Toyota Konpon Research Institute aims to create projects that fly over knowledge watersheds. These projects are expected to be future cutting-edge research at Toyota Group companies. At the same time, it is essential that the recipients have an interest in fundamental science ― in other words, high scientific literacy. Based on this idea, the Toyota Konpon Research Institute Lecture Series launched in 2022.
The lecture series will cover the fields of science of matter/materials, science of intelligence/intellect, and life science. Instead of narrow and specialized content that targets a specific field, the lectures will focus on taking a comprehensive view and considering matters over a long period of time. The common theme is “where do we come from and where are we going?” Through the lectures, we hope that a wide range of audience will gain broader horizons as well as new and higher perspectives.
Life Science
Science of Intelligence/
Intellect
Science of Matter/
Materials
ChatGPT and other generative AI are changing the world. As AI develops, people are asking again what life is. Dr. Takeuchi's lecture taught us about the origin and evolution of life. We learned that creating a new system requires a lot of time and energy.
Prof. Kobayashi's lecture taught us that death is the end for an individual, but for the evolution of a species, it is the beginning. Prof. Ikegaya asked us what “human nature” is through the contrast between the brain and AI. In this series, we looked at life from many different angles and tried to understand the essence of life science, which is the core of "Monozukuri" (Making Things).
Kaoru Takeuchi
Science Journalist
Takehiko obayashi
Professor
Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
The University of Tokyo
Yuji Ikegaya
Professor
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
The University of Tokyo
In the past 50 years, human knowledge has been converted into data. But we haven't yet implemented intellect, which is the ability to find answers to questions with no right answer, or wisdom, which cannot be expressed in formal knowledge. How should humans and AI coexist? Prof. Tsujii's lecture focused on the reliability of AI, Prof. Miyake's on the acceptability of AI, and Dr. Okanohara's on the usability of AI, and approached the question of what the ultimate "happiness" of humans is.
Junichi Tsujii
AIST Fellow, National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology
Professor, The University of Manchester
Takehiko obayashi
Professor
Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
The University of Tokyo
Daisuke Okanohara
Representative Director &
Chief Executive Researcher
Preferred Networks Inc.
In FY2022, we looked at climate change, resources, and materials from the perspective of the Earth system under our feet. In FY2023, we further expanded our perspective to the universe, pursuing the fundamentals of the environment and materials around us. Prof. Miyahara's lecture discussed how the sun affects the Earth's climate and weather. Dr. Oki's lecture outlined the present and future of the Earth using data from satellites. Prof. Murayama's lecture explored the origin of matter (where do we come from?) using the cutting edge of particle physics and astrophysics.
Hiroko Miyahara
Professor,Musashino Art University
Riko Oki
Director of Earth Observation Research Center,
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Hitoshi Murayama
Professor, University of California, Berkeley
Professor, Kavli Institute for the Physics
and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU),
The University of Tokyo
"Carbon neutral", which Toyota Group companies are tackling, is a challenge that occurs in the huge Earth system. To overcome this problem, it is essential to understand the dynamic changes in atmospheric composition on the Earth's surface and the circulation of materials inside the Earth. Also, all the materials we have originate from the Earth. Where, how much, and in what form do the substances exist? Hints of unknown materials are hidden in the Earth. “Where do we come from? Where are we going?” I would like to think together with you based on the latest knowledge of Earth and planetary science explored in the 21st century.
Kei Hirose
Professor,
Department of Earth and Planetary Science,
Graduate School of Science,
The University of Tokyo