Purpose of the Event
In the field of long-term care, there are high expectations for the use of robotics technology to support the independence of care recipients, preserve their dignity, and reduce the burden on caregivers. While the development
of new robotic care devices is underway and their introduction and adoption in care settings is gradually progressing, there are still unresolved challenges and unmet needs in the field.It is crucial to accelerate the development of robotic care devices as one solution to social challenges such as the era of 100-year lifespans and the aging society with a declining birthrate. Developing devices that contribute to care and accelerating their introduction into facilities and home care settings are also vital elements. When developing robotic care devices, ensuring the safety of elderly individuals with declining physical functions is a key consideration; therefore, safety must be thoroughly taken into account during development to ensure users can use the devices safely and with peace of mind.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) have formulated the "Priority Areas for the Use of Robotics in Care" (published in November 2012, revised in February 2014 and October 2017) and have been promoting their development and introduction.
In particular, under the "Project to Promote the Development and Introduction of Robotic Care Equipment (FY2013–2017)," a subsidy program of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and its successor program, the "Project for the Development and Standardization of Robotic Care Equipment (FY2018–2020)," a subsidy program of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), research and development—including the formulation of safety standards—was conducted for various types of robotic care equipment with the aim of promoting their development by private-sector developers.This led to the creation of the "Safety Handbook for the Development of Robotic Care Equipment." This
handbook compiles safety-related outcomes obtained during the R&D process, including risk assessment methods, safety standards, and safety testing methods.
Therefore, in this seminar, we will once again explain the guidelines and manuals established through robotic care equipment-related projects up to last fiscal year to all development companies. We will highlight
particularly important points within the manuals and introduce key information that development companies should be aware of.This is essential viewing for those who have not had the opportunity to review all the guidelines and manuals, or for those who have read them before but wish to refresh their understanding.
We plan to hold two seminars this fiscal year, and this is the first one. In this first seminar, we will primarily utilize the "Safety Handbook for the Development of Robotic Care Equipment" to clearly summarize information that will be useful in each development phase.Through this seminar, we hope you will learn the essential safety considerations for developing robotic care devices and incorporate them into your development plans for the coming year and beyond. We
also encourage you to actively utilize these manuals moving forward to drive the development and improvement of devices that meet the needs of care settings.
Finally, through these outreach and awareness activities, the Secretariat aims to foster the robot care equipment industry and build a “Robot Care Equipment Industry Ecosystem.” The industry ecosystem referred to here is a state in which players involved in robot care equipment—including developers, care facilities and individual users, new entrants to the care sector, and local governments—come together to form a community capable of self-sustaining information sharing, matchmaking, consultation, human resource development, and recruitment within that community.We believe that the formation of this robot-assisted care device industry ecosystem will stimulate the exchange of information and the alignment of needs between developers and users, leading to accelerated development and adoption in the future.
We look forward to the participation of many individuals and organizations, including the companies taking part in the partnership meeting.
[Date and Time]
Friday, January 21, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:40 AM (100 minutes) (Webex Webinar)
[Event Overview]
・This event will be held as a webinar using Webex. After you register, we will send you the webinar
link; please view it using the browser on your smartphone or computer.
・Questions for the presenters will be accepted via the webinar’s comment or Q&A features, and answers will be provided verbally or
through the Q&A feature.
・We also accept questions via the email address below, but please note that responses may take some time.
・Email address for questions: jp_robot-care“AT”pwc.com (Please replace “AT” with @.)
・Details are subject to change. Please check this website periodically for the latest information.
【Participation Fee and Registration】
Participation Fee: Free
★ How to Register
Please register via the following page:
Registration Page (Registration is now closed)
[Program]
Friday, January 21, 2022, 10:00 a.m.–11:40 a.m. (100 minutes)
| 1. |
Opening Seminar Organizing Committee | 10:00–10:05 |
| 2. |
"Future Business Directions for Robot-Assisted Care Equipment (Tentative)" Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Commerce and Services Group, Healthcare Industry Division, Medical and Welfare Equipment Industry Office | 10:05–10:20 |
| 3. | "Projects Related to the Development of Robotic Care Equipment" Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Medical Devices and Healthcare Division, Healthcare Research and Development Section | 10:20–10:35 |
| 4. |
"Recommendations for Utilizing the Handbook on the Development of Robotic Care Equipment" Seminar Organizing Committee | 10:35–11:15 |
| 5. |
Seminar Organizing Committee: "Interactive Q&A Session" | 11:15–11:25 |
| 6. |
Announcement from the Secretariat: Regarding the Website Redesign Seminar Organizing Committee | 11:25–11:35 |
| 7. |
Closing Seminar Organizing Committee | 11:35–11:40 |
[Seminar Inquiries]
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Project for
Strengthening Advanced R&D and Development Systems for Medical Devices, etc. (Project to Promote the Development of Robotic Care Devices, etc.),
Project for Creating an Environment and Building an Ecosystem to Promote the Adoption of Robotic Care Devices, Seminar
Organizing Secretariat: PwC Consulting LLC, E-mail: jp_robot-care@pwc.com (Please replace “AT” with @.)
[Contact Information for the Robot Care Equipment Development Partnership]
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Medical
Devices and Healthcare Division, Healthcare Research and Development
Section E-mail: robot-kaigo“AT”amed.go.jp (Please replace “AT” with @.)