University of Tokyo and Sharp Establish Todai-Sharp Laboratories for Collaborative R&D on Next Generation Technologies for Flexible Electronics.

Tokyo, Japan, Nov 30, 2005 - (JCN Newswire) - The Nanoelectronics Collaborative Research Center (NCRC) under the Institute for Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo (Professor Dr. Yasuhiko Arakawa, Director) *1 and Sharp Corporation (Osaka, Japan; Katsuhiko Machida, President; hereafter, Sharp) have jointly established Todai-Sharp Laboratories, a research base aimed at conducting research and development for flexible electronics, which is expected to be the next generation in electronics technologies.

Full-fledged research activities are slated to begin this December. This R&D facility will operate under a multi-year (five years) collaborative research agreement signed between the University of Tokyo, a national public university (Hiroshi Komiyama, Ph.D., President), and Sharp.

The recently inaugurated Todai-Sharp Laboratories will operate under a new, non-conventional concept in conducting R&D, and will be managed and operated jointly by the University of Tokyo and Sharp. This lab will advance R&D on innovative elemental and fundamental technologies with the intention of creating new lifestyles by working to integrate the capabilities derived from basic, long-term research in the university academic environment with the research prowess for developing practical applications offered by business.

Specifically, highly capable researchers primarily from within the University of Tokyo will be recruited and selected as full-time researchers for the project and will be resident at Todai-Sharp Laboratories along with both younger staff members and mid-career engineers from Sharp to engage in collaborative research over the next five years. In addition, these joint efforts aim to nurture creative personnel who will possess both sophisticated expertise and wide-ranging general knowledge through the fusion of the knowledge resources and research methodologies which the University of Tokyo has accumulated over many long years with the leading-edge device technologies and product development capabilities which Sharp has to offer.

Such an unprecedented new industry/academia research style is intended to foster efficient, compelling R&D for next-generation electronics and innovative scientific and technical development, as well as contribute to opening up new product markets that will engender a wealth of new lifestyles.

*1 The Nanoelectronics Collaborative Research Center (NCRC) was established in 2002 as research center jointly operated by the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) and the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) of the University of Tokyo. The NCRC has achieved success as an R&D base for next-generation IT and communications devices by developing formal business-academia alliances under national projects sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry  (METI).

About Sharp Corporation

Sharp Corporation (TSE: 6753) is a worldwide developer of innovative products and core technologies that play a key role in shaping the future of electronics. As a leader in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and digital technologies, Sharp offers one of the broadest and most advanced lines of consumer electronics, information products and electronic components, while also creating new network businesses. Sharp Corporation employs about 55,100 people in the world (as of December 31, 2004) and recorded consolidated annual sales of 2,257,273 million yen for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.

Source: Sharp Corporation

Contact:

Sharp Corporation Public Relations Division
Osaka: 81-6-6621-1272
Tokyo: 81-3-3260-1870

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