Kids Web Japan

Eating can be challenging for people who have difficulty moving their hands

(C)SECOM CO., LTD.
Width, depth and height are all approximately 30 cm.
"My Spoon" is placed on the table during meals.

It was with such people in mind - people who have lost the use of their hands and/or arms due to illness or accident - that the Japanese manufacturer Secom Co., Ltd. developed an eating support robot. It took the company eleven years, working in close cooperation with professional physical therapists, and in the end it succeeded in the creation of a revolutionary new meal assistance robot called "My Spoon."

With "My Spoon" you can eat on your own will

"My Spoon" picks up food much like a human arm and hand. You can control it with a joystick which you can easily move with your chin. The joystick moves the robot arm, which grasps the food with a fork or a spoon, and lifts it to your mouth. The arm has a very smooth and fine movement which enables it to grasp even tiny delicate morsels of foods such as rolled egg, or soft foods such as tofu.

(C)SECOM CO., LTD.
Users move the robot arm to the food and pick it up by squeezing it between a fork and spoon attached to the end of the arm.

"My Spoon" makes mealtimes fun

(C)SECOM CO., LTD.

With the help of this remarkable new robot, physically challenged people can eat freely whatever they want, choosing each and every bite. They can sit at the table together with their family or friends, feeling totally comfortable and part of the moment. "My Spoon" is a perfect example of the Japanese passion for solving problems through technology.

(Updated in October 2009)