Hair-washing robot to debut at Tokyo home care exhibition

(Courtesy of Panasonic Corp.)

A robot created by scientists at Panasonic Corp. is designed to faithfully mimic the hands of a human hair stylist and help care for Japan's growing population of elderly people.

The robot will be among hundreds of new devices and services on display at the 37th International Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition, which opens at the Tokyo Big Sight convention centre on September 29.

Panasonic said in a statement that it created the robot to meet the needs of workers at hospitals and healthcare facilities as Japan's "silver generation" continues to grow. Studies have revealed that they are not able to attend to the needs of each and every one of their patients.

The hair-washing robot takes advantage of the company's robot hand technology, with 16 fingers able to shampoo and rinse away the bubbles with the same dexterity as those of a human, the company said.

Before it gets to the shampooing stage, however, the robot's two limbs scan the patient's head in three dimensions, measuring and recording the exact shape of the head in order to be able to apply just the correct amount of pressure to each individual when it is shampooing and massaging.

Each arm is equipped with three motors that independently control the swing, pressure and massage motions in conjunction with power detection sensors. The robot is even able to remember each person's head and their preferences when it comes to the post-rinse scalp massage.

Another of the company's new inventions that will be on display at the exhibition is an electric care assistance bed with an integrated wheelchair that is called the Roboticbed.

The event showcases devices from around the world that are designed to support the safe and comfortable living standards of the elderly and people with limited mobility and simultaneously reducing the burden on caregivers.

Dates: 29-09-2010 to 01-10-2010.

Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Free.

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, East Halls, 3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0063. Access information: http://www.bigsight.jp/english/general/access/index.html

Further information:

http://www.hcrjapan.org/english/

JR