2021 Recipients of C&C Prize
The recipients of the 2021 C&C Prize were selected as shown below.
Group A
Dr.Kunihiko Fukushima
Senior Research Scientist, Fuzzy Logic Systems Institute
Citation
For Contributions to the Development of Artificial Intelligence with Pioneering Research that Applied Principles of Neuroscience to Engineering through Invention of Neocognitron, a Hierarchical Neural Network Model of the Visual Cortex of the Brain
Achievement(summary)
The progress made in AI has been remarkable. AI is already widely used in applications such as image and voice recognition, language understanding, reasoning, autonomous driving, robots, and medical care. Nowadays AI has become indispensable in making industry and society more automated and efficient as well as in making our lives more convenient and comfortable.
Dr. Fukushima developed the neocognitron, a hierarchical neural network model, by applying knowledge of the primary visual cortex in the brain to engineering more than 40 years ago. As the prototype for convolutional neural networks that are the core technology of today's AI, the neocognitron greatly contributed to the dramatic development and practical application of AI. Because Dr. Kunihiko Fukushima's achievements were far-sighted and of great magnitude, we believe he is a worthy recipient of the C&C Prize.
Group B
> Group B Detailed Description
Prof.Rodney Brooks
Professor of Robotics (Emeritus), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
CTO, Robust.AI
Citation
For Outstanding Leadership in Introducing Subsumption Architecture for Robot Control and Promoting the Practical Use of Autonomous Robots
Achievement(summary)
In the 1960s, industrial robots began to appear on the factory floor as a more efficient alternative to manual workers for repetitive assembly line tasks in the production process. But even before this, people have long been dreaming of personal robots capable of doing arduous everyday tasks and robots capable of conducting surveys and removing dangerous objects from disaster sites and other hazardous environments that are inaccessible to humans.
In 1986, Prof. Brooks introduced subsumption architecture, which is associated with behavior-based robotics. He conducted research and development of autonomous robots and he blazed a trail as a robotics entrepreneur, introducing the world to practical autonomous mobile robots and creating a market for service robots. His tireless commitment to making the dream of autonomously functioning robots into a reality makes him a worthy recipient of the C&C Prize.