Gadgets for grown-ups next big thing in greying Japan

June 21, 2008

Gadgets for grown-ups next big thing in greying Japan The toys are no longer just child’s play in Japan, where an ageing population and expanding waistline have generated a wave of gadgets to help adults beat stress, battle the bulge or relieve loneliness. Pursuit of those attending the robot dance and nodding potted plants, Japanese toymakers are increasingly its attention to adults as a growing market for brands offset selling children.

The change comes amid growing efforts to make people is formed in a country where more than one fifth of the population is 65 or older, a percentage increase to 40.5 percent in 2055, according to the Government. “Toy companies are increasingly focusing more on toys for adults because of health concerns, but also the most lonely, because there are more single households as the population ages and fewer women are married,” said Sei Toyama, one of the organizers of the Tokyo Toy Show which is taking place on Thursday.

Tokyo, in April passed a law that requires businesses and local governments to measure the waist of his employees aged between 40 and 74 years old.

If for men waist more than 83.75 centimeters (33.5 inches) and 88.50 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women, they are classified as “metabolic syndrome” and companies will be penalized financially.

To encourage workers to walk to the station office instead of taking a taxi, Bandai Namco Group has developed the “Walker Taxi” - a pedometer serving as a taxi meters with the rate in real prices of market.

For a period of two kilometres (1.24 miles) ride, the fare basis coming as 710 yen (seven dollars) and increase of 90 yen for each additional 280 meters, which show users exactly how much they are saving through its own two legs.

“We want workers who are struggling with metabolic syndrome actively to enjoy walking, but do so at the same time,” said an officer of Bandai in the toy show, where 134 Japanese and foreign companies are displaying their latest gadgets.

“If they see the series of measures taken and the equivalent of the taxi, they will feel happy in how much money has been saved. This will encourage them to walk more,” he added.

Meanwhile Sega is a bet that surprisingly realistic potted plant Nods that when a person speaks help lonely or stressed adults.

The “Pekoppa” two leaves of plants can bow and flap their leaves in response to noise.

“This is very useful for people who live alone and have no one to talk, or stressed to workers who feel like no one agrees with them,” said an officer of Sega.

“It’s perfect for the manager who feels frustrated that his subordinate is not listening. It is a plant that can adapt to the mood of the person,” he added.

If that does not work then Bandai squishy imitation “Edamame” soybeans - a popular dish in Japan - can be popped from their skins to help workers relieve stress and take their minds off the job.

And for people who are shy or too busy to go out and dance, Hasbro and Sega have teamed up to develop the Ampbot a two-wheeled robot dance with stereo sound.

“The Ampbot is that for men like robots and that as children who dreamed of one day living with robots,” said Sega’s Osamu Takeuchi.

Written by Admin · Filed Under Cellphones 

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