The Future Today: Japanese Technology with ITK

HYPER JAPAN welcomes a pioneering company to showcase its technological innovations and achievements.

Japan has long been a pioneer in new technology, investing significant time and resources into research geared towards the latest development that will improve quality of life on an individual, community or global scale. ITK is an example of the cutting-edge technological research and subsequent commercialization of findings that is so prolific in Japan. It’s clear from ITK’s motto – “impossible is possible” – that they are not in the business of following the crowd. “The joy of research and development lies in creating something from nothing”, says ITK R&D Chief Shintaro Iwata. This is what drives ITK to carry out R&D at the highest level, working primarily in the fields of healthcare and medical equipment. On the HYPER JAPAN stage they will be showcasing some of their cutting-edge devices, including an incredible “robot hand”, that have been sensationally well-received in Japan.

Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand

This myoelectric prosthetic hand has been jointly developed with Professor Hiroshi Yokoi of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Intelligent Systems, University of Electro-Communications (Associate Professor, Department of Precision Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo during robot hand development). Unique ITK technology has been applied to develop a prosthetic hand that is suitable for mass production. Read more about this robot hand.

Shinsuke-san: Mechanical Walking Stick

Japan has a rapidly aging society, caused by the post-war baby boomer generation moving into retirement and a simultaneous decline in the birth rate (it’s a phenomenon that we’ll hear more about in the UK as time goes on, since we’re heading the same way). This means that there is strong demand for items which can help to make life easier for older people, like this world-first mechanical walking stick, the height of which can be adjusted at the touch of a button, making it much easier to walk up and down stairs, and sit down and stand up. Developed jointly with the University of Electro-Communications (Tokyo), it is powered with rechargeable batteries, making it long-lasting and environmentally responsible, too. The Shinsuke-san has been a massive success in Japan, with overwhelming demand outstripping production capacity, showing that while Japan’s population might be aging, its elderly remain active and independent.

Nukerun Desu: Mechanical Weeder

This mechanical weeder uses a small mechanical driver to quickly and efficiently pull up weeds from the ground, which can then be released with the touch of a button. It can also be used as a mechanical screw driver by changing the head attachment.

What is kawaii?

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