Appel à projets ANR-JST CREST

Agence nationale de la recherche – Appel à projets ANR-JST CREST 2019

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MODALITES DE PARTICIPATION

POUR LES

PARTICIPANTS FRANÇAIS IMPORTANT :

1. Le présent document énonce les modalités de participation des partenaires français1 à l’édition

2019 du programme CREST de la JST.

2. Les modalités de participation et recommandations importantes présentées dans ce document

s’ajoutent aux dispositions figurant dans le texte de l’édition 2019 du programme CREST (voir

en annexe).

3. Il est nécessaire de lire attentivement le texte du programme CREST, l’ensemble du présent

document ainsi que le règlement relatif aux modalités d'attribution des aides de l’ANR

(http://www.anr.fr/RF) avant de déposer une proposition de projet de recherche.

Date de clôture 03/05/2019, 10h00(CEST)

Points de contact à l’ANR Chargé de projet scientifique ANR (Fondements de l’informatique)

Eugenio Echagüe

+33 1 7354 8221

[email protected]

Chargé de projet scientifique ANR (Interaction symbiotique)

Vincent RAPP

+33 1 7354 8159

[email protected]

1 C’est-à-dire ayant un établissement ou une succursale en France

Appel à projets ANR-JST CREST

Edition 2019

http://www.anr.fr/RF


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1. CONTEXTE ET OBJECTIFS DE LA COLLABORATION

En mettant en place des accords avec des agences de financement étrangères, l'ANR permet aux

chercheurs français d'initier ou d'approfondir leurs collaborations. Elle entend ainsi faire émerger des

équipes d'excellence européennes et internationales.

L’objectif est de financer des projets internationaux innovants et d’excellence, se démarquant

clairement des projets nationaux en cours, démontrant une forte synergie entre les équipes de chaque

pays et une réelle intégration des travaux communs.

En soutenant la participation des équipes françaises2 à ces projets, l’ANR entend contribuer à

l’émergence d’équipes d'excellence européennes et internationales.

Le programme japonais CREST ((Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology) a été créé afin

de soutenir des objectifs de recherche prioritaires en prévision de besoins économiques et sociétaux

futurs. Ce programme d’excellence est mis en œuvre par la JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency),

l’agence Japonaise pour la Science et la Technologie. L’ANR a signé avec son homologue JST un

accord relatif au programme CREST afin de s’associer à cette démarche. Les chercheurs français sont

invités à déposer des projets de recherche en collaboration avec une ou des équipes japonaises dans

deux thèmes de recherche :

Fondements de l’informatique

Interaction symbiotique

Le descriptif complet des thèmes de recherche figure en annexe de ce document.

2. MODALITES DE SOUMISSION

Dans le cadre de cet appel, les projets sont soumis en une seule étape.

La même proposition de projet détaillée franco-japonais, rédigée en langue anglaise3, est déposée

successivement auprès de l’ANR par le coordinateur français et auprès de la JST par le coordinateur

japonais :

ANR : avant le 3 mai 2019 à 10h00 (CEST)

JST : voir le calendrier de la JST au moment de la publication de l’appel CREST au Japon

Le titre, le partenariat, le programme de travail et le partage des tâches fournis aux deux agences

doivent être identiques.

La proposition détaillée doit être déposée auprès de l’ANR via la plateforme de soumission de l’ANR.

Pour cela, le coordinateur français doit :

déposer sur la plateforme le document scientifique du projet ;

renseigner les informations administratives et financières demandées.

L’adresse internet de la plateforme sera communiquée au début du mois de mars sur la page web

ANR de l’appel à projets : http://www.anr.fr/crest-2019. Le modèle du document scientifique du

2 C’est-à-dire les partenaires ayant au moins un établissement ou une succursale en France

3 L’ANR incite les participants français à soumettre les propositions en langue anglaise ou à fournir sur

demande la traduction en anglais du document initialement rédigé en français. En cas d’impossibilité pour les

participants français de fournir une traduction en anglais, ceux-ci peuvent se rapprocher de l’ANR afin de

trouver une solution adaptée.

http://www.anr.fr/crest-2018


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projet est disponible à cette même adresse4.

3. ELIGIBILITE

Chaque agence se prononce sur l’éligibilité d’un projet selon ses propres règles. L’ANR vérifie

l’éligibilité des propositions de projet détaillées à partir des critères suivants :

Le consortium du projet doit impliquer au moins un partenaire français5 et un partenaire

japonais.

La durée du projet doit être de 5 ans.

Un chercheur ou une chercheuse ne peut soumettre qu’un seul projet en tant que coordinateur

ou coordinatrice et ne peut être impliqué(e) (comme coordinateur ou coordinatrice ou

responsable scientifique d’un partenaire de projet) dans plus de trois projets soumis à l’ANR

dans le cadre de l’appel à projets générique, y compris les Projets de Recherche Collaborative-

international (PRCI), et dans le cadre des appels à projets bilatéraux spécifiques du plan

d’action 20196. Pour l’édition 2019, les appels à projets multilatéraux internationaux (Era-Net,

JPI, Art. 185...) et les appels à projets MRSEI, Astrid et Astrid Maturation, LabCom et LabCom

consolidation, Challenges, Chaires, Flashs... ne sont pas concernés par cette règle

d’exclusion7.

Caractère complet :

La proposition de projet détaillée doit être déposée sur le site de soumission à la date de

clôture de soumission des propositions. Aucun document n’est admis après cette date. Une

proposition de projet détaillée complète doit comprendre :

le document scientifique ;

les informations administratives et financières.

Thèmes de collaboration scientifique :

Une proposition doit correspondre à l’un des deux thèmes de recherche de la collaboration

ANR-JST tels que décrits dans le texte de l’édition 2019 du programme CREST (voir en

annexe).

Caractère unique :

Une proposition ne doit pas être semblable en tout ou partie à une autre proposition soumise

à l’édition à laquelle se rattache cet appel ou ayant donné lieu à un financement de l’ANR.

Le caractère semblable entre deux Projets est établi lorsque ces Projets (dans leur globalité ou

en partie) décrivent des objectifs principaux identiques ou résultent d’une simple adaptation.

Un projet ne sera financé par l’ANR que s’il répond aux règles d’éligibilité de la JST et de l’ANR et

aux modalités de son règlement financier.

4 Les participants français sont par ailleurs vivement encouragés à contacter l’ANR avant le dépôt d’une

proposition de projet détaillée.

5 « Dont au moins une entité de droit public exerçant une activité de recherche ou/et d’enseignement ou une

entité de droit privé exerçant une activité de recherche et d’enseignement, ayant un établissement ou une

succursale en France. »

6 Cet appel à projet s’inscrit dans le cadre du Plan d’action 2019

7 Un déposant peut soumettre un projet à l’appel à projets générique 2019 ou à un appel bilatéral spécifique

2019 et soumettre un autre projet à un appel à projets MRSEI, Astrid ou Astrid Maturation, etc. Les objectifs

scientifiques des projets soumis ne doivent cependant pas être majoritairement identiques (cf. le critère

« caractère unique »)


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4. ENGAGEMENT DES CHERCHEURS ET DES CHERCHEUSES QUI

SOUMETTENT UN PROJET

• Chaque responsable scientifique de chaque partenaire français8 sollicitant une subvention

(ne concerne pas les partenaires étrangers) s’engage formellement sur le fait que sa hiérarchie,

notamment les services administratifs et financiers compétents et les personnes habilitées à

représenter juridiquement l’établissement gestionnaire de la subvention, ou ses représentants

ou représentantes ont donné leur accord à sa démarche de soumission en cours et que les

informations relatives à la demande leur ont été communiquées. La liste des soumissions

enregistrées par l’ANR pourra être envoyée par l’ANR aux directeurs ou directrices de

laboratoire et aux responsables administratifs des établissements gestionnaires pour les

projets les concernant ;

Le coordinateur ou la coordinatrice s’engage à ce que tous les participants au projet –

demandant ou non un financement –respectent la charte nationale de déontologie des métiers

de la recherche et la charte d’intégrité scientifique et de déontologie de l’ANR.

Dans l’éventualité où des ressources génétiques seraient utilisées dans le projet déposé, le

coordinateur ou la coordinatrice s’engage à ce que tous les participants au projet –demandant

ou non un financement –respectent les obligations associées au protocole de Nagoya159.

5. RESULTATS DE RECHERCHE ET TRANSFERT DE CONNAISSANCE

• L'ANR encourage les titulaires d'une subvention à mener et à participer à des activités de

mobilisation des connaissances (transfert, partage, valorisation, mise en valeur et diffusion)

auprès des milieux de pratique et du grand public, lorsque ces activités sont pertinentes.

• Dans le cadre de la contribution de l’ANR à la promotion et à la mise en œuvre de la science

ouverte, et en lien avec le plan national pour la science ouverte, le coordinateur ou la

coordinatrice s’engage en cas de financement (1)10 à déposer les publications scientifiques

(texte intégral) issues du projet de recherche dans une archive ouverte, soit directement dans

HAL soit par l'intermédiaire d'une archive institutionnelle locale, dans les conditions de

l’article 30 de la Loi « Pour une République numérique » ; (2) à fournir dans les 6 mois qui

suivent le démarrage du projet un plan de gestion des données (DMP) selon des modalités

communiquées dans l’acte attributif d’aide et le Règlement financier de l’ANR.

8 C’est-à-dire ayant un établissement ou une succursale en France

9 A cet égard, les Bénéficiaires des aides de l’ANR dont le Projet relève de la « réglementation de l’Accès et

partage des avantages découlant de l’utilisation des ressources génétiques et des connaissances traditionnelles

associées (APA) », sont informés qu’ils devront justifier au plus tard à la date du dernier versement de l’Aide,

du respect de leurs obligations. 10 Dans ce 1er cas, conformément à l’article 30 de la Loi « Pour une République numérique », les auteurs ont

exercé leur droit de mettre à disposition gratuitement dans un format ouvert, par voie numérique la version

finale de leur manuscrit acceptée pour publication, en soumissionnant auprès de l’ANR.

http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/missions-et-organisation/qualitedeontologie/deontologie/



http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/fileadmin/documents/2016/ANR-Reglementation-APA.pdf


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6. EVALUATION

Les projets seront évalués successivement par l’ANR puis par la JST.

Les critères d’évaluation sont communs aux deux agences et décrits ci-après.

L’évaluation par l’ANR est similaire à l’évaluation mise en œuvre dans le cadre de la 2nde étape de l’appel

à projets générique :

1. un comité d’évaluation est constitué pour chacun des thèmes de collaboration scientifique ;

2. les projets sont évalués par des experts externes (hors du comité) et par les membres du comité ;

3. le comité se réunit pour établir un classement des projets (un classement par thème).

4.1 CRITERES D’EVALUATION

Pertinence et dimension stratégique du projet vis-à-vis des orientations de l’appel à projets

Cohérence avec les thèmes de collaboration tels qu’identifiés en section 1. du présent

document.

Qualité et objectifs scientifiques : recherche fondamentale singulière, reconnue

internationalement et pour laquelle des résultats remarquables sont attendus, qui contribueront

grandement à l’innovation scientifique et technologique :

Clarté des objectifs de recherche et des hypothèses

Nouveauté, originalité, progression de l’état de l’art : la proposition de projet doit indiquer

clairement et séparément :

Le contexte de l’initiative de recherche (sa nécessité et son importance)

Les activités de recherche des chercheurs participant au projet

L’initiative de recherche et son programme

La faisabilité, en particulier au regard des méthodes et de la gestion des risques

scientifiques :

Des résultats préliminaires prometteurs ont été obtenus pour poursuivre

l’initiative de recherche

Organisation du projet et moyens mis en œuvre :

Compétences, expertise et implication du coordinateur scientifique et des partenaires :

le coordinateur exercera un leadership fort et portera la responsabilité pour toute

l’équipe de recherche. Il s’assurera de construire un cadre de collaboration

suffisant pour permettre des contributions significatives et l’atteinte des objectifs

de recherche.

le coordinateur de la proposition de projet a déjà produit des résultats de

recherche permettant d’accomplir les objectifs du projet.

Qualité et complémentarité du consortium, qualité de la collaboration, valeur ajoutée de

la collaboration

Les institutions de recherche des responsables scientifiques ont des capacités de R&D et

autres fondations techniques dans le domaine du sujet de recherche.

Plan financier approprié :

Adéquation des moyens demandés aux objectifs

Impact du projet :

Contribution à l’atteinte de l’objectif stratégique du thème de recherche (cf. texte en

annexe)

Impacts scientifique, économique, social ou culturel potentiels :


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Actions de transfert technologique et d’innovation vis-à-vis du monde socio-

économique (si pertinent)

Stratégie pour disséminer et exploiter les résultats (si pertinent)

4.4 RESULTATS

Pour chacun des thèmes de recherche, le comité d’évaluation ANR établira un classement sur la base

des évaluations. Dans le cadre de sa procédure d’évaluation, le comité JST sera amené à auditionner

le coordinateur japonais du projet. L’ANR et la JST sélectionneront ensuite conjointement les projets

à financer sur la base de ces deux classements et à concurrence de la capacité budgétaire des agences.

7. DISPOSITIONS POUR LE FINANCEMENT

Chaque agence financera les dépenses relatives aux équipes de son pays selon ses propres règles. Les

modalités d’attribution des aides de l’ANR sont précisées dans le « Règlement financier » disponible

à l’adresse http://www.anr.fr/RF.

Un rapport intermédiaire à 24 mois ainsi qu’un rapport final seront à transmettre aux chargés de

missions scientifiques dont les coordonnées sont indiquées en première page.

ACCORDS DE CONSORTIUM Les déposants doivent se référer à l’article 4.4 du règlement financier et à la fiche n°4 relative aux

accords de consortium afin de connaître les règles applicables.

8. REGLEMENT SUR LA PROTECTION DES DONNEES PERSONNELLES

(RGPD)

Dans le cadre de l’évaluation en parallèle qui sera menée par la JST et par l’ANR, les participants

français sont informés que les données et documents suivants seront transmis par l’ANR à la JST. Ces

informations sont nécessaires à la procédure de sélection conjointe par la JST et l’ANR. Il s’agit des :

Nom et prénom du coordinateur du projet

Ces données personnelles sont collectées par l’ANR pour l’exercice de sa mission d’évaluation et

de suivi des projets et font l’objet d’un traitement informatique destiné à l'évaluation et au suivi

des projets conformément à l’article 6.1 (e) du RGPD n° 2016/679. Ce traitement est nécessaire à

l'exécution de la mission d'intérêt public dont est investie l’ANR. Elle les conserve pendant la

durée nécessaire au suivi du projet et aux contrôles éventuels des différentes instances habilitées.

Les informations enregistrées à ce titre sont réservées à l'usage des services concernés de l’ANR,

experts et membres de comités d'évaluation, et la JST.

La JST étant située en dehors de l’Union européenne, le contrat liant l’ANR et la JST permettra de

garantir un niveau de sécurité suffisant pour le traitement des données personnelles susvisées. La

transmission de ces données aux destinataires situés en dehors de l'Union Européenne est

destinée à assurer l'évaluation et le suivi des projets.

http://www.anr.fr/RF

http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/fileadmin/documents/2017/ANR-Reglement-financier-2017.pdf

http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/fileadmin/documents/2017/ANR-RF-Fiche-4-AC.pdf


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Conformément au RGPD n° 2016/679 et la loi « informatique et libertés » du 6 janvier 1978

modifiée, vous disposez d'un droit d'accès et de rectification aux informations qui vous

concernent. A ce titre, vous pouvez accéder à votre profil utilisateur et rectifier vous-mêmes

certaines informations vous concernant. De plus, vous disposez de la faculté d'exercer vos droits

en saisissant la Déléguée à la protection des données de l’ANR ([email protected]).

Pour en savoir plus, consultez vos droits sur le site de la CNIL accessible à l’adresse suivante :

https://www.cnil.fr/

Expertises externes

Rapport de synthèse du comité d’évaluation

Ces documents sont confidentiels et seront traités comme tels par l’ANR et la JST. Leur transmission

à la JST sera limitée à l’objet de la collaboration entre les deux agences.

mailto:[email protected]




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Annexe


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Research Area in the Strategic Objective “Advanced Interaction Technologies within Networked Intelligent

Information Environment”:

Symbiotic Interaction: Creation and development of core technologies interfacing human and information

environments

Research Supervisor:

Kenji Mase (Professor, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University)

Overview

The integration of cyberspace with the real world is rapidly advancing based on improvements in artificial

intelligence, data analytics, and the internet of things, which are penetrating our society. We must extend the

research field of the interaction of humans and computers to achieve “interaction with networked ambient

intelligence.” Recent technologies are showing us a future vision of smart information environments and

augmentation of human abilities. Within this research area, we aim to create and develop core information

technologies that realize advanced interaction designs for a symbiotic society consisting of humans,

augmented humans, connected things, ambient intelligence (i.e., a smart intelligence environment), internet

of wisdoms, etc. We will call this advanced interaction in the symbiotic society, “symbiotic interaction.” In this

research program, we aim to create and develop the fundamental technologies that realize symbiotic

interaction based on understanding and designing interactions in a symbiotic society.

The goal of this research area is to establish core technologies of symbiotic interactions through

approaches that evaluate behaviors of humans and societies, designing future societies, and constructing

effective interactive systems. Proposals are expected to include state-of-the-art technologies in appropriate

areas such as human-computer interaction, ubiquitous/wearable information processing, computer science,

and robotics, in addition to collaboration with other disciplines such as cognitive science, social science, and

brain science.

Specifically, the following types of research and development will be pursued:

1) Development of technologies to augment human abilities for advanced interactions and interfacing with

ambient intelligence

2) Development of technologies to advance and explain interaction theory, principles, and mechanism

though collective data analytics for deep understating of human behaviors and interactions

3) Design and development of ambient intelligence that fosters effective and efficient social structures and

human creative activities when combined with advanced interaction technologies

Following these aspects, research and development efforts will contribute to establishing a harmonized and

globally-optimized human and computer symbiotic society that is benefited by rapidly advancing artificial

intelligence (AI) technologies and fundamentals.

This research area will be operated as part of the Advanced Integrated Intelligence Platform project (AIP

project) by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.


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Research Supervisor’s Policy on Call for Application, Selection, and Management of the Research Area

1. Background and basic policies

The integration of cyberspace with the real world is advancing rapidly based on the technologies of artificial

intelligence, data analytics, and the internet of things. Our society is rapidly changing into a symbiotic society

with networked and smart information environments, i.e., ambient intelligences. Augmented humans will

harmoniously inhabit this society. In such a society, human, economic, and social resources will be efficiently

exploited by humans and the lifestyle and “work-style” will be significantly changed. To realize a symbiotic

society with maximum benefit to humans, we must design novel interactions between humans and

computers, and the future architecture of society.

We must extend the research field of the interactions among humans, and between humans and

computers, to consider “interactions with networked ambient intelligences.” The various kinds of interactions

of “human and human,” “human and computers,” and “human and ambient intelligence” will be investigated

to pursue fundamental technologies that support human lives not only in the real world, but also in

cyberspace. The design of such interactions should take into account continued technology development,

such that human augmentation and networked intelligent environments become increasingly advanced. Good

understanding and control of the behaviors of humans, computers, and information environments will lead to

optimal systems and architecture designs of human society and human activities. This understanding will

foster the realization of an advanced society that fully exploits rapidly expanding AI technologies.

2. Research Goal

The goal of this research area is to establish core information technologies regarding symbiotic interactions

through approaches that evaluate behaviors of human and society, designing future societies, and

constructing effective interactive systems.

We envision a society in which numerous (e.g., several tens or hundreds) intelligent agents will work for

humans by presenting a huge amount of information in a human-readable form within the next few years.

The control of interaction with such large numbers of agents will be a very important job in our everyday lives.

Not all agents will provide correct information. Humans may soon acquire thousands of times the power of

their native intellect and physical capabilities with the help of human-ability augmentation. We must

understand our cognitive load in the predicted future society and design appropriate interaction designs to

allow people to cope with such an environment. For example, what is an appropriate design of AI-supported

automatic driving cars and home service robots for effective and safe control and use? Research project

proposal applications are expected to outline such a future vision as its basis.

We aim to design a future-society architecture with an information environment in which people and

communities are motivated to pursue safe and healthy lives based on the understanding of human behavior.

This can be achieved with the help of other disciplines such as cognitive science, brain science, and social

science. When using various approaches to designing interactions, common fundamental theories such as the

computational theory of interaction, design theory, and design principles are expected to be developed. The

construction and sharing of interaction system platforms is also an issue. The collection and sharing of

behavior data in the information environment is another important research area for new interaction analysis

methods and practices. Ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) in current research, development, and

deployment must be addressed. To deploy new technologies of interaction with a view to the future, creative


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approaches to new social agreements of ELSI should be taken.

3. Examples of research themes

Examples of research and development projects are as follows. This year will be the last call of this research

area. We expect that the applicants review the past two years’ selected projects to write down novel research

plans. The underlined topics are especially emphasized in this call, but not limited to.

Human Augmentation

・ Support technology for advanced multimodal communication

・ Technologies to augment communication intelligence

・ Support technology for advanced collaborative work and community formation

・ Support technology for behavior alternation

・ Augmentation technology for the abilities and functions of humans (for the disabled, sports

players, VR, etc.)

・ Creativity support technology via interactions (design, computational creativity, computational

design, etc.)

・ Kansei design (collective computational intelligence)

・ Recognition technology for interests and likes for clarifications of sense of values

・ Systemization of knowledge, wisdom, and skills for wearable and ubiquitous information

environments

Ambient Intelligence

・ Multimodal interaction technologies with intelligent agents, intelligent robots, etc.

・ Interaction design technologies for intelligent systems, self-driving cars, and smart homes

・ Networked life-logging environments

・ Development of agents/robots equipped with interaction intelligence based in collected lifelogs

・ Interaction technology for co-creative communication and collaborative work

・ Technologies to create services adaptive to changing needs and circumstances

Fundamental interaction theory and modeling

・ Modeling of augmented-human interactions with other human and machine

・ System design principles based on relations between humans and ambient intelligences

・ Computational design theory that leads to scientific interaction design

・ Theories of coaching

・ Models of communication knowledge/skill/intelligence

・ Intimacy model for robots and agents

・ Affective computing and control theory for mental health care

Platforms

・ Platform technology to support data collection, analysis, sharing, and circulation of human

behaviors and social phenomena


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The domains of applicable interactions are education, medicine, health-care, distribution, manufacturing,

infrastructure, transportation, sports, etc. One must illustrate a clear picture of interaction in these domains in

the proposal. Creation of a collaborative team focused on cognitive science, social science, and brain science is

possible. Some examples of interactions should include humans (augmented humans) and ambient

intelligences, different cultures/languages, healthy and handicapped people, doctors and patients, coach and

players, and parents and children.

In our research and development projects, we are looking for researchers who engage in the research and

envision a specific path to implementation within society while considering ELSI. We anticipate that the

achievements of the research will be deployed widely, both in Japan and abroad.

These fundamental technologies must be pursued in human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction,

multimodal interaction, intelligent user interfaces, autonomous agents, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed

reality, wearable devices, augmented humans, ambient intelligence, creativity support, and related research

areas. We are seeking research projects that develop (and create in parallel) novel values and future services

through an iterative loop of data collection, analytics, design, and implementation. Design thinking and

actuation technologies are key components.

Collaborative workshops will be organized for interactions among research teams to investigate new research

issues. Additional taskforce teams will be formed by the researchers in cognitive science, brain science, etc., to

tackle and solve common issues in their related research domains and to share the results among the teams.

4. Research and development period, and research costs

Proposals will be solicited for the entire research period of five years and six months (from October 2019

through March 2025). Research costs will be up to a total of 300 million yen for the entire period. Timely

evaluation of research progress will be performed by the research supervisor and informed by the advisory

panel. Additional budget will be provided at any time when acceleration is considered useful and appropriate

during the research period, for activities such as large field experiments of the construction of public and

appealing systems. Even for the JST-ANR joint proposals, the maximal budget will be allotted to Japanese side

team. Please refer instruction for joint proposal for details.

5. Considerations and advice when submitting applications

Project-oriented research proposals are expected. The proposal should identify,

i) the applicable domains of research achievement such as education, medicine, health-care,

distribution, manufacturing, infrastructure, transportation, and sports; targeted interactions, using

what form, user model, and system model; and

ii) any developing technologies, theories, or designs planned.

In the research proposal, the following specific objectives must be provided:

• A specific objective to be achieved in five years and six months

• A specific objective to be achieved in the two years and six months before the interim evaluation

More specifically, please include descriptions of the following items in “Outline of the Research Project” of the

application form (Form 2).

1) Applicable domain,


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2) Social needs of proposed research, with its impact on society,

3) Novelty and originality of core technology or concept,

4) Challenging topic and international competition,

5) The best team in the field, and

6) Future vision of ELSI.

The proposals will ideally include collaborations with other academic areas such as cognitive science, social

science and brain science, as well as a proactive study of collaboration with companies, local governments, etc.,

for social deployment.

Young team leaders are encouraged. It is also important to consider allowing junior researchers to be involved

in the research team. In terms of junior researcher training, it is our hope that involvement will not be limited

to university researchers, but instead, that company researchers and outstanding students in continuing

education doctoral programs will also be able to join the research team.

In this research area, applications with simple interface devices, gadgets, and interaction tricks that have only

short-term appeal will not be considered for acceptance. We expect research proposals with well-thought-out

ideas and concept, with feasible plans for interaction models, which we think will be the outcome of strong will

and eagerness to change the world and society in the coming decades.

In this research area, we make an open call to contributions from industry for open innovation with the

provision of working prototype systems and data in various forms such as robots, interaction logs, etc. After the

review of proposals from industry, we will announce the list of contributions to the applicants for their

reference. Applicants are expected to make contact directly.

This research area will also contribute in the integrated administration of the AIP project (which integrates

artificial intelligence, big data, IoT, and cyber security) by working on research tasks in cooperation with related

research institutions such as the RIKEN Center for Advanced Integrated Intelligence Research. This is one of the

research areas included in the AIP Network Laboratory, which is part of the AIP project.


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Research Area in the Strategic Objective “Creating Technology for Computing Revolution for Society

5.0”:

Technology for Computing Revolution for Society 5.0

Research Supervisor:

Shuichi Sakai (Professor, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo)

Overview

Our society is about to transform into a super-smart society (Society 5.0), where information technology

would be ubiquitous. It is understood that the information infrastructure in the super-smart society should

be composed of a number of large-scale clouds and a countless number of edges. Typically, an edge contains

sensors and actuators, involving high-performance micro-computers and network interfaces to control them.

A cloud comprises a large number of servers that are dispersed physically; however, in theory, a cloud is an

abstractive entity as a mass of a variety of services.

Therefore, in both edges and clouds, a large amount of data of various types will be required to be handled,

where, in addition to the enhancement in the conventional information processing technologies, the key

technologies include artificial intelligence (e.g. deep learning), quantum computation, and optical

computation. It is also necessary to enhance the real-time technology, which provides solutions to various

problems in the real world within a certain temporal duration, such that it may also provide solutions to the

diversifying social needs. Furthermore, new circuit technologies, architecture technologies, and software

technologies are required to integrate them and to enable them to operate with high efficiency and low

energy.

In this work, our objective is to research upon and develop a new computing technology that is not

attainable by a simple expansion of the conventional technologies with the super-smart society in the near

future. More specifically, we focus on the following research and development concepts:

(1) Creation of a new computing technology for significant transformation in information processing

(2) Research and development of a high-efficiency computing technology to link and collaborate with the

technology layers including algorithms and architectures

With this research, we will contribute to the realization of the super-smart society (Society 5.0) that uses

high-level information processing, based on smart robots, smart factories, automatic vehicle operation,

Internet of things (IoT), and security intensification.


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Research Supervisor’s Policy on Call for Application, Selection, and Management of the Research Area ○ Background and basic policy

In the super-smart society (Society 5.0), various types of information processing devices will be used to

operate and/or manage ultra-small IoT devices, wearable devices, robots, large-scale plants, and even large

organizations such as multinational corporations as well as municipal and governmental bodies. The

backbone of such a society is the information infrastructure that comprises groups of large cloud, and the

information infrastructure that enables them to be connected. The specific unsolved problems in the super-

smart society include those pertaining to the intelligent robots for elderly care, autonomous driving of

vehicles, and safe automatic operation of plants. For these purposes, a new computing technology that is of

high efficiency and low power consumption is required. Our research pertains to the innovative computing

technology that supports the super-smart society in the near future. To realize a new world with such a

technology is a qualitative and quantitative leap from the conventional information processing; to this end,

we require innovations in a variety of research areas ranging from new computation principles to new devices,

circuits, architectures, software, algorithms, and human interfaces, and it is also important to systematically

integrate them.

○ Examples of research topics

Some examples of the specific research themes are described below; however, we do not intend to limit

the scope of this invitation program to these examples.

(1) Creation of a new computing technology for the great transformation of information processing

a. New computation principle and its realization

It is necessary to present the circuit architecture and software for the embodiment of computing with

respect to new computation principles such as artificial intelligence (including deep learning), quantum

computation, and optical computation, which are useful in the super-smart society. This category also

includes brain-morphic, neuromorphic, and other operation principles. We require, with no exception, to

include the studies on their implementation even if the primary focus is on the computation principle.

b. New principle for safety and security and its realization

Included here is an encryption method that is not endangered even by the super computers or quantum

computers in the near future, an algorithm that prevents zero-day attacks and targeted attacks, an algorithm

that protects copyrights and privacy, and a new redundancy and reconstruction method for high reliability. It

is necessary to present the realization possibility and to include the studies on circuits and architectures even

when the focus is on mathematical research, such as the verification of encryption methods and algorithms.

c. Platform technology for the real-time processing of a variety of large data from sensors


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After an edge (a microcomputer in a smart sensor, etc.) processes the selection, formation, statistical

processing, and other such aspects, a large amount of a variety of data is sent to a cloud depending on the

necessity. It is necessary to present the realization possibility and its usefulness in the smart society, as well

as include the studies on the architecture of microcomputers and the job scalers on the OS even when the

focus is on mathematical research, such as the operational procedure to guarantee the real-time

performance, the method of planning sensor arrangements, and other such methods.

(2) Research and development of a high-efficiency computing technology to link and collaborate with the

technology layers including algorithms and architectures

a. Information system as a platform of the super-smart society

Our targets include the research and development of the computer architectures, software, algorithms,

and applications. In particular, our task here is to perform (i) the real-time processing of a large amount of

information from sensors, (ii) artificial intelligence applications including deep learning, and (iii) the intelligent

real-time control of robots and vehicles, in a safe, low-power and secure manner.

Computer architectures and software based on quantum computation or other new principles, as well as

the modification of a traditional digital computer such as the von Neumann type, are both acceptable.

However, in the latter case, we desire a significant improvement in the efficiency of a single unit with respect

to a benchmark performance, or a significant enhancement while guaranteeing the real-time performance,

safety, and/or usability.

This task includes technologies such as the optimization of the role assignments to edges and clouds, a

high-performance energy-saving micro CPU for edges, and the enhancement in a service for heterogeneous

information infrastructures.

b. Information system that guarantees security, dependability, and privacy

Our targets include the studies on the architectures, software, and algorithms to protect information

infrastructures and users against zero-day attacks and targeted attacks. In particular, we would like to achieve

a system technology that enables, at a high level, the construction of a highly reliable and stable information

system for guaranteeing the reliability of the big data from smart sensors and other IoT devices for (i)

protecting the copyrights of media contents and the like, (ii) protecting personal information and privacy of

end users, and (iii) safeguarding the facilities of power stations, factories, water and sewer services,

transportation systems, and hospitals, etc.

c. Information system for performing real-time processing to connect IoT and the society at a high level

Our targets include the studies on computer architectures and software for the real-time processing of big

data for an infinitely large amount of IoT information to be used in the society. In item (1) c, we mainly describe

the studies with a computation principle. However, they pertain to the research with a system technology at


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the core. The research on a configuration method such as smart cities can be included, as well as the design

method of a production line. Even in such cases, the novelty and usefulness as an information system are

required to be defined.

○ Assumed Methods to Advanced Studies

In previous section, we used six examples to illustrate the tasks in this research area, which are, in the real

world, mutually and extensively related. Research representatives may organize their teams for specific tasks

or for the targets that straddle two or more tasks. In either case, an expert on information systems

(architectures and OS's) is to be included as a member without exception.

For instance, one may have "quantum computer systems" as a task with the four subthemes comprising

the principle of quantum computers, architectures, software, and applications. In this case, the four groups

are not allowed to advance their studies in an unorganized manner; instead, the four groups are to share a

roadmap to navigate the reality. As for such novel technology in a group, the other groups should fully utilize

it.

In this research area, the researchers will organize, after their proposals are adopted, forums and task

forces, through which they will have the opportunities to communicate among different teams, exchange

their views on the approaching method adopted by each of the groups, and, depending on the situation,

encourage themselves to find new themes.

○ Research and development period, and research costs

The research period is five-and-a-half years (from October 2019 to the end of March 2025). The upper limit

of the research funds is 300 million yen in total (excluding indirect costs) for the whole research period. Even

for the JST-ANR joint proposals, the maximal budget will be allotted to Japanese side team. Please refer

instruction for joint proposal for details.

○ Considerations when submitting applications

Applicants must specifically describe their proposed technology, the key to the breakthrough, what role

will be fulfilled by the subject in the super-smart society, and why such an achievement cannot be attained

by expanding the conventional technology. Applicants must present a specific overview of the system

(including its architecture and software) that is to be developed when the research target is attained even

when the focus is on the research of a computation principle. If the focus is on an architecture or some other

system-related technology, the objective that has not been achieved by the conventional technology, the


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reason why the objective can be achieved by the proposed technology, a quantitative forecast of its

performance, the power consumption, the unique application in the super-smart society, and other such

aspects must be clearly presented. The contents are to be clear and precise, and a research roadmap is

required to illustrate how the contents and the technology in the proposed research will be developed and

implemented in the society, for Society 5.0.

In addition to the above-mentioned requirements, the following items must be described in the proposal:

-Specific objectives to be attained in the total research period of five-and-a-half years

-Specific objectives to be attained in the three years of the first half of the research period

A "Super-smart society" can have a wide range of implications. Therefore, for the advancement of the

studies, we encourage the research groups to exchange information, provide technological support to each

other, as well as communicate and collaborate with each other, to promote the creation of communities for

the creation of a new information platform. If required, applicants are to consider adopting the views and

opinions of experts outside of this research area (including sociologists and other experts in the fields of

liberal arts, social sciences, and humanities).

Researchers must have a specific interim target that should be attained by the end of the first-half period

of three-and-a-half years. Based on the target, we perform our interim assessment and, if necessary, provide

support to accelerate the research. If an achievement is found that can be applied to an industry or to the

society, we shall, even before the end of the research period, provide proactive support for the application

and deployment.

After the commencement of research studies, we shall organize joint forums comprising research teams

and cross-sectional team. Task forces comprising the researchers from the same field will be developed for

sharing the tasks and achievements of the teams, for resetting the objectives in the whole research area, and

for further embodiment and visualization.

Furthermore, researchers are encouraged to proactively consider the participations of the young

researchers in the research teams. We expect not only the researchers from universities or similar institutions,

but also researchers from commercial organizations as well as exceptional workers/students from doctoral

courses to participate in the research teams. In addition, we are, in consideration of the open and various

characteristics of the "super-smart society," strongly expecting the participations of researchers that possess

a deep intuition regarding the society and human beings, as well as an interesting research concept and well-

motivated attitude that extends beyond the research and development of a simple elemental technology.

This is the last invitation in this research area (we do not yet have the schedule for next fiscal year).

We will invite joint call for proposals with ANR. We hope that applicants should adopt technical needs and

thoughts that arise from matured social systems such as personal data protection in Europe.

* Please note that this Research Area requests an additional form (Form 3-1 annex).

Documents

Appel à projets ANR-JST CREST