We have started to examine the possibility of standardizing wearable transfer aids and monitoring systems for nursing facilities and private homes mainly with respect to safety, but also including performance criteria and modular products. Specifically, we asked the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, the Japan Automobile Research Institute, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Nagoya University, the Japan Assistive Products Association, the Japan Assistive Products Evaluation Center and other consortium members to cooperate by sharing their knowledge, and then we worked with various organizations, the Association for Technical Aids, and specialists to create a basic strategy for standardization of wearable transfer aids and monitoring systems for nursing facilities and private homes and to work on international standardization. With respect to wearable robots, we examined the standardization status of ISO/TC299/WG2 related to the safety of service robots, and also considered the contents and methods used to make ISO 13482 an individual part so that we could start our preparations in making a draft for an ISO proposal.

After receiving the cooperation of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, the Japan Automobile Research Institute, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Nagoya University, the Japan Assistive Products Association, the Japan Assistive Products Evaluation Center and other consortium members based on their knowledge, we then worked with various organizations, the Association for Technical Aids, and specialists to create a basic policy for standardization of wearable transfer aids and monitoring systems for nursing facilities and private homes and to work on international standardization.

　JIS B 8446-2, a standard for wearable robots (Safety requirements for personal care robots - Part 2: Low power restraint-type physical assistant robot) was issued in April 2016, based on the results of studies up to FY2015. JIS B 8446-2 was translated into English in support of the Japanese proposal for standards for type-specific parts including wearable types, in accordance with the revision of ISO 13482 in ISO/TC 299/WG2, and at the ISO/TC 299/WG2 international conference, we explained the policy of standards for type-specific parts being considered in Japan. We also investigated standardization activities within the related TC 299 (terminology, performance, safety of rehabilitation robots and the like), and gained an understanding of the situation. In addition, in order to win support for Japan’s proposal, we visited the main countries concerned, explained the details of the proposal and exchanged opinions, and gained a certain level of understanding. As a result, at the ISO/TC 299/WG2 Gaithersburg meeting in January 2017, it was decided to begin the work of establishing standards for type-specific parts including wearable robots by January 2019, when the revision of ISO 13482 will start at the latest.
　We also considered monitoring aids. We investigated standardization of products currently on the market, and devices and systems that will be commercialized in future, based on a survey of usage and functions of monitoring devices, and sensors used to date. This indicated that IEC/TC 79 (Alarm and electronic security systems) and IEC - SyC (ALL - Ambient Assisted Living) are related fields. In addition, we established a monitoring aid device standardization committee, and as a result of studies with the participation of developer-manufacturers and users, we compiled technical requirements for monitoring support devices (for nursing care facilities).