Yokohama Rubber has applied the many technologies it has amassed as a rubber company to develop and market the Medi-Air series of air cushions with deflators for wheelchairs. The persons in charge of development were given an opportunity to speak with customers currently using the product to share each other’s thoughts.
Looking to fulfill expectations for manufacturing that improves people’s quality of life in Japan’s rapidly aging society
Tadao Aida (pictured at right)
Mr. Aida is utilizing his experience in product development and sales promotion support for companies in various sectors to help revitalize Japanese society, which is expected to see its population gray further moving forward. He also investigates uneven parts of the road and sidewalk using his wheelchair in order to achieve universal designs in community development plans. Mr. Aida is also an advocate of the Human Resource Self Sustainability Project that focuses on caring for those providing care.
I first learned about Medi-Air at the International Home Care & Rehabilitation Exhibition held in 2011. At the time, bed sores on my hip had gotten worse and for some time I was very close to being bedridden since I could only sit in a wheelchair for only so long. I borrowed the air cushion as a product monitor only half believing, but I was desperate to try anything.
I lost my freedom of movement when I fell down an escalator in 2007. After the accident, I began my new life in a wheelchair, and the wheelchair turned out to be more than just a method of getting around, it was where I lived. The question mark I had toward the Medi-Air One was whether it could rid me of my fears and give me peace of mind about life in a wheelchair. I don’t have feeling in my upper body, too, so I’m unable to lift and reposition myself alone even if I know my I have poor blood flow when sitting in the same position for an extended period of time. I remember the automatic inflation and deflation of the Medi-Air One felt just like my own hands were repositioning my body. I was really troubled by bed sores so much, so that my doctor told me I would need surgery if I couldn’t get them under control. After about six months of using the Medi-Air One I began to feel my bed sores improving. I was receiving various other treatments at the time, so it wasn’t until after about one year of using the Medi-Air One that I firmly believed it was responsible for my progress. I was able to use a wheelchair freely again, which greatly extended my scope of activities. The sound of the Medi-Air One inflating and deflating eased my fears of my bed sores reoccurring and gave me a positive outlook.
Today, I have an even greater outlook on life, which has broadened my vision from myself to the rest of society and encouraged me to take action. My goal is to contribute to a more comfortable aging society through my verification work on the unevenness of various surfaces around town.
I believe that rubber products will provide us with even more possibilities in the future. For example, I think it would be a good idea to develop products for nursing care providers that leverage the unique features of rubber, such as its water repellency and prevention of static electricity. I sincerely hope that Yokohama Rubber will use its company-wide commitment to take the lead in the industry toward broadening the possibilities of rubber technologies.
Pursuing Product Development in Tune with Customer Lifestyles
Yokohama Rubber decided to enter the nursing care sector about ten years ago. When I was placed in charge I must say I found myself with cold feet since it was a field I knew nothing about. First, I felt I must understand the front lines of nursing care, so I studied the field and received Level 2 certification as a home helper. While receiving advice and support from a graduate school professor who specialized in bed sores, we finally completed the Medi-Air One after four years.
The unfortunate thing about this product, which brought us closer to actual people in need, is that it can’t be mass produced due to the need for customization. It is essential that we work closely with each and every person with disability to find out their needs.
As the person in charge of development, nothing brings me a greater sense of joy that to see this product become an integral part of someone’s life like Mr. Aida. I feel that each and every one of our employees needs to broaden their understanding toward the fact that Yokohama Rubber’s technologies can make contributions to new parts of society we had never considered. That is, we need to change the way we think to come up with new value for consumers and society.
Hideki Nihei (pictured at left)
Development Group No. 2
Industrial Products Technical Department
Industrial Products Technical Division
Working together so that Medi-Air can pave the way for a brighter tomorrow for people and society
Masaaki Chiba (pictured at middle)
Mr. Chiba established the NPO called Variety Club Japan in 2001 to support the independent living of children with disabilities and currently works as its Representative Director. Using his experience of appearing in three straight Paralympics Games as a representative of Japan in short-distance track and field, he promotes ways to help children with disabilities enjoy sports. Mr. Chiba also serves as Director of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations for the Disabled.
I lost all feeling from my chest down after an injury about 30 years ago and I’ve been in a wheelchair ever since. Being paralyzed means my body can be stuck in the same position a long time, leading to bed sores, which if unnoticed can get infected and even lead to death in some cases. This is why a cushion seat for a wheelchair is an extremely important device that can literally save my life and lives of others.
In my case, scoliosis has caused my spine to curve, which means a large amount of pressure is placed on one point on the right side of my ischial bone. I tried Medi-Air, which was under development at the time, for the first time in 2011. My abdominal and back muscles don’t work because I have no feeling, but I compared to before I didn’t lose my sitting position and I felt very stable. Using the Medi-Air Sky, the pressure on the right side of my ischial bone is now distributed and I am no longer at risk for developing bed sores. This is because the cushion contains an air pocket cell on the right and left side that can be finely adjusted. I inflate the right side higher and deflate the left side a bit so that my upper body is straight.
However, people with disabilities are overly careful when it comes to selecting a new device or piece of equipment because it could make their condition worse if doesn’t work for them. This is why I feel that manufacturers involved in the development process need to continually convey the positives of their product with a long-term perspective. Therefore, we, the customers, need to be the recipient of a one-sided service.
Currently there are two types in the Medi-Air series and many types of people with disabilities (deformities or otherwise) and different conditions, so if there is a product for those of us that want to live more active lifestyles, I think this increases the possibilities and those that exercise or do desk work for extended periods of time can use Medi-Air.
People with disabilities are able to notice a lot of things others cannot. This is why I hope to be a part of the manufacturing process so that I can share my ideas and unique perspective.
I feel very encouraged by the fact that a company like Yokohama Rubber has entered the healthcare device industry in this manner. I hope Yokohama Rubber will continue to develop and expand its sales, and establish a presence as a successful role model for other industries to follow.
Reference: Medi-Air website: http://www.yrc.co.jp/medi-air/(Japanese language only)
Bringing smiles to people around the world with Yokohama Rubber’s technologies
The manual type Medi-Air Sky makes it possible for the user to adjust the air pressure as they see fit. The reason why we designed a manual version is because users shared with us that they wanted to feel the joy of doing something themselves and maintaining their existing abilities. We chose the product name “Sky” to embody our wishes that users will be able to go out and live more freely under the sky without the worry of bed sores.
During the development process we asked Mr. Chiba several times to provide frank feedback about the prototype. By asking actual users about their daily experience in the wheelchair with the prototype we were able to make a number of modifications. Medi-Air Sky was designated as a component for an assistive device by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on March 31, 2014, which enables National Health Insurance enrollees to purchase it for a 10% co-pay.
My hope is for people feeling inconvenienced by a disability to be able to use their wheelchair with peace of mind and live a more free and independent life.
I look forward to evolving more products into something useful for more people not only in Japan, but internationally, too.
Kiyoshi Iida (pictured at right)
Development Group No. 2
Industrial Products and Technical Department
Industrial Products Division