AIST has developed yttrium-based oxide superconducting tapes that allow large critical current capacity in a strong magnetic field. AIST has improved the characteristics of the yttrium-based oxide superconducting tapes by fabricating ultra-fine artificial pinning centers (APCs) with uniform dispersion and high density using a chemical solution decomposition method which costs less than vapor phase methods. This has achieved a maximum critical current density of 4 mega-amperes that can flow while maintaining the superconducting state (at liquid nitrogen temperature, 65 K, per 1 cm² in a magnetic field of 3T), and the critical current value exceeds 360 amperes.

AIST and Hokkaido University conducted comparative analysis of the functions of 16S rRNA found in the ribosomes of two distinct bacteria. It was found that the majority of the sequence differences between the analyzed 16S rRNA genes did not result in a significant effect on functions. This outcome provides the first-ever experimental demonstration that the 16S rRNA gene fulfill the condition of evolutionary neutrality, which is a basic requirement for use as a molecular clock in evolutionary phylogenic analysis.

AIST developed a web-based platform named “Songle Sync,” which enables programmers to control smartphones, PCs, and other Internet-connected devices in synchronization with music playback. Using the results of analysis with the previously developed “Songle,” AIST developed a technology that can drive multimedia effects in time with music playback by synchronizing devices via intermittent compact communications with a Songle Sync server. In addition, it implemented the platform on top of web standard technologies so that a variety of devices can be controlled in a unified way.

An organic-inorganic hybrid mesoporous material with stable and hydrophilic surfaces was synthesized by controlling the reactivity through partial substitution of the four ester groups in 1,4-benzenephosphonate ester with low-reactive hydroxyl groups. The introduction of benzene rings enabled the addition of amino groups and sulfonate groups. In addition, it was possible to create diverse mesoporous materials with hydrophilic surfaces that can be modified through substitution of aluminum with titanium and vanadium.

AIST has built a testbed of a dynamic optical path network and started actual operation. The testbed employs existing unused optical fiber facilities in Tokyo. It is a circuit-switching optical network that establishes an optical path between any users based on a request. To accommodate a large number of users, many high-performance optical switches are needed. AIST has resolved many issues of the optical switches, and this has enabled AIST to realize actual operation of the testbed for the first time.

Thought experiments in combination with analogue models have elucidated the cause of the east-west contraction and crustal deformation of the Japanese islands in the Quaternary Period. It was concluded that the cause of the east-west contraction is not movement of the Pacific Plate itself, as conventionally thought, but rather movement of the Philippine Sea Plate.

AIST has developed a defect detection technology that can easily detect atomic level defects in a large field of view of a transmission electron microscope image of crystal structures, by applying an image processing technique called the sampling Moiré method. The Moiré fringe pattern can be digitally generated from the atomic array image by treating the atomic arrangement as a grid. Dislocations can be easily detected from the Moiré fringe pattern because dislocations result in discontinuity in the Moiré fringes.