Within Ipros Monozukuri, we ranked 13th in the ★Catalog Ranking (out of 244,808 items) with our image processing introductory book (not for sale)! 【Aggregation Period】August 9, 2023 – August 15, 2023 For more details, visit http://www.ipros.jp/ranking/catalog/general/?rankNo=13 We will be giving away the "Image Processing Learning Software (IP Kit 3)" (retail price 9,900 yen) to 10 lucky winners selected from everyone who downloads the introductory book. The download is available until August 23. It’s free, so we hope you will take a look! As of August 22, we also ranked 1st in the product ranking for "Image Processing Software" within Ipros Monozukuri. https://www.ipros.jp/ranking/product/category/3/709/

We belong to the Techno Horizon Group, and we have decided to merge three of our affiliated companies within the group. On April 1st, K.I. Technology Co., Ltd., Apollo Seiko Co., Ltd., and Aindo Co., Ltd. will merge. The surviving company will be Apollo Seiko Co., Ltd. Our company has not had a dedicated administrative staff member, but with this merger, all of our administrative operations will be unified under Apollo Seiko Co., Ltd. As mentioned above, the changes will be as stated, but what will not change is that none of our members will change, and we will continue our business in Shin-Yokohama as before. Furthermore, our business activities will continue to be "image processing development for our customers." New customers are also always welcome as before. Details will be provided on the websites of each company, including ours. Thank you for your continued support. Since our operations will not change, we look forward to your continued patronage. *News is distributed via our company newsletter.

We are starting preparations to leverage the benefits of the merger. The business and expected benefits of our company after the merger remain unchanged, specifically in the area of "contract development specialized in image processing." If we were to rephrase the "contract" part, it could be described as "dedicated to specific customers." Additionally, we have a strong sales force within the same team, with multiple locations both domestically and internationally. We are confident in this regard. I used the expression "ammunition" to refer to the materials that will allow them to promote to clients that "we are now able to assist in this area as well." Until now, we have been passively disseminating information through this newsletter and exhibitions, saying "there is a company like this here," but we were waiting to be discovered. Our new colleagues, like before, have the main task of "carrying their own catalog and explaining it." During this process, they will explain, "We are now able to assist with such matters," rather than starting with "we are struggling with this." Reflecting on the differences between the "planning department" and the "sales department" during my time at a large organization's research institute, I am re-studying PowerPoint and writing. *News is being distributed through our company's newsletter.

It is easy to imagine that the differences in what we provide lead to differences in "advertising and promotion." What we offer is a vague concept called "development in the field of image processing." If the recipients of the information already have a common understanding, the appeal becomes clear, as in the case of "cars," where the appeal is "fast," "cool," "cheap," "fuel-efficient," etc. When it comes to "development in image processing," both the provider and the recipient start exploring questions like, "Is the subject being captured image processing?" or "Can a machine replace what humans can see and understand?" During this exploratory phase, it is difficult to make an appeal like "Please feel free to consult us" before grappling with these issues. Even if you consult us, saying "we can do anything" is a fine line away from "we can't do anything." However, if you reach out, we can respond with, "That's in a neighboring field," or "The challenge will be selecting the camera. If you request assistance with that selection, we can help." This information dissemination through newsletters and image processing seminars has continued as a form of advertising and promotion in a broad sense precisely because it involves vague service offerings. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

Is there a high probability that useful stories are mixed in? The "Engineer’s Newsletter for Engineers" will conclude at the end of March. The publication dates are the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, so there are four issues left, including Vol. 252 on February 8. There may be a "special edition" at the end, but this title and the current members will conclude the newsletter. Counting from the era of print media, the number of information releases is countless, but in terms of this newsletter, Vol. 255 will be the final issue. As for the remaining information releases, there is no way to confirm how much the "high probability of useful stories" has helped through the one-way format of the newsletter. I loved seminars, but they had to be reduced due to infectious diseases. It is important for engineers to have the skills to respond to "unforeseen events," so I would like to continue honing those skills together with all of you readers. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

Our company participates in exhibitions such as the Image Sensing Exhibition and the International Image Equipment Exhibition. Perhaps because of this, we sometimes get asked, "You're a machine vision company, right?" While we specialize in "image processing development," our applications are not limited to specific fields; they include medical devices, infrastructure development, and automobiles. Of course, we also handle machine vision both within and outside our group. It can be a unique approach to apply "image processing techniques" from other industrial fields to machine vision (and vice versa), which is why we do not limit ourselves to specific applications. It might be interesting to imagine "what applications are involved?" when viewing our demonstrations at exhibitions or videos on our website. Our main focus is on method development, and we rely on our customers to discover the applications, so we do not have the answers ourselves. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

As our company transitions to a new structure, we will be discontinuing our newsletter. As an engineer, I value looking forward rather than reflecting backward, but I took a moment to look back at our information dissemination. Back in 1996, when advertising was primarily in print media, our first information dissemination was through an advertisement page in CQ Publishing's "Transistor Technology." https://www.kitech.co.jp/information/adv_index.html Since then, despite changes in media, I have continued to share column information as an engineer for 27 years. Currently, this newsletter has been that medium. As of the end of March 2023, our company's structure will change. The newsletter will also be discontinued at the end of March. Under the new structure, we may restart information dissemination through a "newsletter" or similar channels. If that happens, we look forward to your continued support. Thank you for your long-standing readership. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

This year is coming to a close. Next year, we plan to introduce our new company structure. Although our newsletter is biweekly, I am grateful that our "information dissemination on image processing," which has continued since the era of print advertising before the digital age, has lasted for 27 years. Everything has a beginning, and there is always an end. How many issues would that be if we count from the print era? Thank you for your long-term support this year. We look forward to your continued support next year. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

This year's International Image Equipment Exhibition has successfully concluded. We would like to thank everyone who visited our booth and the organizers. We will introduce the "highlight" technology from this year's exhibits. The target toy was a rotating sushi toy. It seems to have been released for families to enjoy rotating sushi at home, but due to the loud noise from the motor and other factors, its sales did not meet expectations for its original purpose, making it perfect for demonstration at the exhibition. During the demonstration, we eliminated the movement of the rotating sushi and extracted only the movement of the items on top in real-time. We calculated the motion vectors of various parts of the screen using optical flow, automatically computed the table's movement, and displayed the result by subtracting it from the overall vector data. This involved very heavy calculations and substantial computational costs. Our challenge is whether we could convey this without explanation on-site. *News is distributed through our company's newsletter.

The popular image processing learning set will offer a chance to win "Learning Software (IP Kit 3)" to 10 lucky winners selected by lottery from all those who downloaded the "Introductory Book" during the limited period from September 12 to October 7, 2022. The lottery has now concluded, and we will announce the winners. (Past winners are excluded from this lottery.) (The winners will be announced with the company name and initials in no particular order) Mr. M from Company A, Mr. S from Company S, Mr. K from Company S, Mr. I from Company D, Mr. T from Company D, Mr. S from Company N, Mr. S from Company S, Mr. Y from Company T, Mr. M from Company N, Mr. T from Company H. The above 10 individuals will receive their prizes sent to the company name and section registered with Ipros. They are expected to arrive by the end of this year. We hope you find it useful for learning and practical application in image processing. The standard processing techniques included in the downloaded "Image Processing Introductory Book" are structured for you to learn by trying them out with this software. Since we manage each product with a serial number, if you return the "User Registration Form" with the serial number via fax, we will be able to accept "questions" regarding the product. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

We apologize for the delay in announcing the winners of the "Image Processing Learning Set" giveaway campaign, which was accepting applications from September 12 to October 8. The winners, a total of 10, have been determined by lottery. However, we are considering additional winners because the next campaign is still undecided. The "Image Processing Learning Software" IP Kit 3 that will be given away is identical to our direct sales product, so we need to prepare for the creation of CD-ROMs and shipping. However, if we are not careful, we will quickly find ourselves in December at the International Image Equipment Exhibition. We are preparing a demonstration that will provide hints on "Can image processing do that?" at the exhibition. We would be happy if you look forward to both. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

We are currently closing applications and are in the process of a lottery. In this information release, I would like to share a pleasant occurrence that happened thanks to this free giveaway campaign, in addition to its sales effectiveness. I believe everyone was able to download the image processing introductory book (full-page version) during the period, but the software will be a gift after the lottery. Despite that, we received feedback from customers who were able to create materials using the learning software for their "troubles." The giveaway is for the commercial version, so there is a limit, but those who received the materials mentioned that they used the "trial version" available on our company website. To convey their "troubles," they utilized features provided in the trial version, such as standard processing and the CSV file export function that allows image data to be read as text in Excel and other applications. This is an episode that makes me feel "good" about continuing the giveaway campaign. I will continue to strive to keep it going every six months. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

Within Ipros Manufacturing, our "Introduction to Image Processing" textbook (not for sale) has ranked 2nd in the ★Catalog Ranking (out of a total of 226,719 items)! 【Aggregation Period】From September 21, 2022, to September 27, 2022. For more details, visit: http://www.ipros.jp/ranking/catalog/general/?rankNo=2 Since this is updated weekly, we are unsure of the next ranking, but I believe it is thanks to the campaign "【Introduction to Image Processing Textbook Giveaway】 Learning software also available in a lottery." This textbook is used in the seminar we conduct as instructors for the "Image Processing Seminar" organized by the Japan Techno Center. After downloading, we sometimes receive emails saying, "I learned a lot," which encourages us to continue this initiative. Thank you very much. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

The application period is limited from September 12, 2022, to October 7, 2022, so those interested should hurry. By downloading the "Introduction to Image Processing (Full Page Edition)" for free from the Ipros website, your application will be completed. After that, we will give away the product version of the "Image Processing Learning Software (IP Kit 3)" to 10 people selected by lottery. This set allows you to learn detection methods for "challenge" data that you can think of and realize yourself, starting from application fields and processing examples in image processing, using the standard methods with IP Kit 3. There are various means of realization, and there is not just one answer. This content is also being conducted in the "Image Processing Seminar" hosted by the Japan Tech Center. If you want to know more deeply or learn up to hardware implementation, please apply for the seminar. Although we held an "online seminar" once, we felt it was unsuitable for providing live guidance on "real voices from the development field" and "specific issues," so there are no plans to hold an online seminar. The "Introduction to Image Processing" full-page edition is only available during this period, so please download it if you are interested. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

This is a limited-time gift campaign on the Ipros website for one month. From September 12, 2022, to October 7, 2022, we are offering a free download of the "Introduction to Image Processing (Full Page Version)" and, for those who download it, we will randomly select 10 people to receive the "Image Processing Learning Software (IP Kit 3)" for free. The application process has been simplified. Downloading the "Introduction to Image Processing (Full Page Version)" serves as your application. Please note that applications will close once the period has ended, so if you are interested, please apply early. In this introductory book, the "Image Processing Learning Software (IP Kit 3)" is used for practical exercises. Additionally, the IP Kit 3 will operate for one month even in trial version. Since the trial version has some functional limitations, the full version obtained through the free gift campaign allows for complete learning of all features. Also, once the campaign period ends, the introductory book will revert to an excerpt version. You can independently take on the same challenge with the limited-time introductory book. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

The schedule for the autumn version of the biannual free giveaway campaign for the "Image Processing Learning Set" has been decided. This is a limited one-month giveaway campaign on the Ipros website. It will run from September 12, 2022, to October 7, 2022. Please note that it will close after this period. During the campaign period, we will offer a free download of the "Introduction to Image Processing (Full Page Version)" and, for those who download it, we will randomly select 10 people to receive the "Image Processing Learning Software (IP Kit 3)" for free. Since it is an introduction to image processing, it covers the entry point of how image processing is used in various industries, the types of application fields, and topics in each field. It also includes the essential standard processes that one must know to think about processing on their own. The final section emphasizes the importance of "considering multiple means of realization" for the challenge image of "defect detection." You can undertake the same challenge through self-study with this limited-time textbook. For campaign details, please check the Ipros website during the public period. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

A new member has joined us. The reason for this announcement is that their role is "Sales Representative." Until now, we have repeatedly informed you that we are "a company specializing in image processing development with all engineers," so we are announcing the addition of a sales representative. We have heard that some of you may have hesitated or felt reluctant to inquire because you were told that discussions would start with technical meetings and that "your requests are not yet organized." Of course, we still welcome discussions starting with "technical meetings," but if you are "not yet organized with your requests," our sales representative will reach out to you, so please feel free to contact us. You can reach us through the "Contact Us" button at the top right of our company website. If you prefer a direct URL, you can also access the same form via the link below: https://www.kitech.co.jp/company/contact_index.html It may be a new member contacting you, but we appreciate your continued support as always. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

We would like to share the content that we consider to be our first challenge in advertising methods, which we believe has failed. We attempted our first challenge with "Aperza TV," a video distribution service specialized in the manufacturing industry. From the time of application, we thought that many of the companies utilizing the service were manufacturers dealing with products that could be sold through catalogs. However, since this is also true for Ipros, we decided to go ahead with the challenge. Focusing on development means organizing information in a catchball format regarding aspects that can only be obtained through "development" from specific individuals. With video distribution, we did not anticipate the degree of disadvantage that it would become a one-way distribution rather than a catchball interaction. Although we were informed that online chat was possible and received questions via chat on the day of the live broadcast, in hindsight, we realized that from the perspective of the questioners, "questions being made public" led to them becoming more general inquiries, which we did not notice. Since this was our first time with this style, there were many points of reflection, such as misalignments in our guidance method. If we are afraid of failure, we will not be able to obtain better outcomes, so we are considering challenging new things again. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

In June, we had the opportunity to meet with individuals facing challenges in image processing at the Image Sensing Exhibition and the Aperza TV Image Equipment LIVE 2022 seminar. Our company is a development firm comprised entirely of engineers, with no dedicated sales staff. We lack the ability to "read needs" or strong marketing skills. For those with challenges, their issues become our "specific requirements." Because of this style, we can start making concrete technical proposals from the very first business meeting. We are not magicians who can solve every problem, nor do we give up immediately. By organizing the challenges and considering their priorities together, we can provide solutions. We are sometimes referred to as a "last resort" for image processing, but these challenges are, for us, an important opportunity to enhance our business negotiation skills. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

Breaking news! The exhibition of AI-utilized optical flow is ready in time! The Image Sensing Exhibition is just around the corner, and we are excited to announce our highlight exhibits. The "Image Sensing Exhibition 2022" will be held from June 8 (Wednesday) to June 10 (Friday) at Pacifico Yokohama. Our booth will be No. 6. Our policy of "making core image processing technology easy to understand" remains unchanged, and since it's been a while since we had a square booth, we are preparing an interesting demo using moving toys as shooting targets. There will be three demo exhibits: 1) The highlight of this event, AI-utilized optical flow. A real-time demo of camera footage where AI recognizes objects captured by the camera and uses optical flow to analyze their movement. 2) High-speed QR code reading. This new technology can quickly read codes that are deformed into convex or concave shapes. 3) Image stitching. In response to the question "What is this used for?", we will composite N-gauge train models into a wide-format video, recreating a scene of "a person inspecting a door." We look forward to seeing you at the venue! *This news is distributed through our company newsletter.

KIT does not have a dedicated sales representative, so "advertising" serves as our salesperson. We must always consider cost-effectiveness. The web advertisements we are using are: 1. Google Ads These are advertisements based on "search keywords" from the well-known search engine, which we have been utilizing since the days when advertising was primarily focused on print media. Since we do not have a dedicated advertising professional in public relations, "search keywords" can be challenging. Many companies want to emphasize "image processing" like we do. However, since the bidding price varies by keyword, we have no chance of competing with large companies that have different objectives for such keywords. We set keywords that come up in conversations to the point where potential clients say, "I didn't know there was a development company like this" at the start of business discussions as very important "search keys." 2. Ipros This site, which has spun off from the search strategy department of a well-known company that anyone would recognize, is highly regarded in the "manufacturing" sector, not just limited to the image processing industry. We are utilizing multiple functions of this site to conduct campaigns such as newsletters and giveaways of image processing learning sets. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

I received an automatic notification that our catalog is ranked number one. Being first out of 370,000 items is certainly exciting. I understand that since this is a limited-time catalog available for one month during the campaign, there will be a concentrated access when we announce it, but I am still happy about it. Although it's referred to as a catalog, this material is essentially a "textbook" used to conduct paid seminars up to twice a year. Next week, the free download will end, so if you're interested, now is your chance. Ranking [Aggregation Period] March 16, 2022 - March 22, 2022 ★ Catalog Ranking (out of 232,932 items) ￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣ 1st Place: Introduction to Image Processing (not for sale) For details, click here http://www.ipros.jp/ranking/catalog/general By the way, the product ranking for access to the above catalog is: ★ Product Ranking (out of 377,201 items) ￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣ 25th Place: Free gift of the Introduction to Image Processing book and a chance to win learning software.

The exhibitions that our company considers most important are the Image Sensing Exhibition in June and the International Image Equipment Exhibition in December. For our company, which specializes in "image processing development," these are significant events. Additionally, we will also be exhibiting at the "Techno Horizon Group Solution Fair" open house events in Nagoya and Tokyo, which our group belongs to. Our exhibition policy is to present "core image processing technologies in an easy-to-understand manner," and this year we are also focusing on making "more specific applications easier to visualize," and we are currently preparing demonstrations. While it is undecided which demonstrations will be presented where, here is a brief overview: 1) QR Code Reading: Until now, we have highlighted robustness in response to angles and brightness variations. We are preparing a demonstration that further enhances robustness with "focus" as the key. 2) Optical Flow: We have showcased demonstrations that extract motion vectors at high speed (camera frame rates). Furthermore, some processing utilizing those motion vectors is necessary. We are currently preparing that processing as a demonstration. At the actual exhibition, we are always conscious of what will be "new this time," so please wait until the day of the event. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

For image processing professionals, I would like to introduce two examples of cameras that have a close relationship with our work. The first example is to ensure that the presence of the camera is not noticeable during shooting. The camera is a combination of an infrared camera with a sensitivity peak in the infrared range and a light source that cuts visible light wavelengths. The on/off control of the light source is managed by the software performing the image processing, but during debugging, it is not visible to the human eye whether the light source is being controlled. By limiting the wavelength in this way, it becomes a showcase for the image processing department in terms of "noise reduction" and focus adjustment methods (such as autofocus). The second example is the development of image processing in high-temperature environments. Fortunately, there are cameras specifically designed for high-temperature environments, used in applications like welding and furnaces. The operating ambient temperature can reach 1300°C for in-furnace models (insertion type) and a maximum of 150°C for external installation types. For us in image processing, as long as the video signal output is the same, the differences in cameras are not directly relevant, but having such cameras allows us to meet customer demands. We are very grateful for this. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

Our image processing algorithm is sometimes provided in a "library" format to be integrated into "applications" for use in "devices." Since this is a simultaneous development, the initial "sample image data" is limited, but we prepare "parameter tuning" in advance for when new images can be obtained. The case we are introducing this time is about the "method of tuning." The library's documentation includes usage instructions, sample applications, and explanations of parameters. However, to optimize the parameters, it is important to understand the principles behind the methods and what can be adjusted through the parameters. The creator knows the principles, which naturally leads to certain "assumptions" in their mind, but explaining this is challenging. For example, in our "image stitching library," good results can be obtained by appropriately setting the template and search range. However, adjusting while only looking at result images that claim a success rate of 98% is not acceptable. "Why is that position appropriate?" Ideally, one should understand the principles and conclude that "this position is appropriate for this image." This is difficult because the human brain cannot be replicated. There is no end to improving explanation skills. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

I would like to introduce a situation that often occurs during the planning of development projects, where an optimal solution has not yet been determined. To advance the discussion, let's assume we are dealing with an "image inspection device." The project manager for the entire device will divide the device configuration and assign development responsibilities. For example: 1. Mechanical components 2. Optical components such as cameras and lighting 3. The "image processing" part that processes data input from the camera and produces results. I believe those reading this column are aware that our company specializes in "3." At the kickoff meeting, the leaders of sections 1 to 3 will gather. From the perspective of section 3, the requirement is, "At the very least, we need the image data of the object being inspected." However, from the perspective of section 2, the question arises, "What resolution is suitable for image processing?" From section 1's standpoint, there may be concerns like, "Is vibration an issue? There will be some vibration if the mechanics move quickly," and so on. Based on past experience, I believe there is no optimal solution to this discussion. The compromise is that it does not have to perfectly match when the device is assembled, so I would request that we first proceed with capturing the images. A "decision" is necessary, and it is indeed a challenging situation. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

A popular campaign for the image processing learning set is now underway. The date for the next event has been decided. From March 7 to April 3, 2022, an application acceptance page will be created on the Ipros website. During this period, the textbook will be available for anyone to download all pages. It is the same material used in a paid seminar scheduled for February 24, 2022. In the textbook, the standard techniques for image processing and the software used for defect detection practice is the learning software "IP Kit 3." This software is also sold directly by our company, but during the campaign period, we will conduct a lottery for those who apply, and 10 people will receive it as a gift. Please note that the application period is limited. The textbook covers a wide range of topics related to the application fields of image processing, including camera selection, explanations of standard processing techniques, and challenges during practical training. The seminar will address that there are multiple answers to the challenges, and while the hardening of processing is also included in the lecture, the hardening section requires consideration of various trade-offs, so we have limited the textbook to the content before the hardening section. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

This is exciting information we received from a company we assisted in developing for basic research purposes. In the basic research, they expressed a desire to "quantify human sensory evaluation." Since our company specializes in image processing, it relates to "visual" aspects. While we start with visual input, the evaluation targets are not limited to appearance alone. The first time we challenged ourselves to "quantify sensory evaluation" was a request from a company that had been conducting "skin diagnostics" ten years ago. This time, the subject is industrial products, and upon hearing their story, it became clear that "I see! Evaluating from that perspective would be difficult for machines." This was the theme that emerged. They acknowledged that it would be challenging since they are a research institute, but they wanted to take on the challenge. Currently, we are developing a completely different theme from what the person in charge at that time was working on. However, recently we received an inquiry asking, "Could you make some changes to that software from back then?" When I asked for more details, I was surprised to learn that they had actually begun incorporating that research into actual product development, and this request came from the field. Honestly, this is quite rare, but I felt compelled to share it. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.

This year, the International Image Equipment Exhibition was held at Pacifico Yokohama. Last year's event, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, had a total of 5,148 attendees. This time, the organizers announced 8,106 attendees, but it felt to me like double last year's number. However, before the pandemic, the attendance was around 15,000, so it seems we are not yet fully back to normal. Additionally, at this exhibition, the organizers created a new system on their website called "Exhibition Booth PR Videos," where exhibitors can upload videos of their booths filmed during the exhibition period. I am not sure how well these videos can convey the atmosphere to those who could not attend, but I found it to be a very interesting initiative and wanted to share it. https://www.adcom-media.co.jp/movie-ite/ Even with a lower total number of attendees, I strongly felt that there were people who were specifically struggling with "image processing development" and were eagerly waiting for this exhibition, to the point where they couldn't contact us immediately. I hope the videos can serve as a useful reference. *News is distributed through our company's newsletter.

Last year, we were unable to participate in the International Image Equipment Exhibition due to the state of emergency. This year, we will be exhibiting as K.I. Technology Co., Ltd. The event will be held from December 1 to 3, 2021, at Pacifico Yokohama. We will be at booth number 6. Please stop by when you visit. We will showcase three types of "image processing that you can see and understand." 1. Optical Flow Detection (First Public Release) Optical flow is a process that "vectorizes motion." It is a very effective process, but the computational cost has been a challenge. Come see the processing speed that you will be impressed with at this image size and speed! 2. Image Stitching Returning to the origins of KIT, we will demonstrate image stitching by moving a camera using handmade toys, even if the camera's movement accuracy is rough. 3. Two-Dimensional Code Reading You will be able to see a demo where multiple images captured simultaneously by a single camera are read at the same time. The differentiating factor is "robustness." Please check on-site that it can read codes even with brightness variations and at an angle. At the venue, please share with us any challenges you are facing with image processing. *News is distributed through our company newsletter.