Innophys Co., Ltd.
Initial Report
Innophys Co., Ltd. plans to start field trials on Monday, October 5 at
Hino-ryogoen which is run by the Tokyo Social Welfare Cooperation.
The Hino-ryogoen staff will perform tasks such as changing patients’
diapers, moving or transferring patients, and bathing patients while wearing
the ""Muscle Suit Every.” We will then verify the workload reduction effectiveness
of ""Muscle Suit Every.”
The verification method will be conducted
by giving questionnaires to staff and also through the use of motion capture
to check the workload reduction effect. We will confirm its effectiveness
with on-site motion capture footage.
This field trial will be carried
out until the end of December.
Final Report
On December 23, 2020, the field trial conducted by Innophys Co., Ltd. at Hino-ryogoen has been completed.
In the field trial of Innophys Co., Ltd., we verified the effect the use of "Muscle Suit Every" through the questionnaire for the users (caregivers) and the measurement result of body load through electromyography and 3D motion capture.
According to the results of the qualitative questionnaire by the users, it was confirmed that the use of "Muscle Suit Every" reduces workload of the users. As seen in the graph below, there were changes in the values of "Presence of painful areas" and “Degree of fatigue" in the work in general, and "Stress level“ changed especially in the change of posture.
Comparison of With/Without Muscle Suit Every
Work in general
Comparison of With/Without Muscle Suit Every
Specific Work:
change of posture
In the simulation using an electromyograph, we measured the activity of the back muscles ((1) - (4)) in nursery work with and without the assistance of "Muscle Suit Every.“ Through the examination, the activity of the muscles was reduced, which confirms the usefulness of workload reduction.
In particular, in the movement of lowering a person from a chair to the floor, the amount of movement of the muscles was greatly reduced by the assistance of "Muscle Suit Every", and quantitative reduction of the physical load was confirmed
Workload of muscle with the use of Muscle Suit Every in lowering a
person from a chair to the floor
（the workload without the use
of Muscle Suit Every is 1）
Workload of muscle when owering a person from a chair to the floor
（comparison of with and without the use of Muscle Suit Every）
In the measurement of work oad using 3D motion capture, we compared and verified the load near the lumbar spine (interlumbar compression) with and without assistance by wearing "Muscle Suit Every". As a result, it was confirmed that the load on the lumbar spine (interlumbar compression) was reduced in nursing care work.
In particular, in the movement of changing the position on the bed, the load (interlumbar compression) near the lumbar vertebrae has been greatly reduced, and it is considered that the usefulness has been sufficiently verified.
Change in load near the lumbar spine (interlumbar compression) in changing a posture of a person on bed
Without Muscle Suit Every
With Muscle Suit Every
Key:ー Safety threshold for low back compression*1
Based on the above verification results, we believe that “Muscle Suit Every” provided by Innophys is highly useful as a solution to reduce the workload of nursing and care workers. On the other hand, operational issues had been identified such as the use of product in limited space and the time and effort required to attach and detach, and necessary measures for the introduction of the product at welfare facilities in the future were clarified.
In the future, we will use the results of the verification test to promote the use of public procurement.
＜Reference＞
*1: National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH)
Promotion of Public Procurement
Innophys Co., Ltd. was certified in accordance with Article 167 of Order for Enforcement of Local Autonomy Law, and since April 2021, "Muscle Suit Every" has been introduced nursing homes and Tokyo metropolitan high schools; oof them is Tokyo Metropolitan Akabane Hokuo High School.
Akabane Hokuo High School opened in April 2021 and is a specialized high school with 3 departments: childcare and nutrition, cooking, and care welfare. One of the educational vision of Akabane Hokuo is “to arouse interest in specialized fields and to cultivate professionalism“ and the 3 departments set their educational goals to development specialized knowledge and skills in the home and welfare fields as well as professional ethics and a broad perspective.
In order for the students to become experts in the field of welfare, Akabane Hokuo has procured 12 Muscle Suits Every to allow students to access cutting-edge technology and develop the ability to use the evolving tools for assistance and nursing care.
In a classroom of care welfare department, the students wore the Muscle Suit Every by themselves and practices helping a person move from the wheelchair to a bed and laying them down in bed. Students who had difficulty with the device were given tips from other students and they enthusiastically engaged in the training . After the class, one of the students said, "It was difficult to put the Muscle Suit Every on, but I found out how to use it without putting a burden on the body." The class had been an opportunity for the students to realized that it was a solution to prevent lower back pain which accumulates in work.
Innophys Co., Ltd.
- “Tokyo Site” by tv asahi, broadcast on Thursday, December 3, 2020.
-
Innophys Co., Ltd. was brought up on “Tokyo Site” by tv asahi.
Under the theme of “support for persons with disabilities,” details regarding “Muscle Suit Every” and information on the field trials of this project conducted at Hino-ryogoen, along with interviews of the care workers were broadcast.
“Tokyo Site” is broadcast from 13:45 to 13:49 weekdays throughout the Kanto area. Broadcast contents are available on its website. View it here at “Back Number” on December 3.
Website: “Tokyo Site” tv asahi
https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/t-site/index.html
