Chubu Electric Power Signs Agreement to Construct and Promote Prevention & Improvement Program Utilizing Electricity Data and AI-Powered Frailty Detection Technology

Today, Toyoake City (Mayor: Masafumi Kouki), Fujita Academy (President: Kiyotaka Hoshinaga), and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (President: Kingo Hayashi) signed the Agreement on Construction and Promotion of Prevention and Improvement Program Utilizing Frailty Detection Technology (“Agreement”).

There is a current societal need to prevent more people from requiring long-term care and extend healthy life expectancy in order to reduce strain on medical and caregiving systems as well as hold down the increase in nursing care benefit disbursements due to the declining birthrate and aging population.

Frailty refers to a state in which declines are seen in physical and cognitive function midway between a healthy individual and one requiring nursing care. Early detection of signs of frailty and properly addressing these, including rethinking daily activities, can be expected to delay onset and restore health.

As agreed, Toyoake City, Fujita Academy, and Chubu Electric Power will conduct a pilot project for a prevention and improvement program utilizing electricity, water and other utility usage data as well as AI-driven frailty detection technology in an effort to extend healthy life expectancy of elderly citizens residing in Toyoake City (approx. 100 households).

Specifically, this program will leverage AI to detect individuals likely to be showing signs of frailty based upon their electricity usage and other data obtained from sensors and smart electricity meters installed in each household starting in the second half of FY2021. Moreover, each individual will be provided with advice tailored to his or her condition. We will continue to evaluate the program’s feasibility so as to construct a system enabling community nursing care and welfare professionals to offer appropriate prevention and improvement programs.

Beginning in FY2022, the program will expand the data analyzed to review water usage and other utilities in an effort to further enhance the prevention and improvement program and improve the precision of frailty detection.

Through this pilot project, Toyoake City, Fujita Academy, and Chubu Electric Power will make use of electricity and water usage data as well as AI-driven frailty detection technology to construct this frailty prevention and improvement program. Moreover, the implementation of this technology in communities will contribute to the promotion of comprehensive community care.

【Overview of Pilot Program】