- The following is content from the press release -
(Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Seiji Mihara), operator of the "Childcare Worker Bank! (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Seiji Mihara), which operates the "Childcare Worker Bank!", conducted a research study on the use of the latest AI technology in childcare and early childhood education in collaboration with F-Vital Corporation (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Masumi Yasushima). The results showed that the use of video and AI can not only reduce the burden on caregivers and parents, but also visualize the condition of children, which is difficult for people to notice, and is expected to improve the attractiveness of preschools.
About F-Vital Corporation
A start-up company from the University of Tokyo and the University of Tsukuba. Based on medical evidence, the company is developing services for evaluating and classifying children's conditions and optimizing them individually based on their conditions by acquiring biometric data of infants in a non-contact manner. We are developing evidence-based research, development, and services in the fields of childcare, education, and medical care in collaboration with local governments, research institutions, and companies in Japan and overseas, aiming to "realize a society in which children can survive, grow, and choose their own future, independent of their birth environment".
Survey Summary
Outline of Joint Research
Survey period: October 1, 2023 - April 30, 2024
Survey targets: Parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers (childcare workers, directors of childcare facilities, etc.)
Method: Web-based questionnaire, depth interviews
Number of persons covered:
Web-based survey: 278 parents, 63 caregivers
Depth interviews: 13 parents, 8 caregivers
Content: Parents and caregivers were invited to view the AI-based "video analysis" & "individual report" service being developed by F-Vital and asked for their impressions.
Survey Summary: Investigation of needs and insights into "visualization of children's developmental characteristics" by understanding the awareness and actual conditions of parents and caregivers regarding "childcare.
Summary of Research Results
The "Video Analysis & Individual Report" by AI was found to be needed by both caregivers and parents not only for "avoiding negatives" as they had assumed, but also for "pursuing positives".
*Negative avoidance: Reduction of workload by eliminating the need for records (childcare workers), health management and detection of problems and abnormalities (parents), etc.
*Positive pursuits: Visualization of growth in social life, including relationships between teachers and children and between children; application to individualized education through visualization of trends in curiosity and interests; visualization of the growth process of each child and discovery of talents (parents), etc.
What is "Video Analysis & Individual Report" by AI?
Using F Vital's "automatic evaluation of children's developmental characteristics through AI-based image analysis" and "automatic transcription technology," the daily appearance of preschool children is analyzed in terms of activity level, social skills, emotional expression, etc., and communicated to parents and caregivers in an easy-to-understand manner along with a video highlighting the day. Specifically, the system can graphically show each preschooler in categories such as "smile/joy," "concentration/enthusiasm," and "effort.
This service expands the boundaries of conventional digital contact books and childcare ICT systems to further improve convenience and enable personalized childcare and education.
Details of Study Results
(1) Attractiveness of AI-based "Video Analysis & Individual Reporting" (Child Care Workers)
It was recognized as a tool to reduce the burden of creating activity records (1), (2), and was also highly expected to be a tool to reduce the burden of practical "routine work" with suggestions for matching relationships within the preschool (3) and for childcare suggestions (4).
(2) Attractiveness of AI-based "Video Analysis & Individual Report" (parents)
The results showed a high level of support for the tool as a tool for understanding children's developmental status and discovering their individual characteristics and talents (②), as well as high expectations for its application in determining individual compatibility to foster social skills (③), and the results showed promise for discovering children's development, "individual characteristics" and "social skills".
(Comment from a parent/guardian)
- They say, "They are slow in getting ready," but I could not understand why they are slow in getting ready and what kind of problems the children themselves are having. I feel that if I could watch videos of such situations, I would know what kind of support I can offer to the child at home and how I should talk to him or her.
- I found the "talent search" interesting and would like to know more.
- If we can see what he likes to do in the report, it will be helpful for his lessons, and if we know what he is not good at, we can deal with it at home.
- I want to see the new side of children that they show when their parents are not around and how they interact with their friends.
We will continue to work with F-Vital to strengthen our collaboration on the use of the latest AI technology in the childcare industry.
Childcare Worker Bank! Soken official site:https://soken.hoikushibank.com/
About Nextbeat Inc.
We founded the company in 2013 with the philosophy of "creating internet businesses that are needed in a society with a declining population to revitalize Japan. We are developing 12 businesses in the life event, regional development, and global domains, utilizing the power of technology to address the social issues that are spreading in various fields due to the declining population, both domestically and internationally. Childcare Worker Bank! is a business in the life event domain, and is a platform that uses technology to solve a variety of issues at childcare facilities, including recruitment, business improvement, staff retention, customer attraction activities, and management.
(Comment from a caregiver)