A presentation titled "Design and Parallel Performance Evaluation of a Multi-FPGA*1 SQA*2 Accelerator for Route Optimization in Large-Scale AGV Systems," delivered by Thinh Nguyen Quang of Engineering Division I, Robotics Business Development Unit, Smart Business Solutions BU, Sharp Corporation, received the FY2025 Excellent Presentation Award of the Technical Committee on Reconfigurable Systems*3 — Corporate Category. The award was presented by the IEICE Technical Committee on Reconfigurable Systems, which is operated under the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers.
*1 FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, a semiconductor chip whose internal logic circuits can be reconfigured repeatedly through programming.
*2 SQA: Simulated Quantum Annealing.
*3 Reconfigurable System: A computer system that combines the flexibility of software with the high-speed processing capability of hardware.
The IEICE Technical Committee on Reconfigurable Systems promotes research on reconfigurable systems, which enable algorithms to be executed directly on user-programmable devices to achieve high-performance and flexible processing. Its research fields cover a wide range of areas, including architecture, devices, design technologies, CAD, system technologies, parallel processing, and applications, spanning both fundamental and practical research. Through regular technical meetings, the committee also facilitates technical exchange among researchers and works to strengthen collaboration between industry, universities, and research institutions. Since FY2014, the committee has also presented awards for outstanding papers and presentations.
On June 2, 2026, an award ceremony was held at Akiu Resort Hotel Crescent in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, where Thinh Nguyen Quang received the certificate for the FY2025 Excellent Presentation Award of the IEICE Technical Committee on Reconfigurable Systems — Corporate Category.
▲ Thinh Nguyen Quang of Engineering Division I, Robotics Business Development Unit, Smart Business Solutions BU, Sharp Corporation, receives the certificate from Yuki Kobayashi (right), Chair of the IEICE Technical Committee on Reconfigurable Systems
▲ Certificate of commendation
[Award-Winning Research]
Currently commercialized general-purpose quantum annealers face challenges in solving large-scale problems due to limitations in the number of qubits. In this research, Sharp proposed a new method for route optimization in large-scale AGV*4 systems and developed a multi-FPGA accelerator based on classical computer technology. The research was highly evaluated for demonstrating processing performance several dozen times greater than that of current quantum annealers and for showing a path toward practical application, leading to the receipt of this award.
*4 AGV: Automatic Guided Vehicle, an unmanned vehicle used to transport goods and components in warehouses and factories; also referred to as a transport robot.
▲ Yuki Kobayashi (right), Chair of the IEICE Technical Committee on Reconfigurable Systems, with the award recipients (Thinh Nguyen Quang at the center)
[Comment from the Award Recipient]
Based on the results of this research, we will further advance route optimization technologies for large-scale transport robots and promote the practical application of multi-FPGA accelerators, with the aim of leading to early business development.