Ebara: Investment and Business Alliance Agreement with Ridge-i
Ebara Corporation announces that it invested 100 million yen in Ridge-i Inc. with INCJ, Ltd. (former Innovation Network Corporation of Japan) and Ricoh Company to form a basic business alliance with Ridge-i to plan, research, and develop in terms of using AI and IoT technologies.
Ebara promotes the introduction of AI and IoT technologies to implement E-Plan 2019, the medium-term management plan, thus the mission will be accelerated by the agreement. Ridge-i provides consulting services and develops solution products with cutting-edge AI and deep-learning technologies. Using an image analysis technology, which was jointly developed with Ridge-I, Ebara Environmental Plant Co., a group company of Ebara, has successfully conducted a demonstration, and started the operation of an automatic crane system with waste identification AI, which replaces human eyes of skilled operators. The spirit for a new challenge that Ridge-i confronts advanced frontiers is linked with the corporate attitude of Ebara. In order to continue striving for a corporate culture that embraces challenge, Ebara has decided to invest in Ridge-i as a business partner, and strengthen the future collaboration.
With this agreement, Ebara will work on the following issues to leverage the advanced technologies of Ridge-i, aiming to improve production processes as well as enhance the value of products and services across all businesses in the group.
(1) Replace human visual inspection of product appearance
(2) Optimize process and realize safe operation by tracking motions of people and objects during production
(3) Optimize operating schedule of machines based on an analysis of environmental data
Source: EBARA CORPORATION
