Terms
Alphabetical order
IoT/CPS
Section titled “IoT/CPS”IoT stands for Internet of Things and CPS stands for Cyber-Physical Systems. In particular, CPS is a system that connects real physical and digital spaces without being connected to the internet.
It is the basis of the Leafony project, a 2 cm square electronic board/electronic module. We call it a leaf because it is small and green. You can easily make your own leaf.
Leafony or the Leafony platform
Section titled “Leafony or the Leafony platform”Leafony is an open hardware and software platform built from leafs. Its ultra-compact size and low power consumption make it easy to create IoT/CPS systems, which is ideal to increase the development efficiency for the future digital transformation. Software development is easy. Of course, you can also develop software outside of the Arduino environment.
Leafony, a word coined from Leaf and Symphony, aims at the harmony between the individual and the whole, and Symphony represents the desire for the Leaf to come together to create great values, just as the sounds of the various instruments work in harmony to create a great piece of music.
The technical information on Leafony is basically free to use for commercial purposes. You can find more information about the license in the License section. User-specific leafs are sold by many companies, individuals, etc., under the guise of being Leafony bus compliant, and we encourage such activities. However, since Leafony is a registered trademark, we ask that you refrain from using the Leafony name on the leaf itself to avoid market confusion.
Leafony block
Section titled “Leafony block”It is an electronic device that is made up of multiple leaves. Normally, stacked leaves form a block, so it is called a leaf block. An electronic device made by combining leaves, even if the structure is flat and spread out, is called a leaf block.
Leafony bus
Section titled “Leafony bus”A common pathway that connects multiple leaves to each other is called a Leafony bus. It defines the electrical and physical specifications for the electrical signal and power connections. A Leafony bus-compliant leaf will be able to communicate with other leaves, but since it depends on the software and so on whether the Leafony platform is completely safe to connect to, Leafony bus-compliance just means that it is possible to connect close to the physical level.
The Leafony bus artwork is copyrighted and published under the CC-BY License, so you can use it for commercial purposes as well as It is free to use as long as you state that it is Leafony compliant. Therefore, you are free to develop and sell your own leafs. However, since Leafony is a registered trademark, you should not label your leaf as Leafony on it itself; a leaf with the label Leafony will show you that the product quality has been verified, and you will avoid confusion.
Leafony connector
Section titled “Leafony connector”Newly developed anisotropic conductive rubber connectors for interconnecting the leaf. It is both a male and female connector. Although it is possible to connect the leaves with solder and other thermal compression techniques, the Leafony connector is more convenient.
LEAFONY SYSTEMS Co., Ltd.
Section titled “LEAFONY SYSTEMS Co., Ltd.”LEAFONY SYSTEMS was the company that manufactured and sold Leafony products with the registered Leafony trademark, based on the research and development by the Trillion Node Engine Project. Leafs bearing the Leafony label had their interoperability verified by the project.
In March 2026, LEAFONY SYSTEMS transferred its entire business to MITDIR Inc.
MITDIR Inc.
Section titled “MITDIR Inc.”MITDIR Inc. acquired the entire business of LEAFONY SYSTEMS Co., Ltd. in March 2026 and currently handles the sales and support of Leafony products. By combining Leafony with its existing IoT and AI technologies, MITDIR provides DX solutions to a broad range of customers and works to promote IoT technology through collaboration with the research community.
Leafony bus-compliant leafs are also sold by other companies and individuals under the “Leafony-compliant” label, and such activities are encouraged. However, the Leafony trademark itself is not used in those product names.
Trillion-node engine
Section titled “Trillion-node engine”This is the electronics platform developed by the Trillion Node Engine Project. It is available to the public under the name Leafony, after organizing the hardware and software that are no longer under development.
Trillion-node engine project
Section titled “Trillion-node engine project”The Trillion Node Engine Project is a research and development project commissioned and subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
Trillion-node study-group
Section titled “Trillion-node study-group”It is said that in the future, many IT nodes such as IoT/CPS will be used in society. The purpose of this workshop is to discuss such future and share information. We are using Leafony as a concrete basis for thinking, and we are trying to promote Leafony for the development of IoT/CPS. We also provide a place to connect related companies that have needs and seeds.
Harness
Section titled “Harness”Electrical connections between a Leafony block and the outside world may require some wiring. Such a wiring is called a harness.