Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) has developed a new service targeting health benefits for seniors by allowing them to move freely in a Virtual Reality (VR) space. The new service is designed to have seniors take light exercise by pedaling exercise bicycles and operating a steering wheel, while viewing VR contents through a headset.

The new service has been selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) for inclusion at Innovative Technologies + 2017 held with the objective of discovering and recognizing superior contents technology. DNP will commence demonstration tests of the new system within FY 2017 as an initiative designed to eliminate the lack of exercise, and contribute to extending the healthy life expectancy of seniors.

[Background]

Reports suggest that while 80% of seniors maintain health concerns, they show no interest in exercising. DNP believes the new service will lead to the solution of the major social challenge of increased medical and nurse-care budgets in the ultra-aging society of Japan, by making exercise a custom for seniors, and extending their independent life stage before the need for nursing care arises.
To date, DNP has leveraged image and information processing technologies to develop contents viewing systems. By applying this know-how to VR production, the Company has successfully developed a service allowing seniors to exercise comfortably while experiencing VR space.

[Service Summary and Features]

The new service is comprised of exercise equipment including an exercise bicycle, steering wheel, and VR contents.

1. Resolving lack of exercise in virtual space

By pedaling the exercise bicycle and turning the steering wheel, while viewing VR contents, seniors can enjoy a hands on experience as if they were actually travelling through VR space to enjoy exercising.

2. DNP develops contents that reduce VR-motion sickness

The new service has been developed to include innovations in the modules and interfaces that control VR contents movements, to reduce possible VR motion-sickness. In DNP monitor tests conducted with the over-60 group, it was revealed that 98% of participating seniors experienced no VR-motion sickness.

[Innovative Technologies + 2017]

The new service has been selected by the METI for inclusion at Innovative Technologies + 2017 held with the objective of discovering and recognizing superior contents technology.
In addition, the new service will also be displayed at the Innovative Technologies + 2017 booth at Digital Contents EXPO 2017, held from October 27 until 29, 2017, at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan).
For further information, please visit: http://www.dcexpo.jp/archives/2017/en/outline.html  

[Looking Ahead]

DNP will develop not only functions that allow seniors to use contents more comfortably, but through joint research with universities and others will also develop the functions necessary for the formation of new exercise habits that utilize advanced technology such as VR. Following validation via verification tests, the new service will be proposed to fitness centers and various exercise facilities from FY 2018, aiming for sales of 500 million yen by 2020.

* Product prices, specification and service contents mentioned in this news release are current as of the date of publication. They may be changed at any time without notice.