Example of IoT -Nursing and IoT-
In Japan, "low birthrate and aging population" is a social problem.
The elderly population was 35.14 million, the proportion of the population was 27.7%, which was a record high of 0.5 points compared with the previous year (27.2%).
※Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications statistics Bureau survey / announced in September Heisei 29)
As it is expected that the number of elderly people will increase more and more in the future, the shortage of personnel for nursing care is getting worse. Let's look at application of IoT in such care field.
IoT aimed at reducing the burden of nursing care and improving efficiency
Nursing care robot
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced "Priority Areas in Care Utilization of Robot Technology".(Revised in November 2012, revised in February, Heisei 20 October)
* Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry / announced in October, Heisei 29)
Even though it is a care robot, its type and purpose are varied, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare set "priority fields in nursing care use of robot technology", designate 8 priority fields such as transfer assistance and excretion support It is. (* It was changed to 13 items in six fields by revision in October, Heisei 29.) It is understood that the care robot and IoT technology are fused in the place where the marker is drawn among them.
| Specific item | Features |
|
Transfer aiding equipment |
・It can reduce the burden of the waist by using a helper attached ・Adjustable person can be detached by one person ・It can be used for transferring between bed, wheelchair and toilet |
| Transfer aiding equipment (Non-wearing type) |
・A helper can use it by one person ・It can be used for transferring between bed and wheelchair ・Perform power assist of all or part of the assistant's power in transferring ・Construction unnecessary for housing etc. for equipment installation ・ Hanging type lifting lift is excluded |
| Mobile support equipment (Outdoor type) |
・ Wheelbarrow type ・Support the elderly walking with their own feet ・It can move with loading ・Assist the movement with a motor etc. ・Have four or more wheels etc. |
| Mobile support equipment (Indoor type) |
・ Support for returning to the toilet and maintaining posture within the toilet ・It can be used only by the care recipient or support by one helper ・It mainly supports such as rising from a chair or rising from a bed |
| Excretion support equipment | ・Toilet bowl used by sitting on a toilet seat in a room ・Feed excrement into the room to prevent diffusion of odor of excrement, or isolate it by hermetic closure ・Adjustment in indoor can be adjusted |
| Watching support equipment (Long-term Care Facility Type) |
・Use robot technology with sensor and external communication function ・It is possible to protect multiple care recipients at the same time ・It can be used regardless of day and night ・It does not depend only on action information voluntarily requiring help from the care recipient ・ It is possible to detect and report on the bed leaving from the bed |
| Watching support equipment (Home care type) |
・Use robot technology with sensor and external communication function ・we can watch multiple rooms at the same time ・It can be used in a darkroom or a bathroom ・It is possible to detect and inform you that a care recipient has been injured など |
| Bathing support equipment | ・Supports a series of actions when entering and leaving a bathtub ・It can be used for support of only the care recipient or one caregiver ・A helper can be removed by one person and can be installed without any special construction |
As the shortage of personnel in the nursing care industry is getting worse, attempts have been made in Japan to spread nursing care robots for the purpose of reducing the burden on family members and staff and improving efficiency.
"Watching" type IoT case connecting elderly people and their families
In addition to the type of IoT that reduces the burden of direct nursing care like a nursing care robot, there are also types of IoT products that watch over the lives of elderly people living apart.
Mimamori Relief Line
Have you heard the pot called Mimamori Relief Line?
This was released 14 years ago in March 2001 and it became the forerunner of IoT appliances IoT nursing care products. I also have memories that I thought it was amazing when I was a primary school student watching TV programs on featured nursing care.
This product is a "safety confirmation service" that you can watch the lives of families who live apart every day by using "electric pot" with built-in wireless communication device.
In addition to informing the use situation of "electric pot" by e-mail to family watching mobile phones and personal computers, you can see the usage status of pots for one week on a website only on contractor's website.
Elderly care products overseas
Many products that support the care of the elderly who continue to increase overseas are commercialized.
◆「Live!y」
This is an apparent watch like an Apple Watch, and you just have to put it on your arm. It is a very useful tool that you can keep in touch with the operator just by pressing the button on this watch when the user something happens.
In addition to the medication reminder function and the pedometer function, this watch is also equipped with a fall detection function in the future.
Furthermore, this watch can cooperate with the activity sensor, attach it to things that you frequently use while living, such as a refrigerator or a toilet door, accumulating data on the user's behavior patterns, if it occurs, you can contact the family and send a notice.
◆Onköl
Although this is a machine to keep in the house, it has become a Scandinavian style and it does not give a sense of incompatibility even if it is placed as an interior.
As a function, we mainly remind you to take medicine and send information that you took it for your family.
It is also possible to share information such as the user's blood pressure, blood sugar level, heart rate and weight between families. Furthermore, just like「Live!y」, when something wrong happens, you can call your family by just pushing the wristband.
Since both products pass the Internet, it will reduce the burden on families living apart. Such a mechanism will be useful for the future "super aging society".
Our thinking nursing care and the future of IoT
In this way, various initiatives have already begun in the field of nursing care.
In spite of the progress of aging, we often see news that addresses the shortage of nursing care staff and family fatigue due to care.
I hope the practical use of nursing care robots will proceed as soon as possible, but there are problems such as cost, so it will be desirable to disseminate them at low cost.
There are few cases of nursing care robots, so there may be concerns about safety aspects and operation aspects.
Considering the convenience of users, it would be nice to have a compact robot with less space, less costly operation, less space-saving.
・We understand that the technology of IoT is drawing attention even in the field of "elderly care problem".
・There were many IoT products of type "Watching" elderly people living alone who are not in need of nursing care immediately.
・There were many IoT products of type "Watching" elderly people living alone who are not in need of nursing care immediately.
