Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ:VUZI) has announced that KDDI Research, Inc., a research institute that combines the think tank functions of the KDDI Group with R&D functions, has developed a smart hands-free nursing care support system that employs Vuzix Smart Glasses.
The support system, developed in conjunction with Zenkokai, a social welfare corporation that operates and manages nursing care welfare facilities in Tokyo, displays nursing care-related information using Vuzix Smart Glasses, as well as reads it aloud, by combining facial recognition and speech synthesis technology developed by KDDI Research.
By using this system, staff members without detailed resident information can now have this information immediately presented on the spot, even that of new residents, making it possible to take any needed appropriate measures.
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"Healthcare opportunities continue to steadily expand for Vuzix around the globe and this smart nursing care support system developed by KDDI Research in conjunction with Zenkokai is yet another example of how using smart glasses can make a real difference in people's lives," said Paul Travers, president and chief Executive officer at Vuzix in a statement.
"We look forward to working with KDDI Research in their effort to bring greater safety, efficiency and productivity to the nursing home industry," he added.
Demonstration experiments using the system were conducted at Zenkokai nursing homes from October to December 2020 and confirmed that it would be useful for work in nursing care sites. For employees of nursing care facilities to provide optimal care for its residents, it is very important to always keep track of information such as what condition each resident is currently in and what kind of care they need.
The nursing care industry tends to have a high turnover rate compared to other industries, a shortage of human resources, and the number of residents that one employee responds to tends to increase. In addition, residents may not be equipped with ID tags for personal identification, and there is a need for a hands-free system that allows employees to quickly identify and view information about residents to provide better services by providing personalized and informed responses to each resident, Vuzik noted.
KDDI Research is a research institute that combines the think tank functions of the KDDI Group with R&D functions. In August 2020, the group formulated KDDI Accelerate 5.0, a vision for a next-generation society with an eye toward 2030, that will accelerate the realization of Society 5.0, a sustainable, people-centered society that balances economic development with solving social issues.
Vuzix is a leading supplier of Smart-Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the consumer and enterprise markets. The company's products include personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality.
Founded in 1997, the group holds 184 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field. It has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2021 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others.
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