokyo Univ.), the originator of the TRON concept, got again an impressive list of supporting and sponsoring organizations for this 2nd show: MITI, MOP and STA, computer manufacturers and construction companies. [See also the report "tron", 4 Mar 1991, DKK.] The newly formed TRON Multimedia Broadcasting Company (TMBC) was taking on-the- spot shots to include them in its multimedia show. All together about 20 companies displayed products and applications in booths. In addition a central theatre was used to explain ideas and products through video demonstrations. Among the exhibitors, all Japanese computer manufacturers were present with the notable exception of NEC. NEC has been reluctant to join the TRON project, because it is successfully marketing MS-DOS/WINDOWS/UNIX machines and because it has developed its own series of INTEL compatible microprocessors, the V-series. The MPUs at the lower end are already replacing the Intel processors due to their superior performance. On the software side, NEC is however using ITRON specifications as realtime kernel in its realtime UNIX OS, called RX-UX832. The activities of TRON are comprising two lines: (1) Development and implementation of multitask, realtime OSs (CTRON, ITRON + subset myITRON, BTRON), (2) Development of microprocessors for TRON OS (= not compat- ible with INTEL or MOTOROLA processors). This is not an exclusive relationship: TRON MPUs are also used for UNIX implementations, and TRON OSs are successfully imple- mented on e.g. INTEL MPUs. I. Software Fujitsu is marketing a realtime OS, based on ITRON specifications, called REALOS/Gmicro. OKI introduced its realtime OS RG68KS based on CTRON specifications. BTRON with it's object-oriented features and its GUI is making some progress in the direction as OS for multimedia. The Multimedia Working Group has proposed an experimental system, connecting BTRON work-stations via ISDN to form a conference system. On the other hand, WIND RIVER SYSTEMS (USA) brought their realtime OS VxWORKS on the Gmicro processors. II. Microprocessors There were no new developments except customizable versions of 32-bit processors and downscaling to 16-bit processors. Within the "Gmicro" microprocessor line (FUJITSU and HITACHI, OKI) FUJITSU presented the Gmicro G32 series, 32-bit MPUs with the /300-version at the upper end, achieving 24 MIPS at 33 MHz. There are plans for high performance MPUs /400 and /500 since some time. A broad range of peripheral chips by FUJITSU is available. In addition a multimedia board using a F32/300 (32 MIPS) processor developed by GENESYS, using the TRON Application Databus TAD, is able to handle all kinds of media. HITACHI presented the H32-series with a similar program as Fujitsu. A separate line is under development by TOSHIBA with a 32-bit TX1 processor available and a TX2, TX1ASSP announced. In addition there is a 16-bit control processor TLCS900 with a realtime OS based on myITRON, called TR900. MATSUSHITA showed its MN10400 (32 bit) MPU with 20 MIPS (max) for fast execution of TRON commands. As OS ITRON is available. In addition a 16-bit MPU MN10300 using myITRON was developed. III. Some Systems The electric machinery maker MEIDEN presented a workstation for factory automation. The machine is based on NEC's 32-bit MPU V80, which runs NEC's RX-UX832 realtime UNIX, which is composed of UNIX V and ITRON as realtime kernel. It provides peripheral boards for multi-channel communication and Meiden Real-Time Basic MRTB for parallel execution. A simpler system for FA, called TB-100 is produced by NIHON MINICOMPUTER SYSTEMS. It uses the Gmicro/100 processor and ITRON as OS. As an embedded system, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC showed a test version of a fax machine using myITRON to handle all functions of the machine and a color copier with an outline font driver using Gmicro processors. Another application was a controller for small robot. Originally a publishing house, PERSONAL MEDIA CO. presented a notebook computer (hardware (Intel 386) by Matsushita) with BTRON as OS with a WINDOWS-like user interface. As applications a simple wordprocessor, graphic editor etc. are available. In addition the company has developed a work-station using TRON microprocessors and as OS "B2" based on BTRON specifications. JAPAN AIRLINES are using terminals with BTRON OS to access their passenger reservation system AXESS and MATSUSHITA introduced its Educational Computer Based on BTRON1 Specification, called "PanaCAL ET". IV. Summary There is a full line of 32-bit microprocessors available, which are free of foreign property rights and in the next stage 64-bit processors are to be expected. On the other side for 16-bit processors have been introduced for cost efficient process control. There seems to be a rising interest to use ITRON and myITRON in multifunctional fax, video recorders, video cameras, printers etc., using both MPUs with TRON specifications and non-TRON processors. Business applications, where BTRON is competing with existing UNIX software, are still in an experimental stage. Multimedia applications however should help to promote BTRON with its realtime processing potential. In addition, Sakamura's ideas concerning TRON houses, TRON buildings and the TRON Computer City in Chiba Prefecture will further promote the TRON standards with their coherent design for all kinds of applications ranging from embedded microcomputers to large scale distributed computer systems. ==================== FRIEND21 '91 International Symposium on Next Generation Human Interface November 25-27, 1991 at Keidanren Kaikan, Tokyo FRIEND21 is a MITI project related to human-computer interface technology, which started in 1988. After the domestic symposium in June, this meeting turned international by invited speakers. [See also the report "vr.991", 9 Oct 1991, DKK]. The audience of 600 was Japanese with a very few non-Japanese participants. From abroad there were present with papers: William Buxton (Univ. Toronto, Canada), Philip Cohen (SRI, USA), Gloranna Davenport (MIT, USA), Jonathan Grudin, Univ. California, USA), D. Austin Henderson (Xerox, USA), Marilyn Mantei (Univ. Toronto, Canada), Gary Olson (Univ. Michigan, USA), William Verplank (IDEO Product Dev., USA), Eric Werner (PLATO Co., FRG), Richard Young (Medical Res. Council, UK). In addition 13 Japanese speakers gave papers. It was the second international meeting after a first one at the start of the FRIEND21 project in September 1988 with papers in the sections: Status of the FRIEND21 project, Communi cation and Human Interface, Cognitive Models, Interface Design, Communication and 7Cooperation, CSCW and Multi Media. FRIEND21 as a national project with MITI responsible is pursued within a central institution, the "Personal Environment (P.I.E.)" in contact with the 14 sponsoring companies (computer manufacturers, home electronic corporations and publishing or printing companies). At the Centre, which is staffed with a dozen researchers, a prototype human interface (HI) is under development, targeting the untrained casual user rather than the professional. The key developers at P.I.E., Hirotada Ueda (P.I.E./Hitachi) and Hajime Nonogaki (until recently at P.I.E., now back at Fujitsu) presented their model: agents (including the human user) for different tasks, which exchange messages through a "studio". For presentation of and access to information, three metaphors "newspaper", "TV resp. Video tape recorder", "database" are explored. Broader aspects eFBHI were taken up in the other papers presented at the symposium, here are some examples from the Japanese side. (O) Hiroshi Ishii (NTT Human Interface Laboratories) presented his concept of an open shared workspace, intending to overcome acceptance problems by not forcing users in a completely new environment. To make best use of the limited screen space, translucent overlay of individual workspace images was introduced. With this technology also translucent live faces participants could be shown. (O) Prof. Yuzuru Tanaka (Hokkaido University) explained ideas, partly based on Tsichritzis' object-oriented proposals for open systems. He showed an impressive video of his "IntelligentPad" system, which relies on a generic toolkit, synthetic programming, open platform and integrated management. His objects could be easily combined, cut into pieces, rearranged etc. His examples included also an application to CAI in classical mechanics. (O) Two companies presented results in the field of accessing multi media. Miyatake (P.I.E./Hitachi) showed an well advanced digitized video tape editor, which includes automatic shot separation, ikonization and editing tools. Watanabe (P.I.E./Sony) explained also automatic shot separation and investigations of TV quiz programs for development of scenario based interfaces. The final panel discussion on "Human Interface in the Future" was led by Prof. Mario Tokoro (Keio Univ., Sony). In his introduction he gave the picture of a "sea of computers" where everybody can move freely contacting everybody else with his pocket size computer. Other panellists gave less futuristic examples and actually the discussion went back to the question, which position should computers have within the society. Two approaches were apparent: (a) Making computers useful for everybody and (b) Looking for needs where to support or replace human activities by computers. Both approaches are leading at the end to marketing strategies, problems which are best solved within or together with companies. So philosopher Shun Tsuchiya (Chiba Univ.) came to the conclusion, rather to worry about interfaces, school education should provide children at an early stage with knowledge about their own responsibility when using computers. Computers may be faulty, may invite infringements on personal data, copyright material etc... Well organized by the people behind FRIEND21 working at P.I.E., who brought together researchers from various fields and countries and did not avoid critical contributions, this conference showed good contributions from both, the foreign and Japanese side. P.I.E. is a good platform for discussion and coordination of research on HI related issues. Its own research must be seen as a homework to be done within quite strict budget and time restrictions. Material: Preprints, about 100 pages. Address of P.I.E.: Toranomon 1-17-1, Tokyo 105 Tel: +81-3-3507-0971, Fax: +81-3-3507-0921 --------------------------------END OF REPORT-----------------------------