Awards for devices helping improve lives

Fourteen entries applying the latest intelligent technologies in the senior care field won prizes at the 7th China Senior Care Design and Innovation Awards on Thursday.

They were among 528 entries from enterprises, universities, scientific research institutions and individual designers from home and abroad.

The gold award went to an electric chair lift which helps the elderly, disabled people and those with joint problems use the toilet more easily. It is also equipped with a one-button emergency help function.

It removes the embarrassment of people who previously needed assistance and is safe and comfortable to use, organizers said.

Silver went to an intelligent glove which uses flexible sensing technology and the Internet of Things to achieve functional training and rehabilitation treatment with upper limb training, motor imagery therapy and the application of virtual reality technology.

It significantly improves the hand feel and motor dysfunction of patients, organizers said.

A barrier-free map based on big data analysis, a bathing chair for the elderly and a nursing bed designed for dementia sufferers took bronze awards.

Shanghai is a rapidly aging city in China, and there is a big demand for rehabilitation and aid devices, according to the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau which hosted the event along with the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

The city is working on promoting the rehabilitation and aid device industry, the bureau said.

The spotlight is on conducting research on intelligent manufacturing and robots, brain science and artificial intelligence, and supporting rehabilitation and aid devices related to intelligent rehabilitation robots, 3D printing and new materials, the bureau said.

The awards ceremony was held during the three-day Shanghai International Exhibition of Senior Care, Rehabilitation Medicine and Healthcare, also known as China Aid, which opened on Tuesday at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in the Pudong New Area.

Shanghai had a senior population of 5.03 million by the end of last year, accounting for around 34 percent of permanent residents, according to the bureau.