Robots to help elderly or paint nails

A Japanese elderly care company Asahi Sun Clean employee wearing a power suit, called ‘Muscle Suit’ powered by compressed air stored in an air tank on his back, lifts a fellow worker during a demonstration while auto parts maker NSK demonstrates a cane style navigation ‘LIGHBOT’ robot for elderly and handicaped people, equipped with a laser rangefinder to avoid obstacles, at the annual Internatinal Robot Exhibition in Tokyo on Wednesday. — AFP photo

Pneumatic muscle suits and a walking stick that behaves like a guide dog competed for attention with an industrial robot that can paint fingernails at a huge expo in Tokyo Thursday.

In a country where a quarter of the 128-million population is aged over 65, innovations that can make life easier for the elderly or their caregivers are potentially big business and the subject of a lot of research.
A ‘muscle suit’ that gives extra power to a carer to help them lift a bed-bound patient was one of the star attractions at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, which runs until Saturday.
Worn like a backpack, the device is powered by compressed air and takes some of the strain out of lifting an elderly or disabled person by giving extra muscle-power to the back and hips.
The machine, developed by Tokyo University of Science and a nursing care company, is activated by a tube in the wearer’s mouth, adding lift when the operator breathes in. Exhaling switches the power off.
‘It feels like you’re using about half the power to lift people,’ said caregiver Norikatsu Kimura, who took part in a trial at elderly care firm Asahi Sun Clean.
‘The assistance gives me relief as we are always worried about hurting our lower waist.’ ‘I’ve seen many workers who were willing to continue this job but had to stop because of hip pain,’ he said.
The device’s compressed air power makes it safe to use around water — vital because of the need to lift patients in and out of the bath. It weighs 10 kilograms including a two-kg air tank.
Among the 300 companies at the four-day expo was NSK, which was showcasing a walking stick-like device to help visually impaired users with physical support and guidance on directions.