- IoT Noon Sleep Sensor Monitors Body Movements Associated with Infants' Breathing While Sleeping
- Constant updates to reduce the workload of childcare workers
- Awarded the Grand Prize in the Baby Tech Award Japan (Safety Measures and Monitoring Category) for two consecutive years
Did you know that about 70% of fatal accidents in childcare facilities occur during sleep, and that about 60 small lives were lost in 2008 due to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and suffocation? We interviewed Mr. Shigekazu Yuasa, President of hugmo Co., Ltd. about "hugsafety", a service that protects infants and toddlers and reduces the psychological burden on childcare workers.
(We spoke to...)
hugmo inc.
Shigekazu Yuasa, President and Representative Director
Air sensor-equipped mats combined with the cloud to monitor nocturnal sleep
Editorial:Please tell us about the features of "hugsafety Noon Sleep Monitoring Service".
Yuasa:A non-contact wireless mat equipped with an air sensor monitors in real time the state of body movements associated with the breathing of infants during a nap. The sound of the child's diaphragm during sleep is detected by the air sensor. The advantages of the air sensor are that it is soft and comfortable to sleep on because of the air in the tube, and it is safe because it is not energized.
Editorial:Air sensors have many advantages, but have they not been used in childcare?
Yuasa:Air sensors were originally used in the field of nursing care. However, since there were only four air sensors for nursing care, it was difficult to detect the sound of an infant's diaphragm. The number of air sensors was increased to eight, which made it possible to detect the sound of an infant's diaphragm. In addition, by monitoring respiration, it is possible to determine whether the infant is in REM or non-REM sleep. This is very useful for nursery staff because it is very difficult to wake an infant when he or she is in deep REM sleep, and it is very difficult to get the infant to stop crying.
Editorial:I understand that it is also characterized by the use of the cloud.
Yuasa:Yes. We assist childcare workers in reducing the workload of noon sleep checks by utilizing the cloud. Due to the nature of the product, sensor malfunction is not an option. We have devised various ways to avoid problems. When an operation to record sleep onset is performed on the application, the sensor is activated and monitoring begins. In addition, you can record your child's sleep status, the so-called "nap check," on the cloud. Naptime is automatically transcribed to the contact book application, which reduces the burden of input work.
Improving usability through a series of small updates
Editorial:What are the updated features?
Yuasa:We have improved the operability and convenience of the application based on feedback from childcare workers. Specifically, when a child's absence is checked on "hugnote," the day is excluded from the noon sleep check for that day; the date and time are now automatically inserted when entering special notes about the child's physical condition; and the noon sleep check chart required for the menu, screen, and local government audits has been made more readable. The new features include the automatic insertion of the date and time when entering special notes describing a child's physical condition, and the improvement of menus, screens, and the nap check table required for municipal audits. We hope to continue to make these small updates in the future to enhance the convenience of the system.
Editorial:Has the "hugsafety Sudden Infant Death Syndrome" (SIDS) been reduced as a result of the "hugsafety Daytime Sleep Monitoring Service"?
Yuasa:We have not yet obtained such data. It will take a few more years before we can obtain empirical results showing that our service has reduced the number of sleep-related fatalities that occur in daycare centers. First of all, we hope to contribute in the form of reducing the workload of childcare workers.
Editorial:This is one of the major themes in BabyTech, as several products based on the theme of "noon-sleep monitoring" were exhibited at the Childcare Expo 2020.
Yuasa:Yes, I am. Not only in Japan, but also on a global scale, the theme of "nap monitoring" is attracting a lot of attention. Several years ago, when baby tech began to attract attention, products using a wide variety of sensors began to be actively developed.
Grand Prize in the BabyTech Award Japan 2020 (Safety Measures and Watching Over Children) following 2019
Editorial:You won the grand prize at the BabyTech Awards Japan for the second year in a row, how was the response? We believe that you have had many opportunities to see the interest and increase in interest in baby tech.
Yuasa:Receiving the grand prize and not receiving it would have made all the difference. However, I often feel that baby tech has not yet fully penetrated the market. I feel that interest in baby tech has increased dramatically over the past few years, but compared to other countries, I have the impression that it still has a long way to go. In Japan, there is still a culture that sees it as a virtue to take care of one's children and raise them with care. The number of dual-earner households has increased in Japan, but this may also be due to the social background that makes it difficult for women to go out to work.
Editorial:What is your outlook for the future?
Yuasa:I am keenly aware every day of the importance of further promoting the use of BabyTech, and I would like to do my utmost to play a role in raising awareness of BabyTech. We hope to spread the use of our products not only in childcare facilities, but also widely for home use. We also have our sights set on taking on challenges overseas, and as a stepping stone toward that end, we would like to exhibit at the CES, the world's largest consumer electronics trade show.
After the interview
Never content with winning the BabyTech Award Japan Grand Prize for the second year in a row, the company's enthusiasm for realizing higher quality childcare was evident. The "hugsafety Morning Sleep Monitoring Service," which is constantly being updated by listening to the voices of the field, will no doubt continue to play a role or two in resolving issues faced by the field, such as infant safety and the workload of childcare workers.
hugsafety Noon Sleep Monitoring Service
https://www.hugmo.net/hugsafety/
