NTT Opens Quantum Computing, Cryptography R&D center in Palo Alto

NTT Research, Inc., a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone corporation, has commenced operations as a global effort that will be directed by world-class scientists in Palo Alto, CA.

The three areas of initial focus will be quantum computing; cryptography and information security; and medical and health informatics.

“Our new research center, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, will draw upon the strength and heritage of applied research and innovation from NTT R&D in Japan and will be an ongoing opportunity for sharing groundbreaking research in important technology fields with global partners, clients and academics,” said Mr. Sawada. “Our goal is to strengthen the fundamental research needed for global innovation and next-generation technologies.”

NTT Research consists of NTT F (PHI) Laboratories, to focus on Physics and information science (Informatics); NTT Cryptography & Information Security (CIS) Laboratories, to explore advanced cryptography theory and practice; and NTT Medical & Health Informatics (MEI) Laboratories, to investigate areas such as the application of artificial intelligence (AI) on biological data. Kazuhiro Gomi, the former CEO of NTT America, serves as the center’s President and CEO. NTT appoints world-renowned academics and researchers as directors of its three laboratories:

Professor Yoshihisa Yamamoto to be appointed director of NTT PHI Laboratories, Quantum Science & Computing. Professor Emeritus at NII (Tokyo) and program manager of the Government of Japan’s ImPACT program, Dr. Yamamoto is an expert in quantum optics and information processing. He has also been affiliated with the University of Tokyo, NTT Basic Research Labs, MIT, the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), AT&T Bell Labs, Stanford, the Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST), and RIKEN.

NTT Fellow Tatsuaki Okamoto to be appointed director of NTT CIS Laboratories, Cryptography & Information Security. Dr. Okamoto is an internationally acclaimed cryptography scientist, recognized for his work in third-generation cryptosystems and the promotion of a trustworthy digital society. He has also held positions at NTT Yokosuka Electrical Communication Labs, the University of Tokyo, the University of Waterloo (Canada), AT&T Bell Labs, Tsukuba University and Kyoto University.

Professor Hitonobu Tomoike to be appointed director of NTT MEI Laboratories, Medical Health Informatics. Professor Tomoike conducts research into precision medicine, based on bio-sensors and analytics. He is an Advisor to and former Director of the Sakakibara Heart Institute and Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association. He has also held positions at UCSD, Kyushu University, Yamagata University, and the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center (Osaka).

In addition to hiring outstanding researchers in each of these fields, NTT Research will foster collaborations with top research institutions, engage in joint research projects, and host visiting scholars and post-doctoral fellows. Among its first Distinguished Scientists is cryptographer Brent Waters, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and recipient of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Computer and Communications Security (CCS) Test-of-Time and Grace Hopper Awards. The center opens today with a team of 15 researchers, a number which is expected to grow to 50 over the next few years.

“NTT R&D, with more than 6,000 researchers and an annual budget of $3.6 billion, is already one of the world’s largest and most respected research groups,” said Gomi, NTT Research President and CEO. “Our new center in Palo Alto will not only leverage those assets, but also engage with peers in this highly innovative region, enhancing the value that we bring to our trusted global partners.”

The longer-term plans for NTT Research include expansion. After launching and staffing up in Silicon Valley, home to the largest number of papers submitted in the fields of quantum computing, cryptography and medical informatics, NTT Research expects to open additional offices in Boston, Munich, Israel and London. Through these global laboratories, NTT will build a world-class network of scientists engaged in fundamental and high-impact research.