- Childcare Expo 2019, the industry's first and largest trade show for business negotiations on childcare-related products and services
- At the venue, the announcement and award ceremony of the "BabyTech Award Japan 2019 Grand Prize" and exhibition of the award-winning products
- Many nursery school and kindergarten managers, childcare professionals, related companies, and media representatives attended the event.
- ABOUT 2,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE EXHIBITION ON THE FIRST DAY, AND MANY EXHIBITS RELATED TO ICT FOR CHILDCARE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE GENRES OF BABY TECH.
More than 100 booths were set up for presentations and business talks by companies and organizations that provide childcare related products and services. In addition to the announcement and award ceremony of the "BabyTech Award Japan 2019 Grand Prize", lectures, conversations and panel discussions by celebrities were held on the main stage in the venue, and in a separate room, presentations of products and services of each company and seminars by experts were held. In addition, presentations of products and services by each company and seminars by experts were held in a separate room. This article reports on BabyTech's coverage of the event on Friday, June 7, the first day of the event.
Childcare Expo 2019 Reception
The "Organizer's Seminar" was always full, and there was even standing room only.
Day 1 of the Childcare Expo 2019 began with a speech by the organizers on the main stage. Mr. Yasushi Kajiwara of Messe Frankfurt Japan K.K. stated that the Childcare Expo 2019 is the first comprehensive exhibition in Japan to be held across the "infant childcare and early childhood education-related" fields, and that, as evidenced by the much-talked-about phrase "Nursery school failed: Japan dies", there is a great deal of interest in "infant childcare and early childhood As you can see from the fact that "Nursery school dropout: Japan dies," there is a great deal of interest in "infant care and education.
Mr. Yasushi Kajiwara, President of Messe Frankfurt Japan, addresses the organizers.
The next opening speech was given by Mr. Masataka Kikuchi, the President of Kikuchi Gakuen. Mr. Kikuchi is famous as the "Big Brother of Song" and "Well Sensei" on Shizuoka Daiichi Television, and has also appeared on the Mainichi Broadcasting System's "Jounetsu Tairiku" (Passion Continent) and has lectured throughout Japan.
Mr. Masataka Kikuchi, President of Kikuchi Gakuen, delivers the opening speech
The talk began with Kikuchi's memories of when her parents' home was an unlicensed nursery school and her experience of the beauty of being involved in children's development, the impact of the introduction of free childcare on facility management, and the emphasis in the revised childcare guidelines on 'the independence of the child'.
In addition, there was a warning against 'childcare that only pursues the convenience of the parents' and that the purpose of childcare should be to 'nurture the children's ability to live'. She also shared an episode of a song she wrote for a deaf child and the song she sang to him.
Mr. Iuchi and Mr. Ishida in conversation
ON THE MAIN STAGE, THERE WAS ALSO A CONVERSATION BETWEEN MR. SEI IUCHI, DIRECTOR OF RHYTHM GAKUEN IN HOKKAIDO, AND MR. ATSUSHI ISHIDA, REPRESENTATIVE DIRECTOR OF E-RESOURCE CENTER CO. AMONG THE VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED, THE MOST IMPRESSIVE WAS THE QUESTION "WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP TO UTILIZE ICT IN NURSERY SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS? MR. IUCHI REPLIED, "IN THE PAST, WE USED TO USE DIGITAL CAMERAS TO TAKE PICTURES, BUT WE DON'T USE THEM MUCH THESE DAYS, DO WE? I THINK EVERYONE IS TAKING PICTURES WITH THEIR SMARTPHONES. HOWEVER, IN NURSERY SCHOOLS, FOR SOME REASON, THEY STILL USE DIGITAL CAMERAS. I THINK THE FIRST STEP IS TO CHANGE THAT TO A SMARTPHONE.
He also mentioned that Rhythm Academy has adopted cashless payment (nanaco from Seven-Eleven), and that switching to electronic payment has eliminated the need to exchange and manage coins. He also said that the introduction of such technology had the merit of reducing the payment of overtime. In addition, there was a panel discussion by experts, including a discussion on "securing childcare workers," which is a particularly serious shortage concern.
Panel discussion on the theme of "Dramatic Changes in Childcare Management
Exhibitors' Presentations" with many participants eagerly taking notes.
In the presentation room, each exhibitor gave a presentation of their products and services. Due to time constraints, we were only able to cover the presentation by the grand prize winner of the "BabyTech Award Japan 2019" and the introduction of "nanoty", an information sharing system for nursery schools by Sun Loft Co.
Presentation of the social experience app "Gokko Land" (Kids Star Inc.)
Social experience application "Gokko Land" (Kids Star Inc.)
The presentations by the BabyTech Award Japan 2019 grand prize winners were only four minutes long, but they all conveyed the appeal of their products and services. The first presentation, "Gokko Land," a social experience app that allows children to experience jobs through a smartphone app, was made by famous companies such as JAL, McDonald's, and Seven-Eleven, and its main points were "thoroughgoing authenticity" and "parent-child communication that starts with 'praise. The app has been downloaded 2.9 million times. Currently, the app has been downloaded 2.9 million times and is being used by 450,000 households.
Presentation by hugsafety (hugmo Inc.)
hugsafety (hugmo inc.)
The next presentation, "hugsafety," is a monitoring device that watches over children while they sleep. hugmo, Inc., which developed the device, started as an in-house venture of the SoftBank Group in November 2016. After searching for a sensor to monitor children's breathing from all over the world but not being able to find a satisfactory one, the company finally partnered with BioSilver Corporation, which was developing a sensor that met the required standard. As a result of joint development, they were able to create this product.
Breast Pump Breastfeeding Assist Electric ProPersonal/ProPersonal+/ Pigeon Switch (Pigeon Corporation) Presentation
Breast Pump Breastfeeding Assist Electric ProPersonal/ ProPersonal+/ Pigeon Switch (Pigeon Corporation)
ProPersonal, ProPersonal+, and Pigeon Switch were developed to meet a variety of breastfeeding styles and pumping needs, with four different "pumping rhythms" and Japan's first app that works with the breast pump. We also released Japan's first app that works with the breast pump. We have received positive feedback from users such as "Recording breastfeeding has become easier! The app was released for the first time in Japan.
Presentation of Papa-to-Parenting@Baby Book (Fastest Ascent Co., Ltd.)
Papa-to-Childcare@Baby Book (Fastest Ascent Co., Ltd.)
Next, "Papatto Childcare @ Baby Notebook" is an app that allows you to manage various records such as photos and daily rhythms during childcare. What's particularly amazing is the function that analyzes emotions from a child's crying voice, using the big data of over 500,000 users. When a baby's cries are played on the phone, the app guesses how the baby is feeling, such as "75% hungry, 25% sleepy," and tells the parents how the baby is feeling, so that they can respond appropriately. The company is also conducting joint research with the National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), which will make it possible to provide a wider range of childcare support in the future.
IoT type fetal monitor "Delivery Monitoring Device iCTG" & Perinatal Telemedicine Platform
Presentation of "Melody i" (Melody International Co., Ltd.)
IoT type fetal monitor "Delivery Monitoring Device iCTG" & Perinatal Telemedicine Platform
Melody i" (Melody International Inc.)
Next, the IoT-type fetal monitor "Delivery Monitoring Device iCTG" & perinatal telemedicine platform "Melody i" is a device that measures "fetal heartbeat" and "pregnant woman's stomach tension" and sends the data to medical institutions via the Internet. It was the world's only "full wireless delivery monitoring device. With this device, the condition of pregnant women can be monitored remotely, and obstetricians can give instructions. At present, demonstration tests are being conducted at more than 50 hospitals in Japan and overseas, according to the company.
Presentation of Lukumi Photo (UNIFA Corporation)
Look Me Photo (UNIFA Corporation)
The last presentation, "Lukumi Photo," is a service that aims to thoroughly reduce the burden of taking photos at daycare centers and kindergartens. Although there has been a strong need for parents to know what their children are up to while they are in daycare, daycare centers are always busy and often have their hands full, making it difficult to take photos. It also takes a lot of effort to check the content of the photos to determine whether they can be released to the public, and to check the number of photos to make sure that the number of photos taken is not unfair between children.
TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, "LUKUMI PHOTO" HAS DEVELOPED AN AUTOMATIC CAMERA THAT ALLOWS CHILDCARE WORKERS TO TAKE HANDS-FREE PHOTOS, ENABLING THEM TO TAKE NATURAL-LOOKING PHOTOS WITHOUT ANY BURDEN ON THEM. IN ADDITION, THE SYSTEM AUTOMATES THE CAPTURE AND CLASSIFICATION OF DATA, AND AI SUPPORTS THE CHECKING OF PHOTOS. IN THE FUTURE, BY USING FACE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO AUTOMATICALLY CHECK THE NUMBER OF PHOTOS TAKEN FOR EACH CHILD.
Presentation of nanoty (Sun Loft Co., Ltd.)
In a 40-minute presentation by Sun Loft Corporation, the company's Nanoty information sharing system was introduced. By using "nanoty", the minutes of staff meetings can be circulated on tablet devices, and since it is possible to check who has read the minutes and confirm the opening of e-mails, there are fewer information sharing errors. In addition, information about events in the school (sports day, field trip, etc.) can be transferred on "nanoty", which eliminates the need to store and search for paper reports. For accident reports, photos taken with a smartphone can be attached, making it easier to share information with those involved. Indeed, compared to doing all of this on paper and by phone, it seems to be a huge improvement in efficiency.
The announcement and award ceremony of "BabyTech Award Japan 2019" was very exciting.
This year's Childcare Expo 2019 also saw the announcement and award ceremony for the BabyTech Award Japan 2019, the first ceremony of its kind in Japan to honor Japanese BabyTech products. Tetsuya Nagata, Representative Director of Papa Smile Co., Ltd. and Chairman of the Judging Committee, made a speech at the beginning of the ceremony, and the award certificates and trophies were sent to the representatives of the grand prize winning companies by Mr. Masataka Kikuchi, Chairman of Kikuchi Gakuen, Mr. Makoto Ukai of Asahi Shimbun, and Ms. Maiko Hikosaka of Karada Note Co.
Nagata delivering his opening remarks
Makoto Ukai of the Asahi Shimbun and the award winners
Ms. Maiko Hikosaka of Karada Note Co., Ltd. and the award winners
Mr. Masataka Kikuchi, President of Kikuchi Gakuen, with the award winners
BabyTech Award Japan 2019 Grand Prize Winners Commemorative Photo
The exhibition booths of each company were filled with many visitors throughout the day.
The products and services that won the BabyTech Award Japan 2019 Grand Prize and Excellence Award were on display in the exhibition hall, attracting enthusiastic attention from visitors.
As multiple BabyTech products could be compared at the same time, many visitors were actually able to touch the screens and devices to test the features of each.
The amount of leaflets for each product distributed was more than three times what was initially expected, and there were some happy cries of having to replenish them several times during the course of the show.
We feel that the convenience of being able to "come here to find out about the main ICT products for childcare, touch and compare them for yourself, and get leaflets" contributed to the bustle of the exhibition.
Exhibition booth for the Grand Prize and Excellence Award at BabyTech Award Japan 2019
There were over 100 booths at the Childcare Expo 2019 and it was very busy there too. Among them, there were many companies that entered the BabyTech Award Japan 2019. In this issue, we would like to introduce some of the BabyTech products, both entry and non-entry.
Booth of social solutions Inc.
CHILDCARE ROBOT "VEVO
At the booth of social solutions, the winner of the Excellence Award in the Facility Management category of the awards, was the VEVO childcare robot, which, when touched with an IC chip, not only records the arrival and departure of children from and to school, but also automatically refers to the day's childcare records and talks about them. VEVO will automatically refer to the day's childcare record and talk about it. For example, VEVO will tell the parents, "Today, XX-chan took a nap for a number of hours" or "XX-chan is now able to do XX". At the nursery schools where this system has actually been introduced, the children's response has been very positive.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE SCHOOL, TOUCH THE VEVO WITH THE IC CHIP
Tripod Works, Inc. booth
Infant Napping Watching Support System "Bebisapo
At the booth of Tripod Works, Inc. was the "Bebisapo" infant naptime monitoring support system. The system uses the company's image-analysis technology to watch over napping children, notifying the nursery staff every five minutes when to watch over the children by the color of the attached light, and automatically disarming the alarm when the nursery staff does something to watch over the children (such as checking their breathing or adjusting their positions). The system has already been installed in more than 50 nurseries nationwide.
A "camera" to watch over children
Booth of wkwk Co.
icuco sensors and tablet devices to keep an eye on children
At the booth of wkwk Inc. was a product called icuco, which also watches children's naps. It can measure not only the posture and breathing of sleeping children, but also changes in body temperature. What's particularly innovative is that the data measured by icuco's sensors can be sent in real time to parents' smartphone apps. Moreover, not only can you check the status of a child who is napping, but you can also see how far away the caregiver is from the child. The person in charge at the company told us that they are working on a proposal to use this system in a babysitting service, as they believe it will lead to peace of mind for the parents who use the service.
Smartphone application that works with icuco
Booth of Mimamorume Co.
THE COMPANY'S IC TAG-BASED PRESCHOOL ATTENDANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
AT THE BOOTH OF MIMAMORUME, INC. WAS A SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL USING IC TAGS. SINCE MANY PARENTS FORGET TO TOUCH THE IC CARD TO MANAGE ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL, THE COMPANY DEVELOPED A SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE TOUCH. IF THE IC TAG IS PLACED IN THE CHILD'S BAG, THE SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY RECORDS THE CHILD'S ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE AT SCHOOL WHEN THE CHILD PASSES THROUGH THE GATE OR ENTRANCE.
THESE IC TAGS CAN BE ATTACHED TO CHILDREN'S BAGS AND OTHER ITEMS.
After the interview...
This is only a small part of what we were able to introduce at the Childcare Expo 2019, and there are many more products and services that we would like to introduce (please be sure to check out the "Childcare Expo 2019 Report, Part 2"). At any rate, the venue on the day of the event was overflowing with the enthusiasm of the visitors, which is too much to convey in print, and we felt that BabyTech, which supports children, parents, and those involved in childcare and education, is likely to develop further in the future. The next Childcare Expo will be held in June 2020. If you are interested in this event, please contact us.
(Secretariat of the Childcare Expo)
Messe Frankfurt Japan K.K.
Akebonosugikan 7F, 1-3-2 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0072
Akebonosugikan 7F, 1-3-2 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3262-8446
Email: info@hoikuhaku.com
Childcare Expo 2019 official website
http://www.hoikuhaku.com/
