News Release

Canon wins Grand Award for Aquilion Rise CT scanner and Gold Award for F1.4 L VCM mirrorless RF lens series at DFA Design for Asia Awards 2026

TOKYO, October 16, 2026—Canon Inc. announced today that its Aquilion Rise, a system designed for full-body compute topography scans (CT), received the Grand Award, the highest honor at the DFA Design for Asia Awards 2026 organized by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC). Canon's F1.4 L VCM series of RF lenses for mirrorless cameras received a Gold Award.

Aquilion Rise

Co-developed with Keio University, Aquilion Rise is a multi-position, full-body CT scanner that can perform scans with the patient lying down, standing or seated. Previously, such scans could only be conducted in a reclining position, which made it difficult to detect certain illnesses. Canon designed the system’s cantilever-styled gantry to leave open space around the unit and facilitate access for patients and medical professionals. The system’s compact, curved form was designed with visibility within the examination room and the patient experience in mind. The bore opening is also illuminated to improve visibility inside the bore and create a less intimidating examination environment for patients.

Aquilion Rise has also received the Japan Design Promotion Association Award at the 56th Machine Design Awards IDEA and was selected for the Good Design Best 100 at the 2025 Good Design Award in Japan. Internationally, the system received a Gold Award at the iF Design Award 2026 in Germany.

F1.4 L VCM Series

The F1.4 L VCM series comprises six large-aperture prime lenses developed for photographers and video creators who demand high quality in both still images and video. Each lens has a maximum aperture of f/1.4, enabling expressive images that make the subject stand out impressively through large, beautiful bokeh, and an iris ring that allows the aperture to be adjusted without clicks during video recording. All six lenses share the same outer diameter, a design intended to facilitate the use of common accessories and simplify gimbal adjustment when changing lenses. Canon also standardized the placement of the control ring, focus ring and iris ring, as well as their rotational resistance and movement, to provide consistent handling across the series.

About the DFA Design for Asia Awards

Established in 2003, the DFA Design for Asia Awards recognize user-centered design projects that demonstrate design excellence and incorporate Asian perspectives. The awards are one of seven award programs organized by the Hong Kong Design Centre and provide an international platform for presenting the achievements of designers and companies.