Ridgelinez, a subsidiary of technology giant Fujitsu Ltd, is partnering with the Osaka-based National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Centre Hospital and Noel, a Nagoya-based developer of AI solutions, on the project. The group started trials last month.
Fujitsu’s human-motion sensing technology is being used by Ridgelinez to create a new algorithm that “scans and identifies the gait of elderly people suffering from dementia”, a spokesman for the company told This Week in Asia.
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Japan’s population falls rapidly in 2023, losing the equivalent of San Francisco
Japan’s population falls rapidly in 2023, losing the equivalent of San Francisco
Studies have shown that dementia patients tend to drag their feet or take noticeably shorter steps. The technology identifies such walking patterns as well as the movements of around 20 other parts of the body, including the head and knees.
Deployed via security cameras in public places and shops, the system will allow authorities or carers to locate people who have wandered off from their homes or care facilities and potentially track their movements until they can be located.
“The application of technologies like AI and advanced 3D sensing will play an important part in realising a society in which people with dementia can enjoy greater independence in their daily lives, without sacrificing their dignity or privacy,” said the Ridgelinez spokesman, who declined to be named.
In ageing Japan, dementia putting elderly’s finances at risk
In ageing Japan, dementia putting elderly’s finances at risk
“Ridgelinez is also conducting research in rule-making to ensure a robust ethical framework for new solutions and real-world implementation of the technology.”
He added that the developers are aiming to introduce the system around 2028, with further tests in a public environment expected to be conducted by 2027.
The motion-sensing technology began life as a Fujitsu system co-developed with the International Gymnastics Federation to help judges analyse and score the performances of gymnasts.
Of the missing person cases, 57 per cent were aged 80 or older while 37.2 per cent were in their 70s. Police said that 284 of the people who were reported missing had not been located by the end of the financial year.
The number of people going missing in Japan rose for the 10th consecutive year, with experts warning that dementia poses a growing challenge for a society that is experiencing rapid ageing. It’s estimated that dementia could affect one in every five people over the age of 65 in the country by 2025.
The Japanese government last year passed new legislation aimed at reducing the number of missing person cases and improving dementia care.
