Inheriting the professional skills of cultivation technology from data by AI×fermentation

Fermentative production, Deep Learning, AI

“We want to contribute to raising the level of all industries related to bio-production by advancing technological innovation utilizing biotechnology and digital technology.”

“We want to contribute to raising the level of all industries related to bio-production by advancing technological innovation utilizing biotechnology and digital technology.”
A bio-production management system is being developed with AI that exceeds human abilities in understanding complex cause-and-effect relationships that , based on a totally new productivity indicator using data resulting from various sensors and mutual relations with well-skilled cultivation technology. Leading the construction of a global information base is essential for developing the system to be the backbone of the bioeconomy market.

Background issues

Development of production technology using biotechnology such as fermentation production are recently stagnated, and production bases are gathering at areas where the production is cheaper.
The expectation of Bio-AI and Bio-digital combinations are growing, however, data suitable for the machine learning system have not yet acquired.
In order to develop new production technology, acquiring data that can be utilized for methods such as deep learning is required.

Our technologies

Technology to acquire data suitable for machine learning input
Machine learning technology to derive the efficiency of fermentation production from input data

Current status

We received a subsidy from METI in June, 2018.
We are continuously researching and developmenting in cooperation with companies that have various technologies in the biotechnology industry.

Locations

Japan

partner

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Kyoto University

MessagePICK UP PERSON

Ken Kasahara

CHITOSE LABORATORY Algae Utilization Division, General Manager

The mass cultivation technology of microorganism rapidly developed in the 1970’s, but the progress has now plateau . Material production process utilizing organisms are so complexed, that we say “a craftsman’s (professional) skill” is necessary. We are promoting a project that advances the microorganism cultivation technology in order to solve the following issues, “1.The shortage of data that could describe the state of the cultivation” and “2.The lack of ability to interpret the data.”, which are the challenges that are out of our control which prevents us from realizing bio-production management. “Fermentation technology is a speciality of Japan”, however now, microorganism cultivation technology, as Japan’s starting point, must go forward to a new order again and thinking that would lead to raising the level of all industries related to any bio-production.