Gabriele Vogt and Anne-Sophie L. König have just published some core results of their research on robotic devices and ICT in long-term care in Japan. Based on insights from their joint field visits and expert interviews in the Kantō and Kansai regions in 2019, Vogt and König discuss the potential of robotic devices and ICT as instruments to alleviate the staff shortage in long-term care facilities. Actively promoted by governmental entities and business actors, robotic devices and ICT are said to alleviate the physical hardships and mental stress experienced by caregivers. This peer-reviewed paper shows that while cutting-edge technologies are tested and implemented in some large-scale facilities, the numerous small neighborhood facilities struggle to keep up with the technologization of the workplace.
This project was funded by Hamburg Innovation GmbH (ID: C4T151). The paper is now available open access from Contemporary Japan at Taylor and Francis Online.
Vogt, Gabriele and Anne-Sophie L. König: Robotic devices and ICT in long-term care in Japan: Their potential and limitations from a workplace perspective. In: Contemporary Japan (online since 17 December 2021), DOI: 10.1080/18692729.2021.2015846