Japanese research institute KDDI Research has developed a smart hands-free nursing care support system that uses smart glasses from New York augmented reality firm Vuzix.

The support system, developed 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, and reads it aloud, by combining facial recognition and speech synthesis technology developed by KDDI Research.

Using this system, staff members without detailed resident information can now have these data immediately presented on the spot, even that of new residents, making it possible to take any needed appropriate measures.

Demonstration experiments using this system were conducted at Zenkokai nursing homes late last year and confirmed it would be useful for work in nursing care sites. For employees of nursing care facilities to provide care for their residents, it is important to always keep track of information such as what condition each resident is in and what kind of care they need.

The nursing care industry tends to have a high turnover rate and a shortage of human resources, meaning 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 identify and view information quickly about residents to provide better services by providing personalised and informed responses to each resident.

“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, CEO at Vuzix. “We look forward to working with KDDI Research in their effort to bring greater safety, efficiency and productivity to the nursing home industry.”

Vuzix supplies smart-glasses and augmented reality technologies and products for the consumer and enterprise markets. The company has offices in New York, UK and Tokyo.

KDDI Research is a research institute that combines the think tank functions of the KDDI Group with R&D functions. In August 2020, KDDI Research formulated KDDI Accelerate 5.0, a vision for society with an eye towards 2030, that will accelerate the realisation of Society 5.0, a sustainable, people-centred society that balances economic development with solving social problems.