Fujitsu and Teikyo University begin joint research on a UX platform to promote lifestyle improvement using XR, spatial computing and generative AI

TOKYO, October 18, 2024 – (JCN Newswire) – Fujitsu and the Okinaga Research Institute at Teikyo University announced that they will launch a comprehensive joint research project to develop a user experience (UX) platform starting today. This platform will help improve health awareness and literacy by improving patients' understanding of their internal state through the use of digital technologies such as extended reality (XR) and spatial computing (1).

In this research project, Fujitsu and the Okinaga Research Institute will use XR and spatial computing to recreate a patient's internal anatomy in a virtual space, improving their understanding of the places where health problems can occur. The two parties will explore how this visualization can promote health awareness, behavior change and improved patient outcomes. The technology is used in interviews with patients who have been advised to improve their lifestyle based on the results of the health check. In addition, the two parties will also create a healthcare AI support avatar using generative AI technology to care for patients and study its impact on improving patients' health literacy.

background

In recent years, lifestyle-related diseases have increased in both older and younger populations. Preventing serious diseases through lifestyle improvements is expected to reduce the national health burden, increase enterprise labor productivity and improve the quality of life of individuals. Consequently, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare requires health insurance companies to develop and implement data health plans. From this, effective improvements are promoted through the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. In this cycle, data from health check results kept by health insurance companies and medical treatment bills are used to analyze the relationship between medical examination data and diseases, thus improving the patient's lifestyle.

Improving lifestyle requires not only the support of healthcare providers but also a fundamental shift in individual mindset.

In October 2022, Fujitsu and Okinaga Research Institute began conducting research to address the communication gap between doctors and patients through the use of XR, spatial computing and generative AI within informed consent. This research led to the development of virtual internal body models generated from patients' biological data and technology for an AI avatar for medical supporters. This research forms the basis of this latest project.

Roles of both parties:

1. Fujitsu

– Conduct design research (2) with related parties and experts to identify barriers to people's awareness of real lifestyle improvement
– Creating UX/UI scenarios so people can autonomously improve their lifestyle
– Providing development support for an initial prototype, suggesting improvements and conducting a demonstration test with the prototype

2. Okinaga Research Institute:

– Providing medical expertise
– Providing visualization expertise in the field of medicine
– Development of a first prototype that uses organ data

Future plans

Based on the results of this joint research project, Fujitsu and Teikyo University will contribute to improving people's well-being and solving societal health problems by preventing lifestyle-related diseases through the societal implementation of health advice using digital technology.

(1) Spatial computing: A technology that seamlessly integrates physical and digital spaces and allows people to interactively control information in that space.
(2) Design research: Research with the aim of designing products and services from the user's perspective. This research involves collecting and organizing various information to identify potential customer needs and discover new problems and values.

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu's goal is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the preferred digital transformation partner for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges. Our range of services and solutions is based on five key technologies: computing, networks, AI, data and security and converging technologies, which we bring together to achieve sustainable transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenue of 3.7 trillion yen ($26 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, remaining the leading digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.

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