Japan's Environment Ministry has launched a pilot project using artificial intelligence and sensor technology to protect older people from heatstroke, following data showing elderly people accounted for approximately 85 percent of heatstroke fatalities in 2024, with most deaths occurring at home.
Japan's Environment Ministry pilots AI and sensor systems to reduce heatstroke deaths among elderly
Japan's Environment Ministry has launched a pilot project using artificial intelligence and sensor technology to protect older people from heatstroke, following data showing elderly people accounted for approximately 85 percent of heatstroke fatalities in 2024, with most deaths occurring at home.
The pilot, which began in June and is expected to run through September, covers around 70 participants aged 65 and older. It uses commercially available products developed by medical device manufacturers.
The initiative incorporates three distinct programs: an AI-based system that estimates core body temperatures and sends heatstroke risk alerts via a smartwatch; a monitoring system that notifies registered family members through an app when indoor temperatures exceed set thresholds; and a system that automatically activates air conditioners based on room temperature readings.
The trial will assess the frequency of malfunctions and errors in air conditioner use, and evaluate whether the technology prompts preventive actions such as switching on air conditioners or moving to cooler locations.
The ministry will also survey participants regarding psychological resistance to new technology, noting that many older people are reluctant to use air conditioners.
Elderly people and those with preexisting health conditions may have a diminished ability to sense heat and thirst, while family members and caregivers may recognize warning signs too late, according to the ministry.
If the systems prove effective, the ministry plans to support their wider adoption starting in the fiscal year beginning April 2027.
The ministry stated that the project is intended to address both the growing number of elderly people living alone and worsening shortages of caregivers.
- No responses or perspectives from trial participants, caregivers, or medical professionals are included in the source.
- No details are provided on how participants were selected or recruited.
- No cost estimates for broader adoption of the systems are given.
- No independent assessment of the technology's effectiveness prior to the trial is referenced.
Read the original at The Japan Times