Outline of UBIC

The University-Business Innovation Center (UBIC) was designed to facilitate comprehensive contacts for university-industry cooperation between the University, local communities and industry. For the purpose of promotion of university-industry cooperation, UBIC has conducted a wide range of activities, including giving technical and managerial advice to companies and/or entrepreneurs, finding and matching partners for collaborative research, publishing of details of individual research and collaborative research conducted at the University, releasing information helpful for starting up new business and information regarding relevant subsidies and grants, organizing of university-industry forums, providing support to entrepreneurs, and nurturing business managers through seminars.

Support for local industry has also been provided by offering use of Research and Development Rooms and advanced systems at UBIC to local companies at low cost, and organizing seminars regarding a variety of technologies.

 

A Brief History of UBIC

July, 1995

Opening of the University of Aizu Multimedia Center
(floor space: 1,155 m2, construction costs

                          (including facility expenses): 1.4 billion yen)

July, 1998

Installation of a new CG creation system

June, 1999

Completion of the Hands-on Experience Room   

July, 1999

Completion of a computer environment for the Seminar Room by shifting from workstation-based to personal computer-based

July, 2000

Completion of the Sound Creation Room

October, 2001

Completion of the 3D Theater and its contents

November, 2001

Completion of the CG Creation Room and Motion Analysis Room

April, 2002

The Multimedia Center was renewed as the University-Business Innovation Center

August, 2002

Completion of the Seminar Room

April, 2004

Completion of the upgrade of the Hands-on Experience Room

 

Promotion of university-industry cooperation

■ Publication of research achievements

・Organization of university-industry forums leading to practical university-industry cooperation

・Participation in a variety of events and exhibitions related to business creation

■ Consultations

・Consultations are provided regarding technical and managerial aspects of business ventures for industry and entrepreneurs.

■ Promotion of collaborative research

・A Coordinator for University-Industry Cooperation at UBIC is available to help find and match partners for collaborative research.

■ Acceptance of external funds

Projects promoting university-industry cooperation (projects for formation of intellectual clusters, projects for promotion of university-industry cooperation in urban areas, etc.) have been conducted, making use of government subsidies, etc.

■ Development of human resources

・Support for new business start ups and organizing of business seminars to nurture business managers are provided.

■ Management of intellectual property

・Seminars to disseminate knowledge regarding intellectual property have been organized.

・Information regarding scientific and technical papers and patents are collected to investigate prior art.

・Activities to obtain rights to patents from results of research conducted by faculty at the University of Aizu, leading to promotion of progressive transfer of technology are carried out.

 

Support to industry

■ Research and Development

・Four Research and Development Rooms are made available to companies in order to facilitate collaborative research with faculty of the University of Aizu.

・Advanced multimedia facilities including equipment for CG creation, sound creation, Motion Analysis Room, etc. are available at low cost.

・UBIC is suited for seminars and presentations using a large display, and for creation, processing and editing of CG images and sounds, including creation of CG images by converting human movements to digital data.

 

Promotion of multimedia technology

■ Seminars regarding multimedia technology

・Organization and/or assistance in organizing seminars regarding information technology to support new business start ups and promotion of local industry is provided.

■ Tour and hands-on experience

・Opportunities for hands-on experience regarding use of the internet and exposure to 3D images are provided for free of charge.

・Facility tours are available.   

 

Organization of UBIC


Cooperative Research, Commissioned Research and Grant Donations

1. Cooperative Research

The following three types of cooperative research may be selected by companies, etc. according to their needs.  A tax deduction that allows companies, etc. to deduct a specific amount of collaborative research expenses from corporate taxes is applicable.

a. Research cooperatively conducted under a mutually agreed research theme by researchers of our University, for which "direct expenses" are accepted. Required Expenses: Direct expenses

b. Research cooperatively conducted under a mutually agreed research theme by researchers of our University, for which only "research members" are accepted from private institutions.

   Required Expenses: Expenses pertaining to research members engaged in cooperative research

c. Research cooperatively conducted under a mutually agreed research theme by researchers of our University, for which "research members" from private institutions, etc. and "research funds directly related to research(hereinafter referred to as "direct expenses")" are accepted. 

   Required Expenses: Direct expenses + expenses pertaining to research members engaged in cooperative research

 

2. Commissioned Research

Research commissioned by private institutions, etc., and for which the commissioning entity bears the direct expenses thereof.

 

3. Grant Donations

Donations from private institutions, etc. used for the promotion of education and research

It is therefore possible for donators to claim the entire amount of the donation as losses.

 

Guide for Use of UBIC facilities

(R&D, Seminars and Presentation Collection, Accumulation, Creation and Dissemination of Information)

1. 3D Theater (use fee: 21,000 yen/session)

Equipped with a high intensity and high precision liquid crystal projector, a 200-inch screen and 10 speakers, this room is suited for viewing films, seminars and other presentations.  The content that was exhibited at "Beautiful Fukushima Expo" (held between July and September, 2001) can be viewed at the theater with 3D images and sounds.  The 3D experience offered at the theater is impressive, and abounds with realistic touches. (seating capacity: approximately fifty)

2. Seminar Rooms (use fee: 21,000 yen/session)

Equipped with twenty personal computers and three 50-inch plasma displays, this room is suited for seminars on the Internet, programming, computer graphics, homepage creation, Intranet and MS Office, etc. Seminars organized by UBIC are also offered here.

3. Sound Creation Room (use fee: 1,050 yen/session)

Computer-aided composing, recording and mixing are possible.  Synthesized data can be saved in sound files, DATs, or CD-Rs.  It is also possible to create sounds for multimedia contents, and to make original CDs.

4. Authoring Room (use fee: 270 yen/system/hour)

This room is suited for creation of 3DCG, 2DCG, non-linear editing, image synthesis, DVD authoring, creation of animations, DV editing, 2DCG creation and editing, making of 3DCG from motion capture data, and accumulation of modeling data with use of 3D scanners.

5. Motion Analysis Room (use fee: 15,750 yen/session)

Human motions can be converted to digital data, which is useful for improvement of sports skills, development of rehabilitation equipment, and preservation of data for traditional performing arts.  In addition, motion capture data can be converted to 3DCG for use in animations to add realistic movements.

6. Research and Development Rooms (rent:420,000 yen/room/year)

Rooms are ready for use as bases for university-industry cooperation.  Users of these rooms benefit from this refined R&D environment through cooperative research with the University of Aizu faculty, in addition to access to various state-of-the-art machines installed at UBIC.

 Floor space: 24m2(4 m × 6 m)

 Equipment and furniture: desks, chairs, electricity, water, networks, and internal telephone lines  

7. Hands-on Experience Section (free)

Hands-on experience of multimedia systems, including the Internet is possible.  Systems, etc. developed by University faculty and products created by users of UBIC are displayed here.

8. Lounge (free)

Technical consultation and meetings for collaborative research are offered at this section. Also, users should feel free to use this space not only for taking a break, but also for casual exchange of information and ideas.


Hours of Operation:

from 8:30 am. to 5:00 pm. (It is also available at night, if reservations and arrangements are made in advance.)

Days UBIC is closed:

Saturdays, Sundays, National Holidays and the year-end and New Year Holidays