History

2025

• Cover story in Science Robotics (S. Furuya)
• “Synecoculture” featured in the World Economic Forum White Paper (M. Funabashi) 

 

2024

• Cover story in Nature Cities : “15-minute cities” (V. Loreto)
• Paper published in Nature Communications (A. Koizumi)

 

2023

• Optical communications error-correction technology documented in the CCSDS Orange Book (SOL Team)
• Release of “tomonami” : a system that supports creativity acceleration (A. Andre)
• Cybernetic Humanity Studio opens at OIST (S. Kasahara)

 

2022

• Sony Space Communications Inc. established (SOL Team)
• Sony CSL – Online Open House 2022
• Rome Laboratory established

 

2021

• Piano Academy First Commemorative Concert (S. Furuya)
• OTOTAKE Project Event (K. Endo)
• Sony CSL – Ginza Sony Park Exhibition
• “SOLISS” Receives Prime Minister’s Award (SOL Team)
• Establishment of SynecO Inc. (M. Funabashi)
• Multi-touch research “smartskin” wins 53rd Ichimura Science Prize (J. Rekimoto)

 

2020

• OES core technology released as open source (OES Team)
• Collaboration with LIXIL tile on “omoiiro” (A. Andre)
• Music Excellence Academy Starts (S. Furuya)
• AI-based services for contact centers released (M. Spranger)
• “SOLISS” successful in Ground-to-Space Communication (SOL Team)
• “FlowMachines” app service launched (FMTS Team)
• Kyoto Laboratory established

 

2019

• Books featuring Sony CSL researchers published
• “Synecoculture” Proof of Concept starts at Roppongi Hills (M. Funabashi, Y. Honjo)
• Klein-Vogelbach Prize awarded (S. Furuya)

 

2018

• Asahi Shimbun Award at the National Invention Award (J. Rekimoto)
• Sony CSL – Tokyo 30th Anniversary
• Collaboration with JAXA announced (SOL Team)

 

2017

• Provision of CALC Big Data analysis services utilizing AI launched (T. Isozaki)
• toio released (A. Andre)
• Joint venture established (GHELIA, Inc.)
• Shibuya City Games -Challenge the World Record- event (K. Endo)
• “Superception” displayed at SXSW (S. Kasahara)

 

2016

• “Xiborg Genesis” prosthetic leg for athletes released (K. Endo)
• Good Design Award for “Squama” (J. Rekimoto)
• First international “Synecoculture” symposium held in Africa (M. Funabashi)
• Sony CSL – Paris 20th Anniversary
• Collaboration with YCAM on Perception Engineering (S. Kasahara)
• NHK adopts “JackIn” for broadcast (J. Rekimoto, S. Kasahara)

 

2015

• Collaboration with ISSEY MIYAKE on “omoiiro” (A. Andre)
• “JackIn” Workshop series at YCAM (J. Rekimoto, S. Kasahara)
• Sony Global Education, Inc. established (M. Isozu)

 

2014

• Sony CSL Symposium held at the Museum of Modern Art, NYC
• Public viewing event in Côte d’Ivoire (OES Team)
• Selected Young Global Leaders (K. Endo)
• 1st International Symposium on OES held at OIST

 

2013

• UIST Lasting Impact Award (J. Rekimoto)
• Good Design Award for “One-touch” (J. Rekimoto)
• Center of OES Research established at OIST (OES Team)
• 25th Anniversary Booklet “The Point of Knowing” published

 

2012

• Network Service projects launched at Sony CSL
• “FEEL” implemented in Sony “One-touch feature” (J. Rekimoto)
• Good Design Award Best 100 for ”Happiness Counter” (J. Rekimoto)
• Public Viewing System in Ghana awarded ‘The Monozukuri Nippon Grand Award’ (OES Team)

 

2011

• Key research theme: Human Augmentation
• Rear Touch User Interface adopted in PlayStation Vita (J. Rekimoto)
• New Open Energy System experiment launched with OIST (OES Team)
• “Kadecot” (Moe-kaden) experiment with Daiwa Housing (S. Owada)
• Good Design Award for Navigation Guide at Tokyo National Museum (Y. Honjo)
• “12Pixels” pre-installed in SonyEricsson Cedar

 

2010

• Open Energy System Experiment conducted in Ghana (OES Team)
• Doctor Honoris Causa awarded by Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (M. Tokoro)
• “POBox” Touch 1.0 integrated into Sony Ericsson Xperia
• “CyberCode” used in the “A-CLIP marker” (Asahi Newspaper) (J. Rekimoto)

 

2009

• Nature Awards for Mentorship (H. Kitano)
• Book about Sony CSL’s History and Achievements published
• Good Design Award for “PlaceEngine” (J. Rekimoto)
• “12Pixels” online experiment conducted (Y. Poupyrev)
• “FEEL” technology implemented in CROSS YOU platform (J. Rekimoto)
• Book “Open Systems Science” published
• “PlaceEngine” pre-installed in “VAIO type P” (J. Rekimoto)

 

2008

• Nikkei BP Award for “PlaceEngine” (J. Rekimoto)
• Concept of Open Systems Science introduced (M. Tokoro)
• Sony CSL 20th Anniversary

 

2007

• “The Eye of Judgment” based on “CyberCode” released for PS3 (J. Rekimoto)
• Koozyt, Inc. established (J. Rekmoto, T. Sueyoshi)
• CHI Academy (J. Rekimoto)
• “Minna-no-Chizu 2” using “PlaceEngine” released for PSP (J. Rekmoto, T. Sueyoshi)
• Research on Computational Information Geometry (F. Nielsen)

 

2006

• Hideo Kobayashi Award for “Brain and Virtuality” (K. Mogi)
• CELL Hypervisor OS adopted in PS3
• “FEEL” concept and technology included in NFC standard (J. Rekimoto)
• “Aha! Taiken” games released for PSP (K. Mogi)

 

2005

• Awarded Officier de l’Ordre National du Merite, Republique Francaise (M. Tokoro)

 

2004

• Good Design Award for “Presence” on VAIO Pocket (J. Rekimoto)
• Manufacturing of “TouchEngine” started by Sony for worldwide distribution (Y. Poupyrev)
• “Presence” technology incorporated in VAIO Pocket (J. Rekimoto)

 

2003

• Japan Design Award (J. Rekimoto)
• Clicker-Training technology integrated into AIBO software
• Tactile feedback technology incorporated into “Navitus” (Y. Poupyrev)

 

2002

• “FEEL” user interface invented (J. Rekimoto)

 

2001

• Key research themes:
• Computational Neuroscience
• Tactile 

 

2000

• iF INTERACTION AWARD for “CyberCode” (J. Rekimoto)
• “FourthView” Surround Video used in PS2 titles
• “POBox” text prediction system adopted in Sony mobile phones (T. Masui)

 

1999

• Interaction Laboratory established within Sony CSL – Tokyo

 

1998

• MMCA Multimedia Grand Prix Creator Award (J. Rekimoto)
• “Aperios” operating system incorporated in AIBO
• “CyberCode” adopted in a new line of VAIO C1 (J. Rekimoto)
• Key research themes:
• Visual Computing (F. Nilesen)
• Systems Biology (H. Kitano)
• Location Detection using Network Fingerprinting (J. Rekimoto)

 

1997

• Key research themes:
• Community Place (Virtual Society) developed on VRML (H. Kitano)
• Active Music Listening
• Curiosity Driven Learning
• Systems Brain Science (K.Mogi)
• Econophysics (H.Takayasu)

 

1996

• Key research themes:
• Emergence and Evolution of Languages (L.Steels)
• Quality of Service on Broadband Networks
• Sony Computer Science Laboratories – Paris established

 

1994

• Key research theme: Real-World Interaction and Augmented Reality (J.Rekimoto)

 

1993

• Key research theme: Cognitive Robotics

 

1991

• Key research theme: Agent-Oriented Programming and Systems

 

1989

• Key research theme: Social Systems Simulation

 

1988

• Key research themes:
• Mobile IP
• Distributed Object-Oriented OS
• Sony Computer Science Laboratories established in Tokyo