A new technological project will fill your ears while walking through the capital of Japan: thanks to 1,200 computer chips installed in streetlights, subway ceilings, and road asphalt, you will receive a guide through stores and information about the history and layout of the city.
The Japanese government financed this project with one billion yen, šwhich is 6.6 million euros, or 48.5 million kuna. The project is called the Tokyo Technology Project and covers several streets in the Ginza district, while similar projects have also started in other parts of the country. Professor Ken Sakamura from the University of Tokyo says that this project provides insight into the future, when chips on objects will become commonplace, allowing government offices and private companies to send information to passersby. During a demonstration tour, journalists walked through the shopping district of Ginza wearing special portable devices with screens and headphones, but without keyboards. Whenever they passed by a chip, for example in a store or exhibition space, an electronic voice began to tell them everything about that location. (H)
