Microsoft Research is pleased to announce an invitation for proposals for collaborative research (CORE) projects, with awardees receiving funding for the 2013 fiscal year. Microsoft Research sponsors collaborative research projects in Japan for local researchers to advance the state of the art in research, inspire technological innovation, foster young researchers, and to establish Microsoft as a valuable research and technology partner for higher education.
CORE Proposal Submission Process
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1. Applicants
The following are eligible to apply for this award:
- Faculty or researchers from a Japanese University that awards degrees at the baccalaureate level or above by MEXT
- PhD holders or PhD candidates in related research areas who are currently working at a university or institute in Japan
- Junior faculty and young researchers who obtained a PhD within the last five years and are currently working at a university or institute in Japan
- New applicants who have not received a CORE award during the past year
Note: The same applicant is not allowed to submit multiple application forms.
2. Research Topics
The proposed research should relate to current Microsoft "Research Areas" listed on the following pages:
Additional Topics of Interest
We welcome proposals that demonstrate innovative research and application—particularly in the following areas.
Natural User Interaction
Natural User Interaction (NUI) is increasingly important to promote natural interactions between human and computers. Emerging technologies in this area will help users manage complexity and interact with computers more intuitively. Advances in speech, vision and perception, gesture and other interaction modalities, real-time natural language processing, and integrative intelligence are leading to systems that anticipate user intent rather than just reacting.We focus on the collaboration of NUI technologies in the following areas.
- Generalization problems in pattern recognition: an innovative recognition model is crucial for NUI to overcome the difficulties of the current recognition model, which include performance saturation, the mismatch between testing and training data, and the use of contextual information.
- Digitization of real-world objects: technologies that digitize and store tangible and intangible real-world objects, such as 3-D images, spoken languages, and performing arts. Digital heritage context is a plus—for example, for the preservation of diminishing minor spoken languages, traditional performing arts, and so forth.
- Realistic video and speech synthesis: technologies that enable the rendering of smooth and natural videos of articulators in sync with speech signals.
- Novel sensors and sensing: sensors and sensing technologies to detect signals in pioneering ways and/or with advanced features.
Intelligent Agent
This multi-disciplinary research area includes data-mining, machine learning, natural language processing, search, text summarizing, data visualization, and so forth.
- Analysis of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, or community QA.
- Task-oriented search engine: corresponding user intents with user behaviors not only by using information retrieval and natural language processing but also multiple environment information input from user to system.
- Intelligent search, such as entity-based search output.
- Multi-doc summarization and visualization: text data synthesis from multiple URLs; data visualization, such as text to graph; and other multimedia, including visualization methods for the tiny display on mobile devices.
Cloud and Client
Cloud computing is a major trend in computing technologies. Client devices, such as desktop PC and smart phones, are becoming more powerful and are able to perform many functions by using sensors, such as motion sensors and global positioning system (GPS). This “Cloud and Client” environment brings exciting computing experiences as well as technical challenges to many areas, such as the following:
- Energy efficiency: in large-scale computing systems, energy efficiency is critically important. Various system optimization techniques—such as the use of graphics processing units (GPU)—are expected to be adapted for further energy efficiency in computing. Also important are technologies that monitor power consumption.
- Preserving privacy: real-time technology of context-aware information, such as medical and location-based information.
- Smart client: innovative user interfaces allow users to have rich experiences and interact with computers in new ways (for example, Haptic interfaces without a keyboard).
3. Microsoft Researcher
In your proposal, state the Microsoft Research researcher with whom you propose to collaborate, as well as how the collaboration will occur (for example, meeting, workshop, short stay at the Microsoft Research Asia lab, or dispatch of interns).
4. Research Grant
The grant will be awarded as funding to the university or institute on behalf of the awardee for their selected research project. Unless otherwise arranged for outcomes, a memorandum of understanding clearly stating the following four points will apply. Please specify in the proposal a special arrangement for outcomes, if any. The receiving party of the funding must agree to the following requirements:
- The award shall be used solely to support basic research in the area of research detailed above; and
- All results derived from the research must, as soon as they are generated, be readily put in the public domain, freely and without restrictions, and accordingly the University shall waive all proprietary right, title, and interest in and to such results
- This grant must be acknowledged in all publications, press releases, and other publicity that is connected with the research program detailed above.
- The results must be presented to the IJARC Academic Advisory Committee and Microsoft Research at an annual CORE project review meeting, which tentatively takes place in 2013 at a date to be announced. The selected winners are also highly encouraged to attend the CORE review meeting of the prior year's projects, which will be held in June 2012.
5. Duration and Size of Project
- Duration/starting date: Basically one year from November 2012
- Funding amount: From JPY 1,500,000 to JPY 3,000,000, per project
- Number of awards: Based on the quality of the proposals, approximately 10 to 15 projects will be selected
6. Proposal Format
Proposals should be written in English with full details of the project. The proposal should be seven pages maximum, typed in 10 pt. font or larger, double-spaced, and in either Microsoft Office Word or PDF format. Proposals that do not meet these requirements will be automatically excluded from consideration.
Provide the following information about your proposed research:
- Problem Statement: What is the problem area addressed by the proposal and why is it important? What is the potential contribution to the field of the project if successful?
- Expected Outcomes: What tangible assets, if any, will be created or produced as a result of the proposed project?
- Research Schedule: When is the project to be completed? What milestones will be used to measure progress of the project and when will they be completed?
- Collaboration Plan: If any collaborative opportunity with Microsoft Research Asia researchers is desired, clearly state specific collaboration methods (for example, meeting or workshop).
- Budget Planning: Provide a budget breakdown that describes how the award will be used, including hardware or software purchases, salaries, and other costs.
- Use of Microsoft Technologies: Describe the Microsoft tools and technologies (if any) to be used in this project. While the use of Microsoft technologies is not a condition of this invitation for proposals, any proposal relying exclusively on non-Microsoft technologies should provide a justification for why this must be the case.
- Related Research: Give a brief summary of the current state of the art in this field, including references where appropriate.
- Qualifications of Principal Investigator: Include a brief description of any relevant prior research, teaching, publication or other professional experience. A detailed vita or list of publications is not required.
7. Application Form
Complete the application form and submit it by the application deadline of September 30, 2012.
8. Selection of Awardees
- First selection – The selection will be made by the IJARC Academic Advisory Committee and Microsoft Research. Results will be provided by email. The selected researchers are expected to attend the second selection interview as follows.
- Second selection – Interviews at the Microsoft office in Tokyo in November 2012. The interview consists of a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation and 10 minutes of questions and answers. The IJARC Academic Advisory Committee and Microsoft Research will interview the applicants and determine the finalists. The official announcement will be made in December 2012.
9. Personal Information
Please read "Handling of personal information" in the cover page of the proposal before submission.
10. Application Deadline
The submission deadline is September 30, 2012.
- Japan CORE Project Workshop 2012
Tokyo, Japan ·29 June 2012 - Japan CORE Project Workshop 2011
Beijing, China ·31 May 2011 - Japan-Taiwan Academic Forum 2010
Taipei, Taiwan ·17 May 2010
