AKM is concerned with helping build assistive technologies for senior citizens.
Last month, semiconductor company Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) put out a press release in which it announced it will show off a “suite of sensor technologies” at the Consumer Electronics Show next month in Las Vegas, which includes millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar and contactless monitoring, that are purported to be “more reliable and accessible while minimizing intrusion into users’ lives.” AKM added by combining artificial intelligence with high quality data, the company’s primary goal is to “transform how we support and care for seniors, making the expectation of aging in place a safer reality for millions.”
“These technologies are designed to be less intrusive and are significantly more accurate than current industry standards,” Gregg Rouse, president of AKM’s United States business unit, said a statement for the announcement. “What sets these components apart is a focus on privacy thanks to our mmWave radar, which presents a new way of monitoring through electromagnetic waves instead of cameras. Our sensors don’t know what you look like, just how you’re doing. AKM’s technology captures essential health indicators as anonymous data points. This allows AI systems to enhance care and safety without infringing on personal privacy and allows users to feel independent.”
In a recent interview, Rouse explained AKM is the electronic components business group of Asahi Kasei Corporation. As such, he told me AKM offers “a variety of advanced sensing devices based on compound semiconductor technology and sophisticated [integrated circuit] products featuring analog/digital mixed-signal technology.” He described the semiconductors from AKM as “essential” to everyday life, as the technology appears in products such as car audio systems, CO² sensors for in-home environmental monitoring devices, amongst others.
One such other is hearing aids.
Rouse said AKM has observed “a significant trend” whereby numerous health-oriented technologies are being integrated into consumer electronics such as wearables. Apple Watch and AirPods are two high-profile examples of this trajectory; indeed, all the buzz in recent weeks has been around the new hearing aid capability Apple added to AirPods Pro with the iOS 18.1 update the company pushed out in late October.
“Adding our contactless temperature sensor to a hearing aid makes it much more than just an assistive listening device; now it’s a health monitoring tool as well, without the user having to carry around an additional gadget,” Rouse said of AKM’s technology. “This integration reduces the inconvenience of frequent health checks and seamlessly integrates care into daily routines. This advancement can serve as a transformative step in improving patients’ lives by empowering them with accessible, continuous, and unobtrusive healthcare solutions.”
Rouse said health tech “aligns” with AKM’s institutional values system,” adding it motivates the company to push harder in completing its mission to “enhance daily life through innovative solutions.” He reiterated the tech industry’s ever-burgeoning interest in health monitoring, telling me the desire to do so is becoming “increasingly prevalent” particularly as AI-powered algorithms become evermore capable. This software, Rouse said to me, is dependent upon high quality data—which AKM’s sensors are ready and willing to provide devices.
“Companies are looking for this type of technology,” Rouse said. “Many companies want to add sensors to their designs, but challenges exist. Many devices are too big to fit into a wearable without making it so large it is uncomfortable to the user, or would require a large battery due to high power consumption. We don’t have those issues.”
Rouse described AKM’s quantum temperature sensor as being contactless, which is of crucial import because “it allows wearable devices to move with the body while still providing accurate measurements.” Besides being tiny, he also said AKM’s device is both accurate and, arguably most importantly, extremely power-efficient.
When asked who benefits from this technology, Rouse said AKM’s tech being “small, unobtrusive, and very accurate” enables a person—who may wear a hearing aid—to go about their days without needing to concern themselves with comfort or range of motion. A person can live their life without altering their daily routine so as to fit the device.
“Anyone who wants to keep an eye on health markers without devoting additional time and effort to the cause should find this approach very appealing,” Rouse said. “This technology can serve caregivers who are balancing many duties and patients at once. It reduces the labor required of caregivers and provides patients independence.”
When asked about feedback on AKM’s technology, Rouse said it has been “positive.” As to AKM’s prospects for the future, he noted AKM is looking beyond sensors by developing millimeter-wave radar technology so as to “monitor the well-being of elderly individuals in a non-intrusive, camera-free way.” This method preserves user privacy while also ensuring their safety. Additionally, Rouse said AKM is working on a “smart diaper” concept which, in another nod to accessibility for disabled parents, is capable of detecting moisture levels and can send alerts accordingly. The diaper product in particular, Rouse told me, “exemplifies our dedication to providing essential care solutions.”
All told, Rouse said both of these innovations are shining examples of AKM’s steadfast commitment to “leveraging sensor technology to improve health, safety, and independence for people of all ages.”
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