Contributions to the World as COE of Broadcast Technology

By Osamu YAMADA,
Director-General, NHK Science & Technical Research Laboratories

Digital satellite broadcasting, which the Laboratories have promoted for many years through their research, is to begin from the year 2000. We have been promoting research and development to improve this new broadcasting medium so that it will be more attractive, easy-to-use, and offer human-friendly services.
In addition, we will be engaged in research for future dream broadcasting systems, presently not possible, such as three-dimensional broadcasts 20 to 30 years in the future.
Digitization has drastically expanded the research field for broadcasting technology into the areas of computers, networking, telecommunications, and other technology that the Laboratories had not specialized in before.
As "the open laboratories," it is indispensable that we cooperate with universities, research institutes, and broadcasters in Japan and overseas to promote better research.

As the public broadcasting laboratories, we are determined to be a COE (Center Of Excellence) which leads the world's broadcast technology.
We are going to make our research activities, research results, and the latest technologies known to the public in a plain and timely manner. I hope that this journal will be a great help to people worldwide seeking to understand our Laboratories' activities and accomplishments.

History of NHK Science & Technical Research Laboratories

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The NHK Science & Technical Research Laboratories is the research institute of Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), which is Japan's sole nationwide public broadcasting corporation. The Laboratories were established in 1930, five years after the start of Japan's first radio broadcasts by NHK. For almost 70 years, the Laboratories have been specializing in research and development in the field of broadcasting and related technologies.
Presently, the Science and Technical Research Laboratories are working on the development of next-generation broadcasting systems, including digital broadcasting, multimedia services, human-friendly broadcasts, program production systems, new imaging/ recording/displaying systems, and 3-D TV.
In order to correspond to advancing research fields in the drastically changing media environment, an overall reconstruction of the present Laboratories is underway to establish the broadcasting technology research center for the 21st century. With the completion of the new structure in October 2001, the Science and Technical Research Laboratories will step into the 21st century, to the maturity of digital broadcasting and to pioneer new broadcasting technology yet to come.