Keeping People Active at Advanced Ages with “Ability Supplementation Items”
Left: An example of people wearing walking support gear made of rubber to assist the muscles used for walking. (e-foot® futto®; photo courtesy of YAMADA Co., Ltd.)
Right: An example of a person using eyewear with an automatic focus adjustment function that helps solve vision issues. Note that this product is not a medical device. (Photo courtesy of ViXion Inc.)
Japan is well-known as a country with some of the longest lifespans in the world, and it has a growing interest in the concept of the “healthy lifespan,” meaning the period in which people can live their lives without any health issues. As such, many items have been developed within Japan in recent years to support people who have reduced physical functions due to aging or other factors, so that they can live energetically for as long as possible. Let’s take a look at some revolutionary ability supplementation items from Japan.
Aiming for a Wellness-focused Society in a Country with Long Lifespans
The average lifespan for Japanese people is over 80 years among both men and women. In this way, Japan is well-known as a country with some of the longest lifespans in the world. On the other hand, there is a social challenge to extend the period in which people can live their lives without any health issues. Japan aims to achieve a wellness-focused society where people can live healthily in their own way—particularly elderly people who think about this concept of healthy lifespans. As such, many new items are being developed to support people who have issues with muscle strength, vision, or hearing due to aging, illnesses, or injuries.
Ability Supplementation Items Help Senior Citizens Stay Active
Aging and other factors can lead to reduced muscle strength and a stooped posture, which can make it hard to walk. One kind of walking support gear is gaining attention as a way to help solve this issue through the power of rubber. The developer of this product has been involved in medicine, elderly care, and sports for around 40 years, and recognized the importance of walking within the “era of 100-year lifespans.” He created this gear based on insight in kinesiology (the study of human body movement) and anatomy. This main feature of this product is the way the rubber material stretches and contracts to provide instant support for various walking muscles, making it easier for people to take their next step in a natural way. In addition, it helps keep the hips stable and can assist with muscle strength when worn on the legs, which also makes it easier to walk. The gear has a simple appearance and people can quickly put it on themselves alone, so it has been well received for being useful when going mountaineering or moving around outside, as well as in regular life.
One woman previously had difficulty walking, but became able to walk without a cane by using this support gear. Rubber tends to return to its original shape, and the product utilizes this property to help stabilize people’s center of gravity when walking. The movement of the rubber material stretching and contracting helps support the muscles needed for walking. (e-foot® futto®; photos courtesy of YAMADA Co., Ltd.)
Ability Supplementation Items That Uses Technology
Photos that showcase eyewear released in 2023 to help with vision. (Photos courtesy of ViXion Inc.)
The sensor on the front measures the distance of objects and then instantly and automatically changes the shape of the lenses to help see these objects better. This product has a simple design with a monochrome color scheme that feels natural to wear and blends well with the face. Note that this product is not a medical device. (Photos courtesy of ViXion Inc.)
Many kinds of ability supplementation items are being developed in rapid succession using advanced technology.
One startup company in Japan has developed a type of eyewear that automatically adjusts its focus to help solve issues related to vision due to eye strain or aging. This popular product was released after gaining a lot of support through crowdfunding. It can instantly change the shape of the lenses inside it based on the distance of objects. This lets it automatically adjust focus. It has been carefully designed so that it does not feel heavy when wearing it for a long period of time. This allows it to be used in many different situations, such as cooking while reading on a tablet hands-free, or doing tasks that require precise movements. The same eyewear lets people see both near and far, and so some users have expressed their delight about not needing to switch their glasses. The development company has worked to expand people’s visual ability ever since its establishment, such as through efforts to support people with low vision. The company wants to help
realize a more enriched life for people by enhancing their lives with technology.
Left: An early model of AR smart glasses that show subtitles for conversations. Development work is currently in progress, and these glasses are being updated so that they are easier to use.
Right: An example of the words spoken by the person in front of the glasses being shown on the screen in real time. Note that this is a demonstrational image. (Photos courtesy of Sony Corporation)
Another item in development uses visual information to supplement people’s hearing ability. In 2023, a world-famous Japanese general electronics company announced augmented reality (AR) smart glasses that display real-time subtitles for conversations. These glasses feature many different kinds of advanced technology. In particular, the company successfully achieved a high level of precision for the resin display unit by utilizing proprietary technology based on DVD manufacturing techniques. Previous display units made from glass required frames to ensure safety, but display units made from resin do not need frames. This allows for a design that does not obstruct people’s sight, while also reducing the weight of the glasses and making them easier to put on and take off. The story behind the development of these glasses started in 2013. The company originally sold smart glasses in America that displayed subtitles for movies, but there was demand for smart glasses that displayed what people were saying in daily life as well. Development work involved speaking to thousands of people who would benefit from the support that these glasses can bring, and their opinions have been reflected in the product design. The company is making progress in development through multiple initiatives like this, with the aim of letting people with hearing difficulties communicate naturally with people while looking at each other face-to-face. These smart glasses are planned to include a translation function for foreign languages. For this reason, many people around the world are eager to see future developments for these glasses; not just those with hearing difficulties.
In Japan, many different kinds of ability supplementation items are being created to help realize a society in which everyone can enjoy lifestyles with energy and in a way that suits them, including the elderly and people with physical disabilities.