2007 10/05,
34th INTERNATIONAL HOME CARE AND REHABILIATION EXPO
@ ODAIBA BIG SIGHT TOKYO.
page two!
a cyborg-walker! from the National Rehabilitation Research Institute for Persons With Disabilities, a government-funded science thingy. They can build all these contraptions, but they can't spell their own url on promotional materials!
This picture gives you some idea of how it is used. It's not like a regular walker though - besides motors that make your legs walk, they got electrodes to stimulate the nerve cells of your legs and spine. It is for people whose legs have atrophied through age, or were injured in some kind of boaking accident. The machine actually helps rehabilitate the leg muscles and eventually you can walk on your own.
The Wearable Power Assist Suit from Kanagawa Institute of Technology, a publicly-funded research group. They had pamphlets in English, so I can sort of explain what-all is going on here. First, it's not for disabled people; it's for their nurses! To help the nurses lift dudes. Second, there are sensors in it which detect the hardening of the nurses' muscles, and automatically activate the mechanical muscles in that area! The mechanical muscles are powerd by "air bag acutators driven by micro air pumps. " And they have a computer inside to determine how much force and velocity is required. It can run for 20 minutes with its on-board batteries. They have been working on this since 1990!
below, the insane rear view:
legless skiing!
and i couldn't resist taking some Engrish photos:
This one is called THE MINSTREL. it lifts up Lil John and carries him around.
exactly!
Above, the camel-toe rehabilitation garment, MyToe 3400! Available from oh whatever.
At first I thought these were supposed to give Asian ladies asses, but it is more specialized. it's for grandmas that are afraid of falling down and breaking a femur. The slogan is amazing: "Pi--chi pants! for when you turn sixty!"
shoes from mutka - extra wide so that you can fit your leg-brace in 'em.
more shoes from Matsumoto, makers of all kinds of supporters, restraints, and pads that enbale mildly disabled people.
Me, with a sales representative of the Wheely Corporaton of japan, leading makers of custom-width wheelchairs and seat cushions that don't deform under pressure.
the DOKI DOKI SNAKE CRUSHER, a foot-based whackamole game, for those with no arms. because god knows, the handicapped are sick and tired of not being able to whack moles.
This was at the booth of rentacomu, an organization dedicated to promoting physical vitality and "new lifestyles" to elderly shutins, through arcade games requiring physical movement. They seem to be part of the sinister Namco conspiracy.
Oddly, the division of Namco dedicated to games-for-the-elderly is called HUSTLE CLUB. The website is hustle-club.com, which must piss off the gay porn webmaster comminity. the g.p.w.c. shouldn't be that mad though, because i just checked google and wackycocks.com is still available!
At any rate, hustle-club can't be that naughty, though, because they make this: a $1200 speak-and-spell for the hard-of-talking.
another one, called the Training Center, from Shimane-prefecture manufactiuring technical support center, who, despite making cyber objects, has no website! But basically the deal is, it is Dance Dance Revolution for people who have forgotten how to use legs. Supposedly there are 6 kinds of software to use with this interface, and they help people rehabilitate their legs and improve their coordination.
Rims from yamaha.
This amazing system can send a German safely down a steep staircase. Actually his little train track looped under the stair and back around - it was like Disney!
Wheelchair carwash!
Poseable, portable tongue-mouse USB for quadraplegics.
above, the rabirin trainer, from combi wellness corporation. You put the cup-shaped part (the top end) in your mouth and use it to exercise your tongue. Not kidding. It is supposed to help old people who no longer have the strength to swallow. If you use it regularly, your tongue will get stronger and then you can eat? or something? Their booth was huger than my apartment, so i guess this is a famous device.
Street flashing lights from Tanabe corporation. they have an online video for you! For those of you who have never been to Japan, these things are embedded in almost every sidewalk. But I've never seen such a variety of them. The salesman made a great fuss about the two-second blinking interval of the lights.
the challenge for the 21st century: fashionable seizure hats. You can use these if you take too much X and flip out at the Snoezelen Therapy room.
After the show, we were sitting outside Odaiba Big Sight, the convention center, and noticed something odd:
do you see it?
Fucking A, man! Handicapped 9/11.
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