AITEC NEWS No.17
June 17, 1998
Issue #17
(issued on June.15, 1998 in Japanese)

Special Issue for " AITEC Research Funding Program Announcement for Brushup of Advanced Software in FY 1998"

INDEX

Introduction

In this issue, AITEC announces the AITEC Research Funding Program for fiscal 1998.

In 1998, AITEC is inviting proposals for improving (Brushup) the ICOT Free Software that was released by ICOT and handed over to AITEC, and software developed under AITEC's research funding program since 1996.

Brushup IFS and extended IFS mean:

All proposals should be made using the proposal form attached at the end of this article and sent to

by e-mail.

The same announcement can be seen in our WWW page at:

http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/FGCS/funding/98/cfp-E.html

Articles In This Issue



                            A I T E C

              Contract Research Project Announcement for

              Brushup for IFS/Extended IFS Fiscal 1998


1. Introduction

The Research Institute for Advanced Information Technology (AITEC) of
the Japan Information Processing Development Center (JIPDEC) has been
disseminating the fifth-generation computer technology that was
developed in the ``Fifth Generation Computer Systems (FGCS) Project
(1982-1992)'', and the ``FGCS Follow-on Project (1993-1995)'' that
were mainly carried out by the Institute for New Generation Computer
Technology (ICOT).

ICOT released ICOT Free Software (IFS), then AITEC also released it in
fiscal 1996. This advanced software resource has been enriched by
AITEC's contract research project since fiscal 1996. The software
developed under AITEC's contract research project is called ``Extended
IFS''.

In fiscal 1998, AITEC is inviting proposals for Brushup of IFS and
extended IFS.

Brushup of IFS and extended IFS means:

	* Improvement of operability of software
	* Expansion of user's manual and/or examples
	* Improvement of document explaining the program and/or its
	  algorithms

The aim of Brushup is to improvement of utility of the software
and hence promote its use, not only in research but also for practical
applications, education and so forth.

Please note that the contract research project for fiscal 1998 is
quite different from those up until the last fiscal year. Contractors
may do research and improve the functionality of the software, but the
main purpose of the contract research project is to improve the
accessibility of the software.

Applicants need not be researchers who developed the software
originally, need not be Japanese, and need not be resident in Japan.

AITEC will make an archive for the improved software that will be made
during this fiscal year, namely, IFS and extended IFS. AITEC will open
the archived software to the public as soon as possible.

The Department of FGCS Technology that handles the contract research
project is planned to be disbanded at the end of this fiscal year.
Thus, the contractor will be expected to submit improved software and
related documents no later than the end of January 1999.

2. Instructions for Proposal Preparation

Your proposals should be received by AITEC no later than:

		  26th June, 1998 Friday (JST)


All submissions should be made by e-mail.


2.1 Who may apply

The Department of FGCS Technology that handles the contract research
project is planned to be disbanded at the end of this fiscal year.
Thus, the contractor will be expected to submit improved software and
related documents no later than the end of January 1999.


2. Instructions for Proposal Preparation

Your proposals should be received by AITEC no later than:

                 26th June, 1998 Friday (JST)


All submissions should be made by e-mail.


2.1 Who may apply?


Researchers who will make the software available within the designated
period under the terms and conditions similar to IFS can submit
proposals. Please refer to

	http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/IFS/list/using-IFS-E.html

for the terms and conditions, or contact us to obtain them.

Applicants need not be researchers who developed the software
originally, need not be Japanese, and need not be resident in Japan.

2.2 Software to be improved


All software that AITEC has released are targets for Brushup.

Please refer to

	http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/IFS/list/catalogue-E.html
	http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/IFS/list/catalogue-rest-E.html
	http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/FGCS/funding/itaku-H7-index-E.html
	http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/FGCS/funding/itaku-H8-index-E.html
	http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/FGCS/funding/itaku-H9-index-E.html

for IFS, and software developed under AITEC's contract research
projects.


2.3 Number of research contracts to be awarded


In fiscal 1998, we will support approximately 15 projects.


2.4 Scope and type of support


(1) Approximately 1,500,000 Japanese Yen will be given to each of the
    supported projects. This award will be provided in Japanese Yen,
    and shall include all overheads for the university, if necessary.

(2) The contractor will be contacted in due course concerning the
    method of payment and handling of resulting software.

(3) Only one-year projects will be accepted.

(4) The contractor is requested to permit public release of the
    software by AITEC under the terms and conditions similar to ICOT
    Free Software (IFS); the copyright of the portion of the software
    that the contractor improves remains with the contractor, or a
    person designated by the contractor. Please refer to

     http://www.icot.or.jp/AITEC/IFS/list/using-IFS-E.html

    for the terms and conditions for IFS, or please contact us to
    obtain them.

2.5 Obligations of the Contractor


(1) An intermediate progress report of about 250 words in English must
    be sent to AITEC around the end of October 1998 (the precise
    deadline will be informed later) by e-mail. This report should
    include:

     * Purpose
     * Research method
     * Intermediate results
     * Future plan for this fiscal year

(2) The project final report of about 30 pages written in English must
    be sent to AITEC by the end of January 1999. The report should be
    sent by e-mail. The resulting software and files such as README,
    user manuals, and installation manuals should be sent to AITEC by
    ftp.

    The deadline for submitting the software must be strictly
    observed.

    Copyright of the report shall be transferred to AITEC and the
    Mechanical Social Systems Foundation, while the copyright of the
    software will remain with the contractor or a person designated by
    the principal investigator.

(3) A plan of expenses must be sent to AITEC. Contractors are expected
    to follow the expense guidelines that will be informed later.

(4) Accounts must be kept and copies of receipts retained, and must be
    sent to AITEC by the end of February 1999.

(5) In addition to the above, the state of progress of research and so
    forth must be reported to AITEC if requested.

2.6 Period of support


The research period for the awarded projects will start from June 16,
1988 and continue to January 31, 1999. Expenses for the research
activities for the project during this period are permitted. Thus, the
period of support is from June 16, 1998 to 31st January, 1999.

3. Proposal Processing


Proposals will be reviewed and awards will be determined by the
refereeing committee.

Notification will be made by

		    6 July, 1998 Monday (JST)

by e-mail.

The criteria by which the proposals will be judged are the following:

(1) Effects of Brushup

(2) Attraction of the software

(3) Suitability of the research plan and project participants for
    developing the resulting software


4. Submission of Proposals


All proposals must be written using the prepared proposal form
attached at the end of this article and sent to

	* Akira Aiba (aiba@icot.or.jp)
	* Tomoaki Moro (moro@icot.or.jp)

by e-mail no later than

		   26 June, 1998 Friday (JST)



5. Proposal Form for FY 1998


Please fill in the Proposal Form according to the following
guidelines, and send it by e-mail.

(1) Principal investigator

	Fill in the name and address of the principal investigator.

(2) Contractor

	If requesting some other person to make the contract with us,
	fill in the name and address of the contractor.

(3) Name of the software to be improved

	Fill in the name of the software that you will brush up, and
	select one of the following categories to which the software
	belongs:

	* IFS
	* Software of AITEC's contract research project in FY 1995
	* Software of AITEC's contract research project in FY 1996
	* Software of AITEC's contract research project in FY 1997

(4) Project participants, research method, schedule

	Fill in the names, affiliations, and mail addresses of project
	participants.  Describe the research method and research
	schedule as specifically as possible.

(5) Results of Brushup

	Select at least one of the following issues that you will
	improve and describe the contents:

	* Improvement of operability of software 
		- such as improvement of user interface

	* Expansion of user's manual and/or examples

	* Creation and/or improvement of document explaining program
	  and/or its algorithms

	If you wish to investigate improving the software, select the
	following in addition and describe the contents:

	* Improvement of functionality of the software

(6) Basis of compensation

	This research contract shall provide approximately 1,500,000
	Japanese Yen.  Please fill in the amount of money required for
	each item, and how you intend to use the money. Please include
	all of the overheads for the university, etc. in
	"Miscellaneous Expenses."

(7) Submission of Proposals

	Send your proposal to

	* Akira Aiba (aiba@icot.or.jp)
	* Tomoaki Moro (moro@icot.or.jp)

	at AITEC, FGCS Department by e-mail no later than

		    26 June, 1998 Friday (JST)





Research Proposal Form ---------------------- Date: XX June, 1997 1. Principal Investigator Organization: Address of the organization: Title: Name: Contact Address: Tel: Fax: E-mail: 2. Contractor (if necessary) Organization: Address of the organization: Title: Name: Contact Address: Tel: Fax: E-mail: 3. Name of the software to be improved (1) Name of the software: (2) Category of the software: Select one of the following. [ ] IFS [ ] Software of AITEC's contract research project in FY 1995 [ ] Software of AITEC's contract research project in FY 1996 [ ] Software of AITEC's contract research project in FY 1997 4. Project participants, research method, schedule (1) Project participants +-------------------------+------+-------------+----------------+ | | Name | Affiliation | E-mail address | +-------------------------+------+-------------+----------------+ | Principal investigator | | | | +-------------------------+------+-------------+----------------+ |Collaborating researchers| | | | +-------------------------+------+-------------+----------------+ % Please add extra lines for collaborating researchers. (2) Research method (3) Research schedule 5. Results of Brushup (1) Select at least one of the following issues that you will improve and describe the contents (about half a page for each): [ ] Improvement of operability of software - such as improvement of user interface [ ] Expansion of user's manual and/or examples [ ] Creation and/or improvement of document explaining program and/or its algorithms (2) Specify the anticipated users, and describe why the software will be attractive for those users (about half a page): (3) If you wish to investigate improving the software, select the following in addition and describe the contents (about half a page): [ ] Improvement of functionality of the software 6. Basis of compensation +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+ | Item | Amount | Basis | Remarks | +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+ |Personnel | | | | +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+ |Travel | | | | +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+ |Material Purchases | | | | | (books, reports, etc.) | | | | +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+ |Consumables | | | | +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+ |Miscellaneous | | | | +-------------------------+--------+-------+---------+
6. Contact Please contact the following regarding this contract research: Research Institute for Advanced Information Technology (AITEC) Shiba Tokyo Kaijo Bldg. 2F 3-3 Shiba 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0014 Japan Tel: +81-3-3456-2514 Fax: +81-3-3455-4877 Akira Aiba (aiba@icot.or.jp) for research contents Tomoaki Moro (moro@icot.or.jp) for contract procedure

Message From the Editorial Desk

This issue announces the AITEC Research Funding Program for fiscal 1998.

Before releasing the software developed by projects awarded by the AITEC research funding program, we will install, execute and check the software, and check documents to increase the accessibility of the software. This will take several months.

The Department of FGCS Technology that handles the research funding program is planned to be disbanded at the end of this fiscal year. Thus, it is extremely difficult to acquire the time required to undertake such additional work. This is why AITEC requests the software to be submitted by the end of January 1999. Thus, the deadline for the submission is quite strict.

We look forward to receiving your application.

We will continue reporting on various activities, research, and achievements relating to AITEC through AITEC NEWS. If you have any news or information you would like to include in this publication, please send it to us at: aitec-news@icot.or.jp.

If you do not wish to receive AITEC NEWS any more, please also contact us at: aitec-news@icot.or.jp

All the staff at AITEC hope to see you again soon in the next AITEC NEWS.

                
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*                                                                    *
*      A I T E C   N E W S Issue #17                                 *
*         AITEC NEWS Editorial Team:                                 *
*           Makiko Sato, Chie Takahashi, Akira Aiba                  *
*	    Kazumi Kasai, Kouichi Takeda, Yoshiharu Torii            *
*	    Hiroshi Sato, Shunichi Uchida                            *
*         AITEC NEWS English Version Team:                           *
*	    Akira Aiba,Masayo Fukushima, Shunichi Uchida             *
*        Issued on: June 15, 1998 (Japanese Version)                 *
*                   June 17, 1998 (English Version)                  *
*        By: Research Institute for Advanced Information             *
*            Technology (AITEC), a subcenter of                      *
*	     Japan Information Processing Development                *
*            Center (JIPDEC)                                         *
*  	     2-3-3, Minato-ku, Shiba, Tokyo 105-0013, Japan          *
*	     TEL: +81-3-3456-3191 FAX: +81-3-3455-4877               *
*	     E-mail: aitec-news@icot.or.jp                           *
*	     http://www.icot.or.jp                                   *
*                                                                    *
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