Japan is known for its cutting edge technology and the 2015 J-Pop Summit is introducing its Interactive Pavilion to showcase some of the coolest new Japanese tech to North America.
The tech will be broken into three segments: Home, Work and Mobility – featuring the latest innovations from companies like Ricoh, Canon, Toshiba, and Jins. Plus, Kodansha Comics will be bringing the Colossal Titan from its hit manga series Attack on titan.
2015 J-Pop Summit will take place August 8th and 9th at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco’s Marina district. Follow the jump for much more…
2015 J-POP SUMMIT SHOWCASES JAPANESE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AT BRAND NEW “INTERACTIVE PAVILION”
S.F.’s Annual Japanese Pop Festival Adds A First-Of-Its-Kind Showcase Of Companies Creating “Lifestyles Of The Near Future” With Innovative Products And Technology For Home, Work And Mobility Applications
San Francisco, CA, June 25, 2015 – The 2015 J-POP SUMMIT proudly presents a brand new addition to the Japanese pop culture event held annually in San Francisco with the “Interactive Pavilion,” a first-of-its-kind showcase of cutting edge Japanese technology, consumer product design and innovation. The 2015 J-POP SUMMIT takes places Saturday and Sunday August 8th & 9th at the historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco’s Marina district.
This unique attraction is presented with support and cooperation from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) San Francisco Office and will present a dynamic array of technology and interactive product exhibits and offer several insightful panel discussions and forums hosted by notable Japanese tech luminaries discussing the concept of “Japanese Technology Creating Near-Future Lifestyles.”
Throughout the weekend, J-POP SUMMIT attendees to Fort Mason can enjoy a colorful assortment of Japanese pop-influenced culture, fashion, pop art, live music, technology, and travel attractions that will be complemented by celebrity Guests of Honor, Panels, Music live concert, and a wide assortment of vendors and other programming. Tickets and V.I.P Passes are available now at: www.J-POP.com.
Emphasizing 3 distinct categories, the “Interactive Pavilion,” will present spaces highlighting a diverse range of large, as well as start-up companies, pushing the limits of Japanese technical innovation and development. “HOME,” a space focusing on individuals and families; “WORK,” a space focusing on the office lifestyle; “MOBILITY,” a space that focuses on the link between home-life and office-life.
“Through this dynamic new attraction, J-POP SUMMIT attendees can gain first-hand insight into how Japanese hardware, software, and other products are creating better lives for people in the present as well as for the future,” says Seiji Horibuchi, Chairman of J-POP SUMMIT.
MOBILITY Showcase:
MOBILITY displays focus on the latest technology and products that improve freedom of movement.
YAMAHA MOTOR
YAMAHA Motor will be hosting an exhibition and test-riding event of its electric power-assisted wheelchair products. YAMAHA electric power-assisted wheelchairs are more effective and clinically beneficial to use than hand-powered wheelchairs. YAMAHA electric power assist wheelchairs give the user more freedom of mobility than fully electric-powered wheelchairs. Come test-ride this new model, and welcome all J-POP attendees to come experience the world of mobility through the YAMAHA electric power assists!
(Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.) http://global.yamaha-motor.com
WHILL
Presenting universal smart transportation and personal mobility for future generations that goes above and beyond the traditional concept of a wheelchair. WHILL’s 4WD capabilities and large front wheels allow it to clear obstacles of up to 3 inches high. A full battery charge gives it a range of up to 10.6 miles. WHILL’s maximum speed is 5.5 mph and it has a 10 degree incline capability. Its slim and compact design, in combination with the all-directional front wheels, help it maneuver around tight spaces. WHILL is accompanied by an iPhone app which connects via Bluetooth and allows for remote control of the device. The app also allows you to adjust the seat, driving and control settings, and even includes a security locking mechanism to keep the device secure when you’re not using it. (WHILL, Inc.) http://whill.us
WORK Showcase:
WORK exhibits focus on the office lifestyle and products and technology to improve workflow and productivity
FUJITSU
Envisioning a future where technology is an indispensable part of our daily lives, Fujitsu is proud to present a new-age experience through a prototype of the smart shoe of the future. If we add data transmitting technology to the shoes we wear every day and convert them into digital devices, what kind of change will that bring about in our lives? We might be able to communicate feelings through dance, control apps, or even check on our health using our shoes. Through experiencing this prototype, let’s explore the possibilities of a future where smart shoes are a part of our daily lives. (FUJITSU Ltd.) http://www.fujitsu.com/us
NIFTY
From an idea born out from the popular Japanese web site, Daily Portal Z, “Money Bath”, a bathtub full of money comes to J-Pop Summit! Daily Portal Z is a Japanese daily news site with over 800,000 unique visitors every month. Users can take a picture with the virtual cash filled bathtub and post it to Facebook or Twitter to show the world what they look like as a millionaire, swimming in cash. (NIFTY Corporation) http://www.nifty.com
TOSHIBA
Presenting a wireless adapter equipped with TransferJet technology that can quickly transfer large files just by touching it to an enabled smartphone or laptop. Come visit the Toshiba booth at the J-POP SUMMIT to get access to special contents from the guests of the festival!
(Toshiba America Electronic Component, Inc.) http://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/us/product/wireless-communication/transferjet.html
JINS
The JINS brand was founded in Japan in 2001 and has since become a global leader in crafting stylish and innovative eyewear at affordable prices. JINS continues to pioneer the creation of glasses that see beyond simple vision correction, and opened its first flagship store in San Francisco in April 2015. JINS developed JINS SCREEN with modern consumers in mind: ones who spend long hours looking at computer screens and other gadgets. JINS SCREEN is designed to filter out 25% of eye-strain-causing blue light while at the same time being light-weight. JINS SCREEN will be available for sale at the JINS booth at J-Pop Summit!
(JINS Eyewear US, Inc.) http://www.jins.com/us
UNION TOOL
Exhibiting myBeat, a new heart-rate sensor that is Bluetooth smart enabled and can easily sync with smart phones and tablets. It can be used in a variety of ways, including caregiving and keeping track of your mental health, as well as for entertainment. (UNION TOOL CO.) http://www.uniontool.co.jp/en
OMRON
Presenting image-sensing components including WiFi communication, Human Vision Components (HVC). It can detect faces, bodies, hands, can estimate age, gender, facial pose/gaze/blink degree and emotion based on facial features. Come try it out at the Omron booth at J-POP SUMMIT! (OMRON Corporation) https://www.omron.com
Fujitsu Computer Products of America
Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. will be showcasing its award-winning line of Fujitsu ScanSnap scanners designed to help people live a more productive, paperless, mobile and efficient life. ScanSnap quickly and easily digitizes documents, turning them into secure, searchable PDFs or JPEGs with a simple push of a button. Attendees can stop-by the Fujitsu booth where they can draft their own personalized pictures and greetings, scan them with a ScanSnap scanner and then send directly to their friends and family.
(Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc.) http://scanners.fcpa.fujitsu.com/scansnap11
MARUKOME
Presenting an innovative miso soup dispenser that will let one enjoy warm miso soup at the simple touch a button. Visitors are invited to take a break during J-POP SUMMI to enjoy a complementary bowl of miso soup served by this unique machine. (Marukome USA Inc.) http://www.marukomeusa.com
HOME Showcase:
HOME displays focus on technology and products to improve the lives of individuals and families
RICOH
Exhibiting the new spherical camera “RICOH THETA”. It is not just an ordinary camera but a 360-degree camera that captures the whole world around you with just one shot. It’s an amazing camera that lets you capture the exact dynamic of a moment as it happens. At the J-POP SUMMIT Ricoh booth, you can take 360°pictures using THETA with the giant “Attack on Titan” head display! (Ricoh Company Ltd) http://www.ricoh-imaging.com
CANON
Canon, the leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions, is joining the J-POP SUMMIT for the first time. Come try out all kinds of products at the Canon booth! (Canon U.S.A., Inc.) https://www.usa.canon.com
Panasonic
Panasonic will join Interactive Pavilion and J-POP SUMMIT for the first time on August 8th-9th in San Francisco. Please visit us at our booth and experience first-hand the wonderment of Panasonic creations. (Panasonic Corporation) http://shop.panasonic.com/home
KODANSHA COMICS
Kodansha Comics is proud to present Japan’s world-renowned comics-art form in San Francisco. Don’t miss your chance to see the Colossal Titan (from the hit series Attack on Titan) in person at Fort Mason Center. Come capture Attack On Titan in a whole new way with RICOH’s spherical THETA camera, and experience the VR comics reader through our collaboration with FOVE. Plus, come check out an interactive pop-up manga gallery at DG717 at 717 Market Street that is open and free to the public. Updates and more details are available at: http://kodanshacomics.com.
FOVE
Presenting the world’s first eye-tracking virtual reality headset. Look for the FOVE Manga x Virtual Reality collaboration for a whole new way to experience the “Attack on Titan” display!
(FOVE Inc.) http://www.getfove.com
MESH
MESH (Make, Experience, Share) is an intuitive DIY invention tool for making your ideas real. It consists of wireless functional tags and visual coding canvas on a tablet. Let’s make your own “smart projects” in just few minutes! (MESH Inc.) http://meshprj.com
SHIKUMI DESIGN
Presenting KAGURA, a new software that allows you to virtually play instruments using web camera based movement recognition technology. Check out the performance using KAGURA by Shunsuke Nakamura on the main stage as well! (SHIKUMI DESIGN, Inc.)?http://www.kagura.cc
FIGURE STAGE
Presenting a smart phone app that will revolutionize the world of figures through its easy to use stage direction, filming, and image processing functions. A limited edition J-POP SUMMIT display version will be available for purchase at the festival! (FIGURE STAGE) http://figurestage.com
About J-POP SUMMIT
The J-POP SUMMIT is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration held in San Francisco, CA that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion shows and events, food and spirits, art, and celebrity appearances. In 2014, the two-day event attracted 125,000 attendees. Details on J-POP SUMMIT are available at www.J-POP.com.