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Tokyo, JAPAN (March 28, 2023) – i-PRO Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce the winners of the "Future Design Challenge" Gold Award goes to “SOUND BRICK” by Agnes Filica Giovinna of Indonesia. Based on the theme of this year's competition, " Averting Future Climate Crises Through The Power Of Engineering," we received diverse applications from various countries and regions. Many of the entries were of a very high level of ideas, considering problems that have already become apparent or will become apparent in the near future and skillfully incorporating concepts for solving them into concrete forms. As a result of the strict evaluation by four judges, the Gold Award went to "SOUND BRICK" by Agnes Filica Giovinna of Indonesia, and the Silver Award went to "moene" by team moene of Japan and "ESC 1" by Korean/Japanese creative collective IVAAIU City.   Gold Award “SOUND BRICK” Agnes Filica Giovinna (Indonesia) Concept Description: SOUND BRICK is a wall made of foam, that absorbs sound waves and converts them into electrical energy to diminish the use of fossil fuels. Compared to solar panels and wind turbines, it doesn’t require as much maintenance, materials, and a huge land to function. People can install SOUND BRICK in their homes or offices and enjoy their electricity in a renewable-friendly way.  Profile: Agnes Filica Giovinna is a student from BINUS Northumbria School of Design studying graphic design and screen-based interfaces. As someone who was raised in Indonesia while being familiar with both Asian and Western influences — she is a graphic designer of logical and imaginative caliber. Today, she sees herself as a designer of many shapes and colors.  Comment from Judge: (La Myra Bening) The concept is quite clear and well-presented, and the design process is explained clearly. (Takuma Iwasa) It is a very interesting concept and would have significant impact if it could be realized.   Silver Award “moene” team moene (Japan) Concept Description: This is a product that generates electricity while capturing CO2 using the power of algae, making it possible to produce electricity anywhere. Concept Video: https://youtu.be/lgYaeqFexaY Profile: team moene is a unit consisting of WENJIN MA and CHISATO SARUWATARI. Ma graduated from Tama Art University and as a UX designer, specialises in designing from service conception to UXUI design, with user experience and creativity as the starting point. Saruwatari graduated from Musashino Art University and is interested in solving social issues, and is active as a designer who works on solving issues that are not restricted by the medium of expression while focusing on visual design. They both work for Dentsu Digital, a leading digital marketing company. Comment from Judge: (La Myra Bening) Great concept on algae to electricity application. Presentation is presented quite clearly as well.   Silver Award “ESC 1” IVAAIU City (Korea/Japan) Concept Description: ESC 1 is a wearable rescue signal device for wildfire refugees. It collects energy during regular days, and when a disaster happens, it helps people use it to distress light signals to  rescue helicopters or surveillance drones. Also, people can use it to charge essential electrical devices to communicate with the emergency organizations around them. Profile: IVAAIU City is a new media creators' collective based in Seoul and Tokyo. The group consists of artists and designers from various genres in pursuit of creating a new art expression reflecting the ideas of the present era. They have been doing projects in open fields by crossing the disciplines, using interconnecting technologies, and sharing open ideas. The group consists of Donguk Agos Lee, an urban planner/architect; Sung-Su Park, a new media architect; Hancheol So, an architect; Hiroto Takeuchi, a sound designer; and Jiin Yoon, an object designer. One of their representative works is 'Robot Architecture Archetype(2022)', presented by ZER01NE in Seoul, South Korea. For ESC 1(SSALT_IN) project, Keunwook Kim takes part in industrial design and creative direction. Most of his works start with observing people and building meaningful interactions in the physical environment. Comment from Judge: (Takuma Iwasa) A very clean design is being put together.  Future Design Challenge 2022 Outline This international design competition program is to provide opportunities for up-and-coming problem solvers or futurists to win the prestigious award for innovative design excellence. This competition calls upon young, creative and talented engineers and designers around the world, to present their fresh ideas, thoughts, and design. 2022 Theme "Averting Future Climate Crises Through The Power Of Engineering. Schedule Application period: 2022.Dec.23  - 2023.Feb.28 Judging period: 2023.Mar.01 - Mar.16 Announcement of award winners: 2023.Mar.17 > 2023.Mar.28 Award Future Design Challenge Award (Gold/Silver) Prize money:  -    Gold - ¥300,000 JPY (Approx. $2,189 USD) for 1 person or 1 group -    Silver - ¥100,000 JPY (Approx. $730 USD) for 2 persons or 2 groups i-PRO Japan Tour (Gold Only) Judges La Myra Bening, Designer, Gold Award Winner of Future Design Challenge 2021 Hironori Iwasaki, Professor at Department of Creative Innovation, Musashino Art University, Business Designer Takuma Iwasa, Representative Director and CEO, Shiftall Inc. Tomoyuki Hirose, Representative Director and President, Tomoshi Bito inc For more details, please come and check our website at https://futuredesignchallenge.com/

Tokyo/Langmeil/Tokyo (March 24, 2023) – i-PRO Co., Ltd. (i-PRO), MOBOTIX AG (MOBOTIX), and Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) are pleased to announce that they will strengthen their strategic collaboration by combining their products. This collaboration will allow the companies to mutually leverage the strengths of the portfolio offering of i-PRO and MOBOTIX, both specialists in imaging and sensing technologies, and combine their products with FORXAI, a cutting-edge imaging IoT platform of Konica Minolta. Collaboration of i-PRO and MOBOTIX with their IP cameras i-PRO offers a wide range of video surveillance products incorporating edge AI technology. Together with the renowned reliability and durability of Japanese products, that has enabled the company to increase its presence in the global market. On the other hand, MOBOTIX offers decentralized processing (edge computing) IP cameras worldwide, which satisfy the rigorous durability standards required for made-in-Germany products. With their high-end thermal imaging cameras, they have the critical ability to accurately detect temperature anomalies and variations. MOBOTIX, i-PRO, and Konica Minolta jointly developed a system by visual and thermal cameras in 2020. The new strategic cooperation says that MOBOTIX will use selected high-performance i-PRO camera hardware. Combined with unique MOBOTIX DNA feature sets on an ODM/JDM (Original Design Manufacturing/Joint Development Manufacturing) basis, with the first product scheduled to be launched in 2023, the hardware will be compatible with the existing MOBOTIX and Konica Minolta system landscape. The collaboration will strengthen solution offerings for the vertical markets – e.g. industry & production, government, healthcare, logistics - in a targeted manner with performant end-to-end solutions. It enables customers to meet their needs in terms of improved processes, higher profits, and support more social safety and security in society. Combination of i-PRO and MOBOTIX products with Konica Minolta's FORXAI The surveillance and video solutions market now demands much more than video monitoring and post-event verification. Detection, analysis, and prediction using AI, and the provision of data services that leverage it, are increasingly coming into focus as new growth areas. Connecting i-PRO and MOBOTIX systems with Konica Minolta's FORXAI imaging IoT platform opens up integrating and using various other devices and systems through open partnerships. Thus, the companies hope to develop unique solutions based on Konica Minolta's state-of-the-art imaging AI technology, integrate the technologies of FORXAI partner companies, expand their customer base, and continuously utilize customer data. Comments by Top Executives Shohei Ozaki, COO of i-PRO Co., Ltd., said, "Since its establishment in 2019, i-PRO has been building collaborative relationships with partners around the world, and in 2020, entered into a partnership with Konica Minolta and MOBOTIX. Konica Minolta, MOBOTIX, and i-PRO are pioneers in image-based intelligent services and are reputed for the quality and reliability of their products. I believe that this partnership will help our extensive lineup of products incorporating edge AI technology contribute to solving a wider range of social issues. "MOBOTIX and i-PRO share many common values and have matching quality standards, especially regarding performance and cybersecurity. Together with Konica Minolta, we can bundle our competencies and offer innovative solutions including thermal technology and AI for our central vertical markets," said Thomas Lausten, CEO of MOBOTIX AG. “The focus of video technology on data usage is a common starting point for the cooperation partners. Intelligent video technology is much more than delivering safety. It is about effective operations, increasing sales, and making people's lives easier." Toshiya Eguchi, Konica Minolta's Executive Vice President and Executive Officer Responsible for Technologies and Imaging-IoT Solution Business, commented as follows. "We are looking forward to this intensive partnership. Through this collaboration among Konica Minolta's imaging IoT platform FORXAI, MOBOTIX and i-PRO, we are confident that their competencies, high-quality standards, and strengths complement each other perfectly. The cooperation will be a win-win-win for the three companies. The biggest winners, by far, will be our customers and users."