Mitsubishi Electric and Kobe University Establish Joint Industry-Academia Course "Smart Sensing Course"

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (hereinafter Mitsubishi Electric) and the National University Corporation Kobe University (hereinafter Kobe University) will establish the "Smart Sensing Course," a joint industry-academia course within the Kobe University Graduate School of System Informatics College (CSI) on April 1, 2026. This course aims to promote research and development of next-generation systems that fuse sensing and energy harvesting technologies (※1) and to achieve their social implementation. The course will aim to commercialize battery-less IoT sensors that do not require wiring or battery replacement. This will enable continuous data acquisition in "field" environments such as environmental monitoring, disaster prevention, and infrastructure maintenance, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable society by promoting DX (Digital Transformation) and creating new businesses.

The realization of DX requires the acquisition and analysis of field data, and sensing in diverse environments is needed in cities, regions, and industrial fields worldwide. However, in reality, there are many locations where wiring is difficult when installing sensors, and there are challenges in acquiring necessary data in a timely and continuous manner due to power constraints, such as the inability to frequently replace batteries after installation. To solve these challenges, the construction of a new system that integrates autonomous power supply to sensors and high-precision sensing is required.

Kobe University established CSI in April 2025 as a new academic hub emphasizing research activities and social implementation. Following this, Mitsubishi Electric and Kobe University will establish their first joint industry-academia course at CSI in April 2026. By combining Kobe University's community-based network with Mitsubishi Electric's technological capabilities, which has research and business bases within Hyogo Prefecture, and by strengthening collaboration with local governments and companies, we will promote activities towards the social implementation of research results.

In this course, through research and development that fuses Kobe University's sensing technology and Mitsubishi Electric's energy harvesting technology, we will work to realize sensing in locations that were previously difficult to install by building a mechanism for sensors to autonomously secure their own power supply. This will expand the application areas of sensors and accelerate DX in a wide range of fields such as environmental monitoring, disaster prevention, and infrastructure maintenance. Furthermore, we will conduct practical, problem-solving-oriented research that emphasizes application possibilities. Research and development results will be rapidly implemented in PoC (※3), and based on the verification results, a reliable and smooth social implementation process will be established to create new businesses such as deterioration diagnosis for infrastructure facilities and promote activities for solving local social issues.

■Overview of the Joint Industry-Academia Course

Name

Smart Sensing Course

Location

1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Kobe University Graduate School of System Informatics College (CSI) < FAQ What is the main goal of the "Smart Sensing Course"? The main goal is to promote research and development of next-generation systems that fuse sensing and energy harvesting technologies, aiming to commercialize battery-less IoT sensors that do not require wiring or battery replacement. Who are the partners involved in establishing this course? The partners are Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and the National University Corporation Kobe University. When will the "Smart Sensing Course" be established? The course will be established on April 1, 2026. What problem does this initiative aim to solve? It aims to solve the challenges of acquiring timely and continuous data from sensors in various environments, especially in locations where wiring is difficult or battery replacement is not feasible. What are the expected benefits of this technology? The expected benefits include enabling continuous data acquisition in field environments, promoting DX, creating new businesses (e.g., infrastructure deterioration diagnosis), and contributing to the realization of a sustainable society. Where will the course be located? The course will be located within the Kobe University Graduate School of System Informatics College (CSI) in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. Back to Newsroom (22)