WELCOME TO LDIA 2021

The Linear Drives Technical Committee was established at the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ) in October 1987 and has investigated technology trends of linear motors and magnetic levitation. The committee has made a great contribution to the academic and industrial development of linear drive technology in Japan and published some books and reports on the investigated technology. It organized some international technical meetings such as the International Symposium on Linear Drives for Industry Applications (LDIA) and the International Conference on Magnetically Levitated Systems and Linear Drives (MAGLEV). In the keynote speech an overview of the 34-year history and activities of the committee is presented. As of March 2021, under the Technical Committee, three investigating R&D committees are doing technical survey and investigation of (1) linear motors and actuators, (2) magnetic levitation, and (3) linear drive technology for industry applications. Based on the results of activities of the investigating R&D committees, some recent technology trends of linear motors and magnetic levitation are also presented in the speech.