The judges of the "BabyTech(R) Awards 2024 (BTA2024)" have selected the "Grand Prize" for the best product in each of the 11 categories, and the "Excellence Award" for the next best product after the Grand Prize. In addition, the "Akachan Honpo Prize" was awarded to a platinum sponsor as a special prize.
All of the products were selected from the 41 products that passed the preliminary screening and received the "BabyTech(R) Awards 2024" on August 30 of this year, after rigorous screening by the judging committee. The winning products will be exhibited at the "Childcare Expo 2024" to be held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho Hall on November 21 (Thu.) and 22 (Fri.), 2024. Visitors will be able to actually experience the products. The Grand Prize Award Ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 21, from 12:30 p.m. at the Educational Seminar Room on the 2nd floor of the same venue at the Childcare Expo 2024.
BTA2024 List of Grand Prize and Excellence Award Winners in each category
The Grand Prize for the best product in each of the 11 categories of the BabyTech® Awards 2024, and the Awards of Excellence for the next best product, were determined after a rigorous screening process by the judging panel.
Lactation and Dietary Section
Grand Prize
Automatic milk maker. Compatible with all milk powder sold in Japan. Set the water and powdered milk and press the button, and the milk is automatically dispensed according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The volume can be set from 30mL to 240mL in 10mL increments, and the temperature can be set from 35°C to 70°C in 5°C increments.
- It is very hard to make milk while holding a child in one hand, so this is a great way to reduce that burden. It is also good that the family can make it easily. It is also good to be able to shorten the time without worrying about it.
- It would be useful in facilities. I found it compact and easy to handle.
Children's Play and Learning Section
Grand Prize
at Claps, a child-rearing application that makes it easy to print paper toys (CEC Co., Ltd.)
A child-rearing application that makes it easy to print paper toys. With the cooperation of more than 40 companies and organizations, more than 500 contents are provided free of charge. Printable on home printers or at convenience stores.
- The program provides an opportunity for parents and children to have an enriching time by combining the digital and analog worlds.
- It is wonderful that you have created an environment in which paper, a formative material, can be output from digital to analog at any time. I think it will contribute to the CSR of the participating companies. The visibility of the application is very good.
Excellence Award
ePICO Taiken 100 Edition (Sega Fave Inc.)
ePICO is an educational device developed based on the concept of discovering children's "likes". The "ePICO" is connected to a TV monitor and can be enjoyed by the whole body using four types of controllers: "ePICO picture book software," "picture book soft case," "ePen," a pen-type controller, and "eMat," a mat-type controller.
- I thought it was a great opportunity to deepen children's play and learning with lots of tools and perfect volume for hands-on activities. I have high expectations for future expansion.
Moving Picture Book Projector Dream Switch Series (Sega Fave Co., Ltd.)
A projector device that can project various characters and original contents toward the ceiling or wall. To make bedtime more enjoyable, it is equipped with selected contents that make bedtime fun for both children and adults.
- Reading stories to children is an important form of communication between parents and children, but it is also one of the tools that working parents want to use but cannot, given the burden on their households. I think this is a wonderful product that enhances this important time between parent and child.
Pop Wall (TREE Digital Studio Inc.)
This is a "fun-to-learn" hands-on educational content that combines video images and touch sensors. By touching the images or throwing a ball toward the images, the images react and change.
- Play is also diversifying. Since the intuitive play area has been well thought out, we are looking forward to seeing how the hurdle for introducing this system can be lowered. I hope that ball pools will be equipped with this system without omission.
Safety measures and oversightdepartment
Grand Prize
Body movement sensor for infants Baby Alarm E-202 (Sea Star Corporation)
Body movement sensor for infants wearing diapers. By limiting the functions to monitoring body movement, this product is easy to understand for those who are not familiar with devices, and is low-priced and easy to introduce as a SIDS countermeasure.
- Because of its compact size and safety credentials, the hurdle for introducing the system is felt to be low.
- The low cost and the ability to handle a variety of cases is excellent.
- I think this product can easily assist parents with peace of mind.
Excellence Award
CuboAi Baby Nenne Mamoru Set (Unyun Technology Co., Ltd.)
A set of baby sleep-watching camera and sensor pad with over 20 diverse functions. This year, the following functions were added: "split screen," "online & connection history (a feature that shows who was watching the baby and when)," "picture-in-picture," "daily highlights," and "monthly growth diary generation.
- Every year, companies are working hard to improve the functionality of their baby sensors. The new features of the CuboAi are once again excellent.
- I feel that the service is being brushed up. The impact at the time of launch was strong, but I have high expectations for the future.
Health and Daily Care Section
Grand Prize (two winners were selected due to a tie)
Online Children's Medical Care (MRT Co., Ltd.)
This service allows users to consult with a pediatrician who has experience in child-rearing during the nighttime when clinics are not open. It is like consulting with a friend of moms and dads, and in case of an emergency, you can immediately connect with a doctor who can examine your child.
- I believe that parents' longing for nighttime medical care for their own children, such as concerns about sudden deterioration of medical conditions, is beyond the pale. I am bowled over by the affordability of the product in question, which dispels the concerns of parents.
- I think it is very good that the teachers have experience in childcare, so they are able to respond with empathy to our consultations.
Online medical treatment application for families "Mimene Call Doctor" (Call Doctor, Inc.)
Online medical care application for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 365 days a year, even for sudden health problems. Medical ID card, insurance coverage, and doctor's consultation can be received at home. Internal medicine, pediatrics, dermatology, allergy-related and epidemic diseases, etc. are handled by specialists in each medical department. In partnership with Jyosanshonline, consultation for various questions and concerns during pregnancy, before and after childbirth, and while raising children is also available.
- There are already many users of Mittene, and I think there are quite a few users who could take advantage of it.
- I think users of existing services could use it right away. It would be nice to have a place where I can easily consult with my child when he/she is not feeling well. I think it would also prevent unnecessary trips to the hospital to catch an infectious disease.
Excellence Award
Child-rearing application "Kope" (Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.)
A parenting application that can be used from the pregnancy period to the child-rearing period to support child-rearing in cooperation with others.
During the pregnancy period, we support the growth of the fetus and daily advice to mothers until the birth of the baby. After the birth, the growth of the baby is recorded in the "Childcare Log. The "To-Do Board" helps reduce worries for families raising children by sharing tasks. More than a thousand articles by experts. Sleep conditions can be analyzed to improve sleep with expert advice, and the defecation status can be used to monitor the child's bowel movements and check doctor-supervised advice. All functions are free.
- I think this application embodies the corporate image of Glico as a company that supports the mind and body of children. I think it is good that the application has been upgraded since last year, and that it is connected to a wide range of child-rearing activities that can reach the itchy spot. It is still provided free of charge, and I think it has a high level of perfection.
Cranial Shape Correcting Helmet "Baby Band" (Berry Co., Ltd.)
A cranial shape correction helmet made in Japan, completely custom-made to fit the shape of each baby's head. It is a medical device designed to correct the deformed shape of a baby's skull. From the outer shell to the inner cushion, each piece of 3D data is created based on precise calculations. By creating a complete helmet from the beginning, the burden during treatment can be reduced and treatment can be performed in a short period of time.
- I think this is a wonderful service that solves various issues as helmet therapy is becoming a major trend and more individualized, comfortable, clean, and cute products are required. As a venture company that develops, manufactures, and sells medical equipment, I hope that you will continue to focus on solving social issues related to children.
Commemorative, Record and Memory Section
Grand Prize
A digital photo album that stores photos and videos taken with a digital camera or smartphone and allows anyone to easily review them on a TV. Imported data is automatically sorted by date/time, and duplicate data is automatically deleted for easy organization. For example, you can easily combine photos of your children taken with your father's digital camera and your mother's smartphone by simply pressing the "Import" button.
- I think this is a wonderful service that allows parents and children to communicate with each other by connecting to a TV and storing data. We felt that this is a good item for elderly people. It could be used not only in private homes, but also in day service facilities.
- We feel that this product, with its visible hardware, can provide peace of mind for those who have concerns about using subscriptions.
Excellence Award
Family Camera Seno! (Eno Corporation)
This application allows you to easily share photos only with family members. When taking a photo, both the main camera and in-camera simultaneously capture the subject and the photographer. By capturing both the subject and the photographer at the same time, you can capture and share the situation, space, and feelings of the person whose photo was taken.
- It is very interesting to see the in-camera and out-camera together. The simple functions are easy to use and children will be able to use it right away. I like the mission of being the element that makes the family better. The fact that you have to take a picture to see it is also interesting as an incentive to continue.
This is a photo "habituation" application that specializes in photos of "parents" and "children. You can request "situations you want to have your photo taken," such as "Mom feeding her milk," "Dad changing her clothes," or "Mom holding her in her arms. This is especially useful for moms who are worried that "Dad won't take pictures of me with my child! This app is especially designed to solve the problem of moms who say, "Dad won't take pictures of me with my child!
- It was interesting to realize that the ingenuity of taking important records of natural daily life photos is such a critical issue. I thought it was interesting to see how well the game element was guided by the addition of a game element to the problem of dad not taking pictures of mom. It will be useful for communication between husband and wife.
Parent Support Services General Division
Grand Prize
You can go out with your child without bringing a stroller, and you can borrow and return the stroller anywhere. You can use a baby carrier when you get on the train, use ShareBuggy after you get off the train, and return the special stroller at a nearby location after you have fully enjoyed your outing with your child.
- The market for one-way sharing is growing, and the share of strollers is "as they say!" I am happy to hear that. Although it may be difficult to market the location of installations, there is great potential for expansion, such as shopping malls and large parks.
- I think the multilingual support is good. I thought the price was good and affordable.
Excellence Award
Life with Baby - Lost in Childcare Support Podcast - TBS Radio Inc.
An anonymous roundtable where real-life experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare are gathered. Discussions are themed around certain worries about child rearing. Whether you are facing those worries now or will face them in the future, you can listen to the archives at any time for free on various platforms for a reference guide to child rearing.
- In the information society, I think it is wonderful to be able to obtain information intuitively. Especially in this age of information mingling with the spread of SNS, I felt that it is good to be able to listen to actual voices.
famitasu community mamaquoria inc.
The community specializes in mental health care, where mothers who are "too busy with childcare or work to take care of themselves" or "tired both physically and mentally, but the morning comes again without a moment to rest" can confide their worries and concerns to each other.
- Even if you are a guardian, you are still a human being. Of course it is important to face your children, but I think it is also really important to spend time facing yourself. I believe that taking care of yourself will change the way you deal with your children, and I hope that this kind of community will become more active.
Parent Support Services Career Support Division
Grand Prize
A community-based online IT school for moms only, where you can challenge yourself with practical work while learning.
- An environment (with rewards) that challenges you with work experience while you learn.
- A new original course is offered every month by a mom instructor who is an active engineer, designer, and career consultant.
- Text questions as many as you want. You can ask technical questions, discuss your career, or request corrections to the designs you have created.
- Communicate easily anytime with our exchange community using Discord. You can do anything from childcare, hobbies, work, chatting, and so on.
- I think there is a lot of anxiety while raising a child. In the midst of all this, I believe that being able to learn the areas you want to learn in a real-world setting is something that will give you confidence.
- The monthly fee is low and easy to use. I think it's very interesting, like a Kidzania for mothers.
Excellence Award
Work-at-home support school skimama for mothers (Growthvalue Co., Ltd.)
A work-at-home support school for mothers, offering a curriculum that can be completed in two months to learn computer skills, web writing, design, Instagram marketing, how to get work, etc. No additional fees after the two-month curriculum is completed, After completing the two-month curriculum, students can continue to browse content, participate in events, and utilize the community at no additional charge.
- We believe that ongoing support, such as group systems and dedicated mentors, will provide good support for stepping up as the children grow and change their minds. We felt that this is a project that we would like to support, taking into perspective the important role of securing the workforce of postpartum women in society.
Childcare ICT General Section
Grand Prize
Collection operations support service enpay (enpay Co., Ltd.)
A service that supports collection operations by utilizing PCs and smartphones, enabling billing and payment without exchanging any cash or paper. Automatic management is possible, including real-time confirmation of payment status and erasure of payments. In addition to collections, the service automatically generates accounting data and handles all accounting operations in a one-stop service.
- The day-care centers and school children often have to collect small amounts of money, which is a heavy burden for both the guardians who pay and the facilities that manage the children. We feel that the reduction of this burden will be a great benefit to both parties.
- It would also be a good way to support small stores that can manage billing and collections on an appropriate scale.
Excellence Award
Park Support System + Bus Catch (VISH Corporation)
Business support system specialized for kindergartens, certified childcare centers, and nursery schools. The system is equipped with functions to automatically create attendance records based on absence notifications, calculate fees for daycare and extended daycare, and improve the efficiency of tallying and collecting money.
- The expansion from a shuttle bus location system to park support has captured the insight. It is also helping to reform the way we work. I thought it was a service with an easy-to-understand structure and good footwork. It is wonderful that you have been providing this service for a long time since the dawn of ICT in childcare.
ICT tools specialized for staff development for childcare, education, and rehabilitation facilities. It is designed to share information within a corporation or facility, reduce management costs and burdens, prevent staff turnover, develop human resources, and improve the management skills of on-site administrators.
- It is easy to visualize the penetration of the childcare philosophy and policy, as well as the level of understanding of management in accordance with the business plan. I like the fact that management can be made smooth and manual. I believe that the ability to work efficiently will lead to better treatment of all staff members.
ChildCareWeb (ChildCareWeb, Inc.)
A cloud system that supports and streamlines childcare operations such as child management, instructional planning, record creation, preschool attendance management, billing management, and coordination with parents through ICT technology. Particular emphasis is placed on curriculum management, developmental assessment, and childcare record management.
- We felt that it is very good that the assessment functions are enhanced, such as the ability to assess not only regular development but also developmentally appropriate assessment, rather than only recording. It would be a good way to prepare the teacher's side of the mind, which would help reduce working style issues and psychological burden.
Childcare ICT Prevention of Accidents in Childcare Section
Grand Prize
AI Noon-sleep Monitoring Service hana-an(R) (Likenalysis Co., Ltd.)
An AI-based noon-sleep monitoring service for daycare centers developed in collaboration with RIKEN. The service detects up to 12 children at the same time, starts monitoring at the touch of a button, and automates a number of tasks.
- The simple and convenient system structure seems easy to take over.
- Good balance between safety and convenience. Even if there is work to be done while the children are sleeping, other tasks cannot be performed due to the noon sleep management. I think this is a good initiative to relieve that burden. The fact that the opinions of the childcare workers were taken into account is also good.
Excellence Award
An application to prevent children from being left behind at childcare sites during out-of-school activities. A child wears a BLE beacon and a caregiver leaves for an out-of-school activity with a smartphone or smartwatch. When the child leaves a certain distance from the caregiver, a notification is sent to the smartphone or smartwatch.
- I felt a great deal of awareness in the development of products that are "simple and easy to use" in order to meet the various circumstances at childcare facilities. As a beacon manufacturer, I think the product has a high level of credibility. I think it is good that the product is competitively priced and has simple functions.
The system provides a one-package system that allows management companies to monitor the location of buses in real time and distribute the information to parents without placing a burden on bus drivers. The system can be used with only a smartphone and PC, without the need for dedicated equipment such as an in-vehicle unit or complicated system installation.
- With the strong interest in safety management these days, and the low workload on the implementation side, we felt that there are many advantages for both parties. Since the hurdles to introduction are also low, we believe that future growth can be expected by clearly differentiating the product from similar products.
Brain-beacon" is the next phase in the evolution of the existing location-based tracking service and introduces AI-based behavioral analysis. In addition to conventional location information, AI analyzes children's activity patterns and socialization in real time to provide insights to caregivers and parents.
- I am always amazed at how easily children's thinking and imagination can go beyond the realm of adult imagination. It is wonderful to be able to check each individual's movement in an age when we are paying more attention to individuality than ever before.
Home Appliances for Childcare and Household
Grand Prize
CERAPHIC Desk Light (Kyocera Corporation)
Equipped with light equivalent to sunlight, the light has no blue light spike, has excellent color rendering, and is gentle to the eyes. This lighting is ideal for studying, reading, drawing, etc., and does not cause fatigue even when used for long periods of time, making it a must-have for children who will be growing up in the future.
- We felt that the company was able to take full advantage of its strength as a top manufacturer and its appeal to problem definition.
- Color reproduction is very important in the creative realm. Colors are vivid and easy on the eyes. I thought that viewing displays and objects in their original state could be a luxury.
Excellence Award
airluv.4 (Commerce Media Corporation)
A mobile battery-powered cool seat with blower that is attached to a stroller or car seat. It keeps the inside of a stroller or child seat comfortable by drawing in outside air from a fan installed behind the feet and discharging gentle breeze through an air hole inside the seat.
- We feel that careful attention to detail and ingenuity, such as the ventilation openings, have been taken into consideration. With the recent global warming, heat protection for children is becoming increasingly important. I hope that such a versatile product will make inroads not only in the general public but also in the childcare industry.
Focusing on the child-rearing scene where many people are new to sewing machines, this sewing machine is designed to be "easy, anywhere, anytime, and never put away" without making you feel uncomfortable. The machine is compact enough to fit on a bookshelf with simple functions and a design that does not detract from the interior even when left out. The price is also lowered to the 10,000-yen range, which is a price point that beginners to sewing machines hesitate to consider.
- I remembered making various sewn items when I entered preschool. I found it very useful when I needed to make or mend something, even if it did not require a large scale project. Because of its ease of use, I purchased it first for children's items, and then I will be able to experience the joy of handicrafts.
Pigeon electric nail file (Pigeon Corporation)
Reciprocating electric nail file for smoothing even soft nails of newborns. The compact head allows you to check each tiny nail of your baby without shaving too much. The file moves gently and has a soft mode for those who are not used to nail care.
- I think this is a niche but reliable product. Since it was created by listening to actual voices, I feel that demand for this product will increase further as awareness grows through the pursuit of safety and convenience. I wish such a product had been available earlier, as I struggled with nail clippers for newborns.
special award
The "Akachan Honpo Prize" was awarded as a special prize by the platinum sponsor.
Akachan Honpo Prize
Smartru" automatic open/close wet tissue case (ROUNDS, LLC)
A sensor reacts when you hold your hand over it, and the lid automatically opens.
The sheet can be removed cleanly without touching the lid, even when hands are dirty, such as when changing diapers.
The lid automatically closes 10 seconds after you remove your hand from the sensor, so there is no need to worry about forgetting to close the lid.
Double packing protects the sheet from drying out.
The lid opens and closes quietly and can be used at night or without waking a sleeping baby.
As a comprehensive child-rearing support company, Akachan Honpo believes that our mission is to contribute to society by creating new values that bring smiles to the faces of all families.
Smartru" was selected for the "Akachan Honpo Award" by approximately 1,100 people, including staff who interact with customers in the stores.
In addition to its easy and effortless operation, with automatic opening and closing simply by holding up a hand, the Smartru is a product that will bring smiles to the faces of all family members as they live with their babies.
BabyTech® Awards 2024 Award-winning products
These are products that have been recognized by the review committee as BabyTech products and services of a high standard.
Alphabetical order of company/organization names
| Name of product or service (click to product web page) | Company/Organization Name |
|---|---|
| Child Lab | Earth Kids Co. |
| ENCL | ENBI Corporation |
| Comprehensive ICT Cloud Service "CURIOKIDS" for Kindergartens and Nursery Schools | CURIO Corporation |
| Digital educational content "CURIOSCREEN | CURIO Corporation |
| Shichida Digital Learning Program ~with LOGIQ LABO | Shichida & Educational Institute Co. |
| Kiddia | BASHO'S Inc. |
| Online school Star Labo "Oyasumi ehon" (Good night picture book) | Barry Allen, Inc. |
| BrainySprouts, an educational application for elementary school entrance exam preparation & toddlers | Brain Bloom, LLC |
General comments by the Executive Committee
- I was again impressed that so many companies and people are struggling to reduce the burden on childcare providers and make childcare more enjoyable.
- While it is difficult in any field to keep a service going for a long time, I bow down to all the participants who are brushing up their products to offer a higher quality of life for children and the families and communities involved. As I see the teams who participate in this award after several challenges, pipotting and refining their products, I know that this is an award that is well-loved.
- Thank you to the many companies and organizations that participated in this year's awards. As the awards are given out on a point-by-point basis, a single point can make a big difference. We feel that it is improper for us to give scores for something that each company is working so hard on, but even so, we will respond earnestly in the hope of creating a better environment for the parents and caregivers who are the end users, and for the children who will be in their care. We are always looking forward to your continued support and cooperation.
- The "BabyTech Awards 2024 winner," which passed the preliminary screening, passed the barrier where 20% of the applicants were eliminated in the document screening, and thus deserves your attention even if it does not win the jury's choice.
We hope you will be interested in these award-winning products and that they will help you make a good product choice.
