The Technical Committee on Electronics Simulation Technology, Electronics Society, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers
About EST
The Purpose of Establishing the Committee
This research committee is founded on the Third Class Technical Committee on Microwave Simulators, which lasted for three sessions, and the Second Class Technical Committee on Microwave Simulators, which lasted for five sessions. The former third class committee advanced activities mainly related to microwave simulator development, and raised awareness among the members of this organization regarding the necessity of microwave simulators and their related issues by holding subcommittee meetings and open workshops. After transitioning to the second class committee, the range of activities expanded includes:
- Constructing a shared platform for microwave simulator development (including an API (application programming interface) and a plugin framework)
- Indicating standard issues for comparative inspections of each type of microwave simulator
- Providing educational materials for microwave simulator technicians (Eikichi Yamashita ed., Foundations for Making Microwave Simulators (published by IEICE))
- Discussing the possibility of utilizing the simulators in microwave education
- Information campaigns related to the above (research groups, workshops, lectures, general committee symposiums, homepage construction, etc.)
Along with continuing these various activities, we continued to provide members with periodic opportunities to learn about and discuss issues related to the microwave simulators.
However, roughly 15 years have passed since the establishment of this organization. In that time, the environment surrounding the microwave simulators has markedly changed, particularly with the rapid spread of commercial simulators in industry, government and academia, and the spread of the microwave technology into a variety of adjacent fields. Regarding the former, we should note that commercial simulator performance continues to advance while their prices continue to fall, and there is an increasing need to disseminate information not only to simulator makers, but also to simulator users. Regarding the latter, we should note the rapid increase in demand for microwave technology and simulator technology in fields such as EMC (electromagnetic compatibility), digital signal transmission, wireless power transmission, MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems), and microwave chemistry.
In order to respond to the increase and diversification in demand for the microwave simulators, this committee must continue to expand activities based on the position as a first class research committee, increases the visibility, and contributes to the vitalization of this field. Specifically,
- Continue to expand the existing activities listed above.
- Provide a specialized space for exchanging opinions on simulation techniques and simulator software composition.
- Provide a space for exchanging opinions related to simulation technology that combines microwaves with adjacent technological fields (communication systems, digital signal transmission, multi-physics with machines/chemistry/heat, etc.).
- Activities directed to developing an educational microwave simulator custom to the committee
In this fashion, we will play a role as a “mediator” for exchange and fusion between different fields through expanding activities specialized for the simulation technology related to existing first class researches (microwaves, electromagnetic field theory, electronic devices, antennas/propagation, electromagnetic compatibility, etc.) in addition to our current microwave simulation activities.
Fields of Research
Simulation technology and techniques related to general electronic engineering (electromagnetic waves, circuits, semiconductors, systems, etc.), simulation acceleration technology, comparative inspections of existing simulators (indicating standard issues, etc.), combined simulation technology (multi-physics simulations with electromagnetic waves and machines/chemistry/heat), shared platform simulator technology, constructing electromagnetic field analysis simulators for technology education
Chairman's Message
Simulation technology in the field of electronics has been playing a significant role as a means to analyze physical phenomena in manufacturing to invent new devices or circuits and design optimized structures or functions. Furthermore, considering recent social trends, as resources are being focused on the safety and security of materials or the human body, social sustainable development of energy and environmental issues, and multiplex and complicate behaviors and credibility in the case of disasters and emergencies, we feel that the need to enhance the estimating and predicting capabilities of the simulation has increased more than before. With such recognition, the role that simulation technology should play in our society is considered to remain important. Technical Committee on Electronics Simulation Technology was founded as one of the newest technical committees among 15 technical committees of the Electronics Society in the last fiscal year. This committee originated from the Technical Committee on Microwave Simulator Technology (MST) that had continued activities roughly for 15 years until the year before last as the third-class and then the temporary technical committee. The symposium titled “Current Status and Issues of Microwave Electromagnetic Field and Circuit Simulators,” during the general conference in autumn 1994, is supposed to be the beginning of the activities of the Committee. Looking back, in the 1980s, along with research in universities, simulators were developed in-house by industries. However, we remember that, as the industrial structure was gradually changing from vertical integration to horizontal labor specialization, the software that was mainly manufactured in foreign countries and had good usability began to be widespread. As the users and students in the research and development field had difficulties to access the contents of the software, which ended up with the creation of black boxes, a discussion about the concerns and problems occurred arising from accepting the output results without being able to understand the underlying calculations. After the abovementioned discussion, in addition to organizing the technical committee conferences, the Committee continues conducting the following actions: Sponsoring lectures and study meetings to learn the basics of various numerical calculation methods and the use of simulators and so on, Experimental production of the software as educational materials for simulation technology or research support tools, and Conducting workshops specialized in the applications of simulations and trends of new developments. Given the current situation, as we are entering a period when computational resources can be fully utilized, the discussion on not only microwaves and light waves but also combined simulation for multiphysics including motion of electrons, heat, fluid dynamics, and nanostructured materials has been put under the spotlight. In addition, in the research and development field of manufacturing, the integrated simulation environment that leads from a high-order design to a physical one is required. This ranges from physical layers to systems through circuit and function designs. Therefore, we feel that it is necessary for the Committee to gradually expand the subject of the research area. On the other hand, the progress in computing performance and the development environment continue to change remarkably, and we should keep a watchful eye on those trends. Moreover, when a simulation is regarded as a service for industry or education, it is necessary to turn our attention to the prevalent forms of the network utilization such as web applications, cloud computing, and relevant hardware/software technologies. During the society conference of this year, there will be our proposal to plan a session on general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GP-GPU). We would like all those who are interested in participating in the society conference. “Electronics Simulation Technology” is the committee that has the common base knowledge in many technology fields and is in charge of cross-line applications. Therefore, it aims at conducting activities to provide all the members with an additional insight. We also continue to plan special issues of IEICE journal and transactions and provide planning and proposals in the IEICE conferences. We hope that you will contribute research results and participate in the abovementioned projects. We continue to count on your understanding and support for our activities.
Chair Tsugumichi Shibata, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT)
History
- 1995
- Inauguration of the Third Class Technical Committee on Microwave Simulators
- 2001
- Transition to the Second Class Technical Committee on Microwave Simulators
- May 2011
- Transition to the First Class Technical Committee on Electronic Simulation
Committee Members
As of May 26, 2012
| Post | Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Tsugumichi Shibata | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) |
| Vice-Chair | Tatsuya Kashiwa | Kitami Institute of Technology |
| Vice-Chair | Zhewang Ma | Saitama University |
| Vice-Chair | Hideaki Kimura | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) |
| Secretary | Akimasa Hirata | Nagoya Institute of Technology |
| Secretary | Shinichiro Ohnuki | Nihon University |
| Assistant Secretary | Takuichi Hirano | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
| Assistant Secretary | Chen ChunPing | Kanagawa University |
| Member | Tetsuo Anada | Kanagawa University |
| Member | Namiko Ikeda | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) |
| Member | Norimasa Ishitobi | Sonnet Software |
| Member* | Yoji Isota | Akita Prefectural University |
| Member | Naoko Ono | Toshiba Corporation |
| Member* | Zuihou Kyo | Kanagawa University |
| Member | Kunimasa Saitoh | Hokkaido University |
| Member | Hidehisa Shiomi | Osaka University |
| Member | Jun Shibayama | Hosei University |
| Member | Ryosuke Suga | Aoyama Gakuin University |
| Member | Yukihisa Suzuki | Tokyo Metropolitan University |
| Member* | Mitsuo Taguchi | Nagasaki University |
| Member | Hidetoshi Chiba | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation |
| Member | Yasuhide Tsuji | Muroran Institute of Technology |
| Member | Yoshitaka Toyota | Okayama University |
| Member | Takefumi Namiki | Fujitsu Limited |
| Member | Hiroki Fujishiro | Tokyo University of Science |
| Member | Kazuhiro Fujimori | Okayama University |
| Member* | Nagayoshi Morita | Chiba Institute of Technology |
| Adviser | Yoshio Kobayashi | Comprehensive Open Innovation Center, Saitama University |
| Adviser | Kiyomichi Araki | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
| Adviser | Shigeo Kawasaki | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) |
| Adviser | Osamu Hashimoto | Aoyama Gakuin University |
*: Advisory staff
Board
| Post | Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Tsugumichi Shibata | |
| Vice-Chair | Tatsuya Kashiwa | Awards |
| Vice-Chair | Zhewang Ma | International |
| Vice-Chair | Hideaki Kimura | Workshop |
| Secretary | Akimasa Hirata | Seniority |
| Secretary | Shinichiro Ohnuki | Successor |
| Assistant Secretary | Takuichi Hirano | Treasure |
| Assistant Secretary | Chen ChunPing | Meeting |
Workshops
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Hideaki Kimura |
| Secretary | Ryoske Suga |
| Exhibition | Norimasa Ishitobi |
| Member | Naoko Ono |
| Member | Namiko Ikeda |
Software
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Yoji Isota |
| Secretary | Hidehisa Shiomi |
| Member | Zuihou Kyo |
| Member | Tsugumichi Shibata |
| Member | Mitsuo Taguchi |
| Member | Takuichi Hirano |
| Member | Nagayoshi Morita |
Education
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Nagayoshi Morita |
| Secretary | Ryosuke Suga |
| Member | Mitsuo Taguchi |
| Webmaster | Takuichi Hirano |
Meeting
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Secretary of EST committee (Seniority) |
| Secretary | Assistant Secretary（Meeting） |
| Conference Program | Ryosuke Suga |
| Member (Monthly) | Each meeting assigned in the beginning of FY（see Meeting Document） |
Award
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Chair of EST committee |
| Vice-Chair | Vice-Chair of EST committee (Award) |
| Secretary | Hidehisa Shiomi |
| Member | Secretary of EST committee (Seniority) |
| Member | Takuichi Hirano |
Advisor and Advisory Staff (Member)
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Advisor | Yoshio Kobayashi |
| Advisor | Kiyomichi Araki |
| Advisor | Shigeo Kawasaki |
| Advisor | Osamu Hashimoto |
| Advisory Staff (Member) | Yoji Isota |
| Advisory Staff (Member) | Zuihou Kyo |
| Advisory Staff (Member) | Mitsuo Taguchi |
| Advisory Staff (Member) | Nagayoshi Morita |
Paper
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Hiroki Fujishiro |
| Secretary | Secretary of EST committee (Seniority) |
| Secretary | Secretary of EST committee (Successor) |
| Member | Each special issue |
Others
| Post | Name |
|---|---|
| Web Master | Takuichi Hirano |
| Web Master | Norimasa Ishitobi |
| Meeting place, Document printing | Ryosuke Suga |