Dr. Hiroaki Harai

Director General of Network Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan

Web: https://www.nict.go.jp/en/network/

Abstract

In 2030 or later, Beyond 5G network system to realize the digital transformation of advanced social systems for Society5.0 are necessary. The network systems should respond to the rapid growth in communication traffic, dynamic changes in communication quality, and various network services. In this talk, the speaker presents R&D challenges in developing the Beyond 5G Network Systems for the innovative networks. The R&D target is fundamental and system technology for optical and wireless communications and for networking enabling to fulfill essential functions of the broadband, ultra-reliable, and ultra-low latency communications desired in the Beyond 5G era. For example, we pursue

• to evolve scalability of communication networks which are terrestrial networks and non-terrestrial networks on the sea, in the sky, and in outer space in terms of numbers and of dimensions,
• to enhance resilience for supporting information distribution continuously even at disasters and network failures,
• to develop technologies for ultra-high-capacity photonic networks fundamentally supporting smooth information distribution and technologies for harmonization of bandwidths in optical and radio networks,
• to establish fundamental technologies letting network services exist simultaneously which are suitable for various information properties by controlling and managing communication, computation, storage, and sensing resources flexibly and efficiently,
• to build system assessment technology in cyberspace to validate/verify networking technologies.

Our goal is to build Beyond 5G network systems which support society by communication and networking technologies delivering "more information quickly and extensively" with "flexibility, safety, and efficiency".

Biography

Hiroaki Harai is currently a Director General of Network Research Institute at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, where he is managing R&D on computing and AI-enabled networking technology, next-generation wireless technology, photonic network technology, optical and radio convergence technology, space communication fundamental technology, and resilient ICT technology as key technologies of innovative networks.

Prior to present position. He received the M.E. degree and the Ph.D. degree in information and computer science from Osaka University, Japan, in 1995 and 1998, respectively. After he joined NICT, he has conducted R&D on network architecture, optical networks, and mobile networks. Since April 2018 to March 2021, he managed research and development testbed construction and stable operation of networks and clouds such as JGN and StarBED, and he designed Beyond 5G Mobile and NFV Testbed that is currently in operation. From April 2021, he is in present position.

He was a recipient of the Outstanding Young Researcher at the 3rd IEEE ComSoc Asia–Pacific Young Researcher Award in 2007 (optical network topic), the Best Paper Award in ITU Kaleidoscope Academic Conference 2014 (mobile sensor network topic) and Excellent Paper Award in IEICE Communications Society in 2020 (networking topic).