The earthquakes that jolted Kyushu a year ago killed dozens, left tens of thousands homeless and were a reminder of how much the global supply chain for smartphones and digital cameras depends on Sony Corp.
The tremors knocked out production at plants that produce image sensors, the chips that convert light particles into bits and make digital pictures and videos possible. To lead its recovery, the company turned to 33-year veteran engineer Hiromi Suzuki, who crisscrossed the country to secure parts needed to get its Kumamoto factory back online.
A year on from the temblor and Sony is taking sensors into augmented reality, self-driving cars, factory robots and drones as more machines begin using the chips to see the world around them. With control of about half the market, and customers including Apple Inc., Google and Nikon Corp., it's building on technology pioneered in the 1980s with the Handycam.