Two Technological Systems developed by NHK-Japan receive IEEE Milestones

The IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has formally recognised the High Definition Television and Emergency Warning Code Signal Broadcasting Systems developed by NHK as IEEE Milestones.

Based in the United States, the IEEE is the world’s largest engineering body with 430,000 members in more than 160 countries in the fields of electrical, electronic, computer and telecommunications engineering.

IEEE established the Milestones Program in 1983 to honour the historic landmarks of high international acclaim which have made great contributions to social and industrial development in the fields of electrical, electronic and computer engineering.

26 Japanese technologies received IEEE Milestones up until last year, including NHK’s R&D behind the 2011 award for the First Direct Broadcast Satellite Service for transmitting broadcasts straight to the homes. The latest awards bring NHK’s IEEE Milestones to three.

Contributions of NHK were cited as follows:

• Many years of R&D which led to the realisation and inauguration of the high-definition broadcasting system and brought viewers high-definition, wide-screen images with a strong sense of reality.
• Many years of R&D which led to the realisation and inauguration of the world’s first emergency code signal broadcasting system in 1985.

The IEEE Milestone plaques will be presented at a ceremony in Tokyo on May 11.