New shorts depict how cognitive computing changes life in the future

IBM Japan's official YouTube channel began streaming an English-subtitled version of "Navigation," the second Steins;Gate Sōmei Eichi no Cognitive Computing collaboration video, on Wednesday. IBM's Mugendai (Infinity) website is also hosting the video in Japanese without English subtitles. Mamoru Miyano and Asami Imai reprise their roles as Future Gadget Laboratory members Rintarō Okabe and Kurisu Makise, respectively, while Ayano Yamamoto (Nae Tennōji) plays the intelligent personal assistant "Ūpa."

The popular game Steins;Gate is partnering with IBM's next-generation computer research initiative "Cognitive Computing" on the series of original anime shorts. "Navigation," and the other three shorts ("Cooking," "Fashion," and "Kaigi" or Meeting) show how computers will improve life in the future.

The original game features a plot-critical "IBN 5100" computer, modeled after the real-life IBM 5100 computer that IBM sold in 1975. The current collaboration came about when Steins;Gate creator and MAGES. President Chiyomaru Shikura talked with IBM Japan's representatives.

WHITE FOX, the studio that produced the Steins;Gate anime, also animated a short for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to promote the the GPM/DPR satellite project last year.