Microsoft's Gates taps Japan for R&D projects

TOKYO -- Microsoft is teaming with six elite Japanese universities to broaden and deepen the company's software research, said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect, at a Tokyo news conference on Tuesday.

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On July 1, Microsoft Research, the software giant's basic research arm, will set up the Microsoft Institute for Japanese Academic Research Collaboration (IJARC) with the universities to develop natural language and speech recognition, graphics, and user interface software, Gates said.

"Software today is very simple compared to what it will become in the future," Gates said. "Voice recognition...visual recognition, learning systems based on AI (artificial intelligence) are still just a dream. Companies such as Xerox were unable to take advantage of their investments to make products, we want to change that and keep a strong relationship between products and research. The challenge is to find the best way to work together."

IJARC will have a committee to coordinate its work, representatives said. Microsoft will give researchers the company's latest software and set up fellowships and scholarships to promote the research, Gates said. He declined comment on how much Microsoft was investing in the institute.

The institutions working on the IJARC project are Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, and Waseda Universities, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Keio Gijuku University.

The institute will also collaborate with Microsoft to develop software to enable humans to interact more easily with robots, automobiles and other electronic systems, according to Katsushi Ikeuchi, professor at Tokyo University's Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies. Ikeuchi will head the IJARC's advisory committee.

Microsoft spends about $6 billion a year on research and development and is looking to spend more cash in Japan to make better products. While most product development is still done at Microsoft's headquarters, the move is part of a bigger tie-up with Asian researchers to mine them for new ideas, Gates said.

"Asia will step forward (and) in Japan and China contributions will be accelerated. We find it easier to conduct research abroad," he said.

Microsoft Research Asia, which works with academics in the region, has granted 150 fellowships since it was set up seven years ago, according to Harry Shum, the organization's managing director.

Monday's announcement came a day after Microsoft and Toshiba said they would look into ways to use Windows CE technology in HD-DVD players and both moves are part of a shift by Microsoft to deepen its ties with both Japanese consumer electronics and IT companies, and leading research organizations, according to Michael Rawding, president and chief executive officer of Microsoft Japan.

"There is increased investment in Japan and ... mobile and consumer electronics can be done here in a way that has a global impact," Rawding said.