The Beginning of the Internship Journey
- On January 5th 2025, our lab members Minjae Kim(MJ) and Kangeun Lee (KE) took the first step into the professional audio corporation named Yamaha Corporation. They flew from Incheon Airport to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), then traveled by Shinkansen to reach Hamamatsu, Japan, where Yamaha’s headquarters is currently located.
Starting from the 8th of January, MJ and KE began their first day as AFC(Active sound Field Control) system research intern students at Yamaha Corporation. On their first day, they had a brief pre-meeting with their advisor and enjoyed a tasty lunch with Spatial Audio Group (SAG) teammates.
Additionally, the teammates organized a welcoming party for both of us at the restaurant called Mameoka. Both MJ and KE were sincerely grateful for their kindness and warm hospitality.
Involvement in the Global Internship Program
- As interns for Yamaha Corporation’s Spatial Audio Group (SAG), MJ and KE were given a valuable opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges. They worked on developing technical solutions for Yamaha’s professional AFC (Active Field Control) product, applying insights gained from the AIRIS laboratory. Under the supervision of the SAG team, they engaged in hands-on development tasks involving DSP and AI approaches, contributing directly to ongoing research projects.
- The internship program also included exceptional experiences beyond the laboratory. MJ and KE were invited to take an exclusive tour of Yamaha’s renowned Piano and Brass Instrument manufacturing factory, gaining insights into Yamaha’s craftsmanship and production philosophy. Additionally, during a business trip to Yokohama and Tokyo, they had the opportunity to visit Yamaha’s Minatomirai showroom and the Tokyo University of the Arts (Keidai), where they observed how SAG members conduct fieldwork in practical settings. These visits significantly broadened their perspective on how research outcomes are implemented in the real world.
- Throughout the intensive two-month internship period, MJ and KE made significant progress in both technical implementation and communication of their research. They successfully developed practical solutions tailored to Yamaha’s current challenges in AFC system, integrating digital signal processing and AI techniques. At the end of the internship, they conducted a final presentation and live demonstration of their results, which received highly positive feedback from senior researchers and executive members, including chief representatives from Yamaha’s Marketing Division.
- The internship program concluded with promising discussions about collaboration for future research and further development. This experience not only deepened their technical expertise but also helped them grow as researchers capable of addressing real-world industrial problems through innovation and teamwork.
Takeaways
- Both intern students, MJ and KE, successfully achieved their individual goals during this internship opportunity. They gained a deeper understanding of the company’s overall process and were able to enhance their technical skills in a more professional manner, thanks to their awesome teammates. During this period, MJ and KE were deeply thankful for the guidance and sincere support provided by their mentor, Mr. Ohgi(Hiromu-san), who helped them in so many ways every day.
In the final day of the internship, the SAG team organized a farewell party once again, and all members enjoyed time together with delicious soba.
From this valuable internship opportunity, both MJ and KE were able to gain a professional understanding of Yamaha’s AFC system, while enjoying their two-month internship life in Hamamatsu. MJ and KE are truly grateful to the SAG team for their kind support and guidance throughout this experience.
Once again, this research internship has been a valuable learning experience and opportunity, and both students (MJ & KE) will carry these memories as they continue their future careers. It’s been an unforgettable experience! ありがとうございました.
– Posted by MJ & KE-