OLYMPUS TECHNOZONE Vol.54 2002-08
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Research in new fields accelerating in response to increasing public expectations
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The very concept of a DNA computer is new,
and our involvement in this field is thanks to Dr. Suyama. I am
constantly aware that such opportunities are very rare.
The development of the endoscope may have
followed a similar pattern to our present project. Physicians and
Olympus engineers worked together with a common goal in a previously
unknown field.
I wonder if the DNA computer will become another "Project X"? Perhaps
we haven't tried hard enough. We need more drama and excitement.
Yet the excitement triggered by our announcement
is a sign that people are eager to see something really new.
There was more coverage in the general magazine
than trade journals. The announcement was even covered by TV news
programs.
There was also coverage in technical journals,
including those specializing in semiconductors and information
technology. I am convinced that DNA computing encapsulates future
expectations in many fields.
One reason for this is Olympus's excellent
reputation. The public sees you as an organization that can be
trusted. DNA computing is still a very nebulous field that requires
the efforts of trustworthy people.
Nebulous, isn't it?
At the outset everyone wonders what use their
research will be. Research that involves a lot of uncertainties
should be carried out by reliable people. It is important to have
reliable people meeting the challenges of new and unknown research
endeavors.
Our company is serious, prudent, and conservative.
People see us as an organization that would not even make a risky
attempt. With DNA computing, however, we've taken a bold step forward.
I think that the establishment of a venture
business has really made a difference.
Indeed. I think we moved extremely quickly
from the initial proposal to the establishment of NovusGene.
NovusGene is now in its second year. Thanks
to the announcement of the DNA computer, its name is now widely
known. From the outset we stressed that biomolecular computing
would be NovusGene's core technology, so the announcement came
at an opportune time. I wanted the announcement to be made one
year after the establishment of NovusGene, so that it would not
be forgotten.
Quantum computing has yet to produce anything tangible. They say quantum computers
will be able to carry out large-scale factor analysis, and argue that this will
lead to the deciphering of complex codes, but I don't know.
That is just theoretically possible, but it
has not actually been achieved. In contrast, the DNA computer has
already reached the stage at which actual problems can be solved,
so we are closer to the practical application stage. However, researchers
specializing in computer science generally have little experience
in biotechnology, so they tend to focus on quantum computing, which
is closer to conventional electronic computing.
Moreover, in terms of achievements so far, the need for DNA computers is far
greater. It seems obvious that quantum computers will replace electronic computers
in the future. That's because the direction of technological innovation is the
same. However, the problems that are about to be solved by DNA computers represent
an entirely new direction. For this reason, I believe in the potential of DNA
computers.
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