Message from the Vice President & CTO
Message from the Vice President & CTO (2/2)
Developing an environment where talented engineers can focus on the challenges of R&D
Several possible fields of application have been presented as examples of the reach that cross-media imaging offers, and Canon, as a corporation, must carefully consider how to fully utilize them. Although it may be necessary to repeatedly review plans in order to realize commercialization, one thing that must be understood is the unlimited potential of crossmedia imaging.
When pursuing new development within the imaging domain, what is most important is whether the efforts are accompanied by a dream. Our aim is not simply growing it as a new business, but rather to make use of the passion to make the technological future we envision a reality, and the spirit to face all challenges to contribute to a richer society as we strive to realize new possibilities in imaging technology.
Canon places great importance on its research and development, investing over ¥300 billion per year in R&D on a consolidated basis since 2006, and will continue following this course, as will be reflected in the creation of a new R&D framework and environment.
The Frontier Research Center conducts future-focused research in basic technical fields from a long-term perspective, beginning with scientific research to identify the technological “seeds” that can be developed into viable future technologies.
Canon will continue to maintain and enhance these research and development environments. The company will actively engage in joint research involving not only Canon Inc.'s research and development divisions, but also the company’s entire global R&D network linking Canon research bases across the globe, along with outside research institutions and universities.
Canon R&D bases
Canon's original technologies are developed under careful management guidance
Since the company’s founding, Canon's corporate DNA has comprised a respect for human dignity, an emphasis on technology, and a spirit of enterprise. This has since led to a tradition of unfailing commitment to original technologies.
For Canon, these “original technologies" must go beyond being just original. Rather, they must be truly superior, creative technologies. Moreover, such original technologies must serve to further enhance the company's core capabilities, the source of Canon’s competitive prowess.
The core capabilities of a manufacturer cannot be achieved simply through the application of existing technologies. Canon has built its history through dedication to original technologies and in-house development, which has resulted in the birth of core technologies and products, and the establishment of the company's technological strength.
To maintain and advance this framework, we must strengthen company-wide technical management capabilities with our sights set not only on ten years from now, but even farther into the future. To fulfill this goal, in January 2008 we established the Technological Strategy Committee. In addition to furthering our understanding of all aspects of science and technology, by establishing an accurate future vision based on the acquisition of a broad, objective perspective of the market and proposing potential technological applications in new fields, Canon will further enhance its development capabilities for the creation of original technologies.
The true spirit of Canon engineers is reflected in repeatedly embracing challenges
While many Canon products have been realized through diverse technical innovations, these achievements represent the triumphs of engineers whose names will forever be linked with the company’s technological history. Despite many failed attempts, their perseverance and diligence ultimately led to success.
Canon’s technical development capabilities are supported by the company’s free and open corporate culture, along with the progress in the sharing of information realized by direct links between R&D and production divisions. As one of our strengths, we will continue to foster this corporate culture while actively promoting exchanges between engineers throughout the company aimed at the sharing of knowledge and information. We believe that these efforts will add further momentum to the existing corporate culture, providing encouragement to exceptionally talented individuals toward the proposal and execution of new and innovative technical ideas.
I associate with a wide range of engineers myself as I personally take part in events such as the Innovative Engineering Forum, which provides a venue for engineers to engage in extensive debate and discussion, as well as regular lunch meetings with junior engineers. Some of the ideas proposed by these young engineers at these events have been adopted as actual research themes.
Canon will cultivate various research ideas, developing them into technological dreams. Through a process of repeated trial and error, original technologies will be born and, supported by an infallible framework, strengthened toward a grand vision. I look to our engineers to pursue their development efforts embracing this spirit of challenge.
It is this spirit of challenge that represents the true spirit of Canon engineers.
- Canon's technological capabilities have grown through the development of cutting-edge technologies and the accumulation of an array of basic technologies. Patents are one way that the technological prowess of a company is measured, and in the United States, where companies from around the world have gathered, Canon has maintained its position among the top three patent recipients for the past 17 years.
-
Companies and number of patent acquisitions, 2008 1 IBM 4,164 2 Samsung Electronics 3,518 3 Canon 2,114 4 Microsoft 2,027 5 Intel 1,777
