Sony Focused Research Award Program
https://www.sony.com/electronics/research-award-program#FocusedResearchAward
A list of candidate research topics:

• Advanced Image Processing enabled by AI artificial intelligence.  
• Robust Mesh Tracking for Volumetric Capture - Generate temporally consistent 3D mesh sequences.
• Deep Learning based Video Editing for Content Creation - Novel deep learning technologies which will be needed to realize 3D environment aware video translation/generation/editing.
• Neural Architecture Search with Distributed Deep Learning - NAS for distributed deep learning approaches which:
• Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence for Wireless Communications
• 5G-based Wireless Communication Technologies for Robotics Applications
• Novel Actuator
• Counterfactual Machine Learning - which could play an important role in entertainment DTC (Direct To Consumer) services.
• Fault-tolerant Sensor Fusion Technology for Autonomous Mobility
   
• Organic Materials and Photonic-Devices using Singlet Fission
• Metasurface Flat Optics - will introduce new optical functionality: dispersion control, polarization control, and aberration control by means of a single flat optical element.
• Intelligent Sensing Technologies for Surgical Robotics - Medical imaging and sensing for semi-/fully autonomous medical robotics
• Intelligent Sensing Technologies for Digital Health