In the manufacturing industry and advanced research fields, the use of real machines for trial and error is already reaching its limits. NVIDIA's "Physical AI Platform" aims to completely eliminate the heavy constraints of "time, cost, and risk," elevating development speed to an entirely new dimension. This approach, known as "Sim2Real," allows for safe and instantaneous learning in virtual spaces, conducting tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of iterations, and seamlessly implementing the results into the real world. This is not just a concept; it is a powerful ecosystem that has already been put into practical use. In this article, we will elucidate the three phases that make up this platform and the roles of specific libraries that hold the key to its implementation.

Transforming the very foundation of scientific research in Japan—this is the significant expectation and attention surrounding the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's innovative grant program, "AI for Science Seed Challenge Research Creation Project (SPReAD)." The first public call, which generated a great response, concluded on April 17, 2026, and today, June 2, the long-awaited second public call has begun! This is an excellent opportunity for researchers and teams leading the next generation of science and technology to utilize AI and challenge uncharted territories, allowing them to bring their groundbreaking ideas to fruition. The deadline for the second round of applications is noon on July 3 (Friday). With a limited period of about one month, early information gathering and preparation will be key to successful adoption. In recent years, the remarkable advancement of AI technology has significantly changed research processes across all academic fields. In this context, we will provide a clear explanation of the SPReAD program's outline and offer detailed proposals on how to maximize the adopted budget (up to 5 million yen) with a "complete set of equipment and environment construction package that allows for immediate AI research to start from zero knowledge."

This time, I participated in the "Automotive Technology Exhibition 2026 YOKOHAMA," held on May 28, 2026, at Pacifico Yokohama. This exhibition is organized by the Japan Society of Automotive Engineers and is one of the largest specialized exhibitions in the automotive technology field in Japan, bringing together automobile manufacturers, parts manufacturers, material manufacturers, software vendors, research and development institutions, and more, symbolizing Japan's mobility industry.

This time, we bring you a report from the exhibition hall of the "82nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Microscopy," held at the Sendai International Center on May 26, 2026. This conference is a highly specialized venue where the latest insights on various microscopy technologies, including electron microscopy, and their applied research gather. I participated on the second day and experienced the "enthusiasm on the ground" that supports cutting-edge research in Japan!

The development of autonomous driving systems is transitioning from traditional rule-based and modular approaches to an end-to-end "AX (AI Transformation)" environment where AI comprehensively understands situations and makes decisions. NVIDIA's offerings, "Alpamayo," "AlpaSim," and "NuRec," represent the latest ecosystem aimed at the societal implementation of level 4 autonomous driving, balancing safety and explainability. NVIDIA's autonomous driving AI platform "Alpamayo" moves away from reliance on traditional pattern recognition in autonomous driving by incorporating a mechanism where AI "infers (thinks and judges)" like a human, dramatically enhancing safety and reliability. The R&D departments of enterprises will report on the HPC requirements necessary to maximize the use of these technologies, integrating physics-based simulations (CAE) with AI models.

Intel has launched the new Xeon 600 series as the successor to the Xeon W series CPU for workstations. Hello everyone! In this article, we will provide a thorough explanation of Intel's next-generation workstation CPU, the Xeon 600 series, which was unveiled in March 2026. We will introduce the features and significant benefits of this product, which has undergone a dramatic evolution worthy of being called a "paradigm shift" in the professional workstation market.

In the manufacturing industry and advanced research (R&D), as the performance and miniaturization of products progress, the importance of accurately predicting the behavior of electromagnetic fields through "3D electromagnetic field analysis" has never been higher. However, even when we refer to electromagnetic field analysis, the optimal tools differ depending on the frequency range and the purpose of the analysis. This article focuses on three representative 3D electromagnetic field analysis software products that lead the industry: "JMAG," "Ansys HFSS," and "CST Studio Suite." It will provide a detailed explanation of each software's strengths, optimal applications, and how to choose a high-performance computing (HPC) environment that maximizes their capabilities.

In order to enhance the speed and quality of product development, the introduction of CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) and fluid analysis (CFD) tools has become essential. However, when considering implementation, many may face questions such as, "Which software is suitable for our company's objectives?" and "Can designers handle it?" In this article, we will pick up three representative analysis software: "ANSYS Discovery," "Autodesk CFD," and "ANSYS Fluent," and clearly explain their differences from the perspectives of purpose, performance, mesh generation, and cost.

In cutting-edge research and development (R&D) and manufacturing environments, simulations and verification tasks utilizing HPC (high-performance computing) and AI servers are becoming increasingly sophisticated every day. As developments such as SDV (software-defined vehicle) and physical AI advance, many responsible individuals may be facing the challenge of "how to safely and efficiently operate high-load computing equipment and independent verification environments remotely." While it is said that "all answers lie in the field (labs and server rooms)," having to visit the site every time for minor configuration changes or reboots results in a significant loss of resources. Therefore, this time, we will clearly introduce the functions and benefits of the "IP-KVM switch," which dramatically improves remote access environments while securely protecting the important equipment in the field.

This time, we will deliver a local report on the "2nd [Kansai] Factory Innovation Week," held from May 13 (Wednesday) to 15 (Friday), 2026, at Intex Osaka, along with the concurrently held "2nd [Kansai] Nepcon Japan"! As one of the largest manufacturing exhibitions in Kansai, the venue was filled with the enthusiasm of engineers and business leaders seeking the latest technologies. This time, we will particularly focus on the highlights of the exhibition, centering around the latest solutions utilizing "robot arms + cameras," which caught the eye at the venue!

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Policy Commentary Column Published on March 27, 2026 / Refer to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Cabinet Secretariat National Cybersecurity Office In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in cyberattacks targeting businesses through their partners. Even if large companies implement comprehensive measures, if their subcontracted small and medium-sized enterprises are targeted, the entire supply chain will suffer damage. To directly address this issue, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Cabinet Secretariat National Cybersecurity Office have jointly designed the "SCS (Supply Chain Security) Assessment System." This article provides a detailed explanation of the SCS Assessment System.

Are you aware that the extended support for "Windows Server 2016" will completely end on January 12, 2027? A server migration project requires about two years of preparation, including current situation assessment, design, construction, testing, and production migration. If we calculate the remaining time until the end of extended support, we need to start planning immediately. After the end of extended support, the provision of security updates and fixes for critical bugs will cease completely, so "running out of time" is not an option. In this article, we will explain the benefits of on-premises server migration due to the end of support and a blueprint for ensuring a successful migration, aimed at IT department heads and personnel in the manufacturing industry.

High-Capacity Storage Service! How to Choose the Right NAS for Storing and Sharing Expanding Research Data In the field of research and development, data is an essential asset that can be described as "life." However, are you feeling stressed by issues such as "the NAS is already full" or "data transfer is slow, and the waiting time is a waste" in your daily operations? In this article, we will explore why high-performance, high-capacity NAS is needed in modern research and development centers, while clearly explaining "three points to choose the right NAS without failure" and "the optimal RAID configuration."

What is replication? The basics of its mechanism Replication is a technology that duplicates and synchronizes data from one server or database (primary/master) to another server (replica/slave/standby) in real-time or at short intervals. The basic mechanism is carried out in the following steps. In this article, we will explain in detail the mechanism of replication servers, their benefits, and how they differ from backups.

Finally, "high school education" has been fundamentally updated...! Looking ahead to Japan in 2040, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has proposed a high school reform plan with a budget of approximately 300 billion yen. ~ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology "N-E.X.T. High School Concept" ~ Fostering the next generation of talent responsible for social implementation in 2040. The supplementary budget proposal for fiscal year 2025, recently announced by the Ministry of Education, includes an extremely large budget of about 295.5 billion yen for this "N-E.X.T. High School Concept," which has garnered intense attention not only from the education sector but also from the industry. In November 2025, as part of a comprehensive economic policy aimed at achieving a "strong economy," the government began the largest high school education reform since the post-war period. This is the "N-E.X.T. High School Concept."

From "Installation" to "Build": Following the Dramatic Evolution! NVIDIA Omniverse, the leader in the industrial metaverse. Did you know that this tool, which has been known as a "high-performance 3D platform," has fundamentally changed its appearance since the major update in October 2025? The first thing that engineers visiting the site to "try the latest Omniverse" will be surprised by is the disappearance of the once-standard process of "installing apps from the Launcher." In this article, we will provide a detailed explanation of the complete transformation of Omniverse into its new form and the actual building flow.

~1st Humanoid Robot EXPO Spring: On-Site Report~ From April 15 to 17 last week, the "1st Humanoid Robot EXPO Spring" was held at Tokyo Big Sight. As Applied, we visited this momentous inaugural exhibition. The moment I stepped into the venue, I felt a "tangible future" that sets itself apart from previous exhibitions. My honest impression was... "Oh, this is no longer just a story about the future." It was a shock that felt like it hit me from the scene right in front of me, not just a theoretical realization!

From April 8 (Wednesday) to April 10 (Friday), 2026, the **"Japan IT Week Spring IT, DX, and AI Comprehensive Exhibition"** was held at Tokyo Big Sight. The booth of MSI, for which we serve as the domestic distributor, was bustling with customers seeking the latest AI solutions, creating an atmosphere filled with excitement. Our team from the Tokyo sales office also participated on the final day, April 10 (Friday), and what we witnessed went beyond the stage of "how to use AI" to a more specific and passionate expectation of "how to implement AI in our own field (physical space) and create value." This time, we will provide a detailed report on the next-generation computing infrastructure presented by MSI, centered around the flagship product **"Xpert Station WS300 on DGX Station,"** which symbolizes this event, and the future possibilities we support.

In modern research and development, as well as in the medical field, it has become essential to combine "diverse types of data (multimodality)" and seamlessly observe the "hierarchies from micro to macro (multiscale)." However, integrating complex data for high-precision analysis often requires advanced programming skills and specialized knowledge... The solution to such challenges is the 3D visualization platform "Dragonfly," developed by the Canadian company Comet Technologies. This time, we will introduce its overwhelming features and appeal!

[On-Site Report] Latest Trends in HPC and AI at COMPUTEX 2026 The world's largest computer technology exhibition, "COMPUTEX 2026," was held in Taipei, Taiwan. Applied has dispatched employees to the site to directly observe the latest products and technologies presented by manufacturers from around the world. The venue was filled with many visitors from the entrance to each exhibition booth and the aisles, creating an exhibition that allowed us to feel the high interest in next-generation technologies, including AI, and the excitement of the global market. When one thinks of COMPUTEX, it may evoke an impression of an event centered around PCs and gaming products. However, the venue showcased numerous technologies directly related to manufacturing, research and development, and various businesses, including AI, HPC, data centers, robotics, and edge computing. In this report, we will introduce noteworthy technologies that support future AI development and research environments from the unique perspective of Applied, a manufacturer of HPC, workstations, and AI servers, focusing on GPU computing, AI servers, cooling technologies, and infrastructure for data centers.

From June 8 (Monday) to June 12 (Friday), 2026, the "2026 Annual Conference of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence (JSAI2026)" was held at G-Messe Gunma. At this conference, where cutting-edge AI technologies and researchers gathered, we also showcased and demonstrated our latest AI workstations and practical solutions. We welcomed many visitors each day, and we are excited to share the vibrant atmosphere of the exhibition hall that concluded successfully!

The R&D (research and development) field in manufacturing and mobility development is currently undergoing a significant transformation. The amount of data to be processed and the complexity of simulations are exploding due to the societal implementation of autonomous driving, advanced mobility control in smart cities, and the digital twin of manufacturing processes. In this AX (AI Transformation) era, the key to dramatically shortening the lead time for research and development is the "DGX B200" and "DGX B300" equipped with NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture. In this column, we will explain the technological breakthroughs they bring from two perspectives: "acceleration of CAE" and "autonomous driving simulation."

A large computer specialty store "Applied," the fourth store in Aichi Prefecture, will have its grand opening near the intersection of 6-chome, Shimoichibacho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture! We offer an overwhelming selection of products, from the latest computers to BTO PCs and used PCs, all at surprising prices. With our high level of technical expertise unique to specialty stores, we will solve any computer-related issues you may have. For businesses looking to introduce PCs, please leave it to us!

Applied will be exhibiting at the "Robotics and Mechatronics Conference 2026 in Fukuoka," which will be held from June 28 (Sunday) to July 1 (Wednesday), 2026. Official website: https://robomech.org During the event, we will propose the latest computing environment (HPC environment) that is essential for the advancement of AI and robotics research. This time, taking advantage of our local presence, we are excited to introduce the latest computing environment that supports your research activities. We look forward to this valuable opportunity to directly showcase our offerings. Researchers and stakeholders coming from all over the country, please be sure to stop by our booth when you visit. We sincerely await your arrival.

JSAI2026 is one of the largest academic events in Japan, organized by the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence. This year marks a significant milestone with its 40th anniversary, featuring a special program that provides an overview of past technological trends, as well as covering the "hottest" topics such as the evolution of generative AI and embodied AI. In the research of increasingly complex large language models (LLMs) and multimodal AI, the evolution is supported by a computing infrastructure that boasts overwhelming performance. At our booth, we will present the latest computing technologies to accelerate the next generation of AI research. Let's create a special five days together to discuss the future of AI in Japan, alongside the special program for the 40th anniversary.

A Step Ahead Business Proposal - Applied Business Fair (Tohoku Area) - This fair will widely introduce the latest solutions supporting research and development in the AI era. We will provide clear explanations of AI servers/HPC products offered by Applied, incorporating case studies and use cases, and introduce selection points useful for utilization in universities, research institutions, and companies. We will also showcase high-quality servers and workstations manufactured domestically in collaboration with MSI. Additionally, representatives from manufacturers will directly explain the in-house solution for AI visual inspection that addresses challenges in the manufacturing industry, "MENOU," and the next-generation 3D image analysis software "Dragonfly," which is gaining attention in biological, medical, and materials research. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience the latest workstations/HPC/AI servers through live demonstrations. We will provide valuable information and practical proposals for those considering strengthening their research and development capabilities and utilizing AI.

A Business Proposal That Goes One Step Ahead: Applied Business Fair (Tokyo Headquarters) - The Cutting Edge of HPC Solutions Supporting Research and Development in the AI Era: "Explaining Applied AI Servers/HPC Products" In this seminar, we will clearly introduce the latest AI servers and HPC solutions provided by Applied, incorporating actual implementation cases and use cases. - Latest Business Computer Exhibition We will showcase actual devices of cutting-edge computers such as workstations, HPC, and AI servers. - Explanation of Cutting-Edge Computer Solutions 〇 Introduction of the product positioning and application examples of the cutting-edge GPU platform "DGX Spark" NVIDIA Corporation 〇 Explanation of the AI supercomputer MSI DGX Spark equipped with Blackwell MSI Computer Japan Co., Ltd. - Explanation of AI Visual Inspection Systems Solving challenges in the manufacturing industry through the AI transformation of visual inspections and in-house production. We will introduce an innovative solution that allows for the in-house production of AI visual inspections in manufacturing with no-code implementation.

Announcement of New Store Openings and Establishment of Production Factory We are pleased to announce the opening of new stores: Applied Sendai Store (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture) and Applied Toyota Store (Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture). Additionally, in order to enhance our production capacity, we will be establishing a new production factory in Nagoya (Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture).

★Business Proposal Ahead of the Curve: Applied Business Fair - Cutting-edge HPC Solutions Supporting Research and Development in the AI Era: "Explaining Applied AI Servers/HPC Products" We will provide a clear introduction to the latest AI servers and HPC solutions offered by Applied, incorporating actual implementation examples and use cases. We will explain the product lineup and selection points that are useful for applications across a wide range of fields. - Latest Business Computer Exhibition We will showcase actual models of cutting-edge computers such as workstations, HPC, and AI servers. - Explanation of the Latest Image Analysis Software 1. 3D Image Analysis Software 'Dragonfly': Ideal for analyzing X-ray CT devices and 3D electron microscope images. 2. 2D Image Analysis Software 'Image-Pro AI': Ideal for analyzing 2D microscope images. - Explanation of AI Visual Inspection Systems We will introduce an innovative solution that allows for no-code in-house development of AI visual inspection in the manufacturing industry. Additionally, we will guide you through the all-in-one system "A eye BOX" for AI visual inspection, which consolidates inspection equipment into one unit, allowing you to see the actual device.

Visual inspection, automated with this one machine. With an all-in-one package, it reduces implementation and maintenance costs from introduction to operation, making it possible to introduce a low-cost AI visual inspection system.