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Japanese robot firm develops health-measurement device for elderly

Xinhua, February 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Japanese robot manufacturer has developed a machine to measure the fitness level of elderly people according to their feet movement, which helps prevent lifestyle diseases and dementia, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Saturday.

Invented by Yasukawa Electric Corp., a Kitakyushu-based company that manufactures industrial robots, in cooperation with the University of Tsukuba, the newly-developed machine looks like a treadmill. It is equipped with 3,600 sensors over a 60-square- centimeter portion of its floor.

After a user does five types of movements, including keeping their balance on an inclined floor and walking in place, the device rates their sense of balance and muscle strength on a five- grade scale.

"Muscle strength and sense of balance are to maintain a wide range of activity. This should help prevent lifestyle diseases and dementia," said Kiyoji Tanaka, professor of University of Tsukuba, who participated in the joint research.

"When results are given in figures, that creates a competitive mindset. We plan to add some fun to the device by introducing a game element and such," Tetsuya Fukuda, an executive board member of the company, was quoted as saying.

Fukuda said they also intend to have the device indicate users "physical health age," as opposed to their chronological age.

The company is currently testing the machine, and aims to market it from fiscal 2016 (April 1, 2016-March 31, 2017) to municipal governments and others. Endi