◆Selected for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Regional Community DX Promotion Package Project (AI Verification Type)" - Supporting the realization of agricultural DX in mountainous and hilly areas that does not depend on communication infrastructure -
Release Date:
Selected for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Regional Society DX Promotion Package Project (AI Verification Type)”
~Supporting the realization of agriculture digital transformation (DX) in mountainous and rural areas, regardless of communication infrastructure~
Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd., Kochi University, Kochi IoP Plus Co., Ltd., and Citynet Co., Ltd. have been selected as participating organizations in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Regional Society DX Promotion Package Project (AI Verification Type)” (managed by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.) and have commenced the “Demonstration of Data Compression Using Edge AI and Area Expansion via LPWA in Remote Mountainous Areas” (hereinafter referred to as “this demonstration”).
In this demonstration project in Kochi Prefecture, we will verify whether data from sensors and cameras installed in plastic greenhouses—compressed using edge AI and transmitted via LPWA—can be restored to high quality using cloud AI. We will also evaluate whether the AI can detect crop diseases and abnormalities in the greenhouse environment based on the restored data.By integrating AI and communication technologies, this initiative aims to enable remote monitoring of agricultural facilities in mountainous and rural areas and reduce the labor burden. It is an effort that contributes to the formation of sustainable local communities with a view toward Regional Revitalization 2.0.
[Program Details]
In this demonstration, we will undertake the following initiatives:
- Installing sensors and cameras in greenhouses in mountainous and rural areas to collect environmental data and monitor crop conditions
- Data is compressed in real time using edge AI and transmitted to the cloud via LPWA communication
- Using AI in the cloud to accurately restore data and enable automatic detection of plant diseases and environmental anomalies
- Conducted an evaluation of accuracy, restoration quality, and cost by comparing the technology with conventional image compression techniques (e.g., JPEG)
[Background and Objectives of the Project]
In Japan, the declining birthrate and aging population have led to a serious shortage of agricultural workers, and the burden of routine facility inspections has become particularly heavy in mountainous and rural areas. Furthermore, communication infrastructure in these regions is fragile, limiting the transmission and reception of sensor and video data required for remote monitoring. To address these challenges and resolve regional issues through the implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as AI and IoT, this demonstration project aims to contribute to the creation of an advanced model that can be rolled out nationwide.
[Roles of Each Organization]
| Organization Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. | ・Overall coordination and management of the project ・LPWA area design, area measurement, and evaluation ・On-site demonstration activities ・Compilation of the overall demonstration project report ・Research and activities aimed at expanding the project nationwide |
| Kochi University (National University Corporation) | ・Demonstration Coordination ・Verification Algorithm Development |
| Kochi IoP Plus Co., Ltd. | ・Client- and server-side AI software development |
| Citynet Co., Ltd. | ・Setup and installation of demonstration equipment ・On-site demonstration work |
[Future Outlook]
Through this project, we aim to establish a new model for smart agriculture that is not dependent on specific communication infrastructure, thereby accelerating the digital transformation (DX) of agriculture through remote monitoring, environmental control, and decision-making support. Furthermore, with a view to expanding the results to other regions and industries, we aim to solve challenges facing the local community as a whole and create new value.
*For an overview of the demonstration project selected under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Regional Society DX Promotion Package Project (AI Verification Type),” please refer to the website of Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc., the project manager for this demonstration project.
About Each Organization
| ■Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. Representative: Tadashi Kondo, President and CEO Headquarters: 3-3-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Established: June 1, 1950 URL: https://denkikogyo.co.jp/ |
| ■Kochi University (National University Corporation) Representative: President Hiroyuki Uchida Headquarters: 2-5-1 Akebono-cho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture Established: May 31, 1949 URL: https://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/ |
| ■Kochi IoP Plus Co., Ltd. Representative: Tetsuya Iida, President and CEO Headquarters: 200 Monobe-Otsu, Nankoku City, Kochi Prefecture Established: September 1, 2023 URL: https://iop-plus.kochi.jp/ |
| ■ Citynet Co., Ltd. Representative: Kazuma Nishinai, Representative Director Headquarters: 1-1-1 Hotarugaoka, Nankoku City, Kochi Prefecture Established: April 8, 1999 URL: https://www.city-net.jp/ |